Best Vehicle For Chasing

[Jason Boggs]

I've chased in a Nissan Xterra since 2009 and I love it! No mechanical problems whatsoever! It's a 4x4 with good power and room enough for lots of gear! It currently has 210,000 miles on it.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm of the opinion of a 4Runner being one of the better all-around chase vehicles, but any car or truck can be sufficiently outfitted for chasing. If it's your only vehicle, I'd choose one that works for your everyday needs rather than chasing. For the average chaser, chasing makes up a small part of the overall time and miles you'll put on it. I've chased in pickup trucks, small cars and SUVs. They all have their tradeoffs (gas mileage, interior space, ground clearances), but all ultimately did fine. If I had an hour-long commute to work every day, I'd want to be driving a smaller car or hybrid than a big 4x4 I'd bought for storm chasing.

Honda and Toyota are best for long-term reliability. AWD is helpful for winter weather and accidentally turning down a mud road (it's more likely to get you the short distance back to the pavement). No vehicle is immune from getting stuck on those roads though. I'd also prioritize good tires for whatever vehicle you end up with just for wet road safety.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

I'm of the opinion of a 4Runner being one of the better all-around chase vehicles, but any car or truck can be sufficiently outfitted for chasing. If it's your only vehicle, I'd choose one that works for your everyday needs rather than chasing. For the average chaser, chasing makes up a small part of the overall time and miles you'll put on it. I've chased in pickup trucks, small cars and SUVs. They all have their tradeoffs (gas mileage, interior space, ground clearances), but all ultimately did fine. If I had an hour-long commute to work every day, I'd want to be driving a smaller car or hybrid than a big 4x4 I'd bought for storm chasing.

Honda and Toyota are best for long-term reliability. AWD is helpful for winter weather and accidentally turning down a mud road (it's more likely to get you the short distance back to the pavement). No vehicle is immune from getting stuck on those roads though. I'd also prioritize good tires for whatever vehicle you end up with just for wet road safety.

I still vividly remember reading your harrowing account of trying to escape El Reno 2013 in your little Toyota Yaris that kept hamstringing itself with traction control. That's one of the reasons I vowed paved roads only when in the vicinity of ongoing storms whenever I took my Corolla to the Plains, even if it meant I missed something. Might have been able to see Mangum in 2019 had I felt comfortable taking a shortcut on the unpaved grid instead of going all the way east on US 62 back to Duke and then north on 34 with the conga line, but on a high risk day with (what was then still expected to be, at least in my mind since I hadn't had time to look at much outside of the storm I was targeting) not one but multiple cyclic tornadic supercells tracking through the vicinity, I wasn't looking to get stuck.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Other vehicle I am considering -- and I can't remember seeing one out storm chasing -- is a Lexus rx350. Lose some of the tech at the same price point compared to the Rav4, but the v6 is alluring, and they have one of the most reliable drive-trains out there. Assume AWD won't be any better, ground clearance about the same.

I leased a 2024 RAV for my daughter a couple of years ago, and it’s a great vehicle but sluggish. As you noted, the hybrid may be quicker.

The Lexus seems like a better choice than the RAV - same platform, but more luxurious and comfortable interior, plus the V6 as you mentioned. Not too many people chase in luxury vehicles, so that’s probably why you don’t recall seeing any But a used Lexus or other luxury brand can be very affordable compared to newer non-luxury brands. I mean you look at something like a 4Runner and the higher end trim packages get up into the high $60k range!

I do like Dan’s suggestion of a 4Runner though, and you’re buying used anyway. That’s a true off-road vehicle, and I like the idea of having something larger, which is the primary attribute for safety in an accident. On that note, you might even want to look into a used Volvo. They have the XC40, which is probably about the same size as the RAV, or you can go a little bigger with the XC60, which is their midsize SUV. Even a 7-year old XC90, their full size SUV, might be a great choice if you’re willing to go a little higher than $20k (maybe $24k?) All of the Volvos are AWD and built their brand around safety. I have leased and owned a number of Volvos over the years, beginning way back in the late 1990s, and my wife drives a 2019 XC90 currently.

Repairs and maintenance costs do run high on luxury models, so keep that in mind as a potential variable on the Lexus, or Volvo if you consider them (although Volvo is not quite in the same strata as Lexus, BMW, etc.)

I always thought a Bronco would be cool for chasing, but that’s just based on its appearance. I don’t know much about its power, reliability, etc. I heard it’s not too comfortable, and of course comfort is a huge consideration for the many miles of driving chasing entails.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Ranger Lariat 4x4 crew-cab. Chasing and other adventures, nothing comes close. Could not find another make with all the features I needed like the insane LED headlamps and a ton of safety features. "SUV"s are no longer really SUV's. Most are mom and pop cars for the kids and grossly overpriced and under-powered.

 

[Sean Ramsey]

I've been chasing in a 2023 RAV (gas version) for the last three seasons and I like it. It has enough power to get moving quickly when needed, spacious and you can get over 400 miles on a tank. I used to chase in a 4Runner and Tacoma, but you could only get a little over 300 miles on a tank and that's without any wind resistance, and if you're chasing out in the middle of nowhere it doesn't take long for the fuel gauge to start running low and you're always sweating the next time you can fuel up. Not to mention the $60 fill-ups when gas is over $3 like it is now. I do miss the safety net of 4WD, but I only used it maybe twice over 7 years. The great thing is I've never had any of them, including the current one in the shop, ever. I'll never chase in another make of vehicle, I trust them that much.

 

[Brett Roberts]

I've also used a 5th-gen (2019-2025) RAV4 for the past few years. I was pretty set on a hybrid initially, but got spooked by reports of the so-called Cablegate scandal: apparently, the high-voltage cable connecting the rear battery to the front drivetrain in the 5th gen hybrid has an exposed section in the undercarriage that sometimes corrodes. If this happens, it's fairly catastrophic, as a replacement cable runs $4-6k and you could be out of commission for weeks or months waiting for the dealer to get one.

From what I found, the problem is most common in snowy areas like Canada, where substantial salt is likely to accumulate over time. But I feared the possible effects of constant water/splash exposure and unpaved roads while chasing sufficiently that it pushed me toward the gas model. It absolutely sucks, because otherwise, the hybrid appeared better in every way: better MPG, a more reliable transmission, better acceleration/performance, built-in AWD, and not really that much more expensive. My hunch is that I overthought this, as there are plenty of chasers with 5th gen hybrids who seem fine thus far. Anyway, the 5th gen gas model has been good to me so far... my only concern being whether my 8-speed automatic transmission might be more likely to fail at say 150k-200k miles than the rock solid eCVT on the hybrid.

IIRC, the 4th gen (2013-2018) RAV4 has quite a bit lower ground clearance around 6.5" compared to 8.5" on the newer ones. So for anyone shopping used, that could be a consideration, if you can find a 2020-21 model within your budget.

 

[JamesCaruso]

I've been chasing in a 2023 RAV (gas version) for the last three seasons and I like it. It has enough power to get moving quickly when needed, spacious and you can get over 400 miles on a tank. I used to chase in a 4Runner and Tacoma, but you could only get a little over 300 miles on a tank and that's without any wind resistance, and if you're chasing out in the middle of nowhere it doesn't take long for the fuel gauge to start running low and you're always sweating the next time you can fuel up.

Good point on capacity of the gas tank and range limitations. That is indeed an important criterion. I usually rent a full-size SUV, and despite the poor mileage and expensive fill-ups, when I pull out of the gas station at 3 or 4pm, it’s very comforting to see the dashboard display a 500+ mile range, knowing I’m pretty much set for the entirety of the chase!

 

[Warren Faidley]

Everyone complaining about gas prices.... lol..... when Tom Willett and used to chase in the stone ages (late 80's), we were so dirt poor we would either sleep on reclined seats or stay in the most rat-holed motels so we could afford gas at .99 cents per gallon! Geeez.