2024 SEMA Show Recap: The Pulse Of the Automotive and 4x4 Aftermarket

The trade-only event is organized by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and has over 1,500 vehicles, 2,400 exhibitors, countless products, and 161,000+ attendees from all over the globe during the four-day event.

Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the show covers 1.2 million net square feet making it one of the largest car shows on the planet.

Some people call the SEMA Show “the pulse of the automotive aftermarket,” and it’s no wonder why. This is where trends are set and on display for all sorts of vehicles including 4x4s and adventure vehicles.

Since this is a trade-only event (with very limited access for the public), we wanted to show you some of our favorite new products, custom vehicles, and trends.

New Products Aplenty
Debuting new products is commonplace at the SEMA Show and 2024 was no exception. We noticed a host of hot new items from a variety of companies.

For example, Warn Industries debuted its new ZEON XP winch. This is the brand’s top-of-the-line winch featuring 10,000, 12,000, and 14,000 lb. capacities, multi-function LED task lighting on the drum, and a built in HUB Wireless Receiver allowing users to operate the winch with their smartphones.

It also has the ability to monitor motor temperature, load, and your rig’s battery. Bonus: it has a remotely operated clutch as well as a clutch handle. It was sitting atop a massive Ford F450 which had at least four seven winches on it.

Another company well-known in the off-road and overlanding space is ARB. The Australian company showed off a host of new products, such as its Zenith slimline front bumpers, a variety of new parts for the latest Toyota Tacoma. Its all-new line of Brushless Air Compressors is also a big deal.

These compressors will slot in above their standard units, and are more high-performance offering increased flow and efficiency. They’ll be available in single and twin versions, with both being portable with an included case, or they can be hard-mounted. This also makes them idea for running your air lockers. Bonus: all hoses and fittings are backwards compatible with their existing brushed compressors.

Fellow Australian brand, Ironman 4x4, showed off numerous new products, too. This included Apex and Raid bumpers, a new Lift & Level kit, the IM2.5 Monotube Suspension, and its Raid Aluminum Canopy. Available for Toyota and Ford, these canopies have a great strength-to-weight ratio, full aluminum construction, glass or aluminum doors, and they’re water and dust proof.

TYRI might not be a household name (yet), but they make fantastic LED lights. The company is headquartered in Wisconsin, manufactures its lights there, and is a supplier to Jeep, and a host of construction, mining, and farming companies, too.

Its latest offerings for the off-road market are the new Baseline LEDs. The round Baseline puts out 2,800 effective lumens; the squares put out 2,000 effective lumens. Amazingly, these lights are made in the USA and have price points of just $99 and $89, respectively.

Off-Road Trends, Hot Vehicles
Every year there are those “it vehicles;” the rigs that seem to be in everyone’s booth. This year there were a few that were more plentiful than others. This included the new Toyota Land Cruiser. While Toyota has a huge booth in Central Hall, it wasn’t just the OEM’s booth showcasing customized Cruisers.

From Toyo Tires to companies in the paint protection film (PPF) area, the latest Land Cruiser was definitely a hot builder’s platform.

There were a few INEOS Grenadier models on the show floor in the West Hall, including a red Trialmaster in the ComeUp winch booth and a new Quartermaster pickup in the EGR space. Both had extensive modifications including wheels, tires, racks, winches, lights, and more.

Vintage 4x4s were also popular platforms. From the cool, minimalist Willys CJ2A in the TYRI booth, complete with turquoise patina, to a sweet 1978 Ford F-150 in the Skyjacker booth, showcasing a 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8 under hook making an alleged 1,000 horsepower!

In fact, there were loads of awesome vintage, retro, and retromod-style rigs throughout the show. After all, going old-school is almost always a crowd pleaser—so long as it’s done right.

We just have to mention the radical Kia WKNDR concept van. This electric prototype shows what an off-road-centric EV campervan could look like. While just a proof on concept, it had a variety of awesome accessories including a winch, slide-outs, slick seating surfaces, and a variety of other far-out things that made this vehicle the talk of the show.

Lastly, and somewhat surprisingly, there were numerous kei trucks at the show. These are the tiny Japanese-market vehicles have 660cc engines or less and are really small. From little kei campers to customized workhorses, the show had more of these subcompact right-hand-drive rides than I’ve seen at any the 18 SEMA shows I’ve attended.

This year’s show felt large, well-attended, and upbeat, no matter where you were. The 2025 SEMA Show will be Nov. 4–7, and rest assured, we’ll be there.

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