Sage Steele Misses Her Toyota Station Wagon

As a co-host on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and host of “SportsCenter on the Road,” television anchor Sage Steele is not only an expert in front of the camera, she’s also no stranger to traveling when she’s off air.

Although her first car had some wear and tear, Steele’s station wagon was popular amongst her friends and, more importantly, kept her safe when she started her college journey.

What was your first car?

A 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD station wagon.

How did you acquire it? 

It was a hand-me-down from my parents when I went away to college!

What did you love most about the car?

I loved that it was a 5-speed stick shift! Boys were always impressed that I could drive one…I actually miss it to this day!

Was there anything you didn’t like about it?

There was a hole in the floor of the passenger side, big enough for snow and rain to get in, which means the floor mats were almost constantly wet and smelly!

What is your favorite memory of the car?

I was the only kid in my friend group that had one and I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why I had so many friends! We would pile a bunch of us into it and drive around the campus of Indiana University with our music blaring…awesome, innocent fun!

What happened to it?

It was totaled my first year out of college when a driver slammed into the rear of the car at a stop light, pushed me out into an intersection and I was T-boned by another car. I walked away unscathed though, that little car protected me until the very end!

Do you remember your first car? Share in the comments below!

For more celebrity stories, visit AAA.com/MyFirstCar.