Apex Legends: C.A.R. SMG Guide

Season 7 of Apex Legends blessed us with the Trident, a car you can shoot from while riding shotgun. But Season 11 has introduced something even better: a CAR you can shoot with.

Apex’s newest firearm, the C.A.R. SMG (short for ‘Combat Advanced Round Submachine Gun’) is easily the most versatile weapon in the game. Though it first debuted in the original Titanfall, the C.A.R. still feels fresh, even in the hands of a Titanfall veteran. Some players initially feared that it would be nerfed into absolute oblivion, as many Titanfall-originated weapons have before making their debut in Apex. But so far, this version of the C.A.R. has been performing far beyond expectations.

Great for beginners and pros alike, the C.A.R. SMG is the kind of gun you’ll find yourself consistently abandoning your favorite weapons for. But there’s more to the new SMG than meets the eye. Arm yourself with the knowledge in this C.A.R. SMG guide, and you’ll soon be easily mowing down enemies with Apex’s most legendary weapon to date.

 

C.A.R. SMG Stats

While the C.A.R. doesn’t do quite as much damage as the Volt SMG, it does have a slightly higher rate of fire that more than makes up for the reduced damage.

As far as performance goes, directly hitting an enemy’s body will net you 13 damage, while headshot damage is 20. Naturally, legs are only worth 10 damage. That may not sound like much, but with the high rate of fire and decently consistent recoil pattern, taking out enemies with the C.A.R. SMG is smooth sailing. 8 headshots will take down enemies with level 1 helmets, and with the high firing rate, players can easily nail those shots and make quick work of enemy squads during tense hot-drops.

The C.A.R.’s recoil pattern initially travels upwards and slightly to the left before drifting back towards the center, at which point you’ll notice more horizontal recoil. While the new SMG is certainly effective in spray-and-pray scenarios, it’s most effective when fired in shorter, sustained bursts as opposed to continuous open fire. Practice with it in the firing range and pay attention to the spread and recoil pattern if you want to truly master the C.A.R.

 

C.A.R. SMG Effective Range

While the C.A.R. is most effective at mid- to close-range, it can still come to your rescue when you’re in a pinch at a distance. Slap a 2x scope on it, and after some practice, you’ll be surprised how easily you can hit enemies that might otherwise be considered out of range.

In Arenas, players frequently take aim at (and successfully land shots on) distant enemies who they’d likely never even dream of trying to hit with the Volt or R-99 in a similar situation. Though the C.A.R. is by no means a long-range weapon, at a distance it performs more like an assault rifle (think R-301 or Hemlock), allowing you to hit enemies that are just out of reach and provide effective cover-fire when necessary. In Arenas, this is a huge asset to you and your squad.

 

C.A.R. SMG Ammo & Magazines

If you had to describe the C.A.R. SMG in a single word, it would be ‘flexible’. The versatility of this weapon absolutely cannot be overstated. While most players know by now that the weapon can utilize both light and heavy ammo, many aren’t aware of just how much this can aid you in battle.

Obviously, it’s convenient for the simple fact that using 2 types of ammo means you are far less likely to run out of bullets, and on the off chance that you do find yourself with an empty magazine, it’s much more likely that a squadmate will be able to help you out, because at least one of your two teammates probably has access to either light or heavy ammo.

But the benefits of this ammo swap ability don’t stop there. Another boon to C.A.R. users is the fact that, in addition to utilizing two types of ammo, the gun is also compatible with both light and heavy magazines, regardless which kind of ammo is being used. This means two things:

– You can use a heavy magazine while shooting light ammo, and vice versa.

– If, for instance, you’ve got a heavy magazine and your team mate really, really needs a heavy mag but only has a light mag, you can trade. Toss them your heavy mag and equip their light mag to your C.A.R. SMG (yes, even if you’re still only using heavy ammo). This allows you to strengthen your squadmates without sacrificing your own performance.

 

C.A.R. SMG Effective Legends

With the above scenario in mind, Loba is a perfect Legend to pair with the C.A.R., as she can easily pull off the magazine trade-off even if her squadmates don’t have a magazine to give her in return. Loba can toss her teammates whichever mag they need, then quickly pluck a new one out of her Black Market. Alternatively, she can use that black market to help gear up her entire squad with C.A.R.s and give them access to all the magazines and ammo they could ever want, allowing her team to take down the competition with elegance and ease.

Wattson, who has recently been buffed into the stratosphere, also pairs well with the C.A.R., as does Season 11’s new Legend, Ash. Wattson’s electric fences and Ash’s Arc Snare tether traps both injure enemies and limit their movement, giving players the perfect chance to take aim at their prey. Horizon’s ultimate functions similarly.

Another great option is Bangalore. Because the C.A.R. SMG is compatible with the 1x Digital Threat scope, players can drop Bangalore’s tactical smoke grenades, then hunt down their foes through the thick smoke with the enemy-highlighting Digital Threat sight.

Though the C.A.R. doesn’t currently have any hop-ups, it’s still one of the most effective, versatile weapons in Apex Legends. The learning curve isn’t particularly steep, so don’t be afraid to snatch up this user-friendly weapon on a mid-match whim. You’ll be glad you did – and so will the rest of your squad.

Apex Legends is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and Switch.

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