Best First Cars: Off-Road Edition

Many young people dream of their first car. The freedom and maturity a teenager feels when they get behind the wheel of their first car is unmatched. The excitement that comes as you shop for your vehicle of choice is unparalleled. For young car enthusiasts, however, it is something more. For years, they have loved cars. But now, they will finally graduate from looking at cars on the internet and dreaming of cars to owning their own. However, we have budgets. Especially if you are buying your first car yourself, you may not be able to get the car of your dreams. The used Toyota Avalon may seem great to a kid who only needs to go to Starbucks and school, but for a car enthusiast, that just won't cut it. We need something cooler. Usually, cooler means more expensive. That is not always the case, however.

Today, we will focus on off-road cars for the enthusiasts who enjoy lockers and winches more than turbos and wings. There are many great, capable off-roaders that also fall into the teen-friendly price range. Let's get started.

1. XJ Cherokee

I could write a novel on this car, but I will keep it short. Made between '84 and '01, the Cherokee was generally the same throughout the years but for a refresh in '97. This small boxy SUV came in two-door and four-door models. Both are great, and they are the same wheelbase so off-roading is not affected either way. While the XJ had several engine options, you want the 4.0 I6, which you may have heard of before due to its legendary status. Dead reliable, cheap, and simple are some qualities of this motor. You also will want a 4x4 model, for obvious reasons. 4.0 4x4s are the most common ones out there, as the Cherokees with other engines have mostly broken down in the past 20 years. These cars are incredibly customizable for off-road use. The legendary and boxy SUV would be an amazing and inexpensive first car, with most decent Cherokees being under $5k. This may not last, however, as demand increases for these cars the price is increasing.

2. S10 Blazer

The Chevy S10 is an awesome little truck and like the Cherokee, dead reliable. While it may not have the looks of the Cherokee, it looks good. They are versatile little SUVs that are now a dime a dozen. A good S10 Blazer on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist will be an amazing first car, especially when cleaned up and given some tasteful mods.

3. Jeep Wrangler

There are many generations of Wrangler, and they will all be great. Get the newest one your budget allows. If you chose a JK or a JL, you can choose a 4-door unlimited model. There are several different trims, but they are generally very similar. The only one that has a major difference is the Rubicon, due to its locking differentials. That will be one less thing you have to install when preparing your rig for some serious off-road use.

Stay tuned for future "best first cars" articles. Luxury edition coming soon.