The sprawling, chaotic planets of Borderlands 4 demand a set of wheels. While the iconic Scooter may be a memory, the spirit of high-octane, explosive vehicular mayhem is very much alive. Navigating these vast open-world maps on foot is a surefire way to get overrun by psychos and skags.
This guide will walk you through exactly how and when you gain access to your first vehicle, ensuring you’re tearing up the wasteland in no time.
When Do You Unlock the Vehicle in Borderlands 4?
You won’t have to wait long to get behind the wheel. The ability to summon your own vehicle becomes available very early in the campaign.
- The Key Mission: You will unlock the Catch-a-Ride system upon completing the third main story mission, titled “Down and Outbound.”
- Prerequisite: This mission becomes available immediately after you finish the game's introductory quest, “Recruitment Drive,” which involves your first encounter with the ever-optimistic Claptrap.
Our strong recommendation is to
prioritize this story mission. While the world opens up for exploration early on, completing "Down and Outbound" is a quick and straightforward task that grants you a massive quality-of-life upgrade for the rest of your playthrough. It’s the key to seamless travel across the borderlands.
How to Summon Your Vehicle
Once you’ve completed the "Down and Outbound" mission, the entire map becomes your driveway. Summoning your ride is incredibly simple:
- On Controller: Press the Left D-Pad.
- On Keyboard (PC): Press the X key.
Your vehicle will be digi-structured nearby almost instantly, ready for action.
Your First Ride: Capabilities and Customization
The initial vehicle you receive is a robust all-rounder, perfect forlearning the rules of the road—which in Borderlands, mostly involvebreaking them.
Core Abilities:
- Boost: Engage a nitro boost for a sudden burst of speed to escape enemies or make death-defying jumps.
- Drift: Execute sharp, controlled turns to navigate tricky terrain or run circles around your foes.
- Jump: Launch over obstacles, gaps, and smaller enemies with a dedicated jump ability.
Combat & Durability:
Your starter vehicle comes equipped with mounted weaponry, typicallyinterchangeable options like machine guns or rocket launchers. Bemindful that it has a health bar; taking too much enemy fire will causeit to explode, leaving you on foot and vulnerable. Strategic driving iskey!
Unlocking More Vehicles: Cosmetic vs. Performance
A major part of the Borderlands endgame is hunting for new loot, and that extends to your garage.
- Cosmetic Variations: As you progress, you will unlock a wide array of new vehicle designs,skins, and parts through story missions and challenges. It’s importantto note that these are primarily cosmetic upgrades. A flashy new monster truck might look terrifying, but its core speed,health, and handling will be identical to your starter model.
- Performance Upgrades: True performance enhancements for your vehicles are typically foundthrough discovering specific parts in the world, completing difficultachievements, or purchasing upgrades from in-game vendors. This allowsyou to truly customize your ride’s performance to suit your playstyle.
Unlocking your vehicle is the first step to mastering the open world ofBorderlands 4. Get those missions done, hit that left D-pad, and enjoythe ride
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 PS5, Microsoft Windows PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Genre(s): First-person shooter, action role-playing
Developer(s): Gearbox Software
Release date: September 12, 2025
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
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