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Top 10 Best New Cars to Modify
Co-written by Kyle Patrick and Mike Schlee
Automotive manufacturers spend a lot of time and money developing vehicles for a wide assortment of customers. It’s why most cars, trucks, and SUVs have a myriad of trims, options, and accessories.
But it’s impossible to satisfy every consumer’s wants and needs. Individuals have individual tastes. What might be a priority for some folks is something others wouldn't even consider. This is where the aftermarket comes in.
Allowing further customization of basically any vehicle, many utilize the aftermarket to make their vehicle their own. Whether it be aesthetics, performance, reliability, or comfort, vendors all over the world are ready to enhance a vehicle to a anyone’s taste. Not all vehicles though are as upgrade ready as others. Below we've highlighted a few examples of cars ready to be heavily modified.
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Cover photo credit: Shutterstock/Brandon Woyshnis
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang was the first pony car, it’s the longest produced pony car, and is the last pony car standing. Ever since the car first arrived in the 1960s, folks have been tinkering with the car.
As a performance car, it’s no surprise a lot of modifications center around power and handling. But the Mustang is also a car that receives a heck of a lot of aesthetic upgrades inside and out.
Jeep Wrangler
Maybe it’s a surprise to know the Jeep Wrangler is one of the most customizable vehicles around. Maybe it isn’t. The great thing about Jeep’s icon is its blank-sheet potential. Sure, you can magnify the already impressive off-road abilities, but that’s just one avenue. Want a laidback beachcomber? It can be done. A long-distance adventure machine? Sure thing. An unsuspecting straight-line powerhouse? Why not? The Wrangler can be anything to anyone, and the number of modifications, be it visual or mechanical, are near-endless.
Honda Civic Si
Like the Mustang, the Honda Civic has been a favorite of tuners since the car first arrived on our shores. In the 1990s, the Civic became the poster child of the Import Tuner craze, as an army of modified Civics dominated the landscape at that time.
Nearly 30 years later and not much has changed. Three basic levels of Civic are available, the regular car, the mid-performance Si, and the hot-hatch Civic Type R. We’ve selected the Civic Si for this list as it’s a great starting point, with decent performance and style out of the box, but not a wallet punisher like the Type R.
Subaru BRZ
Basically, since they launched at the beginning of the 2010s, the Toyota GR86 (nee Scion FR-S) and Subaru BRZ have been embraced by the aftermarket. It’s easy to see why: they’re affordable, quick but not too quick, and reasonably practical: you can, with a bit of effort, fit four wheels and tires in them for those trips to the track. An impressively well-balanced chassis makes the Toyobaru twins a great foundation to build on. Not only that, but the classic coupe shape affords buyers plenty of style opportunities too, from mild to wild.
Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX is another vehicle that offers a multitude of ways owners can modify their car. Some like to toughen the WRX up for rally racing while others sharpen its reflexes to attack a racetrack. Heck, with all-wheel drive, there’s even a segment that transforms these cars for the drag strip.
Although the WRX STI is no more, with 271 hp, the regular WRX is still a good starting point for the avid customizer.
Volkswagen Golf GTI
The plain-Jane Golf is dead on these shores, but our appetite for performance has kept the GTI and Golf R in dealers. The GTI in particular is one of the most well-rounded everyday cars out there: comfy, spacious, and deceptively quick. With such a deft blend of capabilities, buyers can pick and choose which of the GTI’s strengths to build on.
Ford F-150
It’s not just cars that receive heavy modifications. The pickup truck aftermarket is massive as well. Whether it be items to make a truck better off road, look nicer, faster on pavement, or more useful as a work appliance, if one can dream it, someone is probably already selling it.
The Ford F-150 is the easy choice to represent pickup trucks as it has been North America’s best-selling vehicle for so long, we’ve lost count how decades it has been now.
MINI Cooper
The retro-inspired Mini Cooper is a funky, fun small hatchback. Although people may not go as crazy modifying this car as the Mustang and WRX, the Cooper still has a devote consumer base that can’t keep the car the way it came from the factory.
Of course, there’s also the obligatory swarth of British-themed accessories one can apply to the hot-hatch icon.
BMW 3 Series
The current BMW 3 Series might seem a slightly left-field choice in this list. It’s certainly one of the least affordable models, as the core BMW sedan has grown in size and price over the years. It’s the heart of these cars that deserves attention though: both the B48 (2.0-liter four-cylinder) and B58 (3.0-liter inline-six) are muscular turbo engines that respond well to mods, netting more power for little outlay. Factor in the innate balance of that rear-drive chassis—or the added assurance of available all-wheel drive—and owners can craft their own take on the M3 for a fraction of the price.
