Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.3% positive across 21,588 reviews.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Car Mechanic Simulator VR
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Simulator VR both land in Simulation, Racing on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Simulation, Racing on Steam. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 4 years older than Car Mechanic Simulator VR (2021). Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than Car Mechanic Simulator VR (59.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Car Mechanic Simulator VR
Choose Car Mechanic Simulator VR if you want the Tracked Controller Support and VR Only side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Car Mechanic Simulator VR launched in 2021.
Both Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Simulator VR sit in Simulation and Racing on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 |  Car Mechanic Simulator VR | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Simulation, Racing | Simulation, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.3% positive (21,588 reviews) | 59.4% positive (207 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Dot Games | GameFormatic S.A., Red Dot Games |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, Racing on Steam.
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 4 years older than Car Mechanic Simulator VR (2021).
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than Car Mechanic Simulator VR (59.4% positive).
- Car Mechanic Simulator VR is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is Deck Playable, Car Mechanic Simulator VR is Deck Unsupported.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Car Mechanic Simulator VR — FAQ
- Which is better, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 or Car Mechanic Simulator VR?
- On Steam reviews Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher (90.3% positive) than Car Mechanic Simulator VR (59.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 or Car Mechanic Simulator VR first?
- If you want chronology, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) came out before Car Mechanic Simulator VR (2021). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Simulator VR similar?
- They overlap on Simulation, Racing on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.