(September 5, 2012) CHICAGO — Cars.com announced today their editors' list of the top cars for the 2012 tailgating season. "Tailgating is a time-honored tradition that has always revolved around one central item—the perfect car," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com Editor-in-Chief.

"We've compiled a list of the best all-around cars for pre-game festivities in the stadium parking lot. Our list has cars of all sizes, and each one made the list because it boasts features that were made with the tailgater in mind."

The top tailgating car of the season according to Cars.com is the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Packed full of fan-friendly features, the Odyssey can carry up to eight fans with enough room behind them to pack a small grill. Or, it can carry five fans, collapse the third row and have 93.1 cubic feet for even more storage. The higher trim levels even offer technology features like Honda's 16.2-inch split screen entertainment system.

"When it comes to tailgating, the Odyssey has it all," said Olsen. "However, we recognize that most car shoppers are looking for something that suits a wide variety of lifestyles and needs. Our runners-up represent cars from different segments that meet many different driver needs, but also allow them to pack up the grill and head to their team's parking lot before the game."

Other top tailgating vehicles according to Cars.com are:

    2013 Dodge Caravan : With storage galore, Stow n' Go seats and third row seats that flip back for rear-facing tailgating seats this van is the perfect tailgater.
    2012 GMC Acadia : This tailgater bridges the SUV-minivan gap best with great storage and top notch entertainment features.
    2012 Honda Fit : Not every tailgating car needs to be a giant. The Fit is among the most space efficient cars on the market and can handle a lot more than its exterior suggests.
    2012 Honda Ridgeline : The Ridgeline's ace in the hole is a standard 8.5 cubic-foot trunk under the pickup bed, which easily becomes a 225-quart cooler on wheels.
    2012 Nissan Xterra : The Xterra might have modest cargo space, but it was built for tailgating with an available Easy Clean cargo area that covers the cargo floor and second-row seatbacks with an easy-to-clean hard coating.
    2012 Ram 1500 : The optional RamBox is a locking compartment with drain plugs that sits above the pickup's rear fenders. Ram says that a Ram with the 6-foot-4 inch bed can fit up to 280 cans.
    2012 Subaru Outback : The Outback's standard, removable cargo tray means you can make a mess, remove the tray and hose it off—making cleanup a breeze.
    2012 Toyota 4Runner : An optional sliding cargo deck in the five-passenger 4Runner extends up to 400 pounds of food and beverages within easy reach of tailgaters. Leave the folding table at home; this has one built in.
    2013 Toyota Sienna : A great option for those looking for on-screen entertainment while tailgating. The Sienna offers a 16.4-inch dual-view screen.

In addition to naming the top tailgating vehicles of the season, Cars.com is also getting back into the football spirit this fall as the presenting sponsor of ESPN Saturday Afternoon College Football.