10 Racing Games With The Best Vehicle Customization

Ever since Need for Speed: Underground introduced street racing culture to gaming in 2003, most arcade racing games have tried to offer visual upgrades (either based on real existing parts or entirely fictional designs) for players’ favorite licensed cars. While not every popular arcade racer includes extensive tuning capabilities, many players now expect some level of customization options to tweak their beloved rides beyond just a fresh coat of paint.

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Below, you’ll find some of the best arcade racing games ever released that offer impressive visual modifications for real-life vehicles, allowing you to express yourself in career mode or online. Note that some titles on the list may no longer be available on digital storefronts and may only be playable via aftermarket sources.

Street Racing Syndicate

An old-school street racing game with classic vehicles and flexible customization options

50 cars
Platforms: PC, PS2, Xbox, GameCube, GameBoy Advance
Currently available on PC via Steam only
Metascore: 64/100

Street Racing Syndicate may not boast the largest car selection among its peers, but it delivers an authentic portrayal of legal street racing. With a functional police system, dynamic day-night cycle, and an expansive multi-region open world, it offers a true street racing experience. Plus, there’s the added incentive of impressing girls with your wheels to win their affection.

Players can fine-tune every aspect of their motors, both inside and out, for optimal performance. Wide body kits are available, allowing for the transformation of stock cars into formidable racing machines with just a few clicks. However, customization options for liveries are somewhat limited, offering only a selection of pre-designed variations.

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix

Rockstar’s competitor to the Underground series proves more than worthy

94 cars
Platforms: Xbox, PS2, PSP, PS3
Currently delisted
Metascore: 85/100

Rockstar’s entry into the arcade street racing genre during the height of popularity following the Underground series speaks volumes. Midnight Club 3 boasts an impressive selection of vehicles, marking the series’ first inclusion of licensed real-life automobiles. With extensive modifications available, including dozens of customizable parts in every category, the game caters to avid tuners seeking perfection in the workshop.

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition embodies the essence of arcade street racing: illicit, perilous, and boundless. Your mastery of the city’s map is essential for securing first place in style. Additionally, the inclusion of bikes competing alongside cars adds an extra layer of excitement to the races.

Forza Horizon 4

One of the most visually stunning open-world racing games with decent customization and a huge car roster

752 total cars
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Metascore: 92/100

Forza Horizon 4 is essentially Forza Horizon 5, but just set in the expansive and diverse open world of Great Britain. Both games share a considerable portion of their vehicle roster and visual upgrades, offering players the choice of exploring different environments. Thanks to their availability on Game Pass, players can enjoy both titles interchangeably.

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Despite Forza Horizon 5’s dominance today, Forza Horizon 4 still holds relevance, boasting unique cars exclusive to its title and a plethora of user liveries crafted over the years. Its enduring appeal ensures its longevity in the gaming community, likely remaining a staple for years to come.

The Crew 2

A wide vehicle selection and decent customization options with a full map of the US to explore

538 cars
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 66/100

The Crew 2 shares many similarities with the more recent Crew Motorfest, but distinguishes itself with a vast open-world rendition of the United States, offering numerous expansive sites to explore. While many of the game’s over 500 cars are also featured in Motorfest, with visual upgrades remaining essentially the same, The Crew 2 also includes 84 additional vehicles, such as boats, bikes, planes, and helicopters, albeit with limited visual upgrades.

In terms of tuner options, players can expect extensive customization, including changes to almost every visual part of the machine, such as hoods, spoilers, exhaust, mirrors, and more. Additionally, a wide selection of user liveries allows players to quickly apply their preferred paint job.

Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights

Authentic vibes of legal street racing with nods to popular car culture at every turn

89 cars
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS
Currently delisted
Metascore: 68/100

The follow-up to the original Juiced, Hot Import Nights continued the legacy of the Underground series, amplifying every element of its predecessor: from more advanced modification methods to an impressive car roster featuring cult models of street culture such as Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda.

Featuring various racing disciplines, including spectacular drift and eliminator events, and robust customization options, this game epitomizes the arcade racing genre dedicated to tuner enthusiasts’ dreams. Additionally, there’s a personalized approach to your opponents, with the ability to induce them to lose self-control during intense pursuits.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles — Complete Edition

Rockstar’s farewell to street racing offers enough substance for fans of the genre

58 total cars
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Currently available only on Xbox marketplace
Metascore: 81/100

Midnight Club 3 introduced real-life car models and vehicle modifications to the series, a feature that continued in Midnight Club: Los Angeles, the final instalment in the now-defunct franchise. Despite being discontinued for some time, Midnight Club: LA has returned to the Xbox marketplace and can still be purchased and enjoyed on modern hardware.

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Midnight Club: LA offers a sprawling open world, a comprehensive police system, the inclusion of bikes alongside cars, and the ability to severely damage your vehicle during races. Deeply customizable vehicles cater to even the most demanding tuner enthusiasts who seek to win in style.

Need For Speed: Underground 2

A cult classic that took car customization to a whole new level

31 cars
Platforms: PS2, Xbox, PC, PSP, GameCube, GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS
Currently delisted
Metascore: 82/100

Underground 2 marked a significant leap from its groundbreaking predecessor, featuring a full-fledged open-world, expanded vehicle roster, and a plethora of visual upgrades. Even today, the game boasts one of the largest selections of parts for each vehicle, providing extensive tuning possibilities. The only potential drawback is the visual rating system in career mode, which evaluates upgrades based on predetermined criteria rather than your personal preference.

Alternatively, consider exploring newer entries such as NFS: Carbon, which introduced the Autosculpt feature for flexible car body customization, or NFS: Undercover, renowned for its satisfying visual tuning options and diverse selection of musical tracks.

Forza Horizon 5

The indisputable king of open-world arcade racing offers something for everyone

833 cars total
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Metascore: 92/100

Forza Horizon 5 stands as the modern pinnacle of the racing genre, boasting over 800 cars to cater to every taste, although its visual customization options could be more extensive. Players typically have the option to change bumpers, spoilers, rims, and occasionally select from a few wide-body kits available. However, with access to such a vast array of automobiles of all sorts and eras, these options may suffice to keep tuning enthusiasts occupied for months.

The game continually introduces new vehicles, racing events, collectibles, and challengers, offering players ample opportunities to showcase their customized. Additionally, the EventLab 2.0 feature enables nearly endless possibilities for creating and sharing unique tracks with fellow racers.

The Crew Motorfest

Ubisoft’s latest attempt at creating an open-world vehicle paradise proves rather fruitful

602 cars
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 76/100

The Crew Motorfest marks Ubisoft’s latest attempt to create its own version of Forza Horizon, and this time, developers at Ivory Tower have come remarkably close. By selecting the island of Oʻahu in Hawaii as the game’s open-world setting, the developers have successfully captured the ambience of an ongoing holiday, offering a wide range of activities.

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Thorough vehicle customization is one of the title’s highlights. Players can customize almost anything, from body kits to unique tyres and lights. Despite the enormous selection of vehicles, players should note that Motorfest doesn’t limit itself to cars; it also includes bikes, boats, and planes (68 other vehicles total) that are rarely customizable. Furthermore, The Crew 3 features numerous variations of the same car model, making its roster appear larger than it actually is.

Need For Speed Unbound

An NFS game with a truly unique style and some of the wildest customization options

150 stock cars
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 77/100

Need for Speed Unbound is the entry in the iconic series that fans have long awaited. With intense cop chases, personalized opponents in races, a unique day-night gameplay loop with tight controls, and a one-of-a-kind visual style, this entry is a must-play for arcade racing enthusiasts. The wide selection of vehicles, coupled with rich customization options (such as several wide bodies available for almost every car) is just the cherry on top. Criterion has also delivered on its live-service promise, with six content updates for both single-player and online modes released so far, ensuring the game remains relevant long after launch.

If you’re not into Unbound’s distinct anime-infused visual style for some reason, consider checking out Need for Speed Heat — a more authentic-looking NFS experience with the same gameplay loop and an abundance of visual upgrades for your ride as well.