Driving & Car Ownership in inZOI: A Comprehensive Guide
Getting around the vibrant cities of Dowon and Bliss Bay is a key part of your Zois' daily lives in inZOI. While public transport like subways and buses exist, owning and driving a car offers a personalized mode of transport and a touch of style. This guide covers everything you need to know about acquiring, driving, and interacting with cars in inZOI.
How to Get a Car
Purchasing a vehicle for your Zoi is done through their smartphone:
- Open Smartphone: Access the phone interface (
[P]key or UI icon). - Open Dream Car App: Tap the "Dream Car" app icon (usually an orange car symbol).
- Browse Vehicles: Explore the available car models. Currently, options include generic types like "Z-Car," "Sedan," "SUV," and potentially licensed models like the "Hyundai IONIQ 5" or "Hyundai AZERA".
- Select and Purchase: Click on the desired car. You can usually select a color during checkout. Confirm the purchase using your household's Meow funds.
- Delivery: The purchased car will typically appear parked near your Zoi's current residential lot shortly after purchase.
(Image: The Dream Car app interface showing available vehicles)
Driving Your Car: Manual vs. Automatic
inZOI offers two main ways to use cars for travel:
Manual Driving (Direct Control)
This allows you to personally pilot the vehicle around the city.
- Enable Setting: Manual driving might be disabled by default. To enable it, go to Options (
Esc) > Gameplay > Driving and toggle "Enable Manual Driving" to ON. - Enter Car: Click on the car and select "Get in Car (Driver's Seat)". Only the Zoi who owns the car (or potentially designated family members) can drive.
- Controls: Use the standard driving controls (see table below).
- Gameplay: Offers a more immersive experience. Allows you to explore freely but requires active control. Be aware that manual driving can lead to accidents if you collide with other vehicles or Zois.
Automatic Driving ("Drive Here" / Fast Travel)
This functions more like a directed fast travel option using the car.
- Initiate Travel: Open the City Map (
[M]). Select a destination lot or point on the map. Choose the "Drive Here" option (this appears if the active Zoi owns a car). - Process: Your Zoi will automatically walk to their car (it often summons nearby if not close), get in, and the game will simulate the drive, usually fading out and loading you near the destination much faster than manual driving would take.
- Benefit: Convenient for getting places quickly without needing to navigate traffic manually. Less risk of accidents initiated by your Zoi.
Driving Controls (Manual Mode)
| Input | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
[W] | Accelerate | |
[S] | Brake / Reverse | |
[A] / [D] | Steer Left / Right | |
[Left Mouse Click] (while driving) | Honk Horn | Confirmation needed if this persists in final build |
[Tab] | Switch Camera Perspective | Toggles between 3rd person (outside) & 1st person (inside) |
| Click Car/Interact (when stopped) | Get Out / Other Interactions |
Car Interactions & Features (Beyond Driving)
Cars in inZOI aren't just for transport; they have several interactive elements:
- Get In/Out: Zois can enter specific seats (Driver, Passenger, Rear Seats).
- Open/Close Trunk: Interact with the front or rear trunk. (Functionality for storage TBD).
- Wash Car: Clean a dirty car to restore its appearance.
- Repair: Fix the car if it becomes damaged (likely after accidents, though damage mechanics are minimal).
- Take Selfie With Car: A social/hobby interaction that may boost Media Production skill.
- Roll Windows Up/Down: Individually control window positions.
- Toggle Lights: Turn headlights, emergency lights, and turn signals on/off.
Customization
- Color: You can typically select the car's primary color during purchase via the Dream Car app.
- Further Customization: The developers have stated that car customization is a higher priority than complex driving physics. This suggests that future updates might introduce more ways to personalize vehicles (e.g., wheels, accessories, possibly performance tuning - though this is speculative).
Important Limitations & Considerations
- Ownership: While purchased via the smartphone, car ownership seems tied to individual Zois. How household sharing works precisely is still being refined (early sources suggested limits, but the app implies individual buying).
- Age Restriction: Children cannot drive cars. Driving is typically available from the Teenager stage onwards.
- Accidents & Consequences: Manual driving allows for collisions.
- Minor Collisions: Often result in the drivers getting out, arguing briefly, and then continuing.
- Hitting Zois: Colliding with pedestrian Zois (Street Zois or playable ones) can cause injury or death. This can have significant Karma implications and potentially lead to the driving Zoi being arrested (though repercussions might still be under development). See Can You Murder Zois?
- Physics & Damage: Car physics are simplified. Don't expect realistic driving simulation or detailed vehicle damage models.
- Getting Stuck: A known bug sometimes prevents Zois from exiting the car. If this happens, use the Emergency Rescue option in Psycat's Guide (book icon in UI) to reset the Zoi outside the vehicle. See Emergency Rescue Guide.
- Other Vehicle Types: Currently, only standard cars are available. Motorcycles, boats, planes, etc., are not confirmed features.
Conclusion
Cars in inZOI add a layer of realism, personalization, and an alternative travel method. While the driving mechanics themselves are relatively simple, the ability to own, customize (color), and manually drive provides engaging roleplaying opportunities. Just remember to drive carefully if you choose manual control, as the consequences of accidents can be significant!