When a slight chill first permeates through the air in the fall season, for millions of Americans it means one thing: Football season. Across the country, people devote time, effort, and a larger-than-average snack budget every Sunday to hang out and watch their favorite team face off against another. But sitting at home or at the bar is only so fun for some—why not bring the party to the big game?
Whether you’re inclined to pull up and party down at a local high school game, college game, or an NFL game, football fans across the country will fill their cars with barbecue grilles, coolers, folding chairs, pop-up tents, and cornhole sets, to recreate a backyard party in the parking lot of the local football stadium. We’re talking about the quest to put on one heck of a tailgate party.
When it comes to a great tailgate, the automotive aspect is almost as important as the hot dogs and burgers. You don’t necessarily need a crew-cab pickup truck, but the best tailgate vehicles need to provide plenty of cargo space, they should keep electronic appliances powered and charged, and most importantly, there should never be any question about their ability to make it to the stadium.
The Best Tailgating Vehicles of 2026
- Toyota 4Runner
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Kia Carnival
- Mazda CX-50
- Subaru Outback
- Honda Ridgeline
- Jeep Gladiator
- Jeep Grand Wagoneer
- Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Toyota 4Runner
CarGurus expert rating: 7.7 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.5 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 36.1% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.5 out of 5
Toyota’s 4Runner is a classic for a reason, and it got a brand-new generation for the 2025 model year. It walks the line between truck and SUV, giving you all the cool of the former with the practicality of the latter. Like its bedded sibling the Tacoma, it’s got enough of a fan base to be at home in any company, but it doesn’t demand attention, so you won’t have to worry about attracting vandals or thieves while you’re inside the stadium. And if you’re always the designated driver of your group (the world needs more heroes like you), you can opt for seven seats instead of five. We recommend accessorizing your 4Runner with the available sliding rear cargo deck package, which essentially expands the functional surface when the trunk is open, and adding the exclusive 40-quart cooler accessory, custom-fitted to the 4Runner. Showing up to the big game with one of these is a real pro move.
The CarGurus Verdict: "Toyota doesn't throw out the fomula with its newly redesigned 4Runner. Instead, the 2025 model keeps many of the features shoppers have loved for over a decade, while also adding a more contemporary selection of four-cylinder powertrains." -Mark Takahashi
Read our most recent Toyota 4Runner review
Ford F-150 Lightning
CarGurus expert rating: 8.3 out of 10
CarGurus user rating: 4.5 out of 5
Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 29.0%
Overall CarGurus rating: 4.4 out of 5
Football is America’s most popular sport, and the F-150 is America’s most popular truck. It’s a match made in heaven. The Lightning is the latest and greatest F-150. It’s not just the only electric F-150, it’s also the only one with a front trunk, or frunk. It’s almost like Ford designed that frunk specifically with tailgating in mind, because it’s got a lot more than 14.1 cubic feet of storage space to haul all of the tailgating essentials. The whole compartment is fully sealed, complete with a drain. That means you could actually pack it full of ice and use it as a cooler. It’s easy to clean, too—just hose it down. The frunk also offers four full power outlets plus USB-A and USB-C ports: device-charging heaven. Combined with the additional outlets located in the cab and the bed, this ought to be enough to keep your game-day party going for hours, margarita machines and all.
The CarGurus Verdict: "Electric vehicles have been kicking around America for some time now. From the ill-fated General Motors EV1 to the early success of the Nissan Leaf and on to the meteoric rise of Tesla, we’ve had plenty of time to get used to EVs. But there’s never before been an EV with as much mass appeal as the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning." -Matt Smith
Read our most recent Ford F-150 Lightning review
Hyundai Ioniq 5
CarGurus expert rating: 8.7 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.6 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 23.0% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.4 out of 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 brings something to the tailgate that no gas-powered vehicle can match: a built-in power source. The Limited AWD trim's vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability lets you draw power directly from the car's 84-kWh battery, meaning you can run a speaker, charge devices, or power small appliances right from the parking lot—no generator required. Beyond the party trick, the Ioniq 5's open, minimalist cabin is genuinely one of the most pleasant places to spend pre-game time. Generous legroom — 41.7 inches up front and 39.4 inches in the rear — gives everyone room to stretch out, and the airy, uncluttered interior feels more like a lounge than a car. The sliding center console can be repositioned to open up the floor space further, and five USB-C ports keep phones and speakers charged throughout the day.
Cargo space behind the rear seats measures 26.3 cubic feet—workable for a cooler and folding chairs, if not a full spread—and the rear seats fold flat to expand the load floor significantly. A five-star NHTSA safety rating and IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award mean you can leave the lot feeling as good as when you arrived. The Ioniq 5 SE starts at $42,600; the V2L-equipped Limited AWD runs $58,200.
The CarGurus Verdict: "Hyundai makes minor but welcome changes and avoids tweaking the many things that were working well, successfully making a good thing better." -Natalie Harrington
Read our most recent Hyundai Ioniq 5 review
Kia Carnival
CarGurus expert rating: 8.2 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.7 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 33.4% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.4 out of 5
In an SUV and pickup-truck world, the humble minivan still reigns supreme and sits on the throne of practicality. Or, if you’re talking about a Kia Carnival, the “not so humble” minivan. Now available in gas and Carnival Hybrid versions, Kia's people-mover is an excellent choice for any tailgater looking for lots of space and practicality without the ho-hum styling found on most minivans. This thing looks downright cool.
Better yet, because it is still a minivan (no matter how it looks or how Kia markets it), the Carnival provides plenty of room. Open the hands-free liftgate, and 40.2 cubic feet are available behind the third row of seats, and it’s all easily accessible thanks to the vehicle’s low load height. That number grows to 89.9 cubic feet of cargo space when the third row is folded. Enough to put on the ultimate tailgating experience. As we noted in our Test Drive Review, that means the Carnival can carry five people plus the same amount of cargo as a Kia Telluride—if the Telluride is only carrying two.
The CarGurus Verdict: "The Carnival offers a great driving experience and excellent warranty, but these upsides are tainted by a lack of all-wheel drive and mixed safety ratings. -Stephen Edelstein"
Read our most recent Kia Carnival review
Mazda CX-50
CarGurus expert rating: 6.5 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.5 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 32.7% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.4 out of 5
Mazda put a lot of effort into making the CX-50 an SUV fit for adventure, and it turns out features tailored for camping are also great for tailgating. The roof rack was specifically designed to support a rooftop tent and its occupants, so it will have no trouble transporting your camp chairs and canopies. Up to 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space is set up for ease of access, with a long floor that’s flush with the lip of the hatch opening. The only way loading your cooler in and out could be any easier is if it were lighter, and let’s be honest, you’ll take care of that yourself by the end of the day. The flat floor also makes for a great seating area in a pinch: Huddling under the liftgate to avoid the rain is a lot nicer when you can comfortably dangle your legs over the edge. They don’t call it “tailgating” for nothing.
The CarGurus Verdict: "The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid brings a potent yet efficient powertrain to an already sporty SUV. Combined with attractive styling and a near-luxury interior, it would be hard to beat if it weren't for its limited passenger and cargo space. -Mark Takahashi"
Read our most recent Mazda CX-50 review
Subaru Outback
CarGurus expert rating: 7.2 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.5 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 31.9% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.4 out of 5
One of the (many) things that make football great is that it’s played in all sorts of weather. Barring a vicious lightning storm, football will be played. Pouring rain? They’re playing. Zero degrees? They’re playing. White-out, blizzard conditions? Yep, just ask all those die-hard Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers fans.
If your football team is going to brave the conditions, then you’d better be sure your vehicle can, too. Enter: the Subaru Outback. Thanks to its symmetrical all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, Subaru’s station-wagon-turned-SUV has a hard-earned reputation for managing mud, rocks, and snow with relative ease. The Wilderness trim, in particualar, boasts ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and a roof-rail system capable of holding a 700-pound static load. Adding to its tailgating bona fides, the midsize Outback delivers a long, 32.6-cubic-foot cargo area behind the rear seat, and a maximum cargo volume of 75.6 cubic feet. So, not only will an Outback get you to the game, but it should be big enough to get your stuff there, too.
The CarGurus Verdict: In terms of price, performance, and practicality, we found no notable flaws with the redesigned Outback, making it a top choice for adventure-bound shoppers. -Mark Takahashi
Read our most recent Subaru Outback review
Honda Ridgeline
CarGurus expert rating: 7.8 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.6 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 29.1% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.3 out of 5
The Honda Ridgeline shook up the pickup-truck marketplace when it made its debut in the 2006 model year, but it solidified itself as one of our favorite—albeit quirky—pickups after it staged a comeback in the 2017 model year. With a unibody architecture similar to the Honda Pilot’s, the Ridgeline is supremely comfortable, considering its hauling capabilities.
Payload capacity measures a respectable 1,583 pounds in Sport trim and the bed is large enough to carry all your tailgating equipment. A versatile, dual-direction multifunction tailgate makes accessing all that stuff easy, too. It can be lowered like a regular truck’s tailgate, or it can swing out like a car door—think of it like the truck version of the first-generation Honda CR-V. You don’t need to rely on the car’s regular sound system, either; Honda sells the Ridgeline with available in-bed stereo speakers. And, once the tailgate is out of the way, you can easily access the Ridgeline’s under-floor storage compartment. This handy bin is watertight until you pull the drain plug, meaning it’s ideal for use as a cooler, keeping drinks and other items nice and cold.
The CarGurus Verdict: "It doesn’t offer the towing capacity or off-road capability of more traditional trucks, but the Ridgeline is much easier to live with." -Stephen Edelstein
Read our most recent Honda Ridgeline review
Jeep Gladiator
CarGurus expert rating: 5.3 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.7 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 34.9% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.2 out of 5
You’re out there in the parking lot all day because you’ve got team spirit, right? Well, with the relatively wide palette of colors available for the Jeep Gladiator, we’re sure you can find one that’ll be a great match for all the bumper stickers you’re going to plaster on it. The open truck bed can be used for storage, seating, or a buffet spread. And more fun still, most of the Gladiator trims are available with a removable wireless speaker. It charges while docked behind the rear seats, so it’ll be ready to go when it’s time for tunes. The weatherproof, dust-resistant, Bluetooth speaker ought to be plenty hardy enough for the circumstances (this truck was engineered to drive off-road, after all). And best of all, it can be connected to the speakers from other Gladiators for a true surround-sound experience.
The CarGurus Verdict: "Unique among pickup trucks, the Jeep Gladiator is an appealing alternative to the status quo. That’s especially true if you value open-air driving or you plan to tackle untrodden territory. But for serious towing and hauling tasks, there are better choices than the Gladiator." -Christian Wardlaw
Read our most recent Jeep Gladiator review
Jeep Grand Wagoneer
CarGurus expert rating: 7 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: 4.5 out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 30.2% Overall CarGurus rating: 4.2 out of 5
Few vehicles balance work and play quite as effectively as the Grand Wagoneer. Though this vehicle looks more like an upscale Land Rover than a rugged Jeep, it still boasts the workmanlike capabilities that made the brand famous. With the third-row seat in place, the Grand Wagoneer provides about 28 cubic feet of cargo space, but that number balloons to newly 73 when the third row is folded. Additionally, maximum towing capacity measures 9,810 pounds, meaning the Grand Wagoneer shouldn’t have any issues dragging your homemade drum smoker on its trailer. Or, maybe even your whole living room for that matter. For even more room, Jeep also offers an extended version dubbed the Grand Wagoneer L.
And if the skies were to open up, the Grand Wagoneer is chock full of tech and comfort features to keep folks happy while they wait out the storm. In addition to the center-mounted touchscreen, the Grand Wagoneer comes standard with a second screen mounted in front of the front passenger, plus two additional seat-back screens can be optioned for second-row passengers. Add in the McIntosh audio system (up to 23 speakers!) and the available 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and the Grand Wagoneer is a rolling entertainment system.
The CarGurus Verdict: "The Grand Wagoneer offers impressive off-road capability, but on the road it doesn’t surpass the Navigator, let alone European alternatives like the BMW X7, Land Rover Range Rover, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. The Infiniti QX80 is way behind when it comes to tech and passenger space, but it’s much less expensive than a loaded Grand Wagoneer, and it still offers some off-road capability. The Grand Wagoneer might be a big deal for Jeep, and for current Jeep owners looking to upgrade to a bigger vehicle, but it doesn’t change the status quo of this segment." -Stephen Edelstein
Read our most recent Jeep Grand Wagoneer review
Volkswagen ID.Buzz
CarGurus expert rating: 7.2 out of 10 CarGurus user rating: out of 5 Percentage of Good and Great Deals available on CarGurus: 37.9% Overall CarGurus rating: 3.7 out of 5
This electrified VW ID.Buzz may seem more fit for hauling surf boards and Patchouli in bulk, or some other stereotype behind the VW Bus’ lore, but it would actually accompany an ace tailgating party, too.
That’s because this rig is a cargo-hauling masterpiece. Thanks to the ID.Buzz’s three-row seating, it not only can haul a good number of fans to the stadium, but also, folding the third row unveils an epic amount of space that’d be easy to load and unload with a grille, coolers, frosty cold ones, and more. Cargo capacity exceeds 75 cubic feet, which is more than enough for most folks. Not only that, but the fact that its an enclosed long rectangle as opposed to a pickup truck makes securing one’s stuff a little easier, too. Plus, with its fresh new design, it could be the perfect conversation starter for those who are a little more extroverted.
The CarGurus Verdict: The ID.Buzz’s nostalgia is undeniable. During a day of test driving, we drew stares, questions, and plenty of photographs from onlookers. It's not perfect: the driving dynamics are a bit funny, and we expect its long-term sales success may be tempered by the dramatic styling, short electric driving range, and high price tag. But in the short term, we expect this Microbus reincarnation to be the talk of the town. -Matt Smith
Read our most recent Volkswagen ID.Buzz review
