10 Best Cars for the Beach

2017 Ford Mustang bleu side ・ Photo by Ford

What makes a great beach car? It all depends on what you’re going to do when you get there. Will you be sunbathing? Scuba diving? Driving through the dunes? Or will you just be sitting in your car admiring the view? Whatever your pleasure, we’ve got you covered.

Here, in alphabetical order, is a list of the 10 Best Cars for the Beach.

2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Chevy calls the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 “the most capable midsize Chevrolet truck ever,” and this trail-ready four-wheel drive pickup really delivers. That’s great if you want to find the beach less traveled, and you want to get there (and back) without a long hike. Choose the optional 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine, and you’ll have access to massive torque to help you plow through the dunes to the shore. Multimatch shocks, electronic locking front and rear differentials and 5,000 lbs of conventional towing capability are just part of the story and make the Colorado ZR2 one of the 10 Best Cars for the Beach.

Photo by Chevrolet

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible

If Jan and Dean were around today, and they needed to get to the beach, there’s little doubt they’d choose a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible to drive. Not only is the beautiful Corvette an eye-catching sports car that will garner all kinds of attention at the beach, it is also a ton of fun on the way there. We’d choose the convertible, because – well, it’s the beach. And we’d also choose a route that took in Deadman’s Curve on the way, because – well, we’re in a Corvette, thinking about Jan and Dean, and eager for a memorable experience. We’d like to think that Jan and Dean would be proud.

Photo by Chevrolet Media

2017 Ford Flex

While Jan and Dean were bombing around in their Corvette, the Beach Boys were bundled into their woody station wagon, longboards strapped to the roof rack. The 2017 Ford Flex design was inspired by those woodies, from the long, low shape to the speed lines embedded into the metal sides. You can bring the whole crew, with comfortable seating for up to seven, and still have room for the drum kit, amps, guitar, and bass, just in case you have to play a shindig at the beach when you finally arrive. The Flex is a triumph of retrofuturist design, capturing the spirit of the past in a thoroughly modern, functional package.

Photo by Ford Media

2017 Ford Mustang GT Premium Convertible

Few vehicles look more at home at the beach than the Mustang. With 10 or more variants available, we’d choose the 2017 Ford Mustang GT Premium Convertible as our beach coach of choice. Though the V6 and EcoBoost versions are good, the GT comes with a V8 engine that’s one of the best on the market. Pumping out ample horsepower and torque, the GT’s throaty V8 puts out a soundtrack that complements the sound of the surf. The Premium trim level provides a nice level of luxury features that make the drive to the beach a pampered trip and eases the melancholy of sunset when it’s time to go home. The convertible is essential to the complete experience.

Photo by Ford

2017 Honda Odyssey

Don’t scoff at the minivan when it comes time to select one of the 10 Best Cars for the Beach. The 2017 Honda Odyssey can be an amazing home base for the whole family when you get to the shore. Not only does the Odyssey excel when it comes to people moving, cargo hauling and storage, it can also serve as a changing room, tailgate party central and refuge from the sun. An available rear-seat entertainment system can keep part of the family entertained while the rest continue to enjoy the sand and surf. When it’s time to go home, the Honda Sensing suite of active and passive safety systems help make the trip safer, easing the drive for beach-weary drivers.

Photo by Honda

2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

A true go-anywhere vehicle, the 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited loves the beach. The long wheelbase four-door Wrangler boasts a 3.5-liter Pentastar V6 engine that makes the trip to and from the shore a breeze. Leave the hardtop at home, and configure the flexible convertible top for sun protection and maximum airflow. Wrangler isn’t quite the “hose it out” basic vehicle it once was – it now comes equipped with a comfortable, finished interior. But you can still remove the doors, fold down the windshield and crash through the dunes for a fun off-pavement adventure when you get to the beach. And that’s the kind of capability that makes the Wrangler Unlimited one of the 10 Best Cars for the Beach.

Photo by Jeep

2017 Lamborghini Huracán RWD Spyder

What list of beach cars would be complete without an Italian supercar? We chose the fun, spirited 2017 Lamborghini Huracán RWD Spyder. The only thing better than a gorgeous two-seat with an open cockpit is one that can kick out its rear end in a corner without a loss of control. Order yours up in an electric green “Verde Mantis” paint color, and never worry about people noticing you at the beach again – even if they’re looking from space.

Photo by Newspress USA

2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Miata

Small and nimble, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Miata is one of our favorite cars and earns a spot on the 10 Best Cars for the Beach list for several reasons. It’s supremely easy to park, it’s a convertible (a bonus for the beach on most nice days,) and it has a retractable hardtop, rather than a soft top, which means that it offers a little more protection from the elements on the road, and a little more security when parked. Is it possible that we’re looking at the Best Car for the Beach? Maybe.

Photo by Mazda

2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

What happens when the beach is far from the road? That won’t be a worry if you’re driving a 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. Its great suspension setup has remarkable travel and rebound damping, and delivers a comfortable, smooth ride wherever you go, no matter what the conditions. Not only that, the convenient pickup bed is great for transporting surfboards, beach chairs, a grille – whatever it takes to make your beach day a success. Rugged yet refined, the Tacoma also has a great reputation for reliability, so you’ll know that your day at the beach won’t wind up with any unexpected vehicle trouble.

Photo by Toyota

2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune Convertible

Born for the beach, the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune Convertible is named in honor of the classic VW Dune Buggy custom vehicle that may hold the title for Best Beach Car of All Time. Beetle Dune doesn’t measure up to that standard, as it is much more street oriented than the sand-hungry Dune Buggy, but it does retain the spirit of the original, along with some clever styling nods to its ancestor, including metal flake paint jobs, two-tone interior and a general air of insouciance. Top-down and tunes blaring, the Beetle Dune is fun personified and adds a great nostalgia to the beach experience.

Photo by Volkswagen