Critics' Choice: Beach Cruisers

Need a ride to the beach? Need a ride on the beach? We’ve got you covered with our picks for the best beach cruisers.

Summer Fun

Few summer activities can match a trip to the beach for some surf and sun with family and friends. Having the right beach vehicle is often central to one’s plans, whether you’re looking to tackle the dunes, have a full-blown barbeque, or just cruise along the coast. So, this month we challenged our writers to find the perfect beach ride.

Jesse Batson

2019 Hyundai Kona 

Shortlist

1995 Mazda BONGO
1979 Jeep Renegade CJ-5
1996 Toyota Land Cruiser

Choosing a beach cruiser may be the toughest decision I’ve faced in one of these challenges yet! It was quite a process settling on a vehicle in this instance. First, my mind went to the Jeep Wrangler or Volkswagen bus. The images of them parked on a California beach close to sunset are hard to shake, so they were at the top of my list for a while.

Then I thought about which beach I’d be going to. I found a 1999 Plymouth Prowler that would fit right in along the Highway 17 Bypass in Myrtle Beach. If I’m out on a Saturday night in Miami, I’d want this gold 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. It’s even got lit-up speakers on the door panel!

I’d have to class it up further North near the Hamptons. I stumbled upon this 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster that would be more fitting for that area. If I’m just cruising around, windows down, music up, then I’d probably go for this 1966 Ford Mustang. That glossy dark ivy green is sharp! Plus, a Mustang is always a contender for any list. It’s just too cool to overlook.

2019 Hyundai Kona 1.6L I4 - carsforsale.com

I realized, though, that I’d need a vehicle with a little more utility than these. I’d need more than a two-seater because I’d bring some company along to the beach and probably the dog, too. There has to be a little cargo space for chairs, towels, extra clothes, some drinks, and a football.

I’ve never lived on the beach, but I’ve lived a couple of hours away. Going through a mountain pass or two to get to the beach wasn’t uncommon, so all-wheel drive would be a nice bonus. Another thing to consider, some of the beach towns have one main road in and out. I could use Waze to find alternate routes to avoid traffic jams, but I wouldn’t complain if my beach car was GPS-capable.

After scrolling through dozens of results pages and pulling up specs for multiple vehicles, I settled on a 2019 Hyundai Kona. It’s a far cry from the awesome ‘66 Mustang, but it would probably be more useful for me on an actual trip to the beach. From fuel efficiency to versatility, the 2019 Kona checks the boxes. It’ll get 25 miles to the gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. 175 horsepower comes from a dual-clutch automatic transmission and 1.6-liter inline-4 turbocharged engine. That combo provides for quick acceleration, which will be good for getting up to speed in stop-and-go traffic on some of these beach highways. The Kona has agile handling, good brakes, and seats that do a decent job of absorbing bumps along the road.

This is the 2019 Hyundai Kona Ultimate, too, which is the top trim. The cabin has the best features the Kona can offer. Leather seats will be useful when trying to get sand and dog hair out of the car. Some prefer cloth seats for beach trips and traveling with pets, but leather seats with a seat cover or two work just fine from what I’ve experienced.

I can’t put the top down in a Kona like I could with the ‘66 Mustang, ‘99 Prowler, 2011 Camaro, or ’57 Porsche 356, but there is a sunroof with this Kona. No, it’s not an oversized moonroof. This Kona doesn’t have T-tops like some of the Pontiac Firebirds I was also looking at. Still, the sunroof is at least something that can make a nice-weather drive more enjoyable.

There’s an eight-inch touchscreen for navigation. A USB is located directly under the radio controls, so I can plug in the iPhone for a switch from the FM stations. This 2019 Kona has HD radio and satellite radio as well. That’ll come in handy for the SiriusXM free trial holiday weekends.

I don’t need the driver assistance technology, but some of these features could come in handy. A head-up display is always fun, if not useful. Rain-sensing windshield wipers hopefully won’t be needed, but will get some good use if a pop-up afternoon storm rolls along. For congested public parking areas, the 2019 Kona has rear parking sensors and pedestrian detection. Keyless entry and a push-button start don’t really do anything for me, but they are two other features that are included with this 2019 Hyundai Kona Ultimate.

If I was going for style, flashiness, or prestige, I’d choose one of the other options, or one of the vehicles on my shortlist. The power-lifting pop top on that 1995 Mazda Bongo is pretty sweet, and that 1979 Jeep Renegade CJ-5 is just begging to be parked at the beach. Overall, this Kona is a little more up-to-date and really does provide me with more of the features I’ll actually need for a stress-free trip to the beach.

Jesse McGraw

1979 Jeep J-10 Pickup

Shortlist

1970 Fiat Jolly
2013 Jeep Wrangler
1995 Ford Bronco

Whenever I think of people driving to the beach, I picture surfing, volleyball, sandcastles, and the numerous accounts of different beachgoers getting their vehicles sucked into the sand left flooded by high tide. It’s an unfortunate thing that does happen from time to time, so I set out to not only find a cool beach cruiser but a capable one as well. I started with the obvious choice of a souped-up Jeep Wrangler featuring a 426 Hemi and all the accessories from parts catalogs you could want, but that option felt more like an overlander than something I could enjoy along the coast.

Then I came across a lifted 1995 Ford Bronco with some monster truck looking wheels. While having my very own car crusher would be a childhood dream of mine, I don’t think it’d be appreciated thundering around on the sand. I also encountered a limited run model from Fiat called the Jolly. This classic tiny car looks like something that belongs to a Florida golf course with its wicker seats and no doors. Interesting and definitely made for the beach, but not my cup of tea. While all these choices would draw attention as beach cruisers, I finally landed on this 1979 Jeep J-10 pickup.

1979 Jeep J-10 Pickup 4.0L I6 - carsforsale.com

It wasn’t the most powerful, most capable, or most unique of the cars I found, but the J-10 made for a nice blend of all three points. Under this old Jeep’s hood is a 4.2L straight-six engine that’s known to make 112 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. Mated to that engine is a manual transmission that directs power through a part-time manual Dana four-wheel drive system. Not everything is stock for this J-10, as it features working air conditioning, upgraded shocks and suspension, and BFGoodrich T/A KM3 tires wrapped around an aftermarket set of wheels.

That’s not all that’s been done to this nice-looking restoration job. The Honcho name and exterior appearance was once a trim level for the J-10 that mirrored aspects from the Jeep Cherokee Chief back in the day. While this ‘79 is missing the gold fender trim, chrome bumpers, and Levi’s denim interior to be truly considered a Honcho model, it does make up for it with some added style and function. Those aftermarket bumpers may not be period correct, but the functioning tow hooks, and a working winch can be super helpful for getting out of tight places or helping others stuck in the sand. This J-10 even features retractable side steps, so you get the ease of access benefit without suffering any ground clearance.

Climbing inside isn’t the 70s denim experience the Honcho was known for, but it’s a great restomod job, nonetheless. Quilted tan leather wraps around the bench seat and door cards that matches the tan dashboard and carpeting. There’s also a more modern sound system inside so you can listen to the Beach Boys with ease while driving along the oceanfront. The original owner put this old truck together with a lot of thought to make it look nice while not taking a wild tangent that some restomod projects do.

This Jeep J-10 is an eye-catching beach cruiser that can haul surf boards, coolers, and anything else along with it in its functional bed. The knobby off-road tires, updated suspension, and practical winch all make it ready to take on whatever the sands may throw at it. Plus, the ball hitch allows this Jeep pickup truck to tow along some jet skis, motocross bikes, or even a small camper trailer. Gotta bring all of your weekend toys to the beach, right?

Chris Kaiser

1949 Mercury Eight

Shortlist

1964 Manx
1968 Amphicar
2018 Maybach G-Wagon Cabriolet

1949 Mercury Woody Wagon - carsforsale.com

In my search for the ultimate beach cruiser, I wanted to make sure I accounted for various use cases to help me narrow down my pick. While I personally might have specific beach-oriented activities (like reapplying sunscreen every 15 minutes), there’s a lot of fun to be had at the beach that’s just not my bag (like, say, parasailing).

If I were looking for a vehicle to literally cruise the beach, I’d eschew the hulking 4x4s in favor of something light and playful. The Meyers Manx was a purpose-built dune buggy fashioned from a Volkswagen Beetle popular in the 1960s and ‘70s. Had I not already written about the Manx earlier this summer, that would have easily been my pick for this challenge. Plus, dune hopping isn’t for everyone.

For those looking to get out on the water, I felt what better option is there than another 1960s classic, the Amphicar. Why deal with the extra expense of owning both a car and a boat when you can have both in one vehicle? I can almost hear you shouting, “money pit!” at the screen you’re reading this on right now. Admittedly, the charms of the Amphicar wear off quickly, especially once you’re helplessly bobbing about in the surf in what is basically a refrigerator with wheels and tillers.

For those who own a private beach, there’s the Mercedes Maybach G-Wagon Cabriolet. For just $1.2 mil you too can roll up to the beach party (thrown in your honor, of course) with the rear top down, magnum of champagne in hand. A bit boujie, to be sure.

I finally landed on the perfect beach cruiser when I recalled Jan & Dean’s reference in “Surf City” to a woody wagon, “it’s not very cherry, it’s an oldie but a goodie.” While there was a 1934, I decided to go a bit newer than that with a 1949 Mercury Eight woody. Woody wagons were especially popular in the California surfing scene of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s and evokes that Endless Summer feeling like no other car.

The 1949 Mercury Eight woody was part of the car’s third generation, featured the new “pontoon” styling and the Eight’s first post-war design. Notably, the woody wagon version saw significant changes from the prior generation, going from a four door to a two door and steel body structures were introduced, leaving the wood for paneling. This particular example has a luggage rack ready for you to load up your longboards and wicker picnic baskets. Condition is impeccable, befitting the $93,000 price tag.