The best armored vehicles in GTA Online you have to try

GTA Online may have various ways to take down enemies, but staying alive is arguably more important. Whether you’re completing a job or fooling around with friends, all it takes is one stray rocket or some bullets from another player who’s in a chaotic mood for your player character to die and you to lose your money. This is all without even mentioning how annoying it can be to get your car repaired.

While the base GTA 5 has various mods to make survivability easier, GTA Online doesn’t. Fortunately, having some armored vehicles can help players survive longer in the chaotic and destructive city of Los Santos. Today, we’re here to go through our picks for some of the best armored vehicles in GTA Online that will ensure your car doesn’t blow up every time a single rocket hits it. Naturally, we’ll also include the size and base price of every vehicle we highlight.

So, without further ado, here are our favorite armored vehicles in GTA Online you have to try at least once.

Armored Kuruma

Size: 4 Seats (1 Driver and 3 Passengers)
Base Price: $698,250
Trade Price: $525,000

The Armored Kuruma is one of the best picks for people starting in GTA Online, thanks to its bulletproof protection despite costing relatively less than other vehicles. Its bulletproof tires and windows make it an amazing option for heists and missions where gunfire is a problem. Once a player completes the Fleeca Job, they can buy it at a trade price, making it even more accessible.

Since it’s like a standard car, it has great handling and speed. The only thing holding it back is that it doesn’t offer much protection against explosives, so it’s a bad vehicle in PvP situations or missions that include explosions since a single homing rocket can destroy it.

Barrage

Capacity: 4 Seats (2 Turrets and 2 Passengers)
Base Price: $2,121,350
Trade Price: $1,592,500

The Barrage is a fast off-road vehicle with two turrets, allowing a squad to fight back if they’re riding it. Although it has moderate protection against gunfire, it’s weak against missiles, so it’s not viable in combat-heavy situations or PvP. The Barrage stands out for its greatness in different terrains, making it an incredible option in off-road missions or heists.

TM-02 Khanjali

Capacity: 4 Seats (1 Driver, 1 Main Gunner, and 2 Rear Gunners)
Base Price: $3,850,350
Trade Price: $2,895,000

The TM-02 Khanjali is a tank with a main gun, railgun, grenade launchers, and a Browning Machine Gun. It’s an incredible option for missions that need heavy firepower and going against players with lots of protection. Unfortunately, it can’t take a lot of hits before getting destroyed, being able to withstand only five rockets. Since it costs $3,850,350, it’s a good investment for those who need good offensive capabilities.

Grotti Itali GTO Stinger TT

Capacity: 2 Seats (1 Driver and 1 Passenger)
Base Price: $1,965,000

The Grotti Itali GTO Stinger TT is great for players who prefer mobility alongside some armor. It’s a sports car whose armor players can upgrade. It has a high top speed and handles nicely, allowing people to dodge enemies easily. Even though it doesn’t have high armor, unlike other vehicles in this list, it makes up for it thanks to its mobility.

Terrorbyte

Capacity: 4 Seats (1 Driver, 1 Front Passenger, and 2 Rear Operators)
Base Price: $1,375,000 – $3,459,500

The Terrorbyte is a vehicle that focuses on utility and has exceptional armor. It can withstand up to 35 rockets, making it a safe choice for players who need lots of protection during missions.

What makes the Terrorbyte stand out is its versatility and ability to work as a mobile operations hub, weapons and vehicle workshop, and business management center. Even though it doesn’t have a lot of offensive options, it’s a great pick for players who manage multiple businesses or need a base that’s constantly on the move.

Half-Track

Capacity: 3 Seats (1 Driver, 1 Gunner, and 1 Passenger)
Base Price: $2,254,350
Trade Price: $1,695,000

The Half-Track is an armored vehicle that has both offensive and defense. Thanks to its off-road capabilities and durability, it’s an incredible choice for missions that require players to drive off-road. The turret, which people can upgrade, gives the vehicle exceptional firepower, and players can deploy mines to catch anyone chasing off guard.

The locomotive can take up to 27 rockets. Unfortunately, it’s set back due to the gunner being stationed at an exposed position, so they’re vulnerable to gunfire.

Avenger

Capacity: 10 Seats (1 Pilot, 1 Cabin Passenger, 3 Cargo Hold Gunners, and 5 Cargo Hold Passengers
Base Price: $3,450,000 – $6,237,500

The Avenger is one of the best-armored vehicles in the game, thanks to its ability to go airborne. It can work as a mobile operations hub and a cargo plane, letting players store and transport weaponized vehicles. With its multiple turrets, machine gun, missiles, and countermeasures, the Avenger excels in both defense and offense. This vehicle can take up to 22 rockets before being forced into storage and 26 before it gets destroyed, making it practically resistant to destruction.

Nightshark

Capacity: 4 Seats (1 Driver and 3 Passengers)
Base Price: $1,245,000
Trade Price: Free for Guest List Players

The Nightshark is a durable and versatile vehicle for players who want a balance between offense, defense, and speed. It has a front-mounted machine gun and quick acceleration, making it great for missions, and its ability to take up to 27 rockets ensures it’s viable in PvP. The Nightshark’s price is this high due to its affordable base price of $1,245,000 and free for guest list players, giving it an incredible value.

MTL Brickade 6×6

Capacity: 6 Seats
Base Price: $1,450,000
Trade Price: Free after completing First Dose missions

The MTL Brickade 6×6, also called the Acid Lab, is one of the most defensive vehicles in GTA Online. After upgrading it, it can withstand up to 48 homing missiles. Aside from being tough, it’s a nice ramming machine, being able to push aside obstacles. Players can get the vehicle by completing the Los Santos Drug Wars’ First Dose missions, making it accessible.

Insurgent Pick-Up Custom

Capacity: 9 Seats (1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Front Passenger, 2 Rear Passengers, 2 Truck Bed Passengers, and 2 Side-Mounted Passengers)
Base Price: $1,795,000 (+ $202,500 Conversion)
Trade Price: $1,350,000 (+ $202,500 Conversion)

The Insurgent Pick-Up Custom is the jack of all trades. It’s durable, versatile, and affordable. The vehicle can carry nine players, making it a spectacular choice for large teams. Thanks to its powerful turret and the ability to deploy proximity mines, it’s a perfect weapon for missions and PvP combat. It’s one of the most durable land vehicles in GTA Online, able to withstand up to 27 homing rockets.

Thanks to its low base price and trade price, plus the conversion cost, it’s an accessible option for players who need a reliable and strong armored vehicle. Until GTA 6 comes out, this is our pick for the best armored vehicle in GTA Online.

Are armored vehicles better in GTA Online?

Whether you should go for an armored vehicle or a normal one depends on what you want to prioritize. Some missions fail instantly when you die and they throw various enemies at you, in which case survivability is key and you’ll want to stick with an armored vehicle. Rockstar Games seems to like having NPCs ram your car, and having a flimsy sports car in this scenario will likely end badly.

On the other hand, some missions prioritize speed above everything else. Whether it’s winning a race or reaching a destination on time, having a fast car can be the difference between failing and succeeding. While some armored vehicles are fairly quick, most regular sports cars will outspeed armored vehicles every time.

Therefore, it’s always a good idea to have multiple cars in your possession. This way, players can look at the mission they want to complete before determining which car will be the right one for the job.