Jalopnik Readers Name the Best Adventure Vehicles: From Amphibious Cars to Monster Trucks
With the ongoing pandemic, many people find themselves eager for a big adventure. And depending on the activity and destination, you need a certain vehicle. For instance, the best adventure might be one with a posh interior for a long road trip or a model with lots of space for your friends and gear. Or maybe you want to go off-road or need something that’s easy to repair.
Recently, the team at Jalopnik published a list of the best cars to take on a round-the-world adventure according to readers. Perhaps one is the exact vehicle you need for your perfect getaway.
The Honda Odyssey is the ideal family adventure vehicle
The Honda Odyssey is a minivan with a plan and might be a good choice for transcontinental travels. It’s easy to repair, has good ground clearance for rough roads, and boasts plenty of space for gear, tools, and anything else you might want to bring along. If you’re planning a long trip on a rough road, know that the seating is comfortable.
One Jalopnik reader recommends the 1998 model for its four doors, lifted suspension, and all-terrain tires.
The ultimate monster truck: Unimog
If you’re feeling bold and your standard off-roading vehicle isn’t enough, the Unimog might be the vehicle to get the job done. It’s a favorite among Jalopnik’s contributing readers.
Designed by Mercedes and in production since 1948, the Unimog is powerful, flexible, and can offer what many other vehicles can’t.
Fans of fast cars stan the Dodge Charger
The second-generation Dodge Charger is another reader favorite. You’ll turn heads when you show up in this American classic. Plus, the Charger’s simplicity makes this muscle car easy to repair.
An adventure vehicle for the masses: Toyota Hilux
If you intend to travel the world, you’ll need an adventure vehicle with a global supply chain. One reader says that means either Toyota or Mercedes. Their preference is Toyota Hilux.
Top Gear showed that the Hilux could navigate Bristol, the North Pole, and a journey to a volcano. Can it cover any terrain? Presumably, it can.
Got towables? Consider the Toyota Land Cruiser
Though it may be a pricey gas guzzler, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a reader favorite. That it’s capable is understood. It has more than six decades of off-road expertise to prove it. If you need towing too? It’s hard to find a vehicle that can do it better.
A top road-tripping adventure vehicle: Toyota 4Runner
Readers chimed in about the Toyota 4Runner, specifically the fourth-generation with four-wheel drive. It’s as capable as a Land Cruiser even though it’s smaller. The 4Runner also offers a comfortable ride on or off the pavement, particularly on long road trips.
Take amphibious adventures in the Sherp
Known as a “utility task vehicle,” the Sherp is a force to be reckoned with. You can seat four or more people in this amphibious vehicle that can take you places most vehicles can’t.
Go places in the hard-to-kill Mercedes-Benz W123
The Mercedes-Benz W123 was around for a decade, and the automaker produced more than 2.5 million of them across China, Germany, South Africa, and Thailand. One reader explains it’s easy to find parts and hard to kill. Both are desirable traits to have in an adventure vehicle you plan to drive on more than one continent.
The W123 is durable and inconspicuous, thanks to its use as a taxi in many developing countries.
The Amphicar kicks up the kitsch factor
Drivable on land and sea, this 1960s convertible really could circumnavigate the world. The Amphicar 770 was produced in West Germany from 1961 to 1968. However, fewer than 4,000 were made and only about 400 remain, so finding replacement parts might be tricky.
A reliable motorcycle can go just about anywhere
As actor Ewan McGregor explains, you can’t go wrong with a motorbike. The star of the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Doctor Sleep says that BMW, HD, and Yamaha motorcycles have journeyed from the farthest point north in Alaska to the southernmost point in Argentina without using a boat.
McGregor also happens to be a motorcycle enthusiast, so he would know.