How to disable HSW mods for races in GTA Online

If a next-gen GTA Online player is sick of seeing vehicles using HSW (Hao Special Works) mods win all the time while racing, they should know that hosts have the ability to disable the feature. The setting is easy to miss, however, especially since most players don't bother hosting the race.

Non-hosts cannot disable HSW mods. Ergo, gamers who don't have any HSW vehicles and still wish to race should opt to disable them via the following method. It only takes a minute of the player's time and is something some people still don't know how to do.

Note: This article is only relevant for next-gen consoles, as the older ones and PC still don't have this feature.

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Hosts can disable HSW mods in most GTA Online races

Changing this from enabled to disabled is all that a player has to do (Image via Rockstar Games)

To get started, the player must host a race, most of which will suffice in this situation. Under Settings is an option known as HSW Mods. It's enabled by default, so change it to Disabled. Congratulations, you have now neutered the racing capabilities of other GTA Online players.

For those who don't know where to look, the setting is placed above "Radio," near the bottom of the list. Once the feature is disabled, confirm the settings and proceed with the race.

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The difference in top speeds related to HSW mods in GTA Online

These cars can be ridiculously fast (Image via Rockstar Games)

Disabling one little setting can profoundly affect a car's viability in a race. For instance, here is a list of all current vehicles that use HSW mods and the difference between their original and modified top speeds:

• Arbiter GT: 112.75 mph -> 141.25 mph
• Astron Custom: 119.25 mph -> 137 mph
• Banshee: 117.75 -> 153 mph
• Brioso R/A: 103.75 mph -> 124.75 mph
• Cyclone II: 119.25 mph -> 141 mph
• Deveste Eight: 131.75 mph -> 151.75 mph
• Hakuchou Drag: 126.5 mph -> 157.5 mph
• S95: 115.5 mph -> 155.5 mph
• Sentinel XS: 117.25 mph -> 137.75 mph
• Stirling GT: 112 mph -> 156.8 mph
• Turismo Classic: 120.75 mph -> 150.5 mph
• Weaponized Ignus: 124.75 mph -> 146.25 mph

Not only do these vehicles lose almost 20 to 30 mph of their top speeds if the feature is disabled, but they lose some acceleration too. It is important to note that if a person owns one of those HSW vehicles and wishes to use it in a race, they're recommended to be the host. That way, they can make sure the aforementioned option stays enabled.

The Pariah isn't one of the fastest cars in the game anymore (Image via Rockstar Games)

Generally speaking, most GTA Online non-modified cars tend to be much slower than HSW vehicles. There are exceptions to this, though, like the Western Reever boasting an amazing 163 mph. That said, the majority of regular vehicles tend to be around 20 mph slower by comparison. For instance, the Ocelot Pariah only has a top speed of 136 mph, which is far less than something like the Banshee's HSW version.

Hence, it's not surprising why some players would prefer to disable HSW mods in GTA Online whenever possible.