Doomsday Garage • Five Toyotas and a Few Hondas • Scored by Scenario
The End Is Near.Bring a Toyota.
Financial collapse, killer robots, a pandemic, zombies or civil war. I scored five vehicles against all of them, then adjusted the results the way any responsible CPA would: with bias.
Preparedness, but make it Toyota
How Will It End? Pick Your Poison.
Every car guy has had this conversation at 11 p.m. around a campfire: when it all goes sideways, what are you driving out of town? Not "what's your dream car." What's the thing that starts every time, runs on whatever's left in the gas station tank, fixes with a 10mm and a prayer, and doesn't scream "I have supplies, please rob me."
So I picked five ways the world could end and scored my top five vehicles against each one:
1. Financial collapse. The dollar's worth less than a Pokémon card. Parts are scarce, fuel is expensive, and the winner is whatever's cheap to buy, cheap to fix and cheap to feed.
2. AI takes over. Skynet, killer drones, the whole Terminator package. You want something with as few computers as possible, nothing connected to the internet and a profile that doesn't stand out from 10,000 feet.
3. Killer pandemic. You need to haul a lot of supplies, sleep in the vehicle, stay away from people and keep everyone in one sealed box.
4. Zombies. Ground clearance, a big bumper, window grates and the ability to drive over things you'd rather not talk about.
5. Civil war. Blend in, go far, go anywhere, and don't look like anybody's target.
Full disclosure: I'm biased. I own a Land Cruiser, I'm raising money for another one, and I just became a Honda guy. Every vehicle in my top five is a Toyota. I'm not even sorry.
#1 • Toyota Land Cruiser (80 Series, but honestly any of them)
Duh.
Look, I'm biased. My Land Cruiser is a 1997 Lexus LX450, which is an 80 Series Land Cruiser in a nicer suit. Triple locked, turbocharged and slow enough to give you time to think about your choices. So of course the 80 is number one.
The 80 Series (1991–1997 in the U.S.) is the sweet spot. Full-time 4WD, solid axles front and rear, factory locker options, and from 1993 on the 4.5-liter 1FZ-FE inline-six, an engine that just doesn't care. You can sleep in the back, carry a family and a month of canned beans, and drive over a zombie without spilling your coffee.
But in all seriousness: an unmodified 200 Series is king. Toyota sold it here from 2008 to 2021 with a 5.7-liter V8 and one of the most overbuilt drivetrains ever bolted into a passenger vehicle. Stock is the point. It already does everything, and it does it for 300,000 miles. If you want to see what happens when you take the newest one and lose your mind, read my Lexus LX 700h on portals post.
So which Land Cruiser is best for the apocalypse? The 80. No, the 200. Actually, the 100 Series has the V8 and independent front suspension, and the 60 is simpler. The 40 is the original, and I'm literally trying to buy one. Honestly, any Land Cruiser will do. Money and gas aren't a concern. It's the apocalypse. Nobody's checking your credit score.
The only knock: an 80 Series gets roughly 12 to 13 mpg on a good day, and it weighs about as much as a small house. In a financial collapse, that's a problem. In every other scenario, it's a feature.
| 80 Series: Price of Entry | Damage |
|---|---|
| Decent driver-quality FZJ80 (recent sales) | $15K–$40K |
| Recent median sale on Classic.com | ~$24,750 |
| Show-quality outlier (Bring a Trailer, 1994) | $136,000 |
| Unmodified 200 Series (2016–2021) | $50K–$110K |
| Apocalypse build: bumpers, winch, 35s, rack, grates, lockers if it lacks them | ~$10K–$25K |
| All-in for an 80, napkin math | ~$35K–$60K |
Purchase prices come from recent Classic.com sales and a widely reported 2023 Bring a Trailer sale. The build cost is my estimate, not a quote.
#2 • 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon (SR5)
The Secret Weapon
This is my deep cut. The Tercel 4WD wagon was sold in the U.S. from 1983 to 1988, and it's the weirdest, coolest little Toyota you've never thought about. It's a tall, boxy wagon with a 1.5-liter four making about 62 horsepower and part-time 4WD that you engage by hand.
The SR5 is the one you want. It's the model with the 5-speed plus the "EL" gear: an Extra Low first gear (4.71:1) that only works in 4WD. Toyota called it a 6-speed. I call it low range for people who can't afford a Land Cruiser. You can crawl it up a two-track at walking speed and it'll just keep going.
Why does it work in the apocalypse? It has almost no electronics, so Skynet can't hack it. It sips fuel compared to anything else here. Parts are simple. And nobody, not one single raider, is going to look at a 1985 Tercel wagon and think, "That guy has the good stuff." It's the ultimate grey man car.
Why it isn't number one: it has 62 horsepower and the crash structure of a lunchbox. Hit a zombie at 40 mph and you're both having a bad day.
| Tercel 4WD Wagon: Price of Entry | Damage |
|---|---|
| Running driver (recent asking prices) | $3K–$8.5K |
| Rough project | $1K–$3K |
| Build: all-terrain tires, rack, grates, recovery gear, rust repair | ~$2K–$5K |
| All-in | ~$5K–$13K |
Prices come from recent listings covered by Barn Finds and Jalopnik. Finding a rust-free one is the real cost.
#3 • 2015 Toyota Sienna AWD
Soccer Mom Camouflage
Hear me out. The 2015 Sienna AWD is a 3.5-liter V6, 266 horsepower, AWD minivan with power sliding doors. In a pandemic, that's a rolling quarantine pod. Fold the seats, throw down a mattress, and you can sleep, haul supplies and keep a whole family in one sealed box with cupholders for everyone.
In a civil war, it's the best camouflage money can buy. Nobody has ever pointed at a beige Sienna and said, "That's the one to watch." You'll drive right through every checkpoint. You're just a dad going to Costco.
AWD was optional on the 2015 Sienna, so make sure you get it. It's rated at 16 city and 23 highway mpg. Add a small lift, all-terrain tires and a roof basket, and it's the most underrated overlander in America.
The knock: it has a lot of computers, so Skynet could probably reach it, and it's not climbing anything a Land Cruiser can. But for hauling the most stuff and the most people the farthest without anyone noticing? Nothing on this list beats it.
| Sienna AWD: Price of Entry | Damage |
|---|---|
| 2015 Sienna, all trims (KBB fair purchase price) | $12.6K–$16.5K |
| AWD premium | A bit more |
| Build: small lift, all-terrain tires, roof basket, grates | ~$3K–$6K |
| All-in | ~$16K–$23K |
Purchase range is KBB's national fair purchase price for 2015 Siennas across all trims. The build is my estimate.
#4 • Toyota Camry (1997–2001)
The Most Invisible Car in America
I'm picking the 1997–2001 Camry, the XV20 generation. Get the 2.2-liter four-cylinder, Toyota's 5S-FE, about 133–136 horsepower. It's simple, it's everywhere and it will run on neglect. If you want more power, the 3.0-liter V6 makes 194, but I'd keep it simple.
Here's why it's on the list: in a financial collapse, it's the cheapest car to buy, feed and fix. Every junkyard in America has a dozen of them. You can buy one for less than a nice set of tires for the Land Cruiser. And in a civil war, it's the ultimate grey man car. A champagne 2000 Camry is so invisible it's practically a cloaking device.
The obvious problem: zombies. It has the ground clearance of a skateboard. Put some all-terrain tires on it, bolt on grates and a bull bar, and pray they're the slow kind.
| Camry: Price of Entry | Damage |
|---|---|
| 1997–2001 Camry (KBB fair purchase price, 2001 example) | $2K–$2.9K |
| Build: all-terrain tires, roof rack, grates, small bull bar | ~$1.5K–$3K |
| All-in | ~$3.5K–$6K |
Purchase range is KBB's fair purchase price for a 2001 Camry. The build is my estimate.
#5 • Any Old Toyota Pickup with a 22R
22R FTW
Every apocalypse list has one, and for good reason. The Toyota pickup with the 2.4-liter 22R (or the fuel-injected 22R-E from 1985 on) is basically a cockroach with a bed. Hagerty calls the engine legendarily reliable, and every off-roader in America already knows it. The only weak point anyone talks about is the timing chain guides. Change them and drive it forever.
It's simple, it's light, parts are everywhere, and it's the easiest thing on this list to fix with whatever's in the back of a hardware store. In the Skynet scenario, an early carbureted one is basically invisible to the machines. In the zombie scenario, a 1985-or-earlier solid-axle 4x4 is a lifted lawn mower with a bed full of supplies.
So why is it number five? Because everybody already knows it's the best apocalypse truck, which means everybody's going to want yours. You'll be the first one robbed. Also, prices on clean ones are no longer "cheap old truck" money.
| 22R Pickup: Price of Entry | Damage |
|---|---|
| 1985 Pickup 4x4 SR5, Hagerty #3 (good) value | $16,700 |
| 1985 Pickup 4x4 SR5, Hagerty #2 (excellent) value | $22,700 |
| Rough but running 4x4 | Less, if you can find one |
| Build: lift, 33s, bumper, rack, grates | ~$5K–$12K |
| All-in for a good one | ~$22K–$35K |
Values from Hagerty's valuation of the 1985 Toyota Pickup 4x4 SR5. The build is my estimate.
The scoreboard
Doing the Math
Here's how each vehicle scored in each scenario, out of 10. I did the raw scores honestly. Then I applied the bias adjustment, which is how I got the rankings I wanted.
| Vehicle | Financial Collapse | Skynet | Pandemic | Zombies | Civil War | Raw | Bias | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 Series Land Cruiser | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 40 | +10 | 50 |
| 1985 Tercel 4WD Wagon | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 37 | +5 | 42 |
| 2015 Sienna AWD | 6 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 36 | +4 | 40 |
| 1997–2001 Camry | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 35 | +3 | 38 |
| Old Toyota Pickup (22R) | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 41 | -4 | 37 |
Each scenario is scored out of 10. "Bias" is my personal Toyota and Land Cruiser adjustment, applied by a licensed CPA, which makes it legal. Swipe sideways on your phone to see the whole table.
What the Math Actually Says
Yes, I saw it too. On raw scores, the 22R pickup wins and the Land Cruiser is second. Then the bias column kicks in. The Land Cruiser gets the "Land Cruiser tax" of plus 10, the Tercel gets bonus points for being a secret weapon, and the 22R gets docked for being the truck every raider is hunting for.
Is that how math works? In accounting, we call it a "professional judgment adjustment." It's completely legitimate. Please don't ask to see my work papers.
Honorable mentions
The Hondas (I'm a Honda Guy Now)
I own a yellow Honda Beat, so I'm legally required to mention some Hondas. Plus one more Toyota.
First-generation Toyota RAV4 (1996–2000). Basically a lifted Corolla with AWD and a removable soft top on the two-door. Light, simple and cheap to keep alive.
Honda Accord. The Camry's arch-rival is the same idea: reliable, everywhere and invisible. Pick an older four-cylinder and keep the oil changed.
First-generation Honda CR-V (1997–2001). Real Time 4WD, a picnic table that lives in the cargo floor and a fold-flat rear seat you can sleep on. Ask the zombies to wait while you set up lunch.
None of these made the top five because they're not Land Cruisers. I don't make the rules. Actually, I do. It's my blog.
The bottom line
So What Am I Driving When It All Ends?
The Land Cruiser. Obviously. But if I had to start over tomorrow with $5,000 and a dream, I'd buy a Tercel 4WD wagon, bolt grates on the windows and disappear into the hills where nobody would look twice.
Whatever you pick, make it a Toyota, keep a full tank, and keep a set of recovery boards in the back. And if you see me in the apocalypse, I'll be the guy in the triple-locked LX450, going very slowly. Help keep my Fund the 40 jar alive in the meantime, because a 40 Series is my backup plan.
What Are You Driving When It Ends?
Tell me your apocalypse vehicle. If it's not a Toyota, I'll still listen. I just won't agree. Want your build photographed before the world ends? Let's talk.
All vehicle images in this post are renderings made with ChatGPT, not photos of real builds. Prices are rough ranges as of October 2026 and change fast. This post is for fun, not financial or survival advice.
Drive Fast · Take Chances · Never Lift.
