5 reasons why every GTA Online player should own Vapid Desert Raid

The Vapid Desert Raid is a solid off-road vehicle that GTA Online players may enjoy owning. This car was initially released in 2016's Cunning Stunts update and is based on the real-life Red Bull SMG Buggy. While powercreep — a term associated with developers releasing new overpowered items — has happened in the past few years, there are still a few solid reasons for owning this car.

The list below was made while the Los Santos Drug Wars patch was still underway, meaning any new update made to GTA Online thereafter that is relevant to this vehicle won't be referenced here. It's also worth noting that the Vapid Desert Raid isn't a must-have vehicle by any means.

The following list is merely to highlight some reasons why GTA Online players should consider getting it if they have the opportunity to do so since it does have some genuinely good qualities.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective.

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Five reasons to own a Vapid Desert Raid in GTA Online

1) Solid performance

Performance-wise, the Vapid Desert Raid is pretty good for an off-road car. Here is what Broughy1322 has recorded in this regard:

• Top speed: 106.5 mph
• Lap time: 1:07.201

That means this car's top speed and lap time are ranked tenth and eighth, respectively, within its vehicle class in Grand Theft Auto Online's Los Santos Drug Wars update.

It is important to note that many of the other vehicles faster than the Vapid Desert Raid tend to be motorcycles, which might not suit everyone's playstyle. Ultimately, this car is pretty reliable and is often underrated by gamers.

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2) Goes up hills effortlessly

GTA Online has plenty of mountainous areas that regular cars struggle to climb, but that's not a problem for the Vapid Desert Raid. If you're the type of player who wants to have fun driving through the countryside, there aren't many options better than this car.

The aforementioned performance stats are relevant for this section, yet it's worth noting that not every decently fast automobile can clear the countryside as well as the Desert Raid. This is an off-road vehicle specializing in these types of feats. On a related note, this also makes it a lot of fun to drive.

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3) Unique design

If you want some eye candy for your garages, then the Vapid Desert Raid is a perfect car to consider getting. No other vehicle looks like it. Even the automobiles that sort of resemble this car still only do so at a passing glance (like the Trophy Truck). The Desert Raid's interior is also aesthetically pleasing, which is nice since many other vehicles in this game look far way too generic in this department.

The only drawback to this car's design is its lack of customization options. Still, this unique-looking vehicle has an attractive appearance that is bound to appeal to some GTA Online players.

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4) All-around good deal

The Vapid Desert Raid only costs $695,000, which isn't that much in GTA Online. Even a bad playthrough of the Cayo Perico Heist would be more than enough to cover that amount. Moreover, this car will be even cheaper if there's an available discount from an event week.

Anybody interested in a fun novel vehicle should enjoy the Vapid Desert Raid. GTA Online players can also use the Interaction Menu to open all cars, then purposefully drive into something above this automobile to tear off its back plating to give it a different look. Doing so doesn't even make the vehicle much worse from a performance standpoint.

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5) It was available for free on the Lucky Wheel

If you got a car for free, you might as well keep it. GTA Online's weekly update on May 24, 2023, included the Vapid Desert Raid as a free vehicle available on The Diamond Casino & Resort's Lucky Wheel. Whether you got lucky or used an exploit to get it is irrelevant.

Eventually, you still have a solid-free car that has most of the positive traits mentioned earlier in this article. You won't get any money for selling this car if it doesn't have any modifications, so you might as well test-drive it and keep the vehicle as a solid off-road option.