So you’re in Hawaii, a paradise on Earth. But what car do you drive? Are some cars better suited to some parts of the world than others? We certainly think so; for example, you’d be a bit silly to buy a convertible Porsche 911 if you lived in Eastern Siberia, in the same way that you might look a little out of place in a Smart Car driving across the plains of Africa. Having the wrong type of vehicle in the wrong environment won’t allow you to maximise performance or fuel economy, and will undoubtedly lead to higher servicing and MOT costs too.

So we ask the question, what type of vehicles is best suited for Hawaiian roads? Besides practical purposes, we feel that style has to be taken into account for cars that want the privilege of ferrying passengers around the world’s most famous islands. So here are our top five cars for Hawaii.

Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport might not have too much of a Hawaiian look about it, but this one has to make it in for sheer luxury. What could complement a 21^st Century paradise more than a car with comfortable leather seats, plenty of space and a cabin crammed with technological innovations?

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Super-fast, super-stylish, and a little bit outrageous – the Corvette ZR1 is a special car built for a special place. Its huge 6.2 litre engine delivers acceleration from 0 – 62mph in just 3.6 seconds…although it’s unlikely you’ll ever really need to go that fast on such small islands.

Mini Convertible

The Mini Convertible looks as though it has been built specifically for Hawaii. It’s cute and has a lot of style – and of course, being a convertible helps! Who wants to cruise around some of the world’s sunniest islands waiting for the air conditioning to kick in when you can drive with the roof down?

Ferrari California

We felt that it would be wrong to create a list of the top 5 cars best suited to Hawaii without including a Ferrari; and the California aptly shares its name with the US state which is closest to the group of paradise islands. Convertible, fast and with bags of style, the Ferrari California looks best cruising the sunny Hawaiian streets in bright red.

Volkswagen Beetle

Ok so a Volkswagen Beetle might not look like a car you’d immediately associate with Hawaii, but think of its heritage and the swinging 60s. This one gets in simply for all those vibrant colours.

News has emerged that there are more cars than ever on Hawaii roads, and there are 7% more gas vehicles now than there was a year ago. I have recently bought a used Mazda myself, so I guess I’m contributing to the rise.

According to the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, there are now over 1 million registered gasoline passenger cars on the island with hybrids accounting for 1.3% of the national total.

Thankfully this should mean that more parts and spares will be more readily available in the region, something I personally have struggled with in the past when my car has needed a bit of a service.