Fall is a magical time of year. Football ads invade your television. Every beverage and food becomes miraculously pumpkin-spiced. That fly wool cardigan you bought makes an appearance the exact second the temperature drops below 60 degrees. And, in northern climes, autumn is the time to head out into the countryside and watch the leaves turn from green to fiery shades of gold, red and orange.
Here, then, are the ideal cars in which to get your leaf peeping fix. It may seem like an odd mix at first glance, but trust us — we’ve chosen each of them for a very good reason.
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler will take you anywhere. Just as importantly, you can optimize it for maximum visibility. Pop off the roof and doors and you’ll see more fall foliage than in any other SUV. You can even lower the windshield for the full autumn breeze effect.
Porsche 718 Boxster
Porsche makes performance cars that are comfortable to drive every day. The 718 Boxster and Cayman may be the best all-around Porsches on sale, but only the Boxster lets you drop the top to check out some leaves. (Porsche will even give you a flat-six in it again.)
Ford F-150
Full-size pickups are built for dealing with nature. The F-150 combines large windows, a commanding ride height and the option for an expansive dual-panel moonroof to better see the trees.
Subaru Outback
The new Subaru Outback can conquer almost any terrain you’d reasonably throw at it. Subaru builds it for optimal visibility with its ride height, big windows and narrow pillars. And you’ll blend in nicely with the locals while leaf-peeping on those New England backroads.
Mercedes-AMG E53 Convertible
The Mercedes-AMG E53 has one of the smoothest engines on the market. It can carve the heck out of mountain roads, making the air sing with its raucous exhaust note. It can also pipe down and behave when fellow leaf peepers clog those same mountain roads.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata RF offers maximum autumn versatility thanks to its folding top. It also looks spectacular, which is as important in autumn as any other season.
Lincoln Aviator
With a panoramic roof and massaging seats, the Lincoln Aviator may be the most comfortable vehicle for any adventure, whether that’s a foliage tour or traversing an unclear metaphor with Matthew McConaughey.
Tesla Model S
The Model S can be outfitted with a glass roof, accelerate with ludicrous speed and leaves no pollutants in its wake to trouble the trees. Just make sure there’s a Supercharger along the route before you head out.
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