There was a time when people bought cars for a specific reason. Sometimes it was for simple transportation, sometimes it was for moving stuff, and sometimes it was for traveling to remote locations.
Cars were built specifically for a purpose. People didn’t drive the Ford F-100 to the theater, they took the Buick Regal into town and left the Ford on the ranch for hauling hay.
Today’s cars have become multi-purpose vehicles and serve as family haulers, date night chariots, moving trucks, and off-road adventurers all rolled into one attractive wrapping.
Does anyone else miss the days of simple, utilitarian vehicles? Keep reading for a few examples of the best utilitarian vehicles ever available in the United States.
This car had one purpose: To be driven to the beach. It was simple, unrefined, and long lasting. This is the one car that defines the word “utilitarian.”
Volkswagen Beetle– Type 1
Volkswagen was once the king of purpose-built cars. The original Beetles were a no-frills, inexpensive way to travel from one point to another. They did that, and only that, for about 65 years.
Toyota may never have gotten into the SUV business had it not been for the simplistic-but-wonderful FJ40. As great as this vehicle was, I dare you to use one as a daily driver for any longer than a week. This car had one purpose: To get you as far away from civilization as possible.
No, this isn’t some kind of joke. The Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter (BRAT) gets made fun of a lot, but it’s one of those cars that gets cooler as it ages. There’s not much to it, but the little thing’s a workhorse that just keeps going.
“Spartan,” is perhaps the best word I can come up with to describe the Jeep Cherokee. I don’t mean the slit-eyed modern incarnation of the Cherokee, I’m talking about the original boxy one. The one that had a steering wheel, seat belts, a radio, and, usually, seats.
What’s your favorite utilitarian car?
-tgriffith
Find Certified Pre-Owned Cars and Used Cars in your area at CarGurus.
Used Ford F-100
Used Buick Regal
Used Volkswagen Thing
Used Volkswagen Beetle
Used Toyota FJ40
Used Subaru Brat
Used Jeep Cherokee
[…] week I casually mentioned a couple of old, utilitarian vehicles. The Ford F-100 and Volkswagen Thing were among them, and […]