In Colin McRae Rally 04 it's the player in control - choose from over 20 rally cars and which championships to compete in. Exhilarating rally challenges include 4-wheel drive and 2-wheel drive Championships (both with normal or advanced skill levels), Rallies (compete in country-specific rallies and create a Custom Rally), Stages, a Group B Championship featuring classic powerful rally cars and, for the professional, an Expert Championship.

An advanced visual engine drives the game at an incredible pace and provides for more detailed stage environments through the fresh international rally courses. Improved textures, new animated effects in the stage scenery - right down to individual blades of grass moving in the wind - sunlight and shadowing effects and more detailed track surfaces make for natural, lush, living racing environments.