10 Best HSW Upgrade Vehicles in GTA 5 Online Ranked

If you've been racing in GTA Online and wondering why some players blow past you like you're standing still, the answer is probably Hao's Special Works (often typed as haos special works by players searching without the apostrophe). HSW upgrades turn already-fast cars into borderline unfair machines, and now that they're on PC as of March 2025, everyone wants to know which vehicles are worth the investment.

Not every car can get an HSW upgrade. Only about 25 vehicles are eligible, and the upgrade costs range from a few hundred thousand to nearly a million GTA dollars on top of the car's base price. So which ones are worth the investment? Picking the wrong one hurts.

We've ranked the 10 best HSW-compatible vehicles in GTA Online based on a mix of top speed, acceleration, handling, and what you actually get for the money. No filler. No cars that get outclassed the second a Banshee shows up.

Quick Verdict

How to Get HSW Upgrades in GTA 5

Before we get into the rankings, here's the quick version of unlocking HSW. You need the Enhanced Edition of GTA 5, that's PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or the PC Enhanced version that arrived in March 2025. The old Legacy Edition on PS4, Xbox One, or legacy PC doesn't have HSW at all.

You've got two ways to get access to Hao's Special Works:

Option 1, Free (with work): Wait for Hao to text you in-game. He'll point you toward a special vehicle. Pick it up, complete the HSW Time Trial, and you get permanent access to the workshop plus one free HSW upgrade you can apply to any eligible car.

Option 2, Pay GTA$50,000: Drive over to the LS Car Meet in Cypress Flats, find Mimi at the reception desk, and buy a Car Meet Membership. That's it. You're in. No time trial, no waiting for a text. The GTA$50,000 is nothing compared to what you'll spend on the actual upgrades.

Once unlocked, walk into the HSW workshop inside the LS Car Meet (it's right next to the mod shop area) and pick from the eligible vehicles in your garage.

1. Bravado Banshee GTS: The Undisputed Speed King

There's fast, and then there's the Banshee GTS. With an HSW upgrade, this thing hits 172.50 mph (277.61 km/h), which makes it the outright fastest car you can drive in GTA Online. Not the fastest HSW car. The fastest car, period.

The base Banshee GTS costs GTA$1,989,500 from Legendary Motorsport, and the HSW upgrade adds another $950,000 on top. That's roughly $3 million total, and yeah, that stings. But what you get is a rear-wheel-drive sports car that doesn't just win races, it makes other racers question their life choices.

What separates the Banshee from the rest is how it puts power down. The RWD setup means you'll feel the rear end step out if you're too aggressive with the throttle, but when you learn the car, the acceleration off corners is absurd. It's not forgiving. It's rewarding.

The downside? At nearly $3 million all-in, this is an endgame purchase. If you're still running heists to build your bankroll, there are cheaper HSW options on this list that'll get you 90% of the way there.

2. Coil Cyclone II, Acceleration That Feels Broken

The Cyclone II doesn't quite match the Banshee on top end, topping out around 170 mph with HSW, but where it wins is the launch. This car's acceleration borders on glitch territory, the electric drivetrain means instant torque with zero wheelspin drama. If a race has a lot of tight corners and short straights, the Cyclone II often beats the Banshee on lap time simply because it gets back to speed faster.

The base Cyclone II costs around GTA$1,790,000, and the HSW upgrade is roughly $750,000. Total investment sits around $2.5 million, which is still expensive but noticeably less than the Banshee.

Handling is where the Cyclone II surprises people. For an electric supercar with this much instant power, it stays planted. The all-wheel-drive system pulls it through corners cleanly. You won't get the tail-happy fun of the Banshee, but you'll get consistency, and in a race series, consistency wins.

The main drawback is top-end speed on long highways. If a Banshee GTS catches a straight stretch, it'll walk away. Pick the Cyclone II for technical tracks, not airport drags.

3. Pegassi Weaponized Ignus, Speed That Fights Back

The Weaponized Ignus is the odd one on this list because it's not just fast, it's armed. With HSW upgrades, it pushes around 168 mph while carrying a mounted minigun that the driver can use. Most armored vehicles trade speed for protection. The Ignus says no.

Base price sits around GTA$3,245,000 (it's a weaponized vehicle, so the entry cost is high), and the HSW upgrade tacks on roughly $800,000. You're looking at over $4 million all-in, which makes this the most expensive car on the list by a wide margin.

What makes the Weaponized Ignus worth considering despite the price is versatility. It's fast enough to compete in most races, and it's the only car here that can fight back in freemode when someone rolls up on you. The HSW handling improvements make it feel lighter than it looks.

The minigun has limited range and a cooldown, so don't expect it to replace a proper weaponized vehicle like the Toreador. Think of it as a supercar that can defend itself, not a tank that happens to be fast.

4. Principe Deveste Eight: The Highway Missile

The Deveste Eight was already one of the fastest supercars before HSW existed. With the upgrade, it clocks in around 165 mph and becomes arguably the most stable high-speed car in the game. The long wheelbase and aerodynamic design mean it stays glued to the road at speeds that would make most cars twitchy.

Base price from Legendary Motorsport is about GTA$1,795,000, and the HSW upgrade costs roughly $700,000. Total: around $2.5 million.

Where the Deveste Eight dominates is long highway races and point-to-point tracks with lots of full-throttle sections. The top speed isn't quite Banshee territory, but the stability at that speed means you'll hit your braking points more consistently, which matters more than raw mph in most races.

The downside is tight cornering. The long body and rear-engine layout mean slow-speed turns feel like turning a boat. If your favorite track has hairpins, look elsewhere. If it's all sweepers and straights, the Deveste Eight is a genuine contender.

5. Karin S95: The Budget Speed Demon

The Karin S95 is the cheapest way to get genuinely fast with HSW. With the upgrade, it hits around 160 mph, which puts it within striking distance of cars that cost twice as much. Base price is about GTA$1,995,000, but the critical detail is the HSW upgrade cost: roughly $450,000, making it the most affordable high-performance HSW option.

What you get is a lightweight sports car that feels nimble and responsive with HSW. The handling improvements make the S95's already-sharp steering even more precise, and the acceleration boost is noticeable, it doesn't have the Cyclone II's instant torque, but it gets going quickly enough to hang with faster cars through the first few gears.

Where the S95 shows its budget roots is top-end speed and stability. At 160 mph, you're about 10 mph behind the Banshee, and on bumpy roads the lighter chassis gets unsettled more easily than the heavier supercars. But at under $2.5 million total, you're getting a car that can compete in most races without draining your account.

If you want HSW speed without selling your entire garage to afford it, start here.

6. Imponte Arbiter GT, Muscle That Keeps Up

HSW upgrades aren't just for supercars. The Arbiter GT is a muscle car that, with HSW, hits around 158 mph and brings a completely different driving feel to the table. Base price is about GTA$1,280,000 from Southern San Andreas Super Autos, and the HSW upgrade runs around $500,000.

The appeal here isn't raw numbers, it's character. The Arbiter GT with HSW has the heavy steering, tail-happy cornering, and roaring engine note that make muscle cars fun. The HSW upgrade turns that character up without making the car undrivable. You can still slide the rear out on command, but the upgraded suspension and brakes mean you'll actually recover instead of spinning.

Where the Arbiter GT falls behind is obvious: it's a muscle car, and muscle cars don't keep up with supercars in a straight fight. If a Banshee GTS shows up, you're losing that drag race. But in muscle car class races or just cruising around Los Santos feeling like a movie villain, the Arbiter GT with HSW is top of its class.

7. Pfister Astron Custom: The SUV Nobody Expects

The Astron Custom is the wildcard on this list. It's an SUV. With HSW, it hits around 155 mph. That's faster than some sports cars without HSW. If the idea of an SUV gapping supercars at a stoplight appeals to you, this is your pick.

Base price is about GTA$1,570,000, and the HSW upgrade costs roughly $600,000. Total: around $2.2 million.

What's genuinely impressive about the Astron Custom HSW is how well it handles for an SUV. The upgraded suspension keeps body roll in check, and the all-wheel-drive system puts power down cleanly. You won't win a race against the top-end HSW supercars, but you'll embarrass anyone who hasn't invested in HSW yet, and that's a lot of players.

The obvious downside is the ceiling. 155 mph is quick but not competitive at the top of the racing ladder. The Astron is a fun second car, not a main race vehicle. Buy it if you want something different, not if you're grinding for podium finishes.

8. Übermacht Sentinel XS: The Street Racing Sleeper

The Sentinel XS doesn't look special. It looks like a nice BMW coupe. With the HSW upgrade, it hits about 153 mph, and that understated look is part of the appeal, nobody expects the Sentinel to pull away from them at a light.

Base price sits around GTA$60,000 if you grab one off the street (or about GTA$600,000 from the in-game website), and the HSW upgrade is roughly $400,000. All-in for potentially under $500,000 if you street-sourced the car, making this the cheapest entry into HSW by far.

The driving feel with HSW is where the Sentinel surprises. It's not the fastest, but it's one of the most balanced HSW cars to drive. The steering is precise, the rear end communicates clearly, and you can push it hard without feeling like the car's about to kill you. It's a driver's car in a list full of spec-sheet monsters.

The Sentinel's weakness is straight-up pace. At 153 mph, it's the slowest car on the front half of this list. If you want to win open-class races, you'll need something faster. But for an affordable daily driver with HSW performance that won't break the bank, the Sentinel XS earns its spot.

9. Declasse Vigero ZX, Free If You Have GTA+

The Vigero ZX gets a spot on this list mostly because GTA+ subscribers can get it for free with a complimentary HSW upgrade, depending on the current GTA+ rotation. When it's not free, the base price is about GTA$1,947,000 and the HSW upgrade costs roughly $500,000.

Performance-wise, the Vigero ZX hits around 150 mph with HSW. It's a muscle car, so the acceleration feels punchy and the handling has that heavy, satisfying weight. The HSW improvements clean up the worst of the muscle-car understeer and give it a top end that can hang with low-tier supercars.

Where the Vigero ZX shines is value, if your GTA+ subscription includes it. At roughly $6/month, GTA+ membership gets you rotating free vehicles, exclusive liveries, and monthly GTA$ bonuses. If the Vigero ZX is in the current GTA+ rotation, you're getting a $2+ million HSW car for the cost of your subscription.

Outside of GTA+ benefits, the Vigero ZX is outclassed by the Arbiter GT at a similar price point, and the cheaper Karin S95 on the top-speed front. Buy it if it's free with your sub, but don't prioritize it over the cars above.

10. Karin Kuruma, Armored and Actually Quick Now

The Kuruma is famous for being the go-to armored car for heists. With an HSW upgrade, it becomes something rare: an armored car that's actually fast. HSW top speed for the Kuruma sits around 147 mph, which doesn't sound impressive compared to the cars above, but remember, this thing tanks bullets.

Base price is GTA$525,000 for the armored version (the non-armored version can't get HSW), and the HSW upgrade costs about $350,000. Total investment: under $900,000, making this the cheapest fully-HSW-ready vehicle on the list.

The armored Kuruma with HSW changes how you approach missions. You're no longer the slow target crawling between objectives. The speed boost means you can actually outrun NPC traffic and get to cover faster, while still shrugging off small-arms fire. For grinding heists and missions, this is a genuine upgrade over the standard Kuruma.

In races, the Kuruma doesn't belong. The acceleration is decent but the top speed and handling aren't competitive against actual sports cars. This pick is purely for mission efficiency, and in that role, the HSW Kuruma is the best value on the board.

Before You Spend: What You Need to Know About HSW Upgrades

A few things that'll save you money:

You only get one free upgrade. The first HSW upgrade from completing Hao's time trial is free. After that, every HSW upgrade costs money, and those costs range from $350,000 to $950,000 depending on the car. Pick your first car carefully.

Not every car can get HSW. Only about 25 vehicles are eligible. If you bought a car thinking you'd HSW it later, double-check the list before spending. The ones we ranked above are the picks worth your GTA dollars.

GTA 5 story mode doesn't have HSW. This is purely a GTA Online feature, part of the Enhanced Edition. If you're playing through the single-player campaign with Michael, Trevor, and Franklin, HSW isn't available there.

The Enhanced Edition is required. If you're on the Legacy Edition, whether on console or PC, you can't access HSW. The good news is the upgrade to Enhanced Edition is free if you already own GTA 5. On PC, just download the separate Enhanced Edition client from Steam or Epic.

GTA 5 price for new players: If you don't own GTA 5 yet, the Enhanced Edition typically costs around $15-30 on sale, or you can pick up the full game bundled with a Shark Card for roughly $30-40. A common search right now is when does GTA 6 come out — GTA 6 (officially Grand Theft Auto VI) is expected to launch sometime between late 2025 and early 2026, with pre-orders already live on PlayStation Store at $69.99 for the standard edition. If you're debating between GTA 5 and waiting for GTA 6, GTA 5 at $15 is basically free entertainment for the months until GTA 6 arrives.

Final Thoughts

HSW upgrades turned GTA Online's car scene upside down. Picking from the best HSW cars on this list gives you a head start. The gap between HSW and non-HSW cars is bigger than the gap between any two classes of standard vehicles. If you're racing competitively, you need an HSW car. If you're grinding missions, an HSW Kuruma will pay for itself in time saved.

Start with the Banshee GTS if money is no object. Go with the Karin S95 if you want speed on a budget. Pick the Cyclone II if you prefer handling over top speed. And if you're a GTA+ subscriber, check whether the Vigero ZX is currently free, that's a no-brainer pickup.

Just remember to get HSW access first. That $50,000 Car Meet Membership is the best purchase you'll make in GTA Online.