A to J of Surfing Vehicles Dude
“Surfs up!”
“Dude, how am I gonna get there?”
“Bro, you need a car!”
Summer is here, and surfing is a great lifestyle for getting out, chasing the waves, and getting some immunity-boosting Vitamin D. In fact, any sort of outdoor adventure and exercise will see you a fitter and healthier person for getting out there and doing it. What 2022 cars make for an ideal surfer’s companion? The following are several useful vehicles that, if you’re wanting something to get you places, will transport you, a friend or two, some gear, and surfboards/mountain bikes through something more than just a little puddle, mud or soft sand.
Dedicated vans or MPVs with AWD like the Volkswagen Multivan, LDV G10, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Kia Carnival, Mercedes-Benz Valente, Volkswagen Caravelle, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai STARIA, Volkswagen California, Toyota Granvia, Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo ACTIVITY, and the Volkswagen Caddy are potentially great for surfing travels with one, two or more mates. Some, but not all, will offer AWD. Depending on how far down onto the beach you want to get your MPV or Van, AWD is definitely the way to go for getting through soft sand and out of sticky situations.
For years, wagons and SUVs have also been a go-to machine for the surfer; for good reason too as they offer plenty of space, the capacity for lugging gear, and for sleeping. But having a vehicle that can get you across country and down onto the beach makes for the ultimate surfer’s vehicle. Outside of the list of vans and MPVs above, there are some great vehicles still worth a look if you’re into doing a bit of surfing, fishing or any type of outdoor adventure.
Here is the best of them, first article of three, from A (Alfa Romeo) to J (Jeep). Let us know if we’ve missed anything in between!
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Three petrol engines offer the Stelvio between 147–375 kW of power and 330–600 Nm of torque. The 8-speed automatic and 4×4 (AWD) ability make it ideal for heading off tar seal. It has 5-doors, 5-seats, a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and 1600 litres of boot space when the rear seats are folded flat.
Audi Q Wagons
Audi Q5 and Q7 models are idyllic; the Q3 maybe a little small, however. All of these are stylish, AWD and superbly comfortable. Diesel and petrol engines are available that offer the Q5 and Q7 between 150–251 kW of power and 370–700 Nm of torque. 4×4 (AWD) ability make them perfect for nosing about off-road. Both Q models have 5-doors, 5-seats, and a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. The Q5 has 1530 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded flat; Q7 has 1971 litres.
Audi A6 Allroad
Cargo room extends to 1680 litres with the rear seats folded down, and the AWD Quattro system ensures that you’ll get around secondary roads and the odd track pretty comfortably in an A6 Allroad. A nice wagon to drive, and the surfboard can go on the roof or slide in along the flat cargo area. A sportier drive than a similarly capable Subaru Outback. The Audi A6 Allroad Wagon 45TDI is offered in Australia and runs with a tiptronic 8-speed quattro drive. The 3.0-litre Turbo-Diesel is a peach, packing a healthy 183 kW/600 Nm from its V6 configuration, and scampers from a standstill to 100 km/h in less than 7 seconds.
BMW X3, X5
BMW X3 and X5 models are really nice SUV wagons for open road touring. All are stylish, AWD, and superbly comfortable. Diesel, electric and petrol engines are available for the X3 that offers between 135–285 kW of power and 300–620 Nm of torque. X5 models get between 170 and 460 kW of power and 450–750 Nm of torque. 4×4 (AWD) ability make them handy when getting down to the beach or picnic area. All X models have 5-doors, 5-seats, a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and the X3 has 1600 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded flat; X5 has 2047 litres.
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest is magnificent. Its 3.2 Diesel Turbo engine delivers 157 kW and 500 Nm. The 10-speed automatic and serious 4×4 capability ensure you won’t easily get stuck in this one. Smooth, loads of road presence, and comfortable, there isn’t many negatives. 1796 litres of boot space is available with the seats folded down. It has 5-doors, 5-seats, and a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.
Haval H9
The big Haval H9 SUV Wagon gets a standard adaptive six-mode 4×4 terrain control system and a 700 mm wading depth. The 180 kW/350 Nm turbo-four petrol/eight-speed auto is smooth and impresses. A massive boot space combined with excellent features and a relaxing drive makes it a great surfing/adventure vehicle. It’s also keenly priced.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai’s 7-seat Santa Fe SUV is large. With a choice between a 206 kW/336 Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol or a 147 kW/440 Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four, the Santa Fe range is a great driving machine and is available in AWD. Comfortable, and particularly well set-up in diesel guise, the Santa Fe is a warm travelling companion. Boot space: 2042 litres.
Isuzu MU-X
A 7-seater with five doors and a rugged 3.0 Turbo-diesel motor is hard to overlook. Stylish and tough, Isuzu’s new MU-X seven-seat off-roader comes in three spec levels (LS-M, LS-U and range-topping LS-T), each with the option of RWD or 4WD and standard with a six-speed automatic transmission. 140 kW and 450 Nm of torque match with a 3.5 tonne towing capacity. ANCAP five-star safety and a boot space of 2138 litres makes the MU-X a perfect surfer’s wagon.
Jeep Wrangler
The LWB Jeep Wranglers are stunning lookers. Perfect in every way but only let down by a rather mediocre safety rating 3 out of 5 stars. 2050 litres of boot space and 4×4 tenacity.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
An awesome, comfortable surfer’s wagon, the Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with a choice of a 3.6-litre petrol 8-speed automatic 4×4, or a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel 8 speed automatic 4×4. True off-road potential and loads of space with up to 2005 litres of cargo space. Offering between 184–522 kW (Yes, 522!) of power and 347–868 Nm of torque this packs a punch. Superior 4×4 (AWD) ability make these ideal, and they are seriously comfortable. All are 5-star safe.
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