Vehicles play a crucial role in Subnautica, allowing players to explore deeper, travel faster, and survive in dangerous biomes. As the game progresses, players gain access to three main vehicles: the Seamoth, the Cyclops, and the Prawn Suit. Each vehicle serves a different purpose, and understanding their strengths and limitations is key to choosing the right one for your playstyle. In this guide, we’ll break down each vehicle and help you decide which is best for your survival journey on planet 4546B.
Why Vehicles Matter in Subnautica
The ocean world of Subnautica is vast and unforgiving. Oxygen limits, crushing depths, and hostile creatures make long-distance swimming impractical. Vehicles solve these problems by extending exploration range, protecting the player, and enabling access to late-game biomes.
Rather than replacing each other, Subnautica’s vehicles are designed to complement one another, forming a progression system that supports different stages of the game.
The Seamoth: Speed and Early-Game Freedom
The Seamoth is usually the first vehicle players unlock, and it quickly becomes an essential tool. This small, one-person submersible excels in speed and maneuverability.
Strengths of the Seamoth
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Fast travel across the map
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Easy to control and upgrade
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Ideal for scouting and mid-depth exploration
With depth upgrades, the Seamoth can reach deeper zones safely, making it perfect for early- and mid-game exploration.
Limitations
Despite its versatility, the Seamoth is relatively fragile. Without upgrades, it cannot survive deep pressure or aggressive encounters. Storage space is also limited unless additional modules are installed.
Best use case: Exploring mid-depth biomes, collecting resources, and fast travel.
The Cyclops: Mobile Base and Late-Game Support
The Cyclops is a massive submarine designed for deep exploration and long-term survival. Unlike the Seamoth, it functions as a mobile base rather than a simple vehicle.
Strengths of the Cyclops
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Massive storage capacity
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Can carry other vehicles
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Built-in crafting and living space
The Cyclops allows players to travel deep into dangerous biomes while carrying supplies, power cells, and even a Prawn Suit.
Limitations
The Cyclops is slow, loud, and requires careful energy management. Navigating tight spaces can be challenging, and careless driving can attract large predators.
Best use case: Deep exploration, transporting equipment, and acting as a mobile command center.
The Prawn Suit: Power and Precision
The Prawn Suit is a heavily armored exosuit designed for extreme environments. While slower than the Seamoth, it excels in durability and depth capability.
Strengths of the Prawn Suit
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Extremely high depth tolerance
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Strong defensive capabilities
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Drilling and grappling upgrades for resource gathering
The Prawn Suit shines in late-game biomes where pressure and hostile creatures make other vehicles risky.
Limitations
Movement can feel slow without grappling upgrades, and long-distance travel is less efficient compared to the Seamoth or Cyclops.
Best use case: Resource harvesting, deep biomes, and combat-heavy zones.
Comparing the Vehicles: Which Is Best?
Rather than asking which vehicle is best overall, the better question is when to use each one.
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Seamoth: Best for speed, scouting, and mid-game exploration
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Cyclops: Best for long expeditions and deep survival
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Prawn Suit: Best for extreme depths and heavy resource gathering
Each vehicle fills a unique role, and using them together creates the most efficient and enjoyable experience.
Tips for Choosing the Right Vehicle
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Upgrade vehicles regularly
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Match vehicle choice to biome depth
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Use the Cyclops as a transport hub
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Don’t rely on a single vehicle for every situation
Understanding how these vehicles work together is key to mastering Subnautica’s survival systems.
Final Thoughts
Subnautica’s vehicles are thoughtfully designed to support different stages of exploration and survival. The Seamoth offers freedom and speed, the Cyclops provides safety and sustainability, and the Prawn Suit delivers power and resilience. Choosing the right vehicle at the right time can make the difference between survival and failure beneath the waves.
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