The best car for the zombie apocalypse isn't a Hyundai Elantra

With Comic-Con transforming the San Diego Convention Center into a fan boy's fantasy land this week, there are numerous movie, book, and video game announcements pouring out, teasing near-future projects. Mixed within are abundant marketing tie-ins. Before getting caught up with the latest super-hero film trailer, it is important to make sure the flashy sponsorship doesn't sway your zombie apocalypse preparedness. Automakers have long found television programming to be an effective, uh, vehicle for promoting their wares. The infectious AMC series "The Walking Dead" has been treated to sponsorship from Hyundai, leading to a Tucson being prominent in the survivors' caravan. (What the show really needed was RV sponsorship...) As a horror/sci-fi/comic fan, I appreciate any corporate support that can see creative programming reach the masses without compromising good story telling. But the latest Hyundai tie-in strikes me as a bit much, the just-unveiled Elantra Coupe (pictured above). Here at Consumer Reports, we rate the Elantra highly. It's well appointed, fuel efficient, and not a bad drive. But when it comes to facing a zombie apocalypse, I would seek mightier iron. To me, and yes I have given this too much thought, the ultimate survival machine must be an SUV with serious off-road abilities. A pickup truck is tempting, but the bed makes it too easy for flesh eaters to scramble aboard. And a fully Mad-Maxed compact coupe, even with a zombie-catcher plow, just doesn't cut it. True survival demands go-anywhere ability, easy egress with a machete, and ample storage for supplies.