Hits and Misses Highlight SEMA’s Mixed Showcase

The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association, or SEMA, is one of the largest automotive trade shows in North America, focusing on aftermarket car gear. This includes anything that can be bought to add to, or modify, a vehicle that didn’t come with it originally, ranging from air fresheners to full race-ready engines.

A team on the ground at the 2026 SEMA show compiled a list of hits and misses from the event. One notable exhibit was Toyota’s “Snowhunters,” which put many of the automaker’s vehicles on tracks to get across the white stuff. We’ve seen similar winter-beating vehicles in the past, but usually just a single one, not a whole fleet of them.

A van based on a recycled Tesla Model 3 platform was another notable exhibit. All the hardware and software comes from that donor vehicle, and its interior was designed to be cargo-friendly, with a flat floor and four-foot-wide space between the wheel wells. The body of the van was made of aluminum plate, giving it a practical and planar design.

The Jeep Scrambler concept was a hit at the show, featuring retro styling and two rear-facing jump seats mounted in the bed. The Scrambler has big tires and 6.4L V8 power, but the most significant feature was its independent front suspension system, a departure from Jeep’s traditional solid-axle front suspension.

Misses at the Show

Aftermarket “halo” headlights were a miss, with their multi-bulb lamps and colorful designs. These headlights are often seen on tuner or custom cars, but their appearance can come across as cheap or overly flashy.

A customized car with a boy-racer design execution was another miss, featuring impeccable workmanship and a clever suicide-door installation. However, the design seemed to be trying too hard to be radical, resulting in a culture clash between the car’s conservative base and its overly aggressive modifications.

The Toyota Crown Signia GT-S Performance was also a miss, despite its sporty looks. The quasi-wagon had been lowered by five inches, giving it a more aggressive stance, and it featured huge 21-inch HRE wheels and custom “wide-body” flares. However, the powertrain was completely stock, producing only 254 hp, which was underwhelming for a SEMA exhibit.

SEMA is a huge show, but its size and its lineup of exhibitors sometimes changes, due to factors such as the economy or the auto industry’s difficulties during the pandemic. There used to be more automakers showing off SEMA “builds,” as these customized models are known, but many haven’t come back. It was great to see Toyota there and with this lineup.