The urge to customize, modify, and tweak a new or used car is powerful. Personal expression is an essential part of the human experience and it should not stop at laptop stickers. With no shortage of available parts, vehicle owners can turn hatchbacks into track cars, SUVs into off-road warriors and vans into homes. Here are just 6 of the best cars to customize, customize, and make your own.
Honda Civic is a wildly popular canvas on which to customize a fire-breathing tuner or a personal expression machine
Civics of every generation have benefits for owners who want to customize their car. Drag racers often take older versions of the Civic and turn them into FWD cars, pulling their minimal weight across the finish lines with ease. Bolted-on parts such as exhaust systems, fuel tuners and air intakes can help tuners squeeze horsepower out of a Civic. Furthermore, Civic owners can tear into their engines, replace parts with forged internals, or add forced induction.
The newer Civics also have a lot to offer. In addition to more contemporary styling, owners can customize the cars with spoilers, splitters, carbon fiber parts and aftermarket lighting. For the performance minded, the newer Civics would be happy to receive spare parts like exhaust upgrades and fuel tuners to lure a few extra ponies out of their stable.
Jeep Wranglers have always been capable platforms, but the new generation is nothing short of its own culture
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The latest generations of Jeep Wrangler have no shortage of certified Jeep and aftermarket options to customize the off-roader. First, Wrangler owners have removable doors and roof gear, which means an owner can turn the Jeep into a convertible. Second, Jeep owners can replace roofs with hard or soft hoods and doors with soft or half-frames. It doesn’t stop there either. Wrangler owners can customize bumpers, steps, lights, winches and countless other practical or aesthetic features. With a Jeep Wrangler, if you can imagine it, you can do it.
Mazda MX-5 Miata is just about the last word in sporty little convertibles, and you can customize it to do almost anything
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The Miata is a favorite toy car for weather cruisers and canyon carvers. The aftermarket has many parts to lower, strengthen, widen and even replace other engines in the small convertible. In addition to performance tweaks, just about every generation of Miata can transform with styling upgrades. These aesthetic upgrades include grilles, lighting, custom wheels, bolt-on fenders, spoilers, splitters, etc.
The new Ford Bronco has the Jeep Wrangler in their sights, which means owners will adapt it
After the Bronco’s recent resurrection, Ford made it clear that the modular SUV was after Wrangler’s customers. Since Wrangler fans like to personalize their jeeps, Ford had to offer the Bronco with options. According to American news, Ford unveiled the new Bronco with more than 200 add-ons available direct from the factory. Like the Wrangler, the Bronco has removable panels and the potential for a healthy aftermarket. Additionally, Ford chose to cater to animal and sports enthusiasts with optional pet carriers and a tailgate-friendly refrigerator. The Bronco isn’t just a solid platform to customize, it’s a viable alternative to the much-loved Jeep Wrangler.
Volkswagen Golf GTI is as practical as it is fun
The small Golf from Volkswagen is a cult classic. The hot hatch has been around since the 1970s and its longevity has been nothing short of fantastic. The latest version of the Golf GTI is a spiritual ancestor of the fun, enthusiastic Golf hatchbacks of yesteryear. The 2022 GTI has a 2.0 liter turbo engine that produces 241 hp. Plus, owners can increase that horsepower by simply adding bolt-on parts like an exhaust and tuner. Then, day-bound GTI owners can lower and beef up the Golf for thrilling hot weekend laps. Finally, aesthetic upgrades such as colored brake caliper covers, spoilers, carbon fiber trim and custom parts can keep the GTI looking good.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter can add glamor to ‘Van Life’
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Van Life is a movement where van owners transform their vehicles into livable platforms for travel. Owners often remove interior equipment in favor of sleeping, cooking and camping aids. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a prime candidate for Van Life, with plenty of easily accessible interior space begging for conversion. In addition to the interior, the Sprinter features four-wheel drive (4WD), which is beneficial for those bums looking to take the rig off-road. Finally, Sprinter owners can outfit the van with lighting setups, bumpers, ladders, and almost everything needed to be a little nomadic.
If you can dream it, you can (probably) do it
These cars are not the only vehicles that allow you to express yourself. US News also included the Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Challenger, Toyota 4Runner and Ford Maverick in their list of customizable cars. The list doesn’t have to stop there either. With motivation, patience and the willingness to learn, you can build a race car, low rider or rock climbing off-roader.
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