Earlier this week we asked you to share what cars you think should be turned into utes, the lovable car-based pickups that are typically sleeker and much cooler than traditional trucks, and y’all delivered with some great answers. From hybrid hatchbacks to sports cars and performance crossovers, these are the cars Jalopnik readers think should be turned into utes.
I’ll always vote for the Mustang, both as a ‘ute and a wagon/shooting brake. I love a good ol’ Ranchero, and I still prefer a stick and a V8.
Mustang. New Ranchero based on the current Mustang. I’ll take mine with the Coyote and 6-speed manual transmission.
Submitted by: C. A. Martin and Mark Horning
GTI. The best daily could become the best utility vehicle.
Submitted by: DeWayneV8
Don’t hate me.
Kia Soul.
Submitted by: spookiness
I don’t hate you! I love the Kia Soul, and a truck version would be rad. Kia even did a concept of one, the 2009 Soul’ster pictured above.
A Porsche Cayenne; a Cayute if you will. There could be 37 versions of it: Cayute, Cayute Carrera, Cayute S, Cayute Turbo, Cayute Turbo S, Cayute GT3, Cayute GT3RS, Cayute Targa, Cayute Targa S, Cayute 4, Cayute Cabriolet, Cayute GTS Cabriolet, Cayute 4 GTS Cabriolet, Cayute Dakar, Cayute S/T.
Submitted by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy
I almost used the Cayenne as my pick in my original QOTD! You forgot Cayute Turbo GT, Cayute Turbo S E-Hybrid, Cayute Transsyberia...
Subaru Forester. or Ascent. Let’s see a decent size truck bed on an AWD platform from the company that does AWD best.
The Outback. Bring back the Baja.
Submitted by: tallestdwarf and engineerthefuture
It is baffling to me that Subaru hasn’t brought back the Baja yet.
Honda CR-Z. Past the B-pillar, it’s all cargo area. With the rear fake seat down, it’s about 46" deep and 34" wide, and with the fake seats up, you can still get at least 4 bags of mulch in it (speaking from personal experience).
Even before you extend it to ute proportions, compare it to a Ford Maverick hybrid: the Honda has just 8" less bed length, 15-28 fewer ft-lb, and puts just 60 fewer HP than the Maverick hybrid does through its (130 vs 190), and both use a CVT.
Submitted by: OnceInAMillenia
CR-Zs are so cool, and a ute one would be even cooler.
The 911.
You’d put the bed in the front, and drive around like you’re pushing a tiny little shopping cart.
Submitted by: TheWalrus
Brilliant idea.
The Aussies have shown us that the best utes are completely batshit and more or less completely impractical. To that end the Project 8 Jaaaaaaute.
Submitted by: Tacet
You could get the Project 8 without a back seat, that’s basically a ute already.
Alfa Romeo Giulia.
Submitted by: Garland - Last Top Comment on Splinter
When your friends ask “Hey, can I use your ute to move apartments?” you can just say “It’s broken again.”
I think that the Toyota Corolla would make a nice base for a solid little Ute… the Volkswagen Golf is also a contender, but what I really want to see is a Mini Ute.
Submitted by: Matt Pipes
You know, you actually can go buy a Mini Cooper ute right now. Those Mini-based Red Bull promo cars were turned into trucks with little beds!
CT5/6-V, bonus points for a Blackwing variant with a 6 speed
Submitted by: JaredOfLondon
You can use the truck bed to haul all the extra tires you’ll need.