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What’s Your Favorite Utilitarian Car?

Last updated: Sep 27, 2019 at 2:21PM
Published on: Oct 30, 2015 by tgriffith

1966_Ford_F-100

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.

Volkswagen Thing

1974_volkswagen_thing

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

1970_volkswagen_beetle

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 FJ40

1977_toyota_fj40

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.

Subaru BRAT

1985_subaru_brat

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.

Jeep Cherokee

1996_jeep_cherokee_4_dr_sport_4wd

“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

Filed Under: Car Lists, Car Shopping Tagged With: best utilitarian cars, Ford f-100, Jeep Cherokee, subaru brat, toyota fj40, utilitarian cars, Volkswagen Beetle, volkswagen thing

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  1. Unlikely Classics: More than $20,000 for That Thing? | The CarGurus Blog says:
    November 6, 2015 at 4:00 am

    […] week I casually mentioned a couple of old, utilitarian vehicles. The Ford F-100 and Volkswagen Thing were among them, and […]

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