2011 Best Tailgate Vehicles

Ross Kenneth Urken | AOL Autos

Sept 10, 2011

Football season is upon us, and with that comes the desire to throw a killer tailgate party at your college or NFL stadium of choice. In order to give your feast the proper venue and stage, you need a supreme tailgate vehicle. If this is something you do almost every weekend in the fall, you owe it to yourself to have a proper set of wheels for the occasion.

You want your car to offer the utility and space to haul the Weber grill and coolers. But you also want the car to have a little personality.

The AOL Autos team has a definitive list of the best tailgate rides to keep you hip among your buds this fall.

2012 Ram SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 3500

Best Price: $33, 596

Why it's a Tailgate Star: The Ram, besides having a sweet interior and supreme on-road comfort, has the pickup bed you want to haul chairs, grille, coolers, plus storage compartments in the side rails of the bed that can hold all the ice you will need for the fiesta.

Ford Flex

Best Price: $36,461.

Why it's a Tailgate Star: The Flex is really today's station wagon. Three rows of seats, or two rows with room in the way-back for your coolers. SYNC communication and entertainment system, a Multi-Panel Vista Roof, and interior refrigerator are among the features that make this a sweet choice for games.

2010 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Wagon

Best Price: $39,820 for the base van and $41,980 for the high roof version.

Why it's a Tailgate Star: The Sprinter Passenger Van 2500 comes in two wheelbases and two roof heights. It's powered by a 188-hp 3.0-litre V6 BlueTec turbodiesel engine for fuel efficiency and matched with a five-speed automatic transmission. Featuring distinguishing tall roof, the Sprinter offers seating for twelve and ample room for coolers and a BBQ grill. A lengthy list of available options enables the Sprinter to be outfitted to meet almost any specific need. If it's raining before your game, there is plenty of room to party inside.

Pontiac Aztek

Best Price: $6,394

Why it's a Tailgate Star: The Aztek is a poster-boy for ugly design -- literally the modern day Edsel. But while ugly on the outside, it is plenty roomy on the inside. See if you can find the tent accessory that turns the rear of the Aztec into a kind of canopy-covered tailgate Shang-Grille-Ah.

1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon

Best Price: We found one on eBay Motors for $3,000

Why it's a Tailgate Star: Okay, it's 15 years old. But what a bargain for an old fashioned station-wagon. Take five of the family and put the mini Weber and coolers in the way-back, throw some folding chairs on the roof-racks, and you've got a party. Such a bargain if you find one with low mileage.

1970 Jeep Wagoneer Woody

Best Price: We found one on eBay Motors for just $3,800

Why it's a Tailgate Star: Look at it, man. It's a big roomy stud of an SUV. People will think you went to Yale even if you didn't. Drop down the rear gate, and use it as a platform for the cooler.

1970 Volkswagen Microbus Westfalia

Best price: We found one on eBay Motors for $7,500.

Why It's Tailgate Star: It isn't the safest vehicle in the world, with the driver and front-seat passenger actually hanging out in front of the front axle. Yikes. But it is a nostalgic beauty. Pop the doors open in the parking space and lounge outside, or take advantage of the seats and table inside. These vans get customized with almost anything to make it homey: Curtains, cupboards, etc.

Wiener Mobile

Best Price: Not sure. We couldn't find one for sale just now. But that doesn't mean there won't be one.

Why it's a Tailgate Star: Obviously, a ride that comes with its own steam-table to cook the dogs is a winner with us. Load up with beer. You can either eat the inventory with your friends or sell it at the game parking lot to cover your parking costs. We'd relish making this our regular stadium ride.