Mastering Custom Garages in Forza Horizon 6: From Showroom to Road
Overview
Forza Horizon 6 introduces a deeply personal way to showcase your car collection: custom garages. These aren't just static storage units; they are interactive environments where you can adjust lighting, arrange vehicles, and even open doors to appreciate the finer details. The shift from Forza Horizon 5's impromptu driveway tinkering in Mexico to these polished garages has sparked a sense of nostalgia—but also offers new creative possibilities. This tutorial will guide you through setting up, customizing, and maximizing your garage experience, ensuring you don't miss the old days but instead embrace the new.
Prerequisites
Before diving into custom garages, ensure you have:
- Forza Horizon 6 (any edition) installed and updated to the latest version.
- Completed the introductory Horizon Festival storyline to unlock the Garage feature (usually after the first major showcase event).
- At least two cars in your collection to populate the garage.
- A stable internet connection if you wish to share your garage layouts online.
No additional DLC is required for basic garage functionality, but the Premium Edition includes exclusive garage decorations.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Accessing Your Custom Garage
Open the menu (press Start on Xbox or Esc on PC). Navigate to "Garage" under the "Horizon Life" tab. From there, select "Custom Garages" to enter the garage editor. You can also fast-travel to your garage if you've placed a player house (unlocked at level 20).
2. Choosing a Location and Layout
You start with one default garage slot. To add more, purchase player houses using in-game credits (around 500,000 CR each). Each house offers a different backdrop—urban warehouse, coastal villa, desert bunker, etc. Select the house and then pick a garage layout from the available options (e.g., 3-car, 6-car, 12-car). The number of cars per garage is limited by the layout size.
3. Placing and Arranging Cars
Inside the garage editor, press X (Xbox) or Space (PC) to open the car selection menu. Choose a vehicle from your collection. Use the left stick/WASD to move the car, and the right stick/mouse to rotate it. Press A/Enter to place. You can stack multiple cars, but avoid clipping through walls. Use the grid toggle (press Y or Tab) for precise alignment.
4. Adjusting Lighting and Effects
Press Right Bumper (RB) or E to enter lighting mode. Here you can adjust ambient brightness, spotlight intensity, and even add colored gels. For dramatic photos, lower ambient light and increase a single spotlight from above. You can also toggle reflections off to reduce glare on glossy paint.
5. Interacting with Individual Cars
Once cars are placed, approach any car and press B or F to open doors, the hood, or the trunk (if supported). Rev the engine by holding RT (Xbox) or Left Mouse Button (PC). This is where the "mucking about" magic happens—take time to admire interior details, engine bays, and custom liveries. The absence of a full open-world driveway isn't a loss when you have this level of control.
6. Using Photo Mode within the Garage
Press Right Stick (R3) or F12 to enter Photo Mode. The garage lighting and backdrop become your set. You can move the camera freely, adjust depth of field, and apply filters. To capture that nostalgia, use a warm filter and angle the car as if parked on a Mexican driveway—low angle, slightly tilted, with the ocean backdrop from the coastal villa layout.
7. Saving and Sharing Your Garage Layout
Exit the garage editor (press Menu then Save Layout). Name your layout and set visibility: Private, Friends Only, or Public. Shared layouts appear in the Community tab. You can also download layouts from other players by searching for tags like "nostalgia" or "FH5 tribute".
Common Mistakes
- Overcrowding the garage: Placing too many cars in a small layout causes clipping and makes it difficult to interact with any single car. Stick to the recommended capacity.
- Ignoring lighting: Default lighting often washes out colors. Always tweak at least the ambient and key light before taking photos.
- Forgetting to save: The garage editor does not auto-save. If you exit without saving, you lose all changes. Get into the habit of saving after every major adjustment.
- Using the wrong house backdrop: A desert bunker might not fit a sleek hypercar collection. Think about the vibe you want—urban, nature, or industrial—and choose accordingly.
- Not exploring all interaction points: Some cars allow you to drop the convertible top or fold mirrors. Press B multiple times to cycle through available actions.
Summary
Custom garages in Forza Horizon 6 transform car collection from a menu list into a living, breathing museum. While the nostalgia for FH5's casual driveway tinkering is real, this new system offers far more control and creativity. By following this guide—selecting the right location, arranging cars with care, adjusting lighting, and fully interacting with each vehicle—you can recreate that intimate hands-on feel and even enhance it. Don't just store your cars; curate them. Your own personal Horizon garage awaits.