Top 10 Best Vehicles for Tailgate Parties for 2014

Like jazz and blue jeans, tailgating was born in the USA. The earliest example of tailgating at a sporting event took place in 1869 at a football game between Rutgers and Princeton, just a few years before the advent of the automobile in the U.S. For those not familiar with the term, tailgating involves the consumption of food and beverages in the back of a parked vehicle. Usually there's music playing on the car stereo to buoy the mood. The venue is most often the parking lot of a stadium or arena, before or after a sports game or concert. To indulge in this uniquely American event, you'll need good eats, strong drinks and a properly equipped vehicle.

First on the list of required vehicle equipment is a tailgate. Other helpful features include rear-facing seats, a roomy cabin (or a truck bed), a good sound system and an easy-to-clean tailgate area.

The 10 picks shown below are our favorite vehicles for tailgating for 2014. The lineup includes everything from pickups to crossovers to luxury SUVs. Our selections are listed in alphabetical order.

1. 

   1. Chrysler Town & Country

The Town & Country's cavernous cabin offers lots of room for tailgate partygoers to congregate. Also, its third-row seat can be flipped backward to create party chairs. Entertainment comes courtesy of available flip-down 9-inch video screens in the second and third rows that are viewable from behind the open liftgate.

The F-150's large pickup bed offers lots of room for tailgating gatherings. And partygoers of all sizes will have no problem accessing the bed, thanks to an available step that's deployed from the tailgate.

Ford's strikingly angular Flex boasts a refrigerated compartment that can keep drinks frosty during tailgate parties. Additionally, the third row is available with a tailgating feature that flips and turns these seats to face rearward at the touch of a button.

A minivan may not be the sexiest choice for a tailgating party, but in the Odyssey's case, it could very well be the most functional. In addition to a roomy interior and an optional chilled storage box, the Odyssey offers an available integrated vacuum cleaner that can make party cleanup a breeze.

Honda's Ridgeline comes with a bed that's big enough to provide party seating, once the tailgate has been extended. And if you're looking for a place to stash those brewskis, there's a handy in-floor storage locker in the truck bed.

The Kia Soul's boxy design and large, airy cabin are great for tailgating. An available eight-speaker Infinity sound system with sharp sound quality and fun speaker lights keeps things festive.

Well-heeled tailgaters will love the elegant Range Rover. As you'd expect, its cabin is endlessly luxurious. For music, there's an available 29-speaker Meridian sound system with simulated 3-D surround-sound technology.

Lincoln's modern-looking MKT is available with a refrigerated compartment to keep your party drinks nice and chilled. There's also a tailgating-friendly third row with seats that flip over to face the rear of the car.

The E-Class wagon is known for its unique rear-facing third-row seat, and this feature makes the car a natural fit for tailgating. Of course, the E-Class also offers ample amounts of Mercedes-Benz luxury.

The Ram 1500 has got you covered when it comes to storage space for tailgating. A RamBox feature is available: a pair of lockable compartments nestled over rear fenders within the truck bed. Crew-cab models boast watertight storage compartments under the rear floor.