Best Trucks for Beach Driving

Jeep Wrangler on Florida Beach

Best vehicles for driving in sand

Don't you wish you could drive on the sand next to the ocean? Nothing could be better. However, getting stuck in the sand in your vehicle is no laughing matter.

We are almost always at a Florida beach. Since our nearest beaches, like Daytona Beach Shores, are the ones we can drive on, we need a vehicle to get us there, haul our beach gear, and be able to handle driving on the sand without getting stuck. In the last few years we have seen (and heard) countless vehicles being towed or pushed out of deep beach sand. So it's no surprise we chose a pickup truck. What are the trucks that sail over the sand without a hiccup? For us, a midsize was the choice. It is also harder to get in and out of those bigger trucks!

Turned out that truck was the Toyota Tacoma. It’s a great midsize pickup truck that ticked off our requirements. The other midsize trucks on the market that we considered were the Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger and Nissan Frontier. But a truck must reach out and grab you, and none of those did it for us. The Tacoma is like surfing on sand. It’s strictly a personal preference. I’m sure they are capable vehicles, but not for us. 

Toyota Tacoma on New Smyrna Beach

Why Choose a Toyota Tacoma Pickup Truck?

Here's what really clinched the truck deal for us:

• Midsized. We didn’t need a full-size truck like the F150 or Silverado or RAM, even though they are fabulous pickups with great options and capabilities.
• Reliable and good quality (it’s a Toyota - what more can we say?)
• Has a 3.5L engine that can carry us, our gear, and a small trailer with a Jet ski.
• 4X4 capability to handle any beach conditions. There are days our beaches get restricted to only 4x4 vehicles due to deep sand conditions. Our Tacoma hasn’t failed us yet and we have driven through some deep sand (almost like snow) and ruts on the beach. 
• It looks great! Plus, this truck can be customized as far as our money will take us. We are frugal (okay cheap), so we have a way to go.
• The truck had to fit in our garage. Florida garages are small! We don’t like to leave a truck out in the Florida weather elements all the time (or in a hurricane), so the garage offers some protection from that blazing hot sun or passing thunderstorms. They frequently drop many inches of Florida windswept rain, hail and debris. We sometimes wonder if we should have bought a rubber dinghy (or ark) as an accessory.

Jeep parked on Daytona Beach

A Jeep on the Beach is Great Too!

The other truck that we think would have worked for us as a great beach vehicle is the Jeep Wrangler. It's no surprise the Jeep Wrangler makes just about every list when it comes to off-roading or beach use. Yes, it has great options and capabilities, but for us it would have been about driving in the open air. What is better than driving on a sandy beach with emerald colored ocean on a hot sunny day? What a feeling driving that Jeep totally exposed with the ocean breeze blowing through your hair (or what’s left of it) and showcasing that toned beach body (we can dream). Yes, for us a Jeep Wrangler would have been a top truck to consider for the beach driving lifestyle. Maybe next time?

Ford Bronco Riptide

If you can get your hands on one, the new Ford Bronco has great possibilities for a beach driving truck. The Bronco Riptide Concept truck is made for the beach lifestyle! The “concept” is similar to a Bronco with the Sasquatch package and tons of accessories. Thanks to the Bronco modular design, they were able to outfit the vehicle with adventure gear that allows for freedom and versatility.

 Ford’s press release states that the Bronco can be customized with many features, which are great for beach excursions.

• The roof can come off and the doors easily replaced with tubular doors leaving passengers open to the Florida sun and beach air. Who doesn't love that?
• The Velocity Blue exterior is meant to evoke tropical ocean hues. With durable marine-grade vinyl-trimmed seats and rubberized washout flooring, the Bronco Riptide custom vehicle never shies away from a carefree day at the ocean shore. Applause!
• The Bronco Riptide vehicle features 35-inch mud-terrain tires mounted to 17-inch factory wheels with optional Ford Performance beadlock rings, Dana™ AdvanTEK®  electronic-locking front and rear axles, a high-clearance suspension system with Bilstein®  position-sensitive long-travel shock absorbers. Smooth riding near the sand dunes!
• Exclusive Bronco Terrain Management System ™  with seven G.O.A.T. Modes™  designed to help ensure Bronco goes over any type of terrain, including deep beach sand. No getting stuck in beach sand with this baby.
• Accessories used on Bronco Riptide include a Bestop® mesh Bimini top, a Yakima®  bike rack with Santa Cruz™  mountain bikes, and a RIGID® LED lightbar and mirror-mounted off-road lights. Customizing this truck is a dream.

If you have one, send us a photo of your vehicle and we will post it. Let's go to the beach!

You May Also Enjoy:

• Avoid That Sand Trap: Driving On The Beach
• Truck Hitch Ideas For A Florida Beach Day
• How Do You Use A 4x4 On The Beach?
• Choosing The Best Beach Truck Tires
• Pickup Truck Tonneau Cover Review
• Beach Salt Sorrow: Keeping Your Pickup Clean

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