On release, "Next Generation" praised the Saturn version's "down-and-dirty feel", "truly phenomenal high-speed visuals", and "quick, responsive control". The magazine cited the game's physics and handling as "nothing short of remarkable". "Game Informer"s Reiner and Andy gave "Sega Rally Championship" scores of 8/10 and 8.5/10, making note of technical improvements over the Saturn version of Sega's "Daytona USA", which Andy nonetheless felt was the better game. "Game Informer"s Paul was more effusive, rating the Saturn port 9.25/10 for its "far better racing feel" and superior graphics to "Daytona". "Sega Saturn Magazine" praised the difficulty of unlocking the secret course and secret car, and remarking that "whilst there's enough drag, slide action and difficulty wrestling with the controls to convince you the programmers know what it's like to drive a rally car, there's never so much realism that you'd have to know how to drive one yourself to play the game". Later, "Sega Saturn Magazine" would rank the game as the second best game on the platform, saying "two years on its release and Sega Rally is still the best racer on a console bar none".