A popular vehicle for Jacksonville car sales, a blue 2020 Jeep Wrangler, is shown driving off-road.

Fun in the Sun! Great Used Cars for Florida Drivers

If you live in Jacksonville, or anywhere in Florida for that matter, you might know it can feel impossible to beat the humid heat when the sun is high in the sky. But finding a used vehicle with the right features might mean you can make things a little easier on yourself when it comes to tackling Florida’s muggy weather. When you look at Jacksonville car sales, you’ll notice a few trends, such as light-colored vehicles, ventilated seats, and convertibles, and that’s just the start.

The popular saying goes when you can’t beat them, join them, and the same goes for mother nature. Why fight it when you can relax behind the wheel? Getting a used vehicle that is optimized for hot, wet, or humid weather is a great investment, plus it can make your daily drive a little more enjoyable. However, there are a lot of cars on the market, so where do you start? All you need is AC, right? While AC is, of course, one of the main things that will help cool you down when temperatures rise, finding a vehicle that offers a great combination of features like a removable top, wide windows, and vented seating all help you keep your cool in the Sunshine state all year long.

A gray 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is shown driving on a dirt trail.

Hello Hyundai Santa Fe

While you might be in Florida, that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, and keeping your eye out for Santa Fe means you can unlock great fun features like a cooled glove box to keep a bottle of water or your phone chilled when the sun is beating down. This is a feature that is tough to find, so keep your eyes peeled. However, if you have no luck locating a cooled glove box, the Santa Fe is still a great SUV that was made to help you beat the heat in more ways than one. The Hyundai Santa Fe is a three-seater SUV that offers cooling across three rows, plus tinted windows and ventilated seats, all of which do a great job of keeping you and your passengers feeling great from the start of your journey to the end.

Stay Out of the Sun With the Sorento

The Kia Sorento is a great vehicle for families and hot weather. The Kia Sorento is another SUV that offers you the flexibility of three rows of seating, plus tri-zone cooling across all rows so everyone gets access to comfort, not just those lucky enough to be in the front seat. In case you’re not familiar with tri-zone cooling, this is a great feature to have since it allows drivers and passengers to adjust the temp to suit them. Maybe the driver is hot from the glaring sun, while the passengers in the back aren’t; the tri-zone lets everyone stay comfortable. Who doesn’t love that?

Ventilated seating in the first and second rows adds to the overall luxury of the Sorento, circulating the air through the seat to keep it cool and comfortable for the entire ride. Thanks to the Sorento’s Smart Temperature Control, the SUV can sense the cabin’s temperature and click on the ventilated or heating feature for the driver’s seat if needed, allowing you to focus your attention on the road and not on fiddling with knobs and buttons.

A white 2020 Toyota RAV4 is shown driving on a highway.

Ready for the RAV4

In Florida, you might not get snow, but you get plenty of rain. Having a vehicle that can give you the confidence you want when showers are pouring down is important for your safety and those you share the road with. The Toyota RAV4 has earned a reputation for being not only a tough cookie but also for being safe. The RAV4 offers exceptional handling and grip, helping you stay in control. Dial through different modes like Sport Mode to get increased traction or Eco Mode if you’re moving along at a slower pace.

The Solar Power of the Prius

The Toyota Prius is a great little hybrid car that not only saves you money when it comes to the pumps but can also help your car stay cool even when you’re not in it! Equip your Prius with a Solar Roof Package and say goodbye to the days of jumping in and burning your legs on the hot seats!

The Prius with a solar roof is a remarkable feature you should know about. If you happen to park in the sun, the Solar Roof cooling and venting system goes to work. If your interior temperature passes 68 degrees F, the system works by switching on a fan to bring outside air into the cabin and circulate it throughout. Drivers can switch on the feature before getting out of the car or turn on the cooling system using the AC button on their key fob. The entire system is powered by the sun, so you not only stay cool and you save power. Yes, it’s that easy.

A black 2018 Cadillac Escalade is shown parked near buildings.

The Escalade Is Cool

Picking up a used Escalade means you get a great vehicle with tons of luxury features while saving a few dollars. We love the Escalade for hot weather because it provides an abundance of first-class features for drivers and passengers to help keep them feeling good. The Escalade doesn’t fool around when it comes to luxury. The airy cabin lets everyone stretch out and relax while features like cooled cup holders, a cooled box for snacks or drinks, cooled seats, and premium dual front climate-control zones.

For drivers that want more than your average car, the Escalade is half posh and half party, making it the ideal vehicle for hot days and humid nights. With seating for seven across three rows, there’s more than enough for everyone and everything without feeling stuffy. The premium sound system and wireless technology make using and enjoying the Escalade feel intuitive, stress-free, and, even more important, fun!

Take Off Your Top: We Are Looking at You Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler is an icon for a reason; whether hot or cold, wet or rough, the Wrangler will get you where you want to go, which is often why it’s considered the ultimate outdoor fun vehicle for nature lovers. When beautiful days strike, and you want to let the sun in, getting a soft or hard-top Jeep Wrangler is just what you need. Remove your top and even the side doors and let in the view and a fresh breeze. Sure, at times you want a vehicle to keep the heat out, but if you’re heading somewhere like the beach or out for a day of fun, maybe you’re the kind of person who likes to get a head start. The open-air Wrangler has the potential to make even the most mundane trip unforgettable.

Picking up a used Wrangler is a great way to save, and Wranglers tend to hold their value, so they also make a wise investment if you ever want to trade in or trade up in the future. Wranglers were built to help people get into nature. So if you want to take your Wrangler through the sand at the beach or tackle a rocky camping trail, it shouldn’t be a problem. Looking to spend the night in the great outdoors? Check out the available pop-up tent, plus various folding tables and awnings available for Wranglers.

Because Jeeps tend to see a lot of action in the form of mud, dirt, and sand, when your adventure is done for the day, they are quick and easy to clean. Built-in floor drain plugs mean all you need is a garden hose, and you can easily spray out the interior so that your Wrangler is ready to go when you are.

The cargo space in a 2020 Jeep Wrangler is shown.

Beat the Heat With the Right Used Car

Living in the sunshine state comes with a lot of perks, one of the most obvious being the beautiful sunny weather. However, that also means hot, humid days that seem to stretch on for weeks, combined with lots of heavy rain, and did we mention sand? Sand seems to be everywhere! Whether you’re looking to embrace the heat or beat it, there are lots of great used vehicles for Florida drivers. Next time you’re shopping the used lots around Jacksonville, keep an eye out for key features to help you get the most from your vehicle.

SUVs with tri-zone AC help everyone stay cool front to back, while tinted windows and a moonroof let you take in the view without sweating. You may want to indulge with cooled seating and a refrigerated box for snacks. Be it ventilated seating for solar-powered cooling, no matter how you decide to tackle the Florida weather, there’s a great used vehicle to help you out.