Racing Games With The Best Vehicle Customization

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Key Takeaways

• Vehicle customization in racing games offers subtle detail that enhances gameplay noticeably.
• Developers strive to meet player expectations for extensive car customization in racing titles.
• Hours can be spent in the garage tweaking visual parts to create a stylish ride, even when losing.

Driving at over 200 miles per hour in a barely legal street car while struggling to avoid busy traffic is what modern racing games are all about. Racing games of the current generation have evolved substantially since the genre’s inception. Players can change gears using manual or automatic transmissions and upgrade the parts of vehicles.

Players don’t have to be a gearhead to appreciate the nuances of racing games, either. Whether they are visual or performance upgrades, vehicle customization is a subtle detail that enhances racing in a noticeable way. As an often underutilized feature, vehicle upgrading provides seemingly boundless potential.

Updated July 31, 2024 by Vlad Mazanko: Ever since extensive car customization was introduced in games, players have come to expect this feature from the majority of racing titles. For the most part, developers have been striving to meet these expectations.

With each passing year, car customization has reached new heights, offering unprecedented levels of flexibility and options for hundreds of in-game vehicles. To make it easier to find and play the best racing games with deep customization features, this list has been updated to include recent and previously overlooked titles.

1 Street Racing Syndicate

50 Total Cars

Despite its age, Street Racing Syndicate remains available and is still one of the street racing titles that offer varied and extensive car customization, both in terms of visual and performance upgrades. What sets this game apart from many other arcade racing titles is that players can’t just mindlessly install the most powerful and expensive performance parts in their rides and hope to dominate the competition. Each part installed has a significant impact on how the car behaves on the track and affects its handling, so if players add too much power under the hood, they risk losing their position on the very first turn.

With its authentic street atmosphere, realistic police and damage systems, and the opportunity to race during both day and night, Street Racing Syndicate is still a decent game today for those seeking some nostalgia-infused arcade racing with all the iconic cars from the early 2000s.

2 Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix

94 Total Cars

Midnight Club is a classic racing series, and fans are quite saddened that Rockstar Games has seemingly abandoned this series altogether. Many people consider the third game to be the best of the bunch, with the open-world exploration and atmosphere of this title being truly amazing.

This title was the first game in the series to introduce vehicle customization, which was a blast to play around with. Tweaking a car’s performance and modifying its visuals was great fun, and players who manage to play this title in modern times will be surprised by the sheer number of options at their behest.

3 The Crew 2

538 Total Cars

As a startup franchise, The Crew didn’t hold much appeal to the racing game community. The first title, in particular, often felt a little lethargic due to the infuriating AI racers that players competed against. Fast-forward to The Crew 2, however, and the series is starting to look like a decent endeavor.

Players can race using a variety of vehicles, including boats, motorcycles, and F1 cars. The game also contains robust car customization, allowing players to change out body parts for better performance and add decals or vinyl types to improve visuals.

4 Need For Speed: Underground 2

31 Total Cars

Need For Speed: Underground 2 was a significant improvement over its predecessor. It served as the perfect response to the series’ past criticisms, with better arcade racing and more vehicle customization options than ever before. At the time of its release, there wasn’t a game on the market that could really compare in either respect.

The ability to add vanity features like trunk speakers or rims was a deal-breaker for many and helped sell the “Street” vibe that the developers were trying to push. If players are strictly looking for a racing game to soup up a vehicle, Need For Speed: Underground 2 remains a solid option, even today.

5 Forza Horizon 4

752 Total Cars

Forza Horizon 4 has seen a spike in popularity recently due to the announcement that the game will be delisted by the end of this year, so players who want to keep the game in their library and play it anytime later should take note. As a racing game, Forza Horizon 4 is almost identical to Forza Horizon 5 except for the location but also features dozens of unique vehicles that still haven’t been added to the latest entry and possibly never will be.

As a title capable of providing both arcade and simulation experiences, Forza Horizon 4 allows players to fine-tune every ride, directly influencing its speed, acceleration, downforce, and handling characteristics. The visual customization aspect might not be the strongest here, with relatively few vehicles offering full widebody kit upgrades, but there’s always the option to add more “Sport” vibe to every ride thanks to visual parts such as spoilers, bumpers, and rims. Not to forget the wide selection of user-created liveries available for every taste.

6 Wreckfest

66 Total Cars

There aren’t many modern racing games out there that aim for a pure arcade experience that is a ton of fun without worrying about the realistic side of things. Wreckfest is one such title that has garnered a loyal fanbase because of its dedication to making racing games with fun demolition and destruction mechanics.

Creating paints and forming liveries is pretty engaging as is, with the car’s tuning being another avenue of customization as well. Players who form a custom car with a ton of love and care would try to avoid having their vehicles trashed… although that is easier said than done.

7 Forza Motorsport 7

834 Total Cars

Forza Motorsport 7 is one of the many games in this long-running series that is a blast to play through. The focus on more realistic racing means that vehicle customization takes on an even greater degree of importance.

Players should know what they’re doing while upgrading and tuning cars. Making changes without any knowledge of how things work will lead to even the best cars around becoming duds because the build simply doesn’t suit their style of racing.

8 BeamNG.drive

39 Total Cars

When the topic of vehicle customization comes into the picture, one particular game that comes to mind is BeamNG.drive. This title has one of the most accurate damage models around, with a simple crash having so many elements to it that players will actually look forward to crashing their vehicles!

Of course, the vehicle customization and amazing fan content for this game mean that players will get hours upon hours of enjoyment just designing their favorite cars in the game! BeamNG.drive may have a steep learning curve, but it’s worth getting through this initial hump to play through one of the most realistic and engaging racing games around.

9 Midnight Club: Los Angeles

58 Total Cars

Midnight Club: Los Angeles is the latest installment in Rockstar’s street racing series, delivering on the car customization aspect that fans of the series have come to expect after Midnight Club 3. With extensive visual and performance upgrades available, including dozens of customizable parts in every category, it’s a great choice for tuners seeking perfection in the workshop.

Despite its old age, Midnight Club: Los Angeles is still available for purchase in digital storefronts and can be enjoyed on modern hardware without any issues. If fans fondly remember their time with games like Need for Speed: Underground 2 and have never played Midnight Club before, it might be worth checking out Los Angeles in all its past glory.

10 Project Cars 2

214 Total Cars

Not only is Project Cars 2 one of the best-looking games of the past decade, but it’s also incredibly fun to play. Though realistic in many respects, the experience has been expertly tailored to appeal to players of different skill levels and is bolstered by a decent amount of performance and aesthetic customization options.

While it doesn’t delve quite as deep as some of the genre’s other titles that dabble in customization, it does have everything that players will need to get the best out of their cars. The lack of bells and whistles may be disappointing to some, but those just looking to tweak their cars for maximum performance while adding a little bit of flair to the exterior will find everything they need to do right here.

11 F1 23

30 Total Cars

When it comes to realistic racing experiences, few games can compare to F1 23. Granted, this realism can be a little restrictive in some respects, and many will prefer racing on streets rather than on tracks. If neither of these things is a deal-breaker, however, then racing game fans would do well to check the game out.

Like the racing itself, customization in F1 23 is a lot more grounded than in other racing games, with far more emphasis placed on performance than visual modifications. Selecting the right engine, tires, and turbocharger can make a huge difference to how a car drives and will be essential for those hoping to consistently finish on the podium.

12 Dirt Rally 2.0

82 Total Cars

Rising high from the ashes of the old Colin McRae Rally series, Codemasters’ Dirt Rally games are the cream of the crop when it comes to the realistic rally-driving experiences that they’re able to offer. Few racing games require players to focus on physics quite like they do, making the series’ most recent installment, Dirt Rally 2.0, a great option for fans of off-road driving.

Solid driving mechanics aren’t all that the game has going for it, though, with vehicle customization also being incredibly important. Granted, there aren’t too many things outside of suspension settings for players to tinker with, but getting this just right can have a huge impact on the way that a car performs. The ability to create and use custom liveries is also nice, allowing players to express themselves through their rides.

13 Gran Turismo 7

514 Total Cars

The Gran Turismo series styles itself more as a driving simulator than a racing game these days, though that’s not to say that there isn’t still plenty of racing to be done. The series’ most recent installment, Gran Turismo 7, also places a lot of emphasis on tuning, with players able to tweak and tailor both the appearance of their cars and their performance.

Unfortunately, upgrading cars in Gran Turismo 7 can be incredibly expensive, with tire sets often costing more than an entirely new vehicle. Still, for those who want complete control over just about every single aspect of their rides, few games are better. The fact that there are more than 500 cars to choose from certainly helps, as does the ability to create and share custom decals and liveries.

14 The Crew Motorfest

647 Total Vehicles

The Crew Motorfest is the natural evolution of The Crew 2, sharing many vehicles and upgrades with the previous entry. Players of The Crew 2 can even transfer their owned car roster into Motorfest, starting their adventure in O’ahu, Hawaii, with dozens of rides in their garage. In terms of car customization, both Ubisoft titles are almost identical, although Motorfest expands the available vehicle and upgrade part list for players to unlock, purchase, and tweak.

With a fresh, exotic setting and tons of thematic racing playlists to accomplish, The Crew Motorfest further blurs the line between The Crew and the Forza Horizon series, serving as a direct competitor to Playground Games’ titles. Ivory Tower also delivers constant content updates for the game to ensure it will stay relevant for a long time, with new vehicles and racing events to participate in.

15 Street Legal Racing: Redline

37 Total Cars

Re-released in May 2016 via Steam,Street Legal Racing: Redline offers a complete package when it comes to car customization. If anything, it could perhaps be argued that more emphasis is placed on the customization than the racing itself, although some players will see this as a good thing.

The racing simulator allows players to add a great deal of customization to their vehicles. They’ll be in charge of repairing the vehicle when needed, as well as tuning it for the best performance. What makes Street Legal Racing: Redline stand out is not its racing or graphics but its vehicle customization.

16 Assetto Corsa/Competizione

178 Total Cars

From a vehicle customization perspective, Assetto Corsa (as well as Assetto Corsa Competizione) is a knockout title. It allows players to build their vehicles and tracks and even share their designs with other players. What’s more, the customization tools at their disposal are some of the same ones used by the game’s developers, which ensures that no design ever feels out of place in the game’s hyperrealistic engine.

The immersive racing game is widely recognized as being one of the most realistic racing simulators out there, comparable with the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo in many respects. Players come for the vehicle customization but stay for the robust car lineup and excellent racing mechanics, the latter of which is greatly enhanced by the use of a steering wheel and foot pedal.

17 Car Mechanic Simulator 2021

218 Total Cars

Photorealistic graphics ensure that players have an immersive experience while playing Car Mechanic Simulator 2021. As the name might suggest, the game allows players to test their skills as a mechanic while also serving as a highly detailed and incredibly enjoyable racing simulation game.

With a multi-level garage at their disposal, players won’t need to worry about having space for their vehicles and can instead focus on getting their hands dirty. They’ll need to repair and customize their vehicles and are given access to over one thousand parts to get them running exactly how they want them.

18 Need For Speed Unbound

152 Total Cars

Need For Speed Unbound is the latest installment in the iconic series that all but pioneered visual car customization in gaming, and Unbound is potentially one of the best in the series in this regard. From swapping engines to several exotic widebody kits that can transform one’s ride beyond recognition, it is a great title for players who want to spend hours in their garage tweaking every little detail of their vehicle.

Unbound also greatly benefits from Criterion’s dedication to making it a true live-service racing title that receives constant content updates, adding new cars to the roster and entirely new racing disciplines like drift and fan-favorite drag events for players to enjoy. Add the anime-infused visual style of the game that cannot be mistaken for any other game on this list, and fans have a Need for Speed game that represents a much-awaited step in the right direction for the series.

19 Automation: The Car Company Tycoon Game

Does Not Have A Fixed Number Of Cars

Not only does Automation let players customize existing vehicles, but cars can also be built from the ground up. Those with knowledge of vehicles will therefore find the game’s level of customization to be extremely satisfying, not to mention incredibly realistic.

It’s possible to customize just about everything, including the chassis, engine, and suspension, among other things. Many other games have tried vehicle customization, though most fall some way short of Automation, “the car company tycoon game.”

20 Forza Horizon 5

869 Total Cars

Where the Gran Turismo series strives for realism, the Forza Horizon franchise is geared more toward fun, and that’s certainly something that racing game fans can expect to find in abundance while playing Forza Horizon 5. The game features hours and hours of entertaining activities with which to keep players busy, one of which is its extensive set of vehicle customization options, including spectacular wide body kits by real-life manufacturers.

Unlike Gran Turismo 7, Forza Horizon 5 places more emphasis on how the cars look rather than how they drive. Creating and sharing liveries feels a lot more intuitive, and the bright and vibrant visuals of the game allow the wide variety of paint types and colors to shine. Of course, there are some mechanical upgrades available as well, but it’s the surface-level alterations that take center stage here.