Karin Sultan
An entry-level Karin sports sedan blending Lexus IS, Mitsubishi Evo, and Subaru Impreza styling, cheap to buy and the base vehicle for the Sultan RS conversion at Benny's Original Motor Works.
Key Info
| Game | GTA 5 |
|---|---|
| Type | Car |
| Manufacturer | Karin |
| Seats | 4 |
| Drivetrain | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| Mass | 1,400 kg |
| DimensionsL x W x H | Not published by Rockstar |
Performance
| Top Speed | 187.09 km/h |
|---|---|
| 0–60 | Not published |
| Handling | 71/100 |
More Info
| Inspired By | Lexus IS, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Subaru Impreza |
|---|---|
| In-Game Price | $12,000 |
The Karin Sultan has been in GTA Online since the game's original launch on September 17, 2013, priced at just $12,000 from the in-game dealership. Its design blends the Lexus IS, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, and Subaru Impreza, and today it's most relevant as the required starting point for the Sultan RS, a separate Super-class conversion built at Benny's Original Motor Works.
How It Drives
Broughy1322's fully-upgraded test clocks the Sultan at 187.09 km/h (116.25 mph), with a 1:04.982 lap time. Rockstar's own in-game stat bars read 77.80 speed, 65.00 acceleration, 13.33 braking, and 71.21 handling, all on a 0 to 100 scale. That braking figure is genuinely weak, among the lowest of any tested vehicle, so drivers need to plan stops well in advance rather than relying on late braking into corners.
How to Get One
Buy it outright from any dealership for $12,000, or find and steal one directly off the street, most commonly around Harmony, La Mesa, Strawberry, or the Senora Freeway. There's no reputation grinding or mission requirement either way, it's one of the most accessible Sports-class vehicles in the game.
Customization Highlights
A full build runs $140,130 at Los Santos Customs, cheap relative to most Sports-class vehicles given the car's low base price. Turbo tuning is the single largest line item at $30,000. Its real customization value comes from being convertible into the Sultan RS at Benny's Original Motor Works, a separate $795,000 upgrade that transforms it into a genuinely competitive Super-class car.
Comparison to Other Variants
Against the Sultan Classic (a separate model, $1,718,000, 188.29 km/h fully upgraded), the base Sultan is dramatically cheaper but slower and weaker across every stat. Against its own Sultan RS conversion ($795,000 additional cost, 190.30 km/h fully upgraded), the base Sultan is essentially a starting point rather than a finished product, most players buying the base car intend to convert it rather than keep it stock.
Is It Worth Buying?
At $12,000, it's cheap enough that the purchase decision barely matters, the real question is whether you plan to convert it into the Sultan RS. As a standalone Sports-class car, its 56.84 overall rating and particularly weak braking make it a poor pick against modern purchasable options, but as the entry point to a genuinely strong Super-class conversion, it's essentially mandatory.
Quick Tips
- Buy it if you're planning the Sultan RS conversion, that's its main value at this point Don't expect strong braking even fully upgraded, its 13.33 rating is among the weakest tested Check Harmony, La Mesa, or Strawberry if you'd rather steal one than pay the $12,000 Budget the separate $795,000 conversion cost at Benny's if you want the Sultan RS Take advantage of the 4-seat layout for freemode passengers while driving the base version.
How to Get It
Purchase, or found and stolen (Harmony, La Mesa, Strawberry, Senora Freeway, Larry's RV Sales), $12,000
Special Features
Pros & Cons
- Extremely cheap at $12,000, among the lowest prices in the Sports class
- AWD grip helps put power down reliably
- Seats 4, useful for freemode over most 2-seat Sports cars
- Doubles as the entry point for the Sultan RS conversion at Benny's
- Very weak braking (13.33 on Rockstar's own scale, among the worst tested)
- Weak acceleration (65.00 on Rockstar's own scale)
- Not bulletproof by default, a single homing missile, RPG, or sticky bomb destroys it even at 100% armor
- 56.84 overall rating trails most purchasable Sports-class options
Verdict
Trivia
- Full upgrade cost at Los Santos Customs is $140,130 across all categories. Lap time fully upgraded: 1:04.982 (Broughy1322 test). Added to GTA Online on September 17, 2013, at the game's original launch. Required base vehicle for the Sultan RS, converted at Benny's Original Motor Works for an additional $795,000.
Featured In
- Stock Car Races (side mission) A Superyacht Life (contact mission)