10 Best Car-Building Games For All The Gearheads Out There

There’s no shortage of video games that allow gamers to drive several cool cars. Games like GTA 5 and Forza Horizon are at the top of that list all thanks to the vast collection of fast vehicles they offer. However, for every car enthusiast, the idea of building their dream vehicle from scratch is a thrilling prospect. This is where specialised car-building games come in, offering intricate and detailed experiences that cater to every aspect of car design and customisation.

We are not really talking about racing games here. Instead, these titles are about the joy of creating your own ride, tweaking its engine to perfection and the excitement of seeing your unique vehicle come to life on track. This ultimate list of the best car-building games features games that will give you the feeling of having built something from scratch.  

In car-building games, players have access to tools that can help them craft everything from vintage classics to futuristic hypercars. If that wasn’t enough, some of them even allow you to get in the driver’s seat and give your vehicle a go.  

For those with a dream of becoming master mechanics or automotive designers, these games offer an unparalleled experience. Some of them are crafted to provide gamers with a sim-like, realistic experience, while others are designed to be more entertaining. This list of the best car-building games consists of both kinds of titles, bringing the best of both worlds for car enthusiasts out there.  

The 10 best car-building games of all time

1. Jalopy

Release year: 2018 
Platforms: Xbox One, PC  

This is a unique car-building game where the player controls a character building a car called Laika with their in-game uncle. Laika is based on a vehicle named Trabant 601, which was at one point the most common vehicle in East Germany.  

The car is in bad condition at the start; players have to work on its engine, tyres, carburettor, etc. They can find replacements or repair them. They take a trip through East Berlin to Turkey in this vehicle and throughout the journey, it can break down or get damaged, find parts, replace the broken ones, or repair them. Play Jalopy as you want, and you will have the time of your life.  

2. Wrench

Release year: 2018 
Platform: PC  

Wrench is a VR-compatible car-building game that provides a realistic immersive experience to gamers. Players are given the freedom to build and repair various cars in a very detailed workshop.  

They are even given very realistic tools to do their task. Its attention to detail makes Wrench one of the best car-building games out there.

3. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018

Release year: 2017 
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Android, iOS  

This is a proper simulation game that is played from a first-person perspective. Players purchase damaged cars from various locations, bring them back to their shop and get to repairing. Various tools can be unlocked by completing various jobs and earning experience.  

Throughout the game, players will have to examine various issues in the vehicles they are working on and find a way to fix them. They can do so by replacing the damaged components, purchasing new ones, or repairing them. It is a very detailed game that will keep any gearhead engaged for hours.  

4. Gearhead Garage

Release year: 1999 
Platform: PC  

Gearhead Garage is a PC-exclusive simulation game in which players repair and customise late-modern cars and trucks. Players will take apart a vehicle, repair individual parts and then assemble it back. They can even see a complete 3D model of the end result.  

While it is old and does not allow gamers to drive their creations, it’s still a detailed simulation game that every fan would want to try.  

5. My Summer Car

Release year: 2016 
Platform: PC  

Set in an open world, this game puts players in the shoes of a main character who wants to assemble and restore the Satsuma AMP, a vehicle designed after the Datsun 100A. Players will find themselves bolting each part to this vehicle one by one without making a mistake. Players must earn money to buy new car parts; they must survive by making sure they don’t go hungry or thirsty and they are not under too much stress.  

My Summer Car is a very detailed game that will not disappoint you if you are in it for assembling a car and taking it on a road trip. The only caveat is that the game, since its launch back in 2016, is still in early access on Steam. While it is getting steady updates, there’s no news on when we can expect the complete version.  

6. Street Legal Racing: Redline

Release year: 2003 
Platform: PC  

This one is a racing game on the surface; players must race around the town to beat enough people so they can enter the Race of Champions, a huge racing competition. But racing is not the only thing gamers do in this title.  

They can purchase a used car from a local shop at a cheap price and repair it. This game even allows them to build a car from scratch, a feature that was not very common in racing games back then.  

7. Car Mechanic Simulator 2021

Release year: 2021 
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC  

The perfect game for those with a dream to be a black thumb, this game puts gamers right under the hood. Repair and customise cars in a highly detailed workshop, using numerous tools that are at your disposal.  

8. Automation – The Car Company Tycoon Game

Release year: 2015 
Platform: PC  

While all the other titles on this list of the best car-building games usually allow gamers to only build a car, Automation pushes them to look at it from a businessman’s perspective. You must design a car and its engine, supervise its manufacture and ensure it sells well enough.  

You can even choose from different kinds of vehicles suitable for different drivetrains. While this game is still in early access on Steam, we will see how it changes once developers decide to release its full version.  

9. Crossout

Release year: 2017 
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, iOS, Android  

A post-apocalyptic vehicular combat game that puts players in the middle of a lawless land where people are mostly focused on smashing each other’s vehicles. Drive fast, use mounted vehicles and win.  

Besides this, players can even customise their cars by collecting hardware such as frames, decorations, armour, cabins and even weapons. Crossout gives gamers the thrill of both racing and building their vehicle at the same time.  

10. Main Assembly

Release year: 2021 
Platform: PC  

This is not a traditional building game where you build a car and move on. Here, gamers must design robots; these robots can be anything — animals, planes, even spaceships.  

This game is only as limited as your imagination; that’s why this title is on this list of the best car-building games. 

There are some exciting games on this list, yet none of them is a massive triple-A game. Maybe Rockstar Games will take things even further with GTA 6 and give us some heavy customisable vehicles? It does not hurt to have some expectations, does it?