Whether it's to support your favorite college or professional team, or to get warmed up for a concert, you'll want one of Bankrate's six top-tier cars for your next tailgating party.
The qualifiers for our top tailgate cars were general and subjective, but every vehicle on this list can seat at least five and has room for the sort of paraphernalia associated with tailgating, such as lawn chairs and coolers.
A killer audio system with satellite radio capability and an iPod interface was also a must.
Because a tailgate party typically involves lots of cars and people in crowded areas, safety features such as rear parking sensors and backup cameras were a big plus.
Some vehicles on this list included key features with the model we chose. Others required adding options to achieve the desired content. Where that is the case, Bankrate listed the total price followed by the amount the required options added to the total.
Fuel economy wasn't a filter, but the Environmental Protection Agency estimates for miles per gallon also are posted.