These Are Your Favorite Beach Cars

It's beach season, folks. The sun is out, the water is cool, and conditions are perfect for you to lounge around in the sand — unless of course you live in the Northeast, like me, where we're blanketed in such thick wildfire smoke that late afternoon looks like dusk and midday looks like a mid-budget TV show is setting a scene in Mexico. In that case, maybe stay inside. 

For the rest of you, though, beach season is upon you. Earlier this week, I asked you all what cars you'd like to take to the beach, and you had a wealth of responses. Some others of you also had responses that can be boiled down to "some sort of vehicle," which isn't really all that specific. Sorry, try again next time. The rest of you, though, should read through and see what your compatriots said — and whether you earned inclusion yourself in the list of the best beach cars. 

For your consideration, I nominate the Honda Element. Plenty of interior space for you and three friends, enough pep for highway travel if needed, and good clearance if you are driving on gravel or sand. Bonus features are the rubber floors that are easily swept out, the tailgate for sitting and rear hatch for shade, and the wide-opening front and clamshell doors. Throw an awning on the sunny side, and you're ready for a nice time on the sand.

Submitted by: BXB

Shhhh, keep it down! I'm trying to wait for these to get cheap!

VW thing.A lot of people say they are ugly but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.Easy to work on and not terribly heavy.Put on a good set of tires and have have some fun in the sand with the top down. EVERYONE that sees you driving to the beach will definitely have a big smile when they notice it.My only concern is how long it will last after some saltwater exposure.As a kid every one I remember seeing was pretty much a rust bucket after a few years.I'll take a yellow one please.

Submitted by: Bruno

A Saturn Sky Red Line painted in yellow. Very few of my friends are car or beach people, so I'm cruising with my wife. I even have matching sunglasses for when I drive mine.

Submitted by: Mercedes Streeter

Is cruising usually a couples activity? I mean, I guess unicorn hunting is. 

"What's The Best Beach Car?"

Easy. The Fiat Jolly.

Submitted by: Anonymous Person

I love himb.

...as someone who lives near the coast, I'd say any vehicle that has excellent rust-proofing/rust-mitigation and/or made out of corrosion-resistant materials.

Submitted by: DiRF

I'm going to be a little sacrilegious for a second.

The Chrysler LeBaron, then the Sebring Convertible, with similar styles of the Toyota Solara, and then finally the Buick Cascada.

The four-seat, soft-top convertible that is easy to drive, nothing flashy, and doesn't lose trunk space to when the top is down.

It was built to do road trips to any beach more comfortably than a Jeep and to be fair, the vast majority of people have no business driving on sand, so there is nothing the Jeep does for the normal Bennies that a 4-seat convertible can't do while being more secure and easier to drive.

There's a reason 40% of them were sold to rental companies near coastal tourist spots. 

Submitted by: potbellyjoe

I WANT A GIRL WITH A SHORT SKIRT AND A LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

An old Defender – it'll drive you and all your gear there and then take you right onto the beach to find a quiet spot. It stands out in a sea of Jeeps. Bonus points if it's a RoW RHD and a diesel, instead of a NAS...(but I'm not biased at all)

Submitted by: Treeski

Hey, you don't get to dole out bonus points. That's my job. 

A Meyers Manx or any type of Dune Buggy would be perfect for a day at the beach. 

Submitted by: IB007

I live in the upper midwest where it's all lakes all the time so it's a 5 minute ride on my bicycle to the nearest beach. The bike is great because it also functions as a way to dry off on your way home. No worries about the interior getting too hot, no worries about thighs on hot leather seats, no worries about getting sand all over the interior. If you've got flat pedals you can ride in your flip flops.

Just sayin', going to the beach doesn't have to be an excursion.

Submitted by: Buckfiddious

You didn't say the beach had to be American so I'm going with the Holden Sandman. It's been a staple in Australian beach culture for generations. Although it is legal to import into the U.S. due to the 25 year rule, but good luck getting an Australian to part with one.

Submitted by: Giantsgiants

Mister Sandman, sand me a man! Make him so sandy, the sandiest man.