If you’re adventurous, then you’ll need a car that can keep up with your personality. A spacious vehicle with plenty of storage to keep all your gear can be difficult to find. You may love kayaking, cycling or camping in the great outdoors. Finding cars for outdoor activities that can carry everything you need and be robust enough for off-road driving is essential. In this article, we’ll talk about the best cars to buy that will match your favored outdoor activities.
There are certain characteristics to look out for if you’re looking for the perfect adventure vehicle. Some of these include:
Contents
Skid Plates
When you’re out on adventures, you run the risk of your car picking up damage along the way. Skid plates are an excellent feature that will protect your vehicle against damage that rocky and steep terrain can cause.
Sufficient Clearance
If you’re planning to take your car off-road, you’ll need sufficient clearance from the ground. You want significant space between the ground and the underside of the car to avoid damage from rocks or uneven terrain.
Differentials – Locking
Most cars have open differentials, but when you’re driving on uneven ground, locking differentials are what you need. With open differential cars, you’ll get the most power to the wheel with the least traction. However, off-roading requires the opposite of this. Locking differentials mean that the wheels with the most traction will receive the most power. This can be very helpful when driving in rocky and muddy areas.
Space for Gear
Think about what you’ll be using the vehicle for. Which activities do you do most? Do you have a family? You may need a vehicle with lots of seating that can also provide lots of cargo space when you put the seats down. Consider what equipment you’ll be taking with you and make sure that you choose a vehicle that allows you to do this.
Whether the Car Is All-Wheel or Four-Wheel Drive
When choosing a car that’s right for your adventures, you should consider whether you’ll need an all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle. If you don’t know the difference between the two, all-wheel drive is ideal for road use and helps the vehicle perform well in rain, snow and bad weather. It’s optimized for use on roads, so if you’re going to spend most of the time off-road, then it may not be the best option for you. Four-wheel drive, on the other hand, is designed specifically for off-roading. It helps your vehicle perform well on rough terrain and isn’t best for road use.
Fuel Usage
When you’re out on adventures, you need a car that can keep going. This means a car with a big fuel tank and excellent fuel efficiency. Remember that when you’re off-roading, your car can burn through a lot of gas due to the power needed to handle rough terrain. This is where it’s important to find a car with a good MPG. In terms of engine type, turbo-diesel can be an ideal choice as it provides power with fuel efficiency. You’ll find many adventure vehicles with turbo diesel engines.
Choosing the Best Vehicle for Your Activities
The right vehicle for you will depend on how you like to spend your time adventuring. It’ll also depend on the number of passengers you usually travel with and whether you’re more into day trips or longer camping trips. Here are some examples of adventure vehicles and what they are best suited for:
Off-Roading Road Trips
Lexus GX
This is an excellent vehicle for anyone looking to take a long off-road trip. It has some great features including the ability to take control of hill descents. The GX also has robust skid plates described as “armored” and substantial ground clearance. Although this is a luxury SUV with an impressive comfortable cabin, it can deal with the great outdoors extremely well.
Toyota 4Runner
This reasonably priced “workhorse” is spacious and perfect for an adventurous family. It has seating for 7 people and a substantial amount of cargo space. If you’re a family that loves camping trips, this car has everything you need. It also features locking differentials and four-wheel drive among other off-road essentials. With just under 10 inches of ground clearance, the 4Runner should be able to cope with most off-road challenges.
Hiking Trips
Jeep Wrangler
The Wrangler offers many customizable options that allow you to tailor the car specifically to your needs. It will deal with most trails that you take it on, and newer models are even more spacious. This means there’s plenty of space for any cargo you need for your hikes.
Subaru Outback
The Subaru Outback can deal with the challenges that the Australian Outback brings, so you can rest assured it will stand up to any test you throw at it. It’s a popular vehicle among hikers, for many reasons. These include the space to fit all your gear, a comfortable ride for the family and good fuel efficiency.
Cycling
Honda HR-V
The HR-V from Honda is ideal for anyone wanting to take their mountain bikes on a trip. Although the vehicle hosts a spacious interior, adding an optional roof rack to carry bikes will give you even more room to play with. It’s also very fuel-efficient, with an outstanding MPG when compared to other vehicles in its class. There is ample space inside and although you won’t be able to carry as many passengers as you would in other vehicles, it does comfortably seat five.
Toyota Tacoma
This Is a pickup truck that is made for off-roading. It boasts Fox shock absorbers and substantial ground clearance. The open bed back provides a simple solution to carrying all types of cargo. With options to attach straps to secure cargo, there’s no limit to what you can transport in this vehicle. It also has an impressive feature called Crawl Control. This allows you to navigate tough terrain with automatic modulated braking and power distribution between the wheels.
Tips for Choosing an Activity Vehicle
Choose the Right Car for You
There are so many adventure vehicle options available, that you don’t need to compromise. Figure out exactly what you are looking for and find a manufacturer that offers it. Remember that many manufacturers also offer several custom options on certain vehicles.
Find a Vehicle With Reasonable Insurance Costs
Check out comparison sites for the best way to shop for auto insurance. When buying a car for your outdoor activities, be sure to shop around for the best auto insurance companies. Finding the best car insurance to cover accidental damage that may happen while adventuring is a good idea.
Find a Vehicle With Reasonable Running Costs
Running an adventure vehicle can be costly. Therefore, it’s a good idea to choose one with an engine that is powerful enough for what you need without overdoing it. You don’t need a gas-guzzling engine to have a great adventure vehicle. Many adventure vehicles on the market now boast excellent MPG.
Are you a camper? If you’re looking at buying an adventure vehicle for camping trips, don’t forget your tent! Check out The 10 Best 4-Person Tents for Camping now.
Last Updated on March 23, 2022
