The Best Road Trip Cars From Every Category

When "Head out on the highway" is more than just a line from a song to you, these are the cars to buy.

Civic Hatchback

Embarking on an epic road trip adventure requires the perfect companion, and selecting the ideal car for the journey can significantly impact your experience. In an era where sustainability and efficiency take center stage, the realm of road trip vehicles has transformed. From the ever-expanding array of electric vehicles to power-oriented marvels, the choices have never been more exhilarating. The question is simple: What is the best car for long-distance driving?

That's a loaded question, so today, we'll explore the best road trip cars in 10 different segments, guiding you through options that guarantee comfort, dependability, and the freedom to navigate extensive distances effortlessly. Whether plotting a picturesque coastal drive, a cross-country odyssey, or a quick weekend escape, these road trip-ready vehicles will enhance the journey, and perhaps even the destination. Prepare to embark on your open-road adventure with unwavering confidence as we unveil the top contenders in the domain of road-trip cars.

The Hatchback: 2024 Honda Civic Hatch

The latest Civic Hatchback keeps its enjoyable driving dynamics intact despite being a more grown-up car than any Civic before it. In base form, its 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder produces an ample 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque, while a turbocharged 1.5-liter ups the stakes to 180 hp and 177 lb-ft. Plus, if you're still of the old-school persuasion and like to be in control of the experience, you can get a six-speed manual gearbox in the Sport and Sport Touring trims - or a CVT if you prefer to relax.

With combined EPA ratings of up to 35 mpg in turbo guise and 33 mpg in base form, the Civic is light on gas, and starting at an MSRP of $24,950, it's light on your bank account from the get-go.

Combine its mechanical attributes with a spacious cabin and large trunk (24.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats), and it's a winner already. Factor in a full suite of connectivity options like a seven-inch touchscreen and matching digital gauge cluster (nine- and 10.2 inches respectively on the Sport Touring), and you have one of the most complete long-distance vehicles on the market and a perfect family road trip car.

The Crossover: 2024 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid

This fuel-efficient road trip car boasts a hybrid system, achieving an impressive 38 mpg combined EPA rating. The hybrid powertrain comprises a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with electric augmentation, paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox, producing 226 hp and 258 lb-ft.

Whether traveling with a full crew or just a few, the standard all-wheel drive ensures surefootedness over any surface and in any climate through sun, snow, and rain.

Ideal for family road trips, it boasts a comfortable and spacious interior equipped with rear USB ports and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Five seats with ample rear legroom enhance the appeal of this compact crossover, and its generous 38.7-cu-ft trunk accommodates all your gear. You can use all five seats, or drop the 60:40-split rear seats to carry larger items. Starting at $32,325, the Tucson Hybrid ticks all the right boxes .

The Sports Car: 2024 Mustang GT Coupe

While there may be many options in contention for the title of the best sports car , we maintain when it comes to road trips, the Mustang has them all soundly beaten. A new generation has arrived for 2024, sporting updated styling and a new fighter jet-inspired interior with larger infotainment and digital gauge cluster screens.

Under the hood, the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 has been upgraded and now produces 36 hp more in the 2024 Mustang GT than the old model, totaling 486 hp. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional 10-speed auto, which may be better suited to long-distance cruising.

Should the road get twisty on your journey, the Mustang GT's combination of power, noise, and agility means an entertaining road trip is in the cards, and the supportive Recaro front seats hold you in place comfortably. Ample rear legroom - yes, it's a four-seater sports car - and a 13.5 cubic foot trunk make it practical too, and since you can get it as a coupe or a convertible, it's perfect for summer road trips.

The Wagon: 2024 Volvo V60 Cross Country

The Volvo V60 Cross Country excels in various aspects such as space, speed, off-road capability, etc. This versatile vehicle is a gem for road trips and an overall top-tier option. Sporting 26 mpg combined from a 250-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, its raised ground clearance and AWD give it the ability to tackle dirt roads without the hefty fuel economy of traditional SUVs.

It comes fully equipped with advanced safety features, including a rear cross-traffic alert system and traffic sign recognition, plus semi-autonomous highway driving capabilities. A five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA backs this up and ensures a safe road trip for the whole family.

It boasts an available Wi-Fi hotspot, enhancing connectivity on your journeys and keeping the kids occupied, and its spacious interior means they'll be comfortable for hours. 22.5 cubic feet of trunk space will accommodate suitcases, tents, and more; if you need extra, the fold-down rear seats let you accommodate even more. Additionally, you can add a roof-mounted bicycle rack, perfect for those with an active lifestyle, making it one of the best cars for road-tripping.

The Minivan: 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid

The $51,095 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid harmoniously blends gas and electric power, catering to road trips with its ample combination of cargo space, people space, and frugality. Furnished with a 3.6-liter V6 augmented by electric power, it produces 260 hp. It lays down this power through a front-wheel drivetrain. If you want AWD, you can have it, but that would require the non-hybrid Pacifica.

Spacious with seating for eight occupants, it looks after the family with advanced safety features like emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane assist, and blind spot monitoring. There's versatility aplenty with Stow 'n Go seating that avails additional cargo space without physically having to remove seats from the minivan, and between 32.3 and 140.5 cubic feet.

A heated steering wheel and three-zome climate control add extra luxury, and the new Pinnacle model adds even more luxury to the road trip experience. The panoramic rearview mirror helps to keep an eye on the kids during the, 'Are we there yet' arguments.

The Truck: 2024 Ford F-150 Raptor

Should road trips in 2023 call for a more 'cross-country' experience, the Ford F-150 Raptor is the only pickup truck for the job. While the allure is strong to go for the TRX-beating Raptor R and its supercharged V8, for road trips, we think the base Raptor is better, thanks to its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6. Not only do you get 450 hp and 510 lb-ft sent to all corners via a 10-speed automatic gearbox, but you get 15 mpg combined (instead of the R's 12 mpg). You can still tow 8,200 lbs, get a versatile truck bed, and those sweet Fox shocks that can take you to hell and back.

Inside, all F-150 models come with standard features like a 12-inch digital gauge display and Sync 4-enabled infotainment system, soft bucket seats, wireless charging, and 400W USB ports with outlets in both the cab and the bed. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. With five seats, ample power, and go-anywhere capability, the F-150 Raptor is a road-trip truck with no equal.

The Full-Size SUV: 2023 Cadillac Escalade

If you need three rows of seats, a body-on-frame chassis, an abundance of passenger and storage space, and supreme luxury, the Cadillac Escalade may be the best road trip SUV there is, even if it does cost a slip more than $80,000.

With a versatile engine lineup including a Duramax diesel six-cylinder (277 hp/460 lb-ft) and a 6.2-liter V8 (420 hp/460 lb-ft), both saddled with a buttery-smooth 10-speed automatic, the Escalade can tow up to 8,200 lbs, meaning you can take everything with you on holiday. The spacious cabin accommodates a ton of cargo, and an available long-wheelbase ESV variant even makes the third row of seating adult-friendly.

The Escalade is loaded with exceptional tech such as the 38-inch diagonal OLED display encompassing instrumentation and infotainment, and a full-color head-up display. Super Cruise hands-free driving making long-distance trips on the highway a cinch, too.

The Grand Tourer: 2024 Lexus LC Hybrid

We've chosen the LC Hybrid for this list, but we wouldn't fault you for picking any of the LC models. The standard variant packs a sonorous naturally aspirated V8 (coupe and convertible), but for covering distance, the LC 500h's 3.5-liter V6 and twin electric motors still packs a 354-hp punch while consuming considerably less fuel at 29 mpg combined vs. the V8's 19 mpg. It looks achingly gorgeous, too. The downside is an electronic CVT, but with the additional torque of the e-motors, and given the laidback cruising nature of the LC, it's a forgivable offense.

Road trip cars typically need big trunks, and the LC falls short here with only 4.7 cubic feet in hybrid form, but with 2+2 seating in which the rear seats aren't suited for passengers, there's plenty of additional storage space in the cabin.

Packed with Lexus' array of safety systems, and now featuring a decent infotainment system , the car is technologically up-to-date and safe for you and a loved one to hit the road and soak up the miles in comfort and luxury.

The Luxury Sedan: 2024 Audi S8

The 2024 Audi S8 redefines the road trip experience with its blend of luxury and performance. Beneath its hood lies a formidable 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, delivering 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. While everyone knows the Mercedes-AMG S63 in this segment, the Audi S8 is seen as more of a sleeper, an understated performance sedan that can lap up the miles without shouting about its 3.8-second 0-60 mph potential. Combined with the nimbleness of its rear-axle steering and the surefootedness of its all-wheel drive, it's the perfect car for almost any occasion.

Whether you're seated up front or reclining in the massaging rear seats, you're swathed in luxury and cutting-edge technology. Plush leather seats provide a sense of opulence, while the MMI Touch Response infotainment system and onboard Wi-Fi hotspot, ensure seamless connectivity and entertainment throughout your road trips, while an optional rear-seat entertainment system keeps passengers engaged on extended journeys.

The only downside is the $120,600 price tag.

The Convertible: 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet

The Porsche Carrera GTS Cabriolet redefines the essence of road trips with its breadth of performance and capability. It's fast, it's comfortable, it's feature-laden, and it even has four seats - what more could you ask for? Beneath its curvaceous exterior lies a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, delivering 473 hp and 420 lb-ft, and with your choice of rear- or all-wheel drive, you get a 0-60 mph time of under 3.4 seconds and all-weather confidence.

Inside, the Carrera GTS Cabriolet pampers occupants with opulent leather seats and a cutting-edge infotainment system, including the Porsche Communication Management system. For audiophiles, the optional Burmester sound system promises exceptional audio quality, enhancing the soundtrack of your road trip.

With a front cargo area measuring 4.7 cubic feet and rear seats that can double as storage in a pinch, there's plenty of space for your luggage. Then, when the weather is right, a 12-second drop of the top lets you feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin. When the journey matters more than the destination, few cars do road trips like the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet.

Choosing the Right Road Trip Vehicle

road trip suv or sedan

  • 9/17/2007 (updated 4/30/2009 )

For Chevy Chase's character, Clark Griswold, in the classic comedy National Lampoon's Vacation , the perfect vehicle for a cross-country family trip turned out to be a reliable old station wagon that was long enough to carry the corpse of unfortunate Aunt Edna for some distance on the roof — and sturdy enough to survive the ill-fated journey to the Walley World Amusement Park.

There's no substitute for the cargo area of a boxy SUV, such as the Chevy Tahoe, if you need to bring a lot of luggage.

There's no substitute for the cargo area of a boxy SUV, such as the Chevy Tahoe, if you need to bring a lot of luggage.

Whether you take your own car on long family journeys or weekend getaways for two, or just rent a vehicle for your trip, your car should help you relax and unwind. Nothing can turn a trip into a drag more quickly than being stuck with the wrong wheels.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a road trip vehicle:

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The third-row seat of the 2009 Saturn Outlook is easy to get in and out of and can hold adults comfortably.

The third-row seat of the 2009 Saturn Outlook is easy to get in and out of and can hold adults comfortably.

Size in All Its Dimensions

Although $4-a-gallon gasoline has become a fact of American life, don't automatically discount large SUVs and vans. There may be enough offsetting advantages to make one worth the sizable extra fuel cost.

Particularly on a long road trip, some drivers prefer a full-size SUV's elevated seating. And some may feel extra security in knowing that their big Chevy Tahoe or Honda Pilot will hold up well in a crash against most anything else on the road. A larger car usually means more interior space for everyone, something crucial to keeping the peace.

Relationship expert April Masini says that a lot of interior space is especially important for "feuders" who vacation together. "You might consider paying a little extra for gas [usage] and a little less at the therapist's office," said the author of 50 First Dates and the Next 50 Dates .

And if you have a family or a lot of gear, there's simply no substitute for the beefy, boxy interior of an SUV or minivan. A few pieces of luggage, a couple of golf bags, a dog cage and a family of four or five can still fit into some highly capable vehicles, such as the Chrysler Town and Country or Dodge Durango .

And of course, if you're a recreational boater or camper, your Toyota Prius just isn't going to cut it when it comes to hauling that boat or ATV to the lake or campground. Raw pulling power still has its place, and you'll find the highest towing capacities on large SUVs and trucks.

Sitting Pretty

Relatively fixed and unsupportive seats can be downright painful on a long road trip; favor vehicles with plenty of seat adjustments and, if possible, lumbar supports. For passenger comfort, a crucial mistake can be choosing a vehicle without reclining second-row seats, forcing sleepy riders either to sit up straight or slouch over on their sides.

Also be careful about third-row seating: While many automakers tout them, lots of these third rows would only be comfortable for trolls. But vehicles such as the Buick Enclave , GMC Acadia , Mazda CX-9 and Saturn Outlook have comfortable third rows — and none of them are the biggest SUVs on the road.

Seat fabric can be a major determiner of interior comfort as well. Leather lends itself to long trips because it allows you to slide around in the seat a lot more easily than cloth does. Pay attention to color, too: Dark-colored seats could be a big mistake if you're traveling where it's hot.

Safety First

Every vehicle on the road today is constructed to create a cage around the passenger compartment that holds up pretty well, except in the most horrific of crashes. The best vehicles literally create a pneumatic ring around you in the event of an accident, with front-row side and full-length side curtain airbags that work with seatbelts and frontal airbags. The Acura MDX , Mercury Sable and Volvo C70 are among vehicles with this level of safety.

Beyond that, automakers today are introducing more accident-avoidance systems that make vacation driving safer. Take electronic stability control (ESC) for example. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety now requires that any cars it designates as Top Safety Picks each year include ESC, at least as an option, because of how valuable these systems are in helping drivers maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers. "SUVs, especially if they're loaded up with people and their gear, have a higher center of gravity than cars and are more likely to roll over," said Russ Rader, an executive at the Institute.

Electronic warning systems that alert the driver when he/she is drifting out of their lane are another lifesaver for those who tend to zone out after a few hours on the interstate. BMW's 5 Series and 6 Series , for example, sports such an assist, and the upcoming Infiniti EX compact SUV actually lightly applies the vehicle's brakes to keep the driver from drifting out of his lane if he hasn't shown his intention — such as by signaling — to change lanes. (For more articles on recommended safety technology, see the Car Safety Guide .)

Green May Mean Lean

If you like to drive fuel sippers for economic or environmental reasons, then road trips may pose an interesting choice. Most fuel-efficient cars are smaller and have less room for stuff than other vehicles.

If your determination to be green prevails, a trip in a fuel-efficient vehicle can be its own reward. A family driving from Washington, D.C., to Atlanta can make the entire trip on one tank of diesel fuel, for example, notes the Diesel Technology Forum, whereas in a gasoline vehicle they'd have to refuel in Charlotte, North Carolina — four hours shy of their destination.

Hybrids, of course, are in more plentiful supply than ever. The Ford Escape Hybrid , for example, offers the space of a small SUV with less of the gas guilt. And if you want better fuel economy but don't want to sacrifice too much oomph, consider hybrids such as the Lexus RX 400h , a midsize SUV with a six-cylinder engine that performs with all the robustness of the comparable, all gas-powered Lexus RX 350 .

Highway to Fun

Automakers like to feature vehicle amenities in their advertising. But you don't really use a lot of these doodads until you're on a long road trip — and at that point, they can really come in handy. For example, in the glovebox of its Avenger sedan and Caliber hatchback, Dodge has included what it calls the Chill Zone: a cooler that can store as many as four 12-ounce beverage cans and other snacks. The Avenger, along with the Chrysler Sebring , has cupholders that will both heat and cool beverages. Some Volkswagen models have gloveboxes and center consoles that keep food cold as well.

And while you may not have much need for a navigation system for your daily commute, today's nav systems can be priceless little fonts of information on a long trip or if you're headed to unfamiliar territory. They calculate driving times, flag upcoming restaurants or gas stations, and get you from Point A to Point B. Honda, Nissan and Toyota have robust nav systems that are easy to use, though their interfaces vary even within the brands.

"Adaptive" or "intelligent" cruise control systems take much of the physical edge off long stretches of driving by automatically maintaining a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Models with these systems, including the Infiniti QX56 , remove a great deal of the long-distance driving strain.

As any parent knows, rear-seat DVD entertainment systems can be indispensable for a road trip. And a plethora of power outlets — from 12 to 110 volts — is another great feature in a vacation vehicle, allowing folks to plug in everything from laptops and cell phones to coolers and video games. Just remember to check what kind of power and/or interface your devices need ahead of time.

Whether you take a lot of vehicle vacations or you save it all up for the once-yearly road trip, you don't need to end up like the Griswolds. Renting or purchasing the right vehicle for your trips can be a great preventative.

Get more help planning your vacation with a list of the Top 10 Road Trip Vehicles .

Dale Buss has been covering the auto business for more than 20 years. He is based near Detroit.

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The 10 Best Road Trip Cars for Open-Road Adventures

Best Road Trip Cars 0 Hero

By: Tim Huber Published: Aug 16, 2023

In 1956, the U.S. government passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, allocating $26B to construct an initial 41,000-mile  interstate network . In response to the network’s construction, countless restaurants, motels, and roadside attractions would pop up along these now-iconic highways in order to cater to automotive travelers — ultimately kicking off a grand and long-held tradition of road tripping that’s as American as baseball or apple pie.

And while there are plenty of factors that can have an enormous impact on the overall quality of your time spent on the road — such as your starting point, ultimate destination, travel companions, and budget — the single biggest variable is undoubtedly one’s choice of ride. With the exception of a handful of  new EVs , practically every car currently in production is more than capable of taking on cross-country touring duties, however, there’s a shortlist of models that objectively lend themselves to road-tripping far better than anything else on the market. And it’s this crop of vehicles that we’ll be exploring today in this guide to the best road trip cars you can buy — delving into the most capable long-distance cars available, along with what factors and qualities make a model ideal for long-haul travel.

The Best Road Trip Cars Rundown

road trip suv or sedan

Best Affordable Pick

Subaru Outback

road trip suv or sedan

Best Retro-Inspired

Ford Bronco Sport

road trip suv or sedan

Best Two-Door

Abarth 124GT

road trip suv or sedan

Best Long-Range Pick

Volvo XC60 Recharge

road trip suv or sedan

Best Full-Size SUV

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

road trip suv or sedan

Best Sport Wagon

Audi RS 6 Avant Performance

road trip suv or sedan

Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo

road trip suv or sedan

Best Grand-Tourer

BMW ALPINA B8 xDrive Gran Coupe

road trip suv or sedan

Best Hybrid Pick

Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid

road trip suv or sedan

Best Mid-Sized SUV

Aston Martin DBX707

Cross-country capabilities.

What Factors Make For An Ideal Road Trip Car?

Though there are clearly several blatant areas to explore when buying a road trip-focused car — such as range, comfort, and cargo space — there’s also a myriad of less obvious, though still massively important elements to take into consideration when shopping in this space. Below, we’ll briefly touch on seven of the most pivotal areas to think about prior to pulling the trigger on your purchase.

Range:  Though most of the world’s major highway networks are littered with gas stations and service shops, the reality is that having to exit the freeway and pull over every other hour to fill up isn’t exactly convenient, which is why a car’s range (on a single tank) is of such importance. At the very least, you’ll want a vehicle that affords several hundred miles of autonomy between trips to the pump. This area is even more important for  electric cars , as — despite there being close to ten million charging stations scattered across the planet — there are far more gas stations than EV chargers. As such, you’ll not only want to review an EV’s range, but also the charging network that’s available for said EV.

Comfort:  Being comfortable in a car is obviously important, though this factor matters far more when dealing with road trip cars, as drivers — and their passenger(s) — typically spend hours at a time inside the cabin of these vehicles. Consequently, this makes a given car’s comfortability level of extreme significance. And while there are dozens of factors that contribute to how comfortable a car is, some of the more important elements to consider are the seats, their construction and upholstery, their level of adjustability, and whether they offer heating, cooling, or massage functions. Additional areas like dual climate control and robust soundproofing can also hugely up a car’s comfortability.

Amenities:  While there’s no denying that comfort is a hugely important area when dealing with road trip cars, there are nonetheless a handful of additional features that can very much bolster one’s enjoyment during long-range drives. Alongside amenities like touchscreen infotainment setups and moon/sunroofs, there are also features like web browsers and connectivity to streaming services that can enhance the users’ experience. Likewise, most of today’s best road trip cars also pack advanced suites of electronic driver assists such as forward collision warning and avoidance systems, lane keep assist, blindspot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control, just to name a few. Some brands also offer supplementary amenities, like Tesla, which sells cars equipped with features like “Caraoke,” HEPA filtration systems, and of course,  the American automaker’s  state-of-the-art autopilot system.

Storage:  The longer the road trip, the more gear the driver will typically need. As such, the amount of cargo space afforded by a particular vehicle is of utmost importance, as roomier rides will boast more internal real estate for stashing bags and equipment. And, though this is clearly a crucial area to consider when reviewing cars for road trips, it is worth pointing out that one can always supplement a car’s internal square footage with a roof rack or rooftop cargo box, though this option is obviously less convenient — and will often slightly mitigate fuel — or battery — consumption. You’ll also likely want to consider how many people the car seats, as well as how much cargo space is available for each passenger’s bags and gear. Backseat legroom is also a crucial area to consider when reviewing this element.

Reliability & Service Intervals:  The reality is that the vast  majority of new cars  are incredibly reliable and should have no issue driving cross country several times over. With that said, there are some models with better reputations when it comes to overall reliability. Additionally, if you plan to use this vehicle for extensive road-tripping, you’ll also want to look into the model’s required service intervals, as these figures can hugely vary. And, whether it’s a road trip car or a daily commuter — or even a motorcycle — it’s always worth looking into whether any recalls have been issued for a particular model.

Manufacturer & Dealer Support:  When going on a road trip, not only is it important to review how often a car needs to be serviced but also where it can be serviced, as some makes will boast a markedly more robust dealership and support network should you need a part repaired or replaced. This extends to areas like the availability of roadside assistance offered by a marque. It’s also worth pointing out that rarer and more exotic models will make for a much more difficult time sourcing replacement parts – as it’s not that hard to find a replacement component for a BMW car just about anywhere in the country, though the same can’t be said for models from brands like Bentley or Aston Martin.

Drivetrain & Performance:  Unlike commuting where the main objective is simply to get from A to B, long-range road-tripping is all about enjoying the journey and embracing the open road. As such, having a car that affords a more spirited driving experience makes for a markedly more enjoyable time behind the wheel, which is why reviewing a model’s engine is so important. Alongside the engine configuration itself, you’ll also want to check out its  aspiration type  and displacement — as well as horsepower and torque figures, 0-60mph times, and top speeds. A car’s suspension package is another crucial area to consider, as it will directly impact a model’s overall handling, as well as the smoothness of the ride. Quite a few cars also offer the best of both worlds with adjustable air ride suspension setups that can be lowered for spirited runs through the canyons, or raised back up for ultra-smooth and plush freeway travel.

Long-Haul Legends

The Best Road Trip Cars Currently On The Market

Now that you’re up to speed on what areas to take into consideration when shopping, let’s get into our picks for the finest and most well-appointed new road trip cars that are currently available on showroom floors.

road trip suv or sedan

  • An affordably-priced, rugged and spacious wagon with raised roof rails, 8.7” of ground clearance, & Subaru’s Starlink multimedia package all as standard.

Best Affordable Pick: One of the most versatile vehicles currently on the market, the latest generation Subaru Outback is a fantastic road trip car with seating for five, more than 75 cubic feet of cargo space, and an optional turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer engine. With features like 9.5” of ground clearance and asymmetrical all-wheel drive as standard, the Outback is also capable of some light  off-roading duties . 

Engine:  Turbocharged 2.4L Boxer Four or NA 2.5L Boxer Four Power:  260HP & 277FT-LBs or 182HP & 176FT-LBs Cargo Space:  75.7 Cubic feet Range:  600+ Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $28,895

road trip suv or sedan

  • A road-focused variant of Ford’s revived retro-inspired SUV that still packs Hoss suspension & cutting-edge electronics.

Best Retro-Inspired: One of the most anticipated new models from the last decade, Ford’s revived Bronco platform is a 4×4 vehicle that comes with more than 65 cubic feet of cargo space, an advanced electronics package, Hoss suspension, and nearly 9” of ground clearance. Sold in a variety of trim levels, the Sport-spec Bronco was also intentionally designed to be as modular as possible — an area furthered by the absolutely enormous range of factory accessories offered for  the American SUV . 

Engine:  Turbocharged 1.5L Inline-Three or Turbocharged 2.0L Inline Four Power:  181HP & 190FT-LBs or 250HP & 277FT-LBs Cargo Space:  65.2 Cubic Feet Range:  416 Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $31,230

road trip suv or sedan

  • An Abarth-specFiat 124 Spyder with a Garrett turbo, Bilstein shocks, & Brembo brakes all as standard.

Best Two-Door: Sharing its platform with the Mazda Miata, the Fiat 124 Spyder is the  definition of a true driver’s car , standing as a peppy open-top roaster that can be had for a reasonable price. For those less concerned with cost, the company also makes the Abarth 124GT — a limited-edition variant with a Garrett Turbocharged engine, a dedicated sport mode, Bilstein shocks, Brembo brakes, 17” alloy wheels, special race seats, and a GT-specific slate gray livery. Sadly, the GT-spec isn’t offered on American shores, unlike the base model 124. 

Engine:  Turbocharged 1.5L Inline-Four Power:  170HP & 184.4FT-LBs Cargo Space:  4.94 Cubic Feet Range:  535 Miles Seats:  2 MSRP: $44,085

road trip suv or sedan

  • A luxurious Swedish-made hybrid mid-sized SUV with a more than 500-mile range per tank.

Best Long-Range Pick: A plug-in hybrid version of Volvo’s mid-sized SUV, the XC60 Recharge is a wildly-advanced vehicle that boasts features like best-in-class navigation, an optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system, a built-in Google smart assistant, and a state-of-the-art onboard air filter. Equipped with an all-wheel-drive setup, the five-seater’s turbocharged 2.0-liter hybrid inline-four generates more than 450hp and 523ft-lbs of torque, allowing for a machine that’s equal parts comfortable and exhilarating. 

Engine:  Turbocharged 2.0L Hybrid Inline-Four Power:  455HP & 523FT-LBs Cargo Space:  63.3 Cubic Feet Range:  520 Miles (or 32 Battery Only) Seats:  5 MSRP: $57,900

road trip suv or sedan

  • A revived take on Jeep’s legendary full-sized luxury SUV that sports a 6.4L V8, an AWD system, & over 116 cubic feet of storage space.

Best Full-Size SUV: First unveiled in March of last year, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is a  revived full-size SUV  that, like the original model, offers the pinnacle of comfort and class. Returning after 30 years out of production, the Grand Wagoneer comes with quilted Palermo leather seats, a 6.4L V8 mated to one of three AWD systems, over 116 cubic feet of storage and cargo space, a 10,000lb towing capacity, and an ultra-top shelf McIntosh MX950 Entertainment System — all as standard fare. 

Engine:  6.4L V8 Power:  470HP & 455FT-LBs Cargo Space:  116.7 Cubic Feet Range:  477 Miles Seats:  7 MSRP: $91,140

road trip suv or sedan

  • An ultra-potent family-hauler & grocery getter with a 621-hp bi-turbo V8 offering 3.3-second 0-60 runs and a 190-mph top speed.

Best Sport Wagon: The Audi RS 6 Avant is an ultra-high-performance sleeper that’s conducive to everything from track days to family-hauling duties to road trips. Alongside RS-spec components and wheels, this highly up-specced model comes adorned in a slammed stance with a full aero kit, a carbon trim package, nearly 60 cubic feet of cargo space, and, most importantly, a 621-hp 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 that enables this  elite sport wagon  to achieve a 3.3-second 0-60mph time and a top speed of 190mph. 

Engine:  Twin-Turbocharged 4.0L V8 Power:  621HP & 627FT-LBs Cargo Space:  59.3 Cubic Feet Range:  425 Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $125,800

road trip suv or sedan

  • A streamlined, 911-inspired shooting brake-style version of Porsche’s mighty new fully-electric four-door.

Best EV: Marking the Stuttgart firm’s first-ever all-electric offering, the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo is unequivocally one of the very best road trip cars currently in production. It offers an incredibly smooth ride, an impressive 300-mile range, and a decent amount of cargo space thanks to the extended sport back. Thanks to an ultra-potent 440kW EV powertrain setup and Overboost power with a launch control function, the GTS Sport Turismo-spec Taycan can reach 60mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds flat. 

Engine:  Dual Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors Power:  440kW (590HP) & 626FT-LBs Cargo Space:  42.8 Cubic Feet Range:  313 Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $141,200

road trip suv or sedan

  • A 612-hp ALPINA-tuned & upgraded grand touring car based on BMW’s already luxurious & thoroughly-capable 8 Series.

Best Grand-Tourer: While to the average observer, this road trip car may just look like a BMW 8 Series, those in the know are well aware of the ultra-top-shelf exotics offered by  famed tuning outfit  ALPINA. This high-end grand tourer’s ALPINA transformation includes 21″ ALPINA wheels, ALPINA 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes, an ALPINA Aerodynamic Kit, an ALPINA Sport suspension package with twin-tube gas-pressure shocks, double-wishbone multi-link aluminum suspension in front, and an integral-V multi-link aluminum setup in the rear, and an interior with ALPINA Lavalina leather steering wheel, engraved glass controls, and a unique digital instrument cluster. Finally, at the heart of this car is a 4.4-liter bi-turbo V8 that’s been tuned by ALPINA to produce 612hp and 590ft-lbs of torque. 

Engine:  Twin-Turbocharged 4.4L V8 Power:  612HP & 590FT-LBs Cargo Space:  15.5 Cubic Feet (Trunk Only) Range:  432 Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $149,300

road trip suv or sedan

  • A hybrid-boosted bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8-powered version of Bentley’s normally V12-powered flagship model that retains its world-class luxury.

Best Hybrid Pick: The Bentley Flying Spur has long been one of the most luxurious and well-optioned cars on the market, making it an objectively fantastic choice for road-tripping — assuming you can swing its fairly exorbitant MSRP. However, last summer, the famed British firm rolled out a new version of the car that sees its usual V12 and V8 engine options swapped out in favor of a hybrid-boosted bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that makes 542hp and 568ft-lbs of torque and allows for a top speed of 177mph and a 0-60mph time of just 4.1-seconds. This  hybrid luxury car  also offers a range of 435 miles — or an all-electric range of 25 miles, if you want to go green for a portion of your trip. 

Engine:  Twin-Turbocharged 2.9L Hybrid V6 Power:  542HP & 568FT-LBs Cargo Space:  12.4 Cubic Feet (Trunk Only) Range:  435 Miles (or 25 Miles Battery Only) Seats:  5 MSRP: $210,600

road trip suv or sedan

  • A 707-hp mid-sized SUV boasting genuine supercar-grade performance with a 193-mph top speed & a 3.3-second 0-60 time.

Best Mid-Sized SUV: First unveiled in early February of 2022, the Aston Martin DBX707 represents the world’s  most powerful luxury SUV . Taking its name from its 707-hp output, the DBX707 is another ultra-high-end vehicle that boasts a unique mix of world-class comfort and performance. Alongside a 360-mile range and a decent amount of cargo space, the DBX707 also packs a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine that’s mated to a 9-speed “wet clutch” automatic transmission and allows for 3.3 seconds 0-60mph runs and an impressive top speed of 193mph — a fairly insane figure considering this is an SUV. 

Engine:  Twin-Turbocharged 4.0L V8 Power:  707HP & 664FT-LBs Cargo Space:  54 Cubic Feet Range:  360 Miles Seats:  5 MSRP: $236,000

The Best SUVs for Camping

road trip suv or sedan

Want to check out an additional selection of vehicles that are great for recreational use? Then be sure to cruise over to our guide to the best SUVs for camping for the most comfortable and well-appointed rolling base camp options.

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Best Summer Road Trip Vehicles

Independence Day weekend signaled the highest travel volume for Americans on record, trailing only 2019 by 2.5%, according to AAA. Nearly 48 million travelers took to the roads, seas and skies to depart the daily woes of pandemic life that’s loomed overhead since March 2020. Modes of transport include air, bus, train and boat (yes, cruises are slowly returning) and, of course, the esteemed automobile. In fact, the vast majority of travelers favored the summer road trips over all other options. AAA reports that 91% of travelers, or 43.6 million Americans, hit the road for their long-weekend vacation. That’s the highest on record for the 4th of July holiday and a 5% increase compared to 2019. With road tripping front and center, it’s a good thing many modern vehicles offer spacious, well-appointed cabins equipped with advanced infotainment systems and built-in Wi-Fi hotspots to keep passengers entertained and connected to friends (or work) while on the go. Ample cargo space also eliminates the stress and the cost of checking luggage or packing within rigid weight limits. Here is a list of the best summer road trip vehicles. It includes two-and thee-row SUVs in the midsize category (and one truck) that offer competitive fuel economy, generous cargo and passenger space, modern technology and host of advanced driver-assistance features to keep driver fatigue at bay and safety top of mind.

  • Chevrolet Traverse Largest Midsize SUV On The Block
  • Honda Pilot Family First, But Surprisingly Capable At Pavement’s End
  • Ford Explorer The Stalwart Of The Midsize Segment
  • Nissan Rogue A Worthy Competitor
  • Kia Telluride Uptown Looks Without Breaking The Bank
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee Serious Off-Road Ability And Features
  • Hyundai Palisade The Dark Horse
  • GMC Sierra 1500 Taking Aim At The Premium Pickup

2021 Chevrolet Traverse

2021 Chevrolet Traverse

2021 Chevrolet Traverse

Price Starting From

via CarsDirect

Why We Picked It

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse is the largest midsize SUV, roomier than Ford Explorer and cheaper than its near-luxury Buick Enclave sibling. It almost offers as much interior space as the full-size Chevrolet Tahoe. Every row is passably comfortable and it drives reasonably well. It also tows 2.5 tons and offers intuitive infotainment and standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Its cockpit appointments could be better and too much safety tech is restricted to costlier trim lines.

Pros & Cons

  • Lots of space for cargo and passengers, even in third row
  • Intuitive infotainment system with Wi-Fi standard
  • 310-horsepower V6 helps tow 5,000 pounds
  • Safest 2021 Traverse cost $21,000 extra
  • Tough to maneuver, park in town
  • Can’t match interiors or value of Kia, Hyundai SUVs

Also Featured In

#5 in Best 3-Row SUVs For 2023

2021 Honda Pilot

2021 Honda Pilot

2021 Honda Pilot

The Pilot carries over mostly unchanged for the 2021 model year, except for Honda making its smooth-shifting nine-speed transmission standard across the lineup. The automaker’s All-wheel drive also is available across all models, a useful upgrade to families that live in seasonal regions, especially with driving modes that adjust for Snow, Sand and Mud (it also has a mildly impressive 7.3 inches of ground clearance). But driving dynamics are lackluster while cruising around town and styling is generic. Nonetheless, the Pilot’s spacious cabin, host of standard safety tech and plentiful small space storage makes it an effective tool whether running errands or embarking on long family road trips.

  • Spacious, family-friendly cabin
  • Competitive fuel economy compared with rivals
  • All-wheel drive available across the lineup
  • Bland interior
  • Overly aggressive lane-keeping assistance system
  • Virtually no usable cargo space with third row intact

#3 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2023

#6 in Best AWD SUVs

#9 in Best 3-Row SUVs For 2023

2021 Ford Explorer

2021 Ford Explorer

2021 Ford Explorer

The current-generation Ford Explorer debuted for the 2020 model year and now sits on a rear-wheel drivetrain for enhanced capability. Ford’s updates has helped it make inroads against its European and Asian rivals, but it still stumbles in the comfort and with fit and finish categories, which makes it hard to justify the exorbitant prices some of the configurations demand. But midsize SUV is still a top-seller, offering standard seating for seven (or six when outfitted with two second-row captain’s chairs) and handful of engine choices, including a powerful 300-horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, a 3.0-liter hybrid powertrain with 318 horsepower or a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with 400 horsepower. All engines are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and a four-wheel drivetrain is available. Depending on its powertrain, the Explorer achieves up to 29 mpg on the highway (up to 28 mpg in combined city and highway driving).

  • Tows up to 5,000 pounds
  • Confident, mostly smooth ride
  • Plenty of storage and cargo space
  • Gets expensive quickly
  • Some cheap-feeling interior trim
  • Third row not suitable for anyone but small children

#9 in Best Hybrid SUVs For 2023

#12 in Best Midsize SUVs For Towing, 2023 Edition

#6 in Best 3-Row SUVs For 2023

#9 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2023

2021 Nissan Rogue

2021 Nissan Rogue

2021 Nissan Rogue

Nissan’s new Rogue is proof that thoughtful packaging and desirable tech can push any vehicle to the next level.  It’s powertrain doesn’t offer an overwhelming amount of power, but it gets high marks for efficiency, especially when configured with front-wheel drive. Inside the cabin is two rows with comfortable seating for five. An available sliding panoramic moonroof brings in fresh air and daylight to brighten long drives. The Rogue’s back row slides and reclines for passenger comfort, and the cargo area features an adjustable floor with dividers and shelves to make the most of the segment-topping 39.3 cubic-feet of storage capacity. It also comes with a host of advanced driver-assistance safety tech, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection as well as alerts for lane departure and blind spots, and features an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

  • Supremely comfortable seats
  • Family-friendly to the max
  • Refined driving dynamics
  • Too much wind and road noise
  • Could use a few more horsepower
  • Top trims get expensive

#11 in Best MPG SUVs For 2023

2021 Kia Telluride

2021 Kia Telluride

2021 Kia Telluride

Top Telluride trims get premium features and all the tech goodies, but Kia’s biggest SUV is a solid value and great family vehicle no matter how it’s configured. The interior is comfortable and spacious, and its modern, muscular styling makes compelling case for young families disinterested in the shrinking minivan segment. The midsize SUV is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine paired and to an eight-speed automatic transmission with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It’s also rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Telluride boasts a slew of standard advanced driver-assistance safety tech including front and rear automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. It makes ample use of technology to help with long trips such as the available “driver talk” intercom to communicate with passengers in the rear, an optional quiet mode that limits audio to the front row and the available Rear Occupant Alert feature included with UVO subscription to give parents traveling with small children peace of mind.

  • Impressive and attractive cabin
  • Unbelievable value
  • Capable and comfortable for families
  • Impressive and beautiful cabin

#2 in Forbes Wheels Car Of The Year For 2021

#9 in Best AWD SUVs

#2 in Best 3-Row SUVs For 2023

#2 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2023

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the original family-hauling SUV with legitimate off-roading credentials and is the largest of the brand’s line of rugged activity vehicles. The current, fourth-generation Grand Cherokee will end its run at the end of 2021, but it remains an excellent melding of off-road ability and luxury that’s hard to top at its price point, especially with 11 models in its lineup. New for 2021 is a new, longer wheelbase version, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, that offers bigger families a third row. The five-seater Grand Cherokee is available with four engine options that range from the standard 3.6-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque to a 6.4-liter turbocharged V8 with 475 horsepower and 470 pound feet of torque. It offers offers best-in-class towing capacity of up to 7,200 pounds when properly equipped.  It’s known for its off-road capability, but it’s equally renowned for cozy cabin comfort, including a 8.4-inch touchscreen, heated front and rear seats and an available dual panel sunroof that brings the outdoors in on long drives. The interior also can be dressed in a wide selection of luxurious leather and wood finishes. The two-row version boasts a segment-topping 36.3 cubic-feet of storage behind the second row, a figure bested only by Toyota’s utilitarian 4Runner (47.2 cubic-feet).

  • Brings more off-road capability than most in its class
  • Better comfort and ride quality than most off-road focused vehicles
  • Quadra-Lift suspension more than adept on the road or off of it
  • The price can ratchet up quickly with options
  • In its 11th model year, can’t help but feel a bit old
  • Not the best crash-test ratings

#3 in Best AWD SUVs

#6 in Best SUVs With Roof Rails For 2021

#6 in Best Off-Road SUVs For 2023

2021 Hyundai Palisade

2021 Hyundai Palisade

2021 Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai hit it out of the park with its new affordable three-row midsize SUV. The 2021 Hyundai Palisade offers a host of technology features and high-end touches such as quilted Napa leather interior materials that level-set it with luxury competitors that cost thousands dollars more. The seven- or eight-seater is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine with 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque and is paired with an eight-speed transmission. Inside the cabin are many technology features to keep connected on the road, including a 10.25-inch navigation display mounted above the center stack, optional wireless charging, seven USB outlets and the ability to connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time (one for a mobile connection and the other for audio streaming). Designed with road-tripping in mind, the Palisade features 16 cup holders, an optional intercom system to communicate with rear passengers and a roof vent diffuser that improves airflow to pets or kids in the third row. To store cargo and gear, the Palisade offers 18 cubic-feet of storage with the third row up and 45.8 when folded flat.

  • Plush, pleasant interior
  • Advanced safety features abound
  • Some handling sharpness is compromised for ride comfort
  • The Kia Telluride, Palisade’s sister car, steals the show with sharper looks
  • Some brand snobs will have a hard time with the Hyundai nameplate

#1 in Best Midsize SUVs for 2023

#4 in Best 3-Row SUVs For 2023

2021 GMC Sierra 1500

2021 GMC Sierra 1500

2021 GMC Sierra 1500

Not all road trips end where the pavement does. The GMC Sierra 1500 full-size pickup is ideal mode of travel when adventuring means heading off the pavement without sacrificing comfort and style. The Sierra has lots of virtues, including a trick multi-function tailgate, an excellent towing safety suite and plenty of room. It’s also good looking, with the off-road themed AT4 a particular style standout. Its available 6.2-liter V8 and 3.0-liter diesel six also give good performance and hauling capability. On the other hand, the Sierra’s top trims don’t seem quite as premium as billed, and many of the Truck’s features are shared with its less-expensive sibling, the Chevy Silverado, which also has a higher max tow rating.

  • Excellent optional powertrains
  • Multi-function tailgate
  • Handsome styling
  • Premium interior not as premium as priced
  • Pricier than Silverado

#6 in Best Full-Size Trucks For 2023

#5 in Best Trucks For Towing, 2023 Edition

#3 in Best Diesel Trucks For 2023

#3 in Best Luxury Trucks For 2022

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Sell my car, car research, sign in, 6 of the best road trip cars, trucks, and suvs of 2022, if you're planning a road trip this summer, these are some of the best new vehicles for covering long distances and seeing the country..

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Article QuickTakes:

  • The best road trip car for the entire family
  • Best road trip car for eating miles
  • Here’s the best road trip vehicle for hauling and towing
  • Environmentalists’ best road trip SUV

A road trip done well is a rite of passage, a great way to see the country while maintaining the freedom to explore whatever catches your eye along the way. Combine a fun itinerary with the right vehicle, and you've got a recipe for a good time over even the straightest highways.

Here are our picks for the best road trip cars, trucks, and SUVs you can buy in 2022.

2022 Land Rover Defender 110

The Best for the Path Less Traveled: Land Rover Defender 110

2022 Lexus LC 500

The Best for Back-Road Thrills: Lexus LC 500

Balancing a comfortable, opulent cabin with the kind of pleasing driving dynamics typically reserved for sports cars, the 2022  Lexus   LC 500 is a fantastic grand touring coupe that also provides the option of a convertible model. The LC 500 is one of the most beautifully styled autos on the market. Its eight-cylinder thrust and planted handling make it the perfect companion on road trips that eschew the dull confines of the interstate for the undulating ribbons of two-lane blacktop that connect us to our very souls.

2022 Kia Carnival, dynamic

The Best for the Entire Family: Kia Carnival

When it comes to family transportation, not much can beat a minivan, especially when it comes to filling all three rows with full-size adults. The  2022 Kia Carnival features one of the most opulent cabins in its class, with the availability of reclining middle-row seats and an upscale interior to go with its exceptional levels of interior storage and luggage space. If the entire clan is coming with you, a minivan is an ideal road-tripper, and the Carnival’s coddled cruising makes it one of the best road trip cars of 2022.

Bentley Flying Spur

The Best for Eating Miles: Bentley Flying Spur

There are plenty of ultra-luxury sedans out there that will gracefully devour however many miles of tarmac you place in front of them. However, far fewer prioritize driver engagement as much as the 2022  Bentley Flying Spur.

Able to shift from lazy loping to focused frenzy with a kick of the right foot, the Flying Spur is the kind of car where you'll snatch the keys out of your chauffeur's hands when the roads start to get interesting.

2022 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pulling trailer

The Best for Hauling and Towing: Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

What if you need to take the entire family with you… plus a pair of bicycles, a kayak, a bale of hay, and maybe tug a camping trailer to boot? The  2022 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel full-size pickup features a luxurious cabin plus a generous 2,300-pound payload and 12,750-lb max tow rating, making it one of the best road trip trucks of 2022. You'll also appreciate an air suspension that lowers the truck at speed, resulting in a highway fuel economy estimate as high as 33 mpg.

Tesla Model X, gray

The Best for Road-Tripping Environmentalists: Tesla Model X

What if you wanted to cross the U.S. and not burn gasoline? Enter the  Tesla Model X midsize SUV, the largest model available from the pioneering, battery-electric carmaker. The X can seat up to seven and be driven an estimated 348 miles between charges. And thanks to Tesla's Supercharger network (with more than 35,000 chargers globally), it's also one of the most practical EVs for long-distance driving.

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Woman in car on a road trip along the coast

  • News & Opinion

These are the 5 Best Road Trip Cars of 2023

Road trips are a great way to explore new places, create memories, and escape from the daily routine. However, finding the best cars for your road trip can be challenging. From fuel efficiency and comfort to performance and safety, there are many factors to consider when choosing a road trip car.

Today, we’ll look at the five best road trip cars of 2023 and explore their features, performance, and overall value. We may help you choose the perfect vehicle for your next road trip.

Buckle up, and let’s get started!

Woman in car on a road trip along the coast

What to Look for in Road Trip Cars

You must consider several factors to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable driving experience. If you’re shopping for a vehicle, here are some things you should note when sitting in various cars.

Performance

A vehicle’s performance depends on its engine power and torque. You want to know that it will have sufficient ability to handle steep hills and mountainous terrains. Additionally, it should get up to cruising speed by the time you hit the end of the on-ramp to the interstate.

When a vehicle exceeds expectations regarding performance, you can enjoy a smoother and more enjoyable ride. You won’t have to worry about the car shaking or feeling like it’s about to fall apart. Drivers can enjoy better handling, acceleration, and fuel efficiency while maximizing comfort during their road trips.

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a road trip vehicle. It can play a significant role in the overall cost of your trip. Fuel-efficient cars can save you time and money during a road trip, especially when traveling long distances or over several days. 

A fuel-efficient vehicle can help you travel farther on a gas tank. It allows you to cover more ground, explore more places, and spend less time at gas stations during your road trip. In addition, a fuel-efficient vehicle limits your impact on the environment while making priceless memories.

Stability is vital, especially if you value safety and comfort during your journey. A stable vehicle can provide better traction and handling, which can help prevent accidents and keep you and your passengers safe on the road.

Additionally, a smoother and more comfortable ride can reduce driver fatigue and make the journey more enjoyable. A stable vehicle can minimize the risk of accidents, whether driving on a winding mountain road or navigating a sudden rainstorm.

Friends driving on road trip

Safety is another thing to consider when choosing a road trip vehicle. A safe car can provide advanced features to help prevent accidents and minimize the risk of injury during a collision. By prioritizing safety when looking for cars, you and your passengers can be as secure as possible during your road trip.

A safe vehicle also can provide features like roadside assistance and GPS tracking. These are useful if you experience a breakdown or other emergencies. Blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and rearview cameras can help you navigate unfamiliar roads and reduce the risk of accidents while driving. By prioritizing safety, you can prepare for any situation that may arise during your trip.

How much space you have in a vehicle significantly impacts a vehicle’s comfort and convenience during your journey. A spacious car provides ample room for passengers and luggage while allowing everyone to stretch out and relax during long drives. It can accommodate all the gear and equipment you need for your road trips, whether camping gear, sporting equipment, or other essentials. 

Space is crucial not only for passengers and gear but also for creating a more enjoyable driving experience. A spacious vehicle can provide better visibility, allowing you to see the road ahead more clearly and react quickly to unexpected hazards. You won’t have to worry about your back window being full of gear and obstructing your vision.

HOT TIP Long drives aren’t easy. Check out these 10 Easy Ways to Make Road Trips Not Suck .

Two women in the back of a Jeep Wrangler on road trip

The 5 Best Road Trip Cars of 2023

If you’re planning to buy a vehicle and have a road trip in the future, we’ve found the best options. While there’s no one-size-fits-all option, there’s something to love about each of the ones we’ve seen. Let’s look at what we feel are the five best road trip cars of 2023.

1. Kia Telluride

Features: The Kia Telluride is a mid-size SUV with various features providing a comfortable and enjoyable driving experience. It offers a spacious interior with enough room to seat eight passengers. In addition, there are advanced safety features drivers love; blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning.

You can also select a higher trim level. The Telluride offers luxury features like a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, and a massive 10.25-inch touchscreen display.

Why It’s a Top Road Trip Car:  The Kia Telluride makes our list because it’s incredibly versatile and offers one of the most comfortable rides. You can enjoy a smooth driving experience on a busy interstate or during off-roading adventures. It also gets an impressive 20 mpg during city driving and 26 mpg on the highway.

Cost: Starting at $35,690 MSRP

2. Subaru Outback 

Features: The Subaru Outback is a popular mid-size crossover SUV. It comes standard with all-wheel drive, so you’ll have traction and stability in various driving conditions. Additionally, the adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking can help maximize safety while on your road trip.

With 8.7 inches of ground clearance, you can take the scenic route, even if it means some mild off-road conditions. However, drivers will love the additional power and performance if they choose the turbocharged engine.

Why It’s a Top Road Trip Car: The Outback offers 73 cubic feet of storage space to bring plenty of gear and supplies. However, one of the most standout features is the 18.5-gallon fuel tank and the 29 mpg during city driving and 33 mpg during highway driving. If most of your driving is on the highway, you can drive 600+ miles before stopping to fill the tank.

Cost: Starting at $28,395 MSRP

3. Toyota Prius

Features: Toyota has presented an all-new design for the Prius that will turn some heads. While it may look different than previous models, it has the same features and name drivers have come to trust.

You can find it in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. The 2.0L 4-cylinder engine creates shy of 200 horsepower. The weakest component of the Prius is its limited storage space, which is only 24 to 27 cubic feet. While you may have to leave some things behind on your road trip, the positives outweigh the negatives for the Prius.

Why It’s a Top Road Trip Car: While the Prius may not be roomy or loaded with storage, it makes up for it in efficiency. It may only hold nine gallons of gas, but it can go for more than 500 miles before filling it back up. Whether you plan to drive on the highway (57 mpg) or the city (56 mpg), it won’t require you to stop at the gas station constantly.

Cost: Starting at $27,450 MSRP

HOT TIP Fill up your tank and hit the road to one of these 10 Safe Travel Destinations for a Solo Road Trip .

4. Honda HR-V

Features: If you desire versatility, the Honda HR-V is about as versatile as it gets. One example is its “Magic Seat.” This allows an owner to adjust the seating configuration to accommodate cargo and passenger needs.

Additionally, an all-wheel drive option and spacious interior make this a contender as one of the best road trip cars of 2023. You can also enjoy peace of mind knowing that it has crucial safety features like blind-spot detection, cross-traffic monitoring, and backup object detection. 

Why It’s a Top Road Trip Car: The Honda HR-V gets 26 mpg during city driving and 32 mpg on the highway. However, it doesn’t just perform well; it looks good while doing it. The bold grille, sleek headlights, and sculpted body lines give it a sporty look and feel.

Cost: Starting at $23,800 MSRP

5. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe

Features: If you want to add more adventure and fun to your road trip, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe is the vehicle for you. You get 27.7 cubic feet of storage space and a powerful and capable motor. It has 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque.

It also has some of the latest and greatest safety features to keep you safe during your adventures. One option no other vehicles have on our list is the forward-facing trail camera. This can allow you to easily see ahead and get a clear view of the trail to help avoid any hazardous situations.

Why It’s a Top Road Trip Car: The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe is a prime vehicle for an adventurous road trip. You can take your fun to the next level by removing the roof and doors. Let the wind blow through your hair.

In addition, the 4xe can travel up to 25 miles on electric power alone. Combining the gas engine and electric motor, fuel efficiency rockets up to 49 mpg in the city. You get the same fun experience but use much less fuel.

Cost: Starting at $61,000 MSRP

These Best Road Trip Cars Can Make Your Trip Memorable

Choosing the right road trip car can make a significant difference in the quality and enjoyment of your trip. Factors like fuel efficiency, storage capacity, and passenger comfort can all impact your overall experience.

By considering your specific needs and preferences, you can find a car that meets your requirements and enhances your road trip experience. Whether you prefer a compact car, a spacious SUV, or a luxurious sedan, the right road trip car can make your journey memorable.

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Most Comfortable SUVs of 2023 and 2024

SUVs have come a long way in a short time, and now they're some of the most luxurious vehicles on the road. We're here to tell you how to maximize your comfort in a modern SUV, no matter what size or marque.

2023 Cadillac Escalade

Why Your Comfort Matters

SUVs fulfill many duties in most owners' lives; their jack-of-all-trades nature means that they're good for everything from soccer practice pickups to heavy-duty boat hauling. They shed their workhorse roots a long time ago, and now, SUVs are some of the most comfortable vehicles on the market. If you're looking to spend your commute in a relaxing cabin with supportive seating, look no further. We have the list for you.

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With such a crowded SUV market, choosing a vehicle can be a challenge. To help you make the best decision, we've ranked the market's top SUVs based on their U.S. News & World Report interior quality scores. Tiebreakers were determined by base price.

Keep in mind that scores change as new data become available and may differ from those found on each vehicle's review page.

Read on to discover the most comfortable SUVs on the market today, and get ready to start enjoying your commute in comfort.

2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71 Interior

General Motors |

2023 Chevrolet Suburban

Interior score: 8.5/10 | $57,200.

The Chevrolet Suburban is a stalwart of the SUV class, enjoying nearly 90 consecutive years of production since its debut in 1935. It's changed dramatically over its lifespan and shed its agrarian roots, however, and now features a cabin that, while not quite luxurious, is decidedly comfortable.

The Suburban boasts more passenger and cargo space than practically any other SUV in production, and its standard interior technology list is long. (Its optional tech gets downright luxe, with twin foot-wide touch screens for rear occupants and a panoramic sunroof.) Across all trims, its spacious seating layout allows enough room for adults in the third row.

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  • See Large SUV Rankings  »

2023 Ford Expedition

Ford Motor Company |

2023 Ford Expedition

Interior score: 8.5/10 | $55,725.

The 2023 Ford Expedition is another long-running standby of the large SUV class, and it's also an excellent choice for those seeking comfort in the form of spaciousness. While it's not as cavernous as the Suburban for cargo (even in the extended-wheelbase Expedition Max trim), its well-padded seats and spacious cabin provide abundant breathing room for passengers, and the Expedition predictably boasts a comfortable, adult-sized third row.

A massive 12-inch touch screen comes standard, as does tri-zone automatic climate control to make sure every row of the SUV stays at a perfect temperature. The cabin does, sadly, suffer from some low-rent plastic surfaces, so don't expect the pinnacle of luxury in the Expedition.

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2023 Hyundai Palisade

Hyundai Motor America |

2023 Hyundai Palisade

Interior score: 8.5/10 | $35,900.

The Hyundai Palisade came away with a big honor, our 2023 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award.

Like its Kia sibling, the Palisade provides supportive seating in all three rows, luxurious touchpoints and high-rent materials throughout the cabin. Second-row captain's chairs with cradle-like headrests are available, as well, so if letting your passengers nap on a drive is important, the Palisade can deliver that, too.

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  • See Midsize SUV Rankings  »

2023 Volkswagen Atlas

Volkswagen of America, Inc. |

2023 Volkswagen Atlas

Interior score: 8.5/10 | $35,150.

The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas has a lower overall score than many of the other SUVs on this list, but its base price rings up on the lower end, and it offers two different body styles: the Atlas Cross Sport, a two-row, five-seat crossover and the larger three-row Atlas. They both score highly on interior ratings, in part thanks to the fact they are downright cavernous.

The three-row Atlas has 96.8 cubic feet of storage with its rear seats down, which is virtually unparalleled in the midsize SUV class. This capacity also means that with the seats up, adults are comfortable in all three rows, and the seats themselves are supportive and well-bolstered.

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2023 Kia Telluride Interior

Kia Motors America |

2023 Kia Telluride

Interior score: 8.7/10 | $35,890.

The 2023 Kia Telluride has been nothing short of a slam-dunk of an SUV, winning our 2023 Best 3-Row SUV for Families award. It (comfortably) rode to SUV-market dominance thanks in no small part to its cabin quality, which verges on luxury-SUV levels for material choices and comfort.

Despite being a midsize SUV, the Telluride has an adult-sized third row, and occupants anywhere in the vehicle will find supportive, comfortable seats with either synthetic or leather upholstery. It also boasts excellent cargo space and a high-quality fit and finish.

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2023 Chevrolet Traverse

2023 Chevrolet Traverse

Interior score: 8.7/10 | $34,520.

The 2023 Chevrolet Traverse scores highly among the midsize SUV class, and one of the reasons behind that is its interior capacity. With the rear rows folded, it boasts 98.2 cubic feet of capacity. With all the seats up, it seats eight adults comfortably and offers 23 cubic feet of cargo space, which is excellent for its class.

The Traverse is a comfortable enough place to be, although its interior is held back by subpar material choices for touchpoints and pillars. Hard, textured plastic dominates the interior, meaning no one will confuse it for a luxury-class vehicle. It does, however, have an intuitive touch-screen infotainment system with a plethora of physical controls.

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2023 Hyundai Tucson

2023 Hyundai Tucson

Interior score: 8.7/10 | $26,900.

Hyundai's compact SUV, the Tucson , provides excellent noise isolation for a quiet, placid ride. The rest of its interior matches this serenity, with a plethora of excellent design choices that make the interior feel luxury-like despite its sub-$30,000 base price.

The Tucson's ergonomics are also on point, with a well-considered front seating position that allows for excellent visibility for the driver. It also ensures comfortable seats for all five occupants. Its only real downside on the inside? The optional 10.2-inch touch screen disposes of physical buttons for capacitive-touch ones, which can be hard to operate.

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  • Read the 2023 Hyundai Tucson Full Review  »
  • See Compact SUV Rankings  »

2024 Kia Seltos

2024 Kia Seltos

Interior score: 8.7/10 | $24,390.

The Kia Seltos is significantly refreshed for the 2024 model year, and it's a much more luxe vehicle in its new form. Despite the presence of some hard plastics, which is not unexpected considering the Seltos' price point, its cabin is cutting edge and well put together. In higher trims, its infotainment system, with a 10.25-inch touch screen and 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, is one of the best on the market.

The revamped Seltos has an overall comfortable interior, although tall passengers might find the second row lacks legroom. The Seltos boasts a solid cargo capacity for a subcompact SUV, with a generous 62.8 cubic feet of space with the second row folded flat.

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  • See Subcompact SUV Rankings  »

2023 Lincoln Navigator Interior

2023 Lincoln Navigator

Interior score: 8.8/10 | $77,635.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator is a stellar entry in its class, sitting atop our luxury large SUVs ranking, thanks in no small part to its luxury-condo furnishings inside. The front seats boast optional 30-way power adjustment so every driver can fine-tune their comfort, and leather upholstery and heated-and-ventilated seats are standard for the first two rows.

It's also amazingly spacious, with comfortable seating for all eight passengers, even full-size adults. It boasts a massive 13.2-inch touch screen in the base model, and up to a 28-speaker sound system is available for those whose comfort needs a soundtrack. Lincoln's SYNC 4 infotainment interface is also intuitive and easy to use.

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  • See Luxury Large SUV Rankings  »

2023 Cadillac Escalade

2023 Cadillac Escalade

Interior score: 8.8/10 | $79,295.

The Cadillac Escalade boasts a new, 682-horsepower Escalade-V trim for 2023, but no matter how fast you want to go, you can be assured this Cadillac will be comfy. The Escalade has always offered a generous standard features list, and the 2023 model is no different, with a virtually unrivaled 16.9-inch touch screen, a 19-speaker AKG sound system, 14.2-inch gauge cluster and tri-zone automatic climate control standard.

If that's not enough, there's an optional 36-speaker system, a center-console refrigerator/freezer combo and a panoramic sunroof. Throw in the optional leather upholstery through all three rows, seat massagers and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system, and the Escalade might be more comfortable than your house.

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2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Stellantis |

2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Interior score: 9.0/10 | $91,140.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer has a few shortcomings, but none of them can be found in its exquisite interior. Jeep spared no expense on appointing the Grand Wagoneer's cabin, and it shows. Nappa leather is standard throughout, and heated, ventilated, massaging and 24-way adjustable front seats are included on the entry-level model; higher trims are correspondingly even more luxurious.

The Grand Wagoneer offers the pinnacle of luxury car refinement on every surface a passenger might touch (and plenty they won't), with thought given to details as minute as the air vents and the seat stitching. All three rows can comfortably fit adults, and both rear rows have power-reclining functionality.

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2023 BMW X1 Interior

BMW of North America, LLC |

2023 BMW X1

Interior score: 9.0/10 | $39,100.

The BMW X1 is fully redesigned for 2023, and it handily cruised to the top of our luxury subcompact SUVs ranking in its fresh new sheet metal. Its interior is excellent, even for the luxury class, and it uses color and texture well to make the cabin feel interesting and stylish across all its trims.

Rear-seat passengers may find the second row to be a bit cramped, however. Additionally, while the seats are extremely comfortable in non-sport trims, in the sportier editions of the X1, they are on the very firm, very bolstered side of things and not the best for long drives.

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  • See Luxury Subcompact SUV Rankings  »

2023 Jeep Wagoneer

2023 Jeep Wagoneer

Interior score: 9.4/10 | $58,995.

The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer , the slightly more affordable and less luxe version of the Grand Wagoneer, is still one of the most comfortable places to be on the road. It pulled off top billing in our Large SUV rankings, and its interior helped propel it there.

While the Grand Wagoneer has slightly more plush standard appointments, the Wagoneer still offers standard leather seats and heating, ventilation and power adjustment for front occupants. All eight passengers will find copious amounts of head- and legroom, and for those needing even more cargo space, the Wagoneer L delivers a stunning 130.9 cubic feet of room with both rear rows stowed.

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2023 Hyundai Palisade

What is the most comfortable SUV?

The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer has the highest interior rating of any SUV in our rankings.

What is the most comfortable three-row SUV?

The Jeep Wagoneer is the winner here as well.

What SUV has the roomiest second row?

In this ranking, the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer and 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer have the most room in the second row.

What SUV has the roomiest third row?

The Lincoln Navigator has the roomiest third row.

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Did you find a comfortable SUV that appeals to you and fits your budget? If not, head over to our new SUV rankings to do more research.

If you’re interested in what these SUVs might cost you, check out our financing deals and lease deals pages to see up-to-date manufacturer-sponsored incentives.

The U.S. News Best Price Program connects shoppers who want to buy or lease a new car with local dealers. It offers significant savings with pre-negotiated prices, home delivery and online sales options.

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Most Comfortable SUVs

  • 2023 Chevrolet Suburban - Interior Score: 8.5/10 | $57,200
  • 2023 Ford Expedition - Interior Score: 8.5/10 | $55,725
  • 2023 Hyundai Palisade - Interior Score: 8.5/10 | $35,900
  • 2023 Volkswagen Atlas - Interior Score: 8.5/10 | $35,150
  • 2023 Kia Telluride - Interior Score: 8.7/10 | $35,890
  • 2023 Chevrolet Traverse - Interior Score: 8.7/10 | $34,520
  • 2023 Hyundai Tucson - Interior Score: 8.7/10 | $26,900
  • 2024 Kia Seltos - Interior Score: 8.7/10 | $24,390
  • 2023 Lincoln Navigator - Interior Score: 8.8/10 | $77,635
  • 2023 Cadillac Escalade - Interior Score: 8.8/10 | $79,295
  • 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer - Interior Score: 9.0/10 | $91,140
  • 2023 BMW X1 - Interior Score: 9.0/10 | $39,100
  • 2023 Jeep Wagoneer - Interior Score: 9.4/10| $58,995

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Best Cars for Your Road Trip

CR's experts highlight the best long-distance haulers for individuals, small groups, and large families

Honda Accord Hybrid, Tesla Model3, Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, Lexus RX450H, Toyota Highlander Hybrid on an illustrated background

At CR, we think the best cars for road trips are the same ones that are great for everyday driving. They have lots of usable cargo space, a comfortable ride, and key safety technology, and they get great gas mileage. Lately, many vehicles that meet these criteria are hybrids. Today’s versions are bigger and more practical for more uses, while still offering significant fuel savings over their gas-only counterparts. Many also offer active driver assistance technology that can make driving less stressful. The Lexus RX450h and Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Sienna can even tow up to 3,500 pounds when properly equipped—enough to haul a small camper.

@consumerreports Here are great long-distance haulers for individuals, small groups, and large families. For ratings and reviews, visit cr.org/cars 🚙. #cartok #carsoftiktok #roadtrip ♬ original sound - Consumer Reports

Room for One (or Two)

Three's comfortable, for the whole family.

Editor’s Note:  This article also appeared in the July 2022 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Keith Barry

Keith Barry has been an auto reporter at Consumer Reports since 2018. He focuses on safety, technology, and the environmental impact of cars. Previously, he led home and appliance coverage at Reviewed; reported on cars for USA Today, Wired, and Car & Driver; and wrote for other publications as well. Keith earned a master’s degree in public health from Tufts University. Follow him on Twitter @itskeithbarry .

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Motor & Wheels

Are Sedans Good For Road Trips? (Explained)

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Compact vehicles attract lots of audiences largely because of their sport-like feel, good handling, and affordability.

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For long road trips, however, most persons would have different opinions as to their overall performance. Of course, this is based on their individual experiences.

Let’s unveil how well or not a sedan will fare on a road trip.

Here’s the short answer to whether sedans are good for road trips:

Sedans have some advantages that make them excellent for road trips. The major advantages being their superb fuel economy and safety when compared to large SUVs. If you don’t have a crowd with you, sedans are an excellent choice for road trips.

road trip suv or sedan

How Comfortable Is a Sedan for Long-Distance Road Trips?

Speaking about the sitting area, sedans are quite comfortable.

The only downside comes with the number of people involved, since they usually cannot seat many passengers. They also have less cargo space.

More to that, many sedans do not come with as many passenger comforts. These include rear air-conditioning and rear entertainment systems.

For an average size family with children on a joy-filled road trip, cargo space would be essential.

Therefore, piling things up in the back seat after stuffing the trunk with luggage will make it uncomfortable. This is the downside of most sedans.

However, if you have a family of four, the ride should be a pretty comfortable one. Unless, of course, you are taking lots of luggage.

There are also sedans with so much space in their cabins. One would assume car manufacturers are doing all they can to make sedans as versatile as SUVs or even more.

How Much Stuff Can You Pack in the Trunk of a Sedan?

It’s tough to give a figure since we’re talking about sedans and not a particular car in question. Different sedans have different trunk dimensions.

However, it has been shown that three suitcases or two large bags sit comfortably in a sedan’s trunk.

Although sedan trunks look small, what really matters when packing is the type of luggage you’re fitting in.

A bulky, huge or abnormally shaped object may not sit well in the trunk of a sedan. However, while packing boxes and well-organized items, you’d be surprised at how much stuff it can hold.

If you prefer keeping most of your luggage hidden from sight, you only have to get them well ordered. Your trunk will swallow them up.

This isn’t always possible with an SUV since their trunks are really just compartments behind the seats.

Can You Drive Cross-Country in a Sedan?

The answer is an emphatic yes. Cross-country as an adjective is said to be across fields or countryside as against highway tracks.

A major advantage for obtaining a vehicle is none other than versatility. What could describe versatility more than being able to drive your car on any terrain?

The terrains suitable for sedans are not only limited to highways but also to bumpy and obstacle filled roads.

Some sedans are more cross-country tolerant than others. However, brands like Toyota, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz offer quite tough sedans.

Many sedans can definitely find their way through uneven grounds. It is often safer plowing a sedan through such territories because of the safety of their closed trunks. You could secure most items, be it expensive or inexpensive.

This is one advantage that sedans have over not just SUVs but hatchbacks, too.

However, their typically low ground clearance means they might not perform well in the snow compared to their SUV counterparts.

Anyway, do not hold back from a cross-country trip just because you do not own an SUV. Go for it.

How Reliable Is a Sedan Over Long Distances?

We could say sedans are very much reliable over long distances. However, reliability is more dependent on your car’s condition and maintenance than its class.

Inspecting your oil, tires, and making sure there is no leakage would keep you on the road for long distances. The tire inspection would be to confirm that your tires are properly inflated.

You should do this before and after you embark on any road trip.

Regular inspections can make your trips smoothly and problem free. They can also help you find and fix any damages you may have unknowingly inflicted on your car.

Also, though sedans are more fuel efficient than SUVs, it’s never a good idea to run with an empty tank.

Allowing it to go close to empty would harm your engine and reduce its reliability for the next trip. Thus, ensure you top up your fuel before it goes dangerously low.

Relatd:  Are Honda Accords Good For Road Trips? (Explained)

How Long Can a Sedan Drive With No Breaks?

Technically speaking, your vehicle does not need to rest simply for the sake of continuing the long road trip.

Unless, of course, there are other reasons you’d want to stop, like resting and eating before continuing your trip.

Other than that, any car in great condition should have no problem with a continuous journey.

Also, a car in motion is great for the engines, notwithstanding the distance you’re covering. You’d only need to stop to refill your gas.

However, warmer temperatures may cause your engine to heat despite your radiator fan working. This may mean your sedan needs to take a break to cool down.

Note that some car models may be more susceptible to overheating than others. It may or may not also mean there’s a slight problem somewhere which the mechanic should look at.

Do Sedans Generally Offer Good Mileage Over Long Distances?

For good mileage, most people would definitely opt for the sedan.

Most sedans have 4-cylinder engines under their hoods.

This is more fuel efficient than the 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder engines found in many SUVs and trucks. Thus, it keeps you away from gas stations over long distances.

Sedans’ lightweight design streamlined exterior gives them excellent fuel efficiency. One cannot overemphasize how environmentally friendly this makes sedans, as they minimize combustion effects over long distances.

Driving a vehicle which gives good mileage over a long distance helps maximize time. This is because after filling your tank before your trip, it gives you a longer time away from a gas station.

More than that, it gives your budget a gentle pat on the back that says “we can make it work.”

Hybrid sedan vehicles also provide more miles on the gallon because of their combination of an engine and an electric motor. Add fuel economy to a powerful battery and you’ve got a ‘car that never stops’.

Vehicles with long driving ranges and exceptional fuel economy are something to reckon with. So if this is what you’re looking out for, opt for a sedan when next you go car shopping.

Related:  Are Nissan Altimas Good For Road Trips? (Explained)

How Many People Can Comfortably Go on a Road Trip in a Sedan?

Sedans are 5-seater vehicles. However, luxury trips warrant that only four people occupy a sedan, which is two at the front and two behind.

It’s always a hassle for families with many kids to find enough interior space in a sedan. That’s why SUVs are preferred for cargo space since they seat up to six or even seven people comfortably.

Still, when you consider a mid-sized family, a sedan is very much a comfort zone.

Most sedans also provide enough headroom and space to stretch your legs.

What Are the Best Cars for Long Road Trips?

We have put a list below of cars suitable for long distance trips.

Honda Accord

A four-door sedan having a 5-seat capacity. It integrates innovative technology into its system coupled with front and rear passenger entertainment, which improves comfort.

Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima offers a four-wheel drive, which makes it a good fit for family trips in whatever weather. It is also roomy, which makes for a comfortable interior.

If the Nissan Almera is what piques your interest, check out our article about the best and worst years for the Almera.

This SUV prides itself with a good head and leg room. It has an edge among its counterparts with its maneuverability because of its tight turning radius.

Toyota Camry

This car has very good handling and drivability coupled with a high fuel economy. It also has comfortable seats and an easy-to-use climate control system.

Hyundai Sonata

A beauty to look at. The Hyundai Sonata is a family sedan that can sit five people and still give lots of head and leg room.

Related:  Do Cars Need Rest During Long Trips? (Quick Answers)

Final Thoughts

Conclusively, there are a lot of things one would want in their vehicle during their long road trips. Thus, whether a sedan or an SUV is better for your trip would depend on your preferences.

Large families would want an SUV or a minivan.

If you’re a lone ranger, perhaps even a hatchback would do. This is especially since you can bend the rear seats to increase cargo space.

With all of that in mind, permit us to say that there are no great or not so great cars for road trips. Rather, we have unique vehicles with unique blends for every situation.

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Comparison Test: 2024 Compact SUVs for the Real World

Dodge Hornet, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-50, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, and Volkswagen Tiguan.

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd 2023 ford escape stline elite awd 2023 honda crv exl awd 2024 kia sportage xpro prestige awd 2024 mazda cx50 turbo premium plus 2024 nissan rogue platinum awd 2024 toyota rav4 trd offroad 2024 volkswagen tiguan sel rline awd

From the May/June issue of Car and Driver.

To all our beloved readers who've written to kvetch that we don't cover affordable cars or vehicles that real people buy, this one's for you.

The segment's volume leader, the Toyota RAV4 , is represented here by the tough-looking TRD Off-Road model. Next in ubiquity, as you probably could have guessed, is the Honda CR-V . We requested an EX-L, which is the highest trim with the turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four, rather than the more powerful hybrid powertrain that enlivens the CR-V's top trim levels. The Nissan Rogue also populates highways and byways just about everywhere, and here, it's dolled up in the top Platinum trim. Rather than compare the sort-of-off-roader Bronco Sport , we requested the considerably more popular Escape , which arrived equipped to go after our fun-to-drive score with a 250-hp engine in the ST-Line Elite trim. The recently redesigned Kia Sportage seemingly couldn't decide what to wear, so it combined rugged and fancy with its X-Pro Prestige duds. The Volkswagen Tiguan arrived carrying just a whiff of sportiness in the form of the SEL R-Line model. Mazda is represented by the newer CX-50 rather than the smaller CX-5 , and it was a nattily attired Premium Plus, packing the turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four under the hood. Finally, the relative newcomer Dodge Hornet appeared with its base powertrain (rather than the available plug-in hybrid) but with the Blacktop and Track Pack options bringing the signature Dodge 'tude. Taking a lesson from the warmhearted television fare of our youth, we stopped at eight, because eight is enough.

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd 2023 ford escape stline elite awd 2023 honda crv exl awd 2024 kia sportage xpro prestige awd 2024 mazda cx50 turbo premium plus 2024 nissan rogue platinum awd 2024 toyota rav4 trd offroad 2024 volkswagen tiguan sel rline awd

We realize some players in this vast field are missing, most notably the Chevrolet Equinox / GMC Terrain , the Hyundai Tucson , and the Subaru Forester . All are on the eve of redesigns or refreshes, so they sat out this round. And Mitsubishi wasn't able to rustle up a non-plug-in Outlander . Excepting the mid-spec Honda, at $37,965, the vehicles on hand ended up in a fairly tight price range of $40,030 to $44,844—just below the most recent new-car average of $47,401. That's keepin' it real, people.

Our herd assembled, we headed to the South of France. Ha! No. We went to the most real state we could think of: Ohio. Part of America's Heartland, it also happens to be right next to Michigan. This is the true story . . . of what happened . . . when eight normcore SUVs . . . were let loose . . . in the real world.

2024 nissan rogue platinum awd

8th Place: Nissan Rogue

Climb into the Nissan Rogue Platinum for the first time, and you may be wowed. Caramel-colored leather—real and synthetic—appears on the instrument panel, the doors, and the sides of the center console. The seats have a quilted stitch pattern, and there's an attractive mix of trim materials. Ultrawide-opening doors aid access to the roomy rear seat, which had the most amenities, with seat heaters, climate controls, A/C vents, and window shades. The infotainment looks good, retains a few buttons, and nestles into the dash, providing a padded rest for your hand.

HIGHS: Interior looks like luxury, welcoming rear seat, lots of equipment. LOWS: Resistant to having fun, numb and aloof steering, falls far short of its EPA numbers. VERDICT: First impressions aren't everything.

2024 nissan rogue platinum awd

We wish Nissan had put the same level of effort into the Rogue's major controls. Several drivers called out the numb, woolly steering, and more objected to the spongy brake pedal. The comfort-biased suspension makes for smooth highway sailing, but don't ask much more of this chassis. The Nissan suffers from significant body roll in faster corners and brake dive in hard stops, and it just seemed easily discombobulated. Then there's the powertrain, where Nissan strays from the established formula, but the novel approach doesn't bring much payoff. Nissan boldly employs only three cylinders, whereas the others in this contest rely on four. Granted, the Rogue's turbocharged engine is no smaller than the Honda CR-V's turbo at 1.5 liters, and it features Nissan's variable-compression-ratio technology (it ranges from 8.0 to 14.0:1). The resulting output is 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. When it comes to powertrains, this test was bifurcated into the fast group (Dodge, Ford, Mazda) and the slow group (everyone else). Of the latter, Nissan's turbo three and CVT combo was—just barely—the quickest to 60 mph at 8.0 seconds. But once you're cruising along at a steady speed, the turbo three suffers from sluggish throttle response—note the Rogue's last-place showing in the 30-to-50-mph and 50-to-70-mph acceleration tests (the latter tied with the Sportage). At least this engine is well muted when giving its all—it's the quietest of the group, in fact, so there's no offensive droning.

2024 nissan rogue platinum awd

With the fewest cylinders to feed, the Nissan boasts the best EPA numbers, which look good on the window sticker. But this hardworking triple fell 5 mpg short of its EPA combined estimate in our hands, landing midpack at 26 mpg.

Overall, the Rogue is just fine if you don't look past the surface, but others here have more depth.

2024 Nissan Rogue Platinum AWD 201-hp turbocharged inline-3, continuously variable automatic, 3729 lb Base/As-Tested: $41,590/$43,375 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 8.0 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 177 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g C/D observed fuel economy: 31 mpg

2024 kia sportage xpro prestige awd

7th Place: Kia Sportage

Will it surprise you to learn that, aside from the mid-trim Honda, this top-spec Kia had the lowest as-tested price? Or that it came with a raft of features and amenities? Those include heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, and Kia's Highway Driving Assist—a luxury-grade haul for just a hair over $40,000.

HIGHS: Wallet-friendly price, all the bells and whistles, quiet cruising. LOWS: Oh so slow, middling fuel economy, longest stopping distance. VERDICT: How slow can you go?

2024 kia sportage xpro prestige awd

The exterior is edgy, if polarizing, while the screentastic dash conveys a note of modernity inside. Once you get past the pointless home screen on the center display, you'll find a pleasing array of audio and navigation information. But no one liked the ridiculous dual-mode haptic buttons and dial (also found in other Kias) that switch between controlling climate and audio functions, all but guaranteeing you're always in the wrong mode. We did appreciate the plentiful stowage, and the sliding and reclining rear seats offer an extra measure of versatility. Splashes of piano black and the seats' novel stitch pattern divert attention from the liberal use of hard and cheap-looking plastic elsewhere—perhaps the reason why this cabin smells like a dime-store shower curtain.

None of us were overly impressed with the Sportage dynamically, with drivers calling it out for excessive body roll and brake dive. The X-Pro trim's 17-inch wheels and 65-series all-terrain tires smother bad pavement, but they also cling to the skidpad with only 0.81 g and contribute to a 182-foot stop from 70 mph, the longest in this comparison test.

2024 kia sportage xpro prestige awd

The biggest issue, though, is in the engine room. Our Sportage had the base engine, and the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder struggled like an air-cooled VW bus on uphill grades. The gutless powertrain also requires a lot of planning for passes. Although the 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque are only three horsepower and one pound-foot in arrears of the CR-V's engine, the Kia's 9.1-second 60-mph time is a full second slower than the Honda's. And since you have to work the engine so hard, there's no payoff in fuel economy, with the Kia's 25-mpg observed average trailing all, save for the much-quicker Mazda and Dodge.

Relief for this biggest pain point, however, isn't far away. We'd invite you to check out the quicker and more economical hybrid and plug-in-hybrid Sportage models.

2024 Kia Sportage X-Pro Prestige AWD 187-hp inline-4, 8-speed automatic, 3737 lb Base/As-Tested: $39,365/$40,030 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 9.1 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.9 sec @ 84 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 182 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g C/D observed fuel economy: 31 mpg

2024 toyota rav4 trd offroad

6th Place: Toyota RAV4

With a portfolio of off-road favorites such as the Tacoma, the 4Runner, and the Land Cruiser, it's no wonder Toyota would want to spread some of that rugged image to the RAV4. Our test example was decked out in TRD Off-Road trim, which, in addition to a slightly tougher appearance, brought softer suspension tuning (springs and dampers), 18-inch wheels with Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail 01A tires, roof rails, and a front skid plate.

HIGHS: 4Runner-wannabe rugged looks, plenty of space for people and their stuff, observed fuel economy tops the field. LOWS: Engine strains and sounds coarse doing so, off-road kit is a hindrance on-road, interior is more practical than pretty. VERDICT: A Toyota that will please people who like Toyotas.

That equipment would likely give the RAV4 greater off-pavement capability than the rest of this bunch, a boon for those who go off-road. But most drivers don't, and we didn't either. And on asphalt, the all-terrain tires do the handling no favors, as steering feel is largely AWOL, and the Toyota posted the lowest skidpad grip at just 0.79 g. The tall sidewalls provide an extra measure of cushion over potholes, however, and the RAV4 also exhibits good body control, considering the TRD Off-Road setup.

2024 toyota rav4 trd offroad

Superfluous running boards, $620 for the pair, were an obstacle to step over on each entry and exit (the TRD Off-Road's ride height isn't nearly great enough to require them, and they'd just be a hindrance on the trail). Inside, the rubberized vinyl, chunky HVAC knobs, and thick door pulls set the style tone. Copious storage space enhances the practical vibe, as does the straightforward switchgear. Our testers deemed the driver's chair to be about average, while a low cushion hurt rear-seat comfort, although space is more than adequate.

"Just adequate" describes the RAV4's 2.5-liter engine, at least in city and suburban traffic. The farther you push the pedal, though, the more gutless the four-banger feels, as it makes more noise than thrust. At 78 decibels, the RAV4 tied the Mazda for loudest under acceleration, but its engine note is far more irritating. At least this engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic rather than a CVT. The Toyota's 60-mph time (8.3 seconds) and quarter-mile effort (16.5 seconds at 87 mph) were slower than all but the Kia's.

2024 toyota rav4 trd offroad

Despite working hard, this naturally aspirated four-banger squeezes a lot of miles out of each tank of gas. At 29 mpg, the RAV4's observed fuel economy led the field, and its 32 mpg in our 75-mph highway test was also the most efficient, tied with the Escape.

Top-drawer fuel economy is historically a Toyota trait, as is a practical interior, and the trail-ready getup doesn't seem like an artifice. Add presumed reliability, and the RAV4's combination of virtues explains its popularity but doesn't push it to the front of this pack.

2024 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road 203-hp inline-4, 8-speed automatic, 3719 lb Base/As-Tested: $39,645/$44,844 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 8.3 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.5 sec @ 87 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 176 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.79 g C/D observed fuel economy: 32 mpg

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd

5th Place: Dodge Hornet

Starting our drive on the cratered roads of southeast Michigan put the Hornet in the worst possible light. We hadn't gone 1000 yards before slamming into a pothole that we feared might've bent a rim. All the way to our first driver-change point outside Toledo, the Dodge was repeatedly racked by broken pavement. Flicking through the stupefying amount of information available in the digital instrument cluster and the center display (which includes peak g, turbo psi, and torque output), we thought we might have found the cause: tire pressures that were 43–44 psi. It turns out that the recommended cold pressure is 42 psi, so we concluded that the Hornet is supposed to drive this way.

HIGHS: Hemi-like acceleration, sporty interior environs, hot-hatch persona. LOWS: Hemi-like fuel consumption, painful over potholes, cramped back seat. VERDICT: The small crossover for those who really want a Challenger.

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd

It's also supposed to drive lively, affecting the persona of a racy hot hatch rather than a workaday SUV. And it does. Look no further than its 268-hp turbo four, the most powerful here—and that's the base engine. The Hornet took the checkered flag in the 60-mph sprint with a time of 5.7 seconds, and it also hustled through the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds (just a tick behind the Escape) at 95 mph. Power delivery isn't perfectly linear at low speeds, but that's perhaps to be expected, as is the snarling exhaust note. It contributed to a 73-decibel din on the highway, where the speedy Dodge also had a greater-than-average thirst for unleaded.

The steering is hyperresponsive, and the Hornet wants to dive through corners. Even with its dampers in Sport mode, the Hornet feels taller than a real hot hatch when the road gets twisty, but its 0.85 g of grip is the best here, aided by the most athletic footwear in the test (Z-rated Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires).

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd

The red-accented cabin features heavily bolstered, body-hugging seats that hold you in place for all the action. Most drivers praised them, although some found they had to adjust the seating position awkwardly high to see the gauges, putting their noggin close to the ceiling. There was unanimous agreement about the rear seat, which is seriously cramped. And the luggage compartment is the smallest in the test. The highly configurable infotainment looks great but can be laggy, and the tiny touchpoints are too small a target to hit when on the move. The cabin also has some ergonomic oddities, like an audio volume roller tucked behind the shifter and a wiper stalk whose logic is inscrutable. The Hornet, though, is unbothered by such mundane concerns.

2024 Dodge Hornet GT Plus AWD 268-hp turbocharged inline-4, 9-speed automatic, 3844 lb Base/As-Tested: $37,995/$44,725 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 5.7 sec 1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 95 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 177 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g C/D observed fuel economy: 28 mpg

2024 dodge hornet gt plus awd, 2024 kia sportage x pro prestige awd, 2024 nissan rogue platinum awd, 2024 toyota rav4 trd off road specifications

4th Place: Ford Escape

In the 1973 film White Lightning , bootlegger Gator McKlusky (played by Burt Reynolds) pilots a specially prepared Ford Custom 500 whose plain brown wrapper conceals a hotted-up engine within. Our Ford Escape wore a similar cloak of anonymity with its almost intentionally anodyne styling, but it too was packing under the hood.

HIGHS: Overachieving powertrain, surprising fuel economy, well-laid-out infotainment. LOWS: Depressing interior environs, wonky brake-pedal action, exterior is a style-free zone. VERDICT: All ate up with motor.

Boasting the model's top-of-the-food-chain engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, this Ford has 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. That was enough to vie with the high-strung Dodge in acceleration: The Escape was the quickest off the line (to 30 mph) and the quickest to triple digits—in between, its 5.8-second time to 60 is just 0.1 second in arrears of the Hornet. From 30 to 50 mph and again from 50 to 70 mph, the Ford is in front, besting all comers. Away from the drag strip, the Escape has plenty of easy oomph, and throttle response and power delivery are more linear here than in the Hornet. There is a Sport mode (buried three layers into the touchscreen), but it seemed only to lock out top gear, so it's not something you'll want to access anyway.

2023 ford escape stline elite awd

Despite the powertrain's hustle, the Ford is a suburban softy at heart, as it showed on the winding, diving, roller-coaster-like two-lanes in southern Ohio, where it gamely went along with the crowd but did so with a grimace and gritted teeth. Or maybe that was the driver. Either way, blame the weirdly springy steering effort and brakes that suffered from both a squishy pedal and grabby response. The convex-feeling seat cushion adds to the awkwardness.

The Escape is far more at home in the suburban slog or motoring along bombed-out urban freeways. Its comfortable-riding suspension shrugged off the slings and arrows of northern Ohio's and southeast Michigan's most battered pavement. Oh, and over the course of our test, the Escape also posted the second-best gas mileage, just 1 mpg behind the far-slower RAV4.

2023 ford escape stline elite awd

This generation of Escape has been around since 2020 but boasts plenty of screen acreage inside, part of a 2023 update. The digital instrument cluster is a basic affair with limited configurability, but the well-designed central infotainment display is able to show multiple functions on its home screen. Look away from glowing displays, however, and the Escape cabin could be something from the Big Three bankruptcy era, as Ford appears to have wrung every nickel of cost from this black-grained-plastic interior. The materials are starkly below the rest of the field, and this isn't exactly a field of Bentleys. But call us Gator, because if we were chasing moonshiners in Arkansas, this low-key Ford might be our first choice.

2023 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite AWD 250-hp turbocharged inline-4, 8-speed automatic, 3697 lb Base/As-Tested (2024 model): $39,455/$43,355 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 5.8 sec 1/4-Mile: 14.4 sec @ 97 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 166 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g C/D observed fuel economy: 32 mpg

2023 honda crv exl awd

3rd Place: Honda CR-V

Sitting in the Honda CR-V, there's lots to like. Thin pillars and large windows enhance visibility and overall well-being. The driver's seat earned the best score for comfort, and the rear seat took top honors for space and was judged the most comfortable. Additionally, the CR-V has the roomiest cargo hold with rear seats up or folded. Although our EX-L was far from top spec, the door panels and dash look rich, with interesting details. The steering wheel feels great, although the thinly padded door armrests do not. Three knurled-edge knobs look and feel like quality, but the Honda was not immune from minor fit issues. We don't ding the CR-V for its physical gauges—we actually kind of prefer them—but there's no charm in the puny infotainment screen and its small touchpoints.

HIGHS: The ace of space, pleasing cabin, charming chassis. LOWS: The lack of pace, missing features, smallish infotainment display. VERDICT: Much of what we love about the Accord, in SUV form.

2023 honda crv exl awd

Steering that's absurdly light at parking-lot speeds quickly firms up once you're on the move. When the road gets twisty, the helm's natural feel makes guiding the Honda an almost unconscious exercise. The CR-V feels unflappable, even though its 0.82-g skidpad result was unremarkable. The brake pedal is similarly well tuned, and the brakes hauled the CR-V down from 70 mph in just 163 feet, the best in this test. The contrast with the Escape (from which our drivers migrated as we moved through the cars in alphabetical order) was striking.

Accelerating onto the freeway, however, cues the sad trombone. A 5-to-60-mph charge down the on-ramp takes 9.0 seconds. Honda's pint-size 1.5-liter musters 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque and is lashed to a CVT. The CVT's faux shifts mitigate elastic throttle response somewhat, but this droning powertrain underserves this nicely tuned chassis. However, observed fuel economy, at 28 mpg, was just 1 mpg shy of the top-ranking Toyota.

2023 honda crv exl awd

Honda doesn't offer its top-drawer model with a nonhybrid powertrain, and that held the CR-V back a bit in the final tally, as the Honda's missing features outweighed the $2065 savings compared to the richly equipped Kia.

Of course, the CR-V offers more expensive models that are better equipped, and they feature a higher-achieving hybrid powertrain that both accelerates quicker and returns better fuel economy. But we wanted this test to focus on nonhybrids, so that's not what we had here.

2024 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD 190-hp turbocharged inline-4, continuously variable automatic, 3614 lb Base/As-Tested (2024 model): $37,510/$37,965 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 8.1 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.3 sec @ 89 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 163 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g C/D observed fuel economy: 31 mpg

2024 volkswagen tiguan sel rline awd

2nd Place: Volkswagen Tiguan

Tired of flailing in the U.S. market, Volkswagen finally decided to give the people what they want. And VW figured that what Americans want is really big SUVs. Therefore, the Tiguan—measured from nose to tail—is the biggest SUV here (just as the Atlas is among the biggest in its segment and the Taos in its). It's big enough to squeeze in a third row; without that option, our test example swallowed 11 carry-on-sized boxes with the seats up (just one less than the CR-V) and 25 with the rear seats folded (tying the Rogue for third place behind the CR-V and the Sportage). Certainly, the cabin feels roomy, an impression bolstered by expansive glass. VW has also learned that Americans don't always demand the finest materials, so there are lots of hard-edged surfaces in here, although the SEL does get real cowhide on the seats. VW has gone all in on screens, and while the central display works well, the new haptic climate controls are a step back ergonomically. There are more haptic buttons on the steering wheel. What we really wish, though, is that someone could snap Wolfsburg out of its obsession with touch sliders.

HIGHS: American-size interior, Korean-level value, German-correct suspension tuning. LOWS: The lowest horsepower meets the highest curb weight, fussy touch controls. VERDICT: Designed for America, with just a hint of the Old World.

2024 volkswagen tiguan sel rline awd

The Tiguan is the only member of our octet to weigh in on the high side of two tons, against which Volkswagen's turbo four brings the fewest ponies to bear (184). Its 221 pound-feet of torque, however, arrives at a low 1600 rpm. That helps the Tiguan move easily through traffic, albeit with some turbo lag. Still, an 8.2-second 60-mph time is the result of too many pounds and not enough horses.

Despite its heft, the Volkswagen slightly overachieved in fuel economy, returning 30 mpg in our 75-mph test (against a 29-mg EPA highway rating) and 26 mpg overall (beating its EPA combined estimate by 2 mpg).

2024 volkswagen tiguan sel rline awd

If the Tiguan shows any evidence of VW's roots, it's in the chassis tuning. The suspension is taut and well controlled—dare we say Germanic? A vestige of old VW. And the Tiguan's 0.84 g of skidpad grip tied the CX-50 for second place. Good sightlines and a chair with enough lateral support to hold you in place help the driver pilot this SUV confidently on winding roads. It's too bad about the overboosted steering, which feels like another sop to our market.

VW has also learned that we love a good bargain. The Tiguan's as-tested price is within a few hundred dollars of the Kia's, and that's with a similarly deep roster of equipment. All of this combines for a well-rounded package, enough to give the Tiguan a podium finish.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line AWD 184-hp turbocharged inline-4, 8-speed automatic, 4003 lb Base/As-Tested: $40,305/$40,700 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 8.2 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.3 sec @ 85 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 181 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g C/D observed fuel economy: 30 mpg

2024 mazda cx50 turbo premium plus

1st Place: Mazda CX-50

The compact SUV isn't typically a species that gets by on its looks, but the Mazda CX-50 almost could. Longer, lower, and wider than its CX-5 sibling, the CX-50 is model handsome with its scowling visage and long-hood profile that convincingly ape an upscale, rear-wheel-drive layout (it's a ruse; the CX-50 has a transverse engine, just like the others here). Only the fake rear fascia vents and the thick band of black plastic along the lower body torpedo its invitation to the Museum of Modern Art.

HIGHS: Fetchingly wagon-like proportions, robust turbo four, ride and handling in harmony. LOWS: Cavelike rear seat, not-so-great gas mileage, infotainment struggles. VERDICT: A top-tier powertrain meets a top-tier chassis.

Whereas the others serve up a new-car smell that's a mix of off-gassing plastics and glue, the smooth-grained hides on the CX-50's dash and door panels give the Mazda's high-design interior the aroma of a fine-shoe store. We're also charmed by the physical switchgear and the real gearshift, but we just can't follow the obtuse logic of Mazda's rotary controller for the infotainment system. And despite being more than five inches longer than the CX-5, the Mazda's dark rear seat was deemed cavelike and not particularly comfortable, and its luggage compartment was smaller than the group average.

2024 mazda cx50 turbo premium plus

Start driving, though, and the CX-50 quickly elbows its way back to the front of the pack. The steering's heft seems like an artificial concoction, but the three-spoke wheel is deliciously precise and the responses predictable. Skidpad grip, at 0.84 g, is just 0.01 g behind the Dodge. The tightly wound suspension manages to rein in body motions effectively without transmitting undue harshness over broken pavement. This is the best-realized chassis in the group, and it lends the Mazda an air of upmarket refinement that's missing among the rest.

With a relatively large 2.5-liter inline-four, the Mazda doesn't rely heavily on turbo boost. Throttle response and power delivery are smooth and linear. Despite 256 horsepower and a best-in-test 320 pound-feet of torque, the Mazda trailed the Ford and the Dodge in most acceleration tests but was solidly in the upper echelon. Although they worked harmoniously together, the biggest-displacement engine and the transmission with the fewest ratios were not a winning pair at the gas pump; the CX-50's 23-mpg average brought up the rear in this measure.

2024 mazda cx50 turbo premium plus

Despite falling short in some practical measures, the Mazda's combination of a solid powertrain and winning chassis made it the vehicle we most wanted to drive and live with. And the plush, high-quality interior is a fine place to spend time, even when sitting in traffic. The real world can often be unglamorous, but the Mazda proves that the right compact SUV can elevate the mundane.

2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus 256-hp turbocharged inline-4, 6-speed automatic, 3864 lb Base/As-Tested: $44,675/$44,675 C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 6.4 sec 1/4-Mile: 14.9 sec @ 92 mph Braking, 70­–0 mph: 167 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g C/D observed fuel economy: 29 mpg

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2024 Chevrolet Suburban Lives for Road Trips

This diesel cruise ship will carry seven in comfort, but it’s not exactly a bargain compared to the Escalade.

a dark blue four door chevy suburban suv is parked in a field facing the camera

  • The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban High Country 4WD with seating for seven can be optioned with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six, delivering impressive fuel economy over the standard gasoline V8.
  • In High Country trim, the Suburban can easily overlap in price with the base Cadillac Escalade from the same platform.
  • With a few options checked, including Super Cruise, the diesel Suburban is for eating up hundreds of highway miles in one dash, while also towing something large weighing up to 7,800 pounds.

A diesel engine under the hood of one of the locomotive-shaped trucks that have become the standard family hauler over the past decade is a common-enough option these days. But a diesel under the hood of a roomy and reasonably luxurious family SUV is a little harder to find, especially as SUVs of this type and price are poised to go electric.

And the dimensions of the current Suburban are still surprising for something one will invariably see used as a daily driver, making it seem like an artifact from the late 1990s when ownership of a land yacht conferred status in suburbia.

This makes the diesel Suburban High Country seem like an anachronism in the age of rapidly electrifying SUV lineups. But as we've discovered after spending a week in one, there's still a place for it in the American landscape.

The current model, which entered the twelfth generation in 2020, did not seek to reinvent the formula of the Suburban that has been pretty static throughout oil crises, Watergates, more oil crises, a Star War or three, two-plus Gulf wars, more Star Wars, and several waves of the Pokemon craze.

Borrowing a platform from Chevy's truck lineup, the basic Suburban offers seating for up to nine passengers depending on which seating layouts you choose, as well as enough luggage room out back to serve as a hotel shuttle.

With a commanding road presence, the Suburban is pretty close to the most SUV you can buy from General Motors if you don't necessarily desire the visibility of driving an Escalade , with all of its chrome reflections blinding airline pilots up above.

a black suv parked in a field

It also makes you look like a Secret Service agent, especially if you option one in a Midnight Blue Metallic color.

While the base version of the Suburban that starts at $61,195 features a 5.3-liter V8 as standard, sending power solely to the rear wheels, the four-wheel-drive model in the top High Country trim is paired with a 6.2-liter gasoline V8, with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque on tap.

But the Suburban can also be optioned with a 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline six-cylinder, offering a $1,500 discount over the 6.2-liter V8. With 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, this is also the version that will offer 26 mpg on the highway and 20 mpg in town for a combined 22 mpg, at least according to EPA figures. These are far more favorable numbers than you're going to see in either V8.

.css-ov6gys{font-family:Paralucent,Paralucent-roboto,Paralucent-local,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:1.5rem;line-height:1.1;margin:0rem;}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-ov6gys{font-size:2.1875rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-ov6gys{font-size:2.625rem;line-height:1.2;}}.css-ov6gys b,.css-ov6gys strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-ov6gys em,.css-ov6gys i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;} The Suburban High Country we drove was optioned up to a sobering $92,750.

But is this the version to get if you're shopping for a Suburban or, as rental car agencies put it, "Suburban or Similar?"

That's what we tried to find out by spending a week in the diesel-flavored Suburban High Country.

First things first: This engine is deliberate, rewarding gradual throttle inputs. The coarse hum of the throttle calls for a smoother, unhurried driving style, and with almost 19 feet of the Suburban's fuselage behind us this is one of those vehicles that requires some judicious maneuvers in traffic, and not just because there could be a comically small and obscure classic car in front of you at a stop light that you might not see. "Is that a DKW Junior Deluxe?"

The Duramax diesel doesn't feel short on power, so highway onramps can be taken without flooring the throttle, even though this engine is pulling quite a bit of car. On the highway is where the diesel Suburban feels at home, eating up miles without the fuel gauge moving even a millimeter.

With a long wheelbase and the beefy four-wheel-drive chassis, the 'burban settles down into the top gear of its 10-speed transmission and cruises along in relative quiet as the diesel hum is still easily heard. But it's not distracting, and the interior is insulated well enough for a quiet trip with just over 600 miles between fill-ups.

The 4WD system makes the steering feel light and a little numb, compared to the RWD model, so the suspension feels a little stiffer, but it's well within the comfort zone. Just like with large trucks, the Suburban feels more steady while hauling or towing something rather than traveling empty, so you will need passengers or a boat for the full experience. And realistically, if you're looking at one of these, you're probably going to be towing something with the Suburban.

the interior of a car

So the ownership case for a diesel Suburban perhaps starts with the fact that you own something that needs towing hundreds of miles pretty regularly, and you also need to bring the crew of that vessel and all of their luggage on these trips.

The High Country is well suited for this task, offering two seats in the middle row that easily stow and tip forward to allow ingress and egress from the generous third row. The second-row passengers have 12.6-inch screens to keep them from kvetching on long journeys, and they're also separated by an aisle that's wide enough to allow access to the rear seats.

That's just how wide the Suburban is, but unfortunately it doesn't come with a flight attendant with a refreshment cart.

For the pilot and copilot up front, the Suburban offers a modern and convenient infotainment screen, along with plenty of physical buttons including the transmission that is controlled via switch-style buttons positioned up high, just to the right of the instrument cluster.

It's an unobtrusive system and it works with a satisfying click, making us thankful that GM hasn't gone down the path of various rotary knobs or monostable-type robotic systems.

Speaking of robots, GM's Super Cruise is perhaps the least fussy Level 2 system on the market today, permitting hands-free driving and automatic lane changes.

the inside of a car

The Suburban High Country we drove was optioned up to a sobering $92,750 carrying about $10,000 in options that included Super Cruise as part of the Advanced Technology Package, as well as the $1,745 folding running boards and the Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist for $1,995. While this total price is no longer remarkable in the world of SUVs of this size, it is worth noting that the base Suburban still starts at a more palatable $61,195.

So we're certainly in Escalade territory while rolling in High Country. If you find yourself seriously looking at this particular trim, odds are you can afford the Escalade as well, though you might not necessarily want the level of bling.

And with an interior that is premium but not technically Cadillac-level in the GM SUV Cinematic Universe, the Suburban still manages to deliver most of the toys you're going to see in the Escalade anyway, along with incrementally more modest interior materials.

Will demand for diesel SUVs with high passenger counts still exist in a few years, or is this one of the last appearances of such a formula? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Headshot of Jay Ramey

Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013. 

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Tale of 2 road trips: Are gasoline vehicles cheaper to fill up than EVs?

Gasoline cars are cheaper to refuel than electric vehicles.

I’ve heard this claim pop up everywhere from Massachusetts to Fox News over the past two years. My neighbor even refuses to plug in his Toyota RAV4 hybrid over what he calls ruinous electricity rates.

What gives?

The basic argument is that electricity prices are so high it has erased the advantage of recharging over refilling. This cuts to the heart of why many people buy EVs, according to the Pew Research Center: 70 percent of potential EV buyers report “saving money on gas” as their top reason.

So how much does it really cost to refuel an EV?

The answer is less straightforward than it seems. Just calculating the cost of gasoline vs. electricity is misleading. Prices vary by charger (and state). Everyone charges differently. Road taxes, rebates and battery efficiency all affect the final calculation.

So I asked researchers at the nonpartisan Energy Innovation, a policy think tank aimed at decarbonizing the energy sector, to help me nail down the true cost of refueling in all 50 states by drawing on data sets from federal agencies, AAA and automakers. You can dive into their helpful tool here.

I used the data to embark on two hypothetical road trips across America, delivering a verdict on whether it costs more to refill or recharge during the summer of 2023 in all 50 states.

The results surprised me (and they might really surprise my neighbor).

The cost of a fill-up

If you’re like 4 in 10 Americans , you’re considering buying an electric vehicle . And if you’re like me, you’re sweating the cost.

The typical EV sells for $4,600 more than the median gasoline car , but by most calculations, I’ll save money over the long run. It costs less to refuel and maintain the vehicle — hundreds of dollars less per year , by some estimates. That’s before government incentives, and any consideration of never visiting a gas station again.

Yet nailing down a precise number is tricky. The average price of a gallon of gasoline is easy to calculate. Since 2010, the price, in inflation-adjusted terms, is virtually unchanged, according to data from the Federal Reserve .

The same applies to a kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity. But the cost of recharging, by contrast, is far more opaque.

Electricity rates not only vary by state, but by the time of day and even the outlet. EV owners may plug in at home or work and then pay a premium to fast-charge on the road.

That makes comparing the cost of a “fill-up” for a gasoline Ford F-150, America’s best-selling vehicle since the 1980s , and its electric counterpart’s 98-kWh battery challenging. It requires assumptions about geography, charging behavior and standardizing how the energy in batteries and gas tanks convert into miles. Such calculations must then be applied to different vehicle classes , such as sedans, SUVs and trucks.

No wonder almost no one does it. But we saved you the time. The results reveal just how much you can save — and the few instances where you won’t.

The bottom line? In all 50 states, it’s cheaper for the everyday American to fill up with electrons — and much cheaper in some regions such as the Pacific Northwest, with low electricity rates and high gas prices.

In Washington state, with prices around $4.98 per gallon of gas, it costs about $115 to fill up an F-150. That translates into a 483-mile range.

By contrast, recharging the electric F-150 Lightning (or Rivian R1T) to cover an equivalent distance costs about $34 — an $80 savings. This assumes, as the Energy Department estimates, drivers recharge at home 80 percent of the time, along with other methodological assumptions at the end of this article.

But what about the other extreme in the Southeast? Here, low prices for gas and electricity cut into the savings — but they remain a nice chunk of change. In Mississippi, for example, a conventional pickup costs about $30 more to refuel than its electric counterpart. For smaller, more efficient SUVs and sedans, the gap narrows but persists: roughly $25 to $19 per fill-up to cover the same number of miles.

An American driving the average 14,000 miles per year would see their annual savings fall in the middle, roughly $700 for an electric SUV or sedan to $1,00 0 for a pickup, according to Energy Innovation.

Daily driving is one thing. To put the model to the test, I took these estimates on two all-American summer road trips.

Tale of two road trips

You’ll encounter two main kinds of chargers on the open road. Commercial Level 2 chargers add about 25 miles of range every hour . Prices range from about 20 cents per kWh to free at many businesses such as hotels and grocery stores hoping to attract customers (Energy Innovation assumes about 10 cents per kWh in the estimates below).

Fast chargers known as Level 3 — nearly 20 times faster — can top off an EV battery to about 80 percent in as little as 20 minutes . But that typically costs 30 to 48 cents per kWh — a price equivalent to gasoline in some places, as I later found out.

To test how this plays out, I embarked on a hypothetical 408-mile road trip from San Francisco to Disneyland, just south of Los Angeles. For the journey, I selected the F-150 and its electric counterpart, the Lightning, part of the wildly popular series that sold 653,957 units last year . There’s a strong climate case against building electric versions of America’s gas guzzlers, but these estimates are meant to reflect the actual vehicle preferences of Americans.

The winner? The EV — barely. The savings were modest because of the substantial premium for using fast chargers, typically three to four times more expensive than charging at home. In a Lightning, I arrived at the park with $14 more in my pocket than if I had driven its gasoline counterpart.

If I decided to make a longer stop at Level 2 chargers at hotels or restaurants, my savings would have been $57. This trend held for smaller vehicles, too: Tesla’s Model Y crossover saved me $18 and $44 for the 408-mile journey at Level 3 and Level 2 chargers, respectively, compared to refueling with gasoline.

On the emissions front, EVs pulled well ahead. EVs emit less than a third of emissions per mile than their gasoline counterparts — and they’re getting cleaner every year. America’s electricity mix emits just under a pound of carbon emissions for every kWh generated, according to the Energy Information Administration. By 2035, the White House hopes to drive that closer to zero . This meant the conventional F-150 spewed five times more greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere than the Lightning. The Tesla Model Y represented 63 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions on the trip compared to more than 300 pounds from all the conventional vehicles.

Driving where few EVs go

The true test, however, would be a journey from Detroit to Miami. Driving from Motown across the Midwest is not an EV dream. This region has some of the lowest EV ownership rates in the United States. Chargers are not as plentiful . Gasoline prices are low. Electricity is dirtier .

To make it even more lopsided, I chose to compare the Toyota Camry with the electric Chevy Bolt — relatively efficient vehicles that narrow the difference in fueling costs. To reflect each state’s mix of prices, I measured the distance along the 1,401-mile journey in all six states, and their respective energy costs and emissions.

Did the EV hold its edge? Sometimes. But not always.

If I was refueling at homes or cheap Level 2 commercial stations along the way (an unlikely scenario), the Bolt EV was cheaper to refuel: $41 compared to $142 for the Camry.

But fast charging tipped the balance in favor of the Camry. At Level 3 chargers, the retail cost of electricity added up to $169 to complete the trip on batteries. A gasoline-powered journey would have cost $142.

On greenhouse gas emissions, however, the Bolt was the clear leader, indirectly accounting for just 20 percent of the emissions coming from its counterpart.

Do EV detractors have a point?

I wanted to see why those arguing against the economics of EVs came to such a different conclusion. For this, I contacted Patrick Anderson, whose Michigan-based consulting firm works with the auto industry and assesses the cost of EVs each year. It has consistently found most EVs to be more expensive to refuel.

Anderson told me that many economists leave out costs that should be part of any calculation of cost of recharging: state EV taxes replacing gas taxes, costs of home chargers, transmission losses while recharging ( about 10 percent ), and the cost of driving to sometimes distant public fueling stations. These are smaller but real costs, he says. Together, they tip the balance toward gasoline cars.

A midrange gasoline vehicle, by his calculations, costs one-third less to refuel — approximately $11 to drive 100 miles compared to $12 to $16 for comparable EVs. The exception are luxury vehicles since they tend to be less efficient and burn premium fuel. “This segment is where EV makes a lot of sense for the median buyer,” says Anderson. “It’s not surprising that’s where we’re seeing the most sales.”

But critics say Anderson’s assessment overestimates or omits key assumptions: his firm’s analysis assumes EV owners use expensive public stations 40 percent of the time (the Energy Department estimates 20 percent is more accurate), overstates battery efficiency losses, adds the “cost” of free public chargers in the form of “property taxes, tuition, consumer prices or investor burdens” and overlooks generous government and manufacturing incentives.

The true cost of a fill-up

In the end, we may never agree on what it costs to refuel an electric vehicle. That may not matter. For the everyday driver in the United States, it’s already cheaper to refuel an EV, and it’s expected to get cheaper as renewable capacity expands and vehicle efficiency improves.

The sticker price of an EV is expected to fall below the price of comparable gasoline cars as soon as this year , and estimates of the total cost of ownership — maintenance, fuel and other costs over a vehicle’s lifetime — mean EVs are already cheaper over the lifetime of the vehicle.

After that there’s one last number I felt was missing: the social cost of carbon . It’s a rough dollar estimate of the damage from adding another ton of carbon to the atmosphere — a tally of heat deaths, flooding, wildfires, crop failures and other costs tied to global warming.

Every gallon of gas adds about 5.5 pounds of carbon to the atmosphere, equivalent to about 50 cents in climate damage per gallon, researchers estimate. Accounting for external factors such as congestion, accidents and air pollution, according to one 2007 estimate by Resources for the Future, puts the damage bill closer to $3 per gallon .

You’re not required to pay this, of course. And EVs also don’t solve this problem on their own. We need cities and neighborhoods where you don’t need a car to visit friends or buy groceries.

But electric mobility is essential to helping keep temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius. The alternative is a price that has become impossible to ignore.

About this story

The costs to fill up an EV vs. a gasoline vehicle were calculated for three vehicle classes: sedans, SUVs and trucks. All vehicle selections are 2023 base models. The average miles traveled by a driver per year was assumed to be 14,263 , based on 2019 Federal Highway Administration data. For all vehicles, assumptions for range, mileage and emissions were drawn from the Environmental Protection Agency’s fueleconomy.gov . Gas prices are based on July 2023 data from AAA . For EVs, the average number of kilowatt-hours required for a full charge was calculated based on the battery size. Charging location was based on Energy Department research indicating that 80 percent of charging is at home . Residential electricity rates were provided by the Energy Information Administration from 2022. The remaining 20 percent of charging was at public charging stations, with electricity rates based on Electrify America’s published rates by state.

These calculations do not incorporate any assumptions for total cost of ownership, EV tax credits, registration fees, or operation and maintenance expenses. We also do not assume any EV-related rate designs, EV charging discounts or free charging, or electric time-of-use pricing.

Tale of 2 road trips: Are gasoline vehicles cheaper to fill up than EVs?

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  • You’ll feel the lively spirit of bustling city life the minute you pull into Moscow. Some 35 mi from Elektrostal, it has loads of fantastic spots to visit, like Red Square.
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There are many English speaking taxi services listed here as well as the note that there is a walk up official taxi desk at the airport. Looking for recommendations. Would prefer a fixed price, I think. How have others gotten into the city by car /taxi? What to watch out for? Expected costs? Services you recommend or experiences with just booking a cab at the airport kiosk? How is that done to avoid scammers?

Grateful for advice from those who have done this. We are heading to the Marriott Grand Hotel a couple days in advance of a river cruise to Petersburg; our first cruise experience although we did spend 9 nights in an apartment in Petersburg last fall.

Janettravels44

http://www.janettravels.wordpress.com

road trip suv or sedan

Number one I don't think DME has business class taxi and number two when they do the price difference is $10-15 or so no big deal.

http://www.domodedovo.ru/passengers/transport/taxi/

Anyway, I remember someone reporting having been made to pay around 7000 rubles. Better to be prepared.

The link for taxi fares on the airport site is broken or at least on my computer/browser it just leads me to zip. Any other site for price guidelines? The hotel website suggests it is more like 5000 Rubles (they don't provide the service). I'd love to pay 1650 and have authoritative information that that is the price. (i.e. a website I can open)

I just gave a working link leading to a page leading to different "official" companies' price lists (in Russian only). Here's a direct link to one of those: http://www.domodedovo.ru/passengers/transport/taxi/formula-eco/

The economy fares are the same for three companies listed (1645-1650), the fourth one (Nexi) charges 1750.

Thanks for that link; I will print it out. When I go to the earlier site and to the English translation it won't take me to specific prices. EVen for that link -- if I opt for ENglish it leaves me at the general level and not the specific detailed fares for various areas.

> When I go to the earlier site and to the English translation it won't take me to specific prices

I know. That's why I posted the link in Russian in the first place.

road trip suv or sedan

Its fine and dandy to have a paper printed with prices but you are at mercy of the person at taxi stand giving you a price. I thought 1800 was fair, of course 1650 is better. What is the price to get you safely from airport to your hotel with least amount of pain? I can see this poor women telling guy at taxi stand that the prices on paper are official from airport site. Hah? The price for taxi is what you are quoted, at that time, sure you can hassle...debate...insist..... all the while the 'wolves' are behind lurking. Let's look at this another way, is haggling worth it for let's say 2-3 usd???? When spending a few grand on a trip? JMHO

One 'wolf' at airport was talking to me as I was waiting for my friend to arrive. Seemed a nice guy. Kept asking me if I needed a taxi into city. Asked about my hotel, even knew its former name, when I finally asked him what he charges, flipped up some paper in sealed plastic....6600 rubles!!!! I said , what???? Oh, but he said, I give you good price 3000 rubles!!!! lol

I do agree it is good to have an idea as to pricing .

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Moscow Hotels and Places to Stay

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Moscow to Berlin drive

Moscow to berlin road trip planner.

Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Moscow to Berlin. If you're planning a road trip to Berlin, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.

8:00 am  start in Moscow drive for about 54.5 hours

day 1 driving ≈ 54.5 hours

8:00 am  leave from Borodino drive for about 61 hours

day 2 driving ≈ 61 hours

11:00 am  leave from Smolensk drive for about 2 hours

1:04 pm   Orsha stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:04 pm drive for about 2.5 hours

day 3 driving ≈ 4.5 hours

10:00 am  leave from Minsk drive for about 3.5 hours

1:45 pm   Bialystok stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:45 pm drive for about 2.5 hours

day 4 driving ≈ 6.5 hours

10:00 am  leave from Warsaw drive for about 3 hours

12:57 pm   Poznan stay for about 1 hour and leave at 1:57 pm drive for about 2.5 hours

4:36 pm  arrive in Berlin stay at Melia Berlin

day 5 driving ≈ 5.5 hours

Where should I stop along the way?

Borodino Smolensk Orsha Minsk   (3 answers)     restaurants around Minsk:         Natvris Khe Bialystok Warsaw   (31 answers)     Warsaw Old Town   (3 mentions)     Warsaw Uprising Museum   (2 mentions)     questions about Warsaw:         What do during a weekend in Warsaw         24-hrs in Warsaw         Dinner & nice spots to go out?         Best things to See/Do         Centrally located hotel in Warsaw Poznan   (7 answers)     questions about Poznan:         Best free things to do in Poznan?         Best places to see

Where's the best place to stay in Berlin?

Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?

The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Berlin .

If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Melia Berlin , which was mentioned 4 times on Trippy.

Here are some more hotels people talk about:

Want to research more popular hotels in Berlin? Click the blue button below.

Where's the best place to eat in Berlin?

Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?

Trippy members suggest Burgermeister , which was mentioned 7 times.

Here are some more restaurants people talk about:

Want to research more popular restaurants in Berlin? Click the blue button below.

What are some things to do in Berlin?

This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.

These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:

Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!

For example, here are some questions people have asked about Berlin. Click on any question to see answers from the community!

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Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Berlin.

Do I really have to go back home?

Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!

Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Berlin to Moscow drive , or go to the main page to plan a new road trip .

You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Moscow to Berlin . Or get a full Moscow to Berlin flight plan .

Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend.

And if you know Moscow well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Moscow!

More info on this route:

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The world’s electric car fleet continues to grow strongly, with 2024 sales set to reach 17 million

News 23 April 2024

Photo shows a line of yellow electric cars plugged in to charging points

Despite near-term challenges in some markets, based on today's policy settings, almost 1 in 3 cars on the roads in China by 2030 is set to be electric, and almost 1 in 5 in both United States and European Union

More than one in five cars sold worldwide this year is expected to be electric, with surging demand projected over the next decade set to remake the global auto industry and significantly reduce oil consumption for road transport, according to the new edition of the IEA’s annual Global EV Outlook .

The latest Outlook , published today, finds that global electric car sales are set to remain robust in 2024, reaching around 17 million by the end of the year. In the first quarter, sales grew by about 25% compared with the same period in 2023 – similar to the growth rate seen in the same period a year earlier, but from a larger base. The number of electric cars sold globally in the first three months of this year is roughly equivalent to the number sold in all of 2020.

In 2024, electric cars sales in China are projected to leap to about 10 million, accounting for about 45% of all car sales in the country. In the United States, roughly one in nine cars sold are projected to be electric – while in Europe, despite a generally weak outlook for passenger car sales and the phase-out of subsidies in some countries, electric cars are still set to represent about one in four cars sold.

This growth builds on a record-breaking 2023. Last year, global electric car sales soared by 35% to almost 14 million. While demand remained largely concentrated in China, Europe and the United States, growth also picked up in some emerging markets such as Viet Nam and Thailand, where electric cars accounted for 15% and 10%, respectively, of all cars sold.

Substantial investment in the electric vehicle supply chain, ongoing policy support, and declines in the price of EVs and their batteries are expected to produce even more significant changes in the years to come. The Outlook finds that under today’s policy settings, every other car sold globally is set to be electric by 2035. Meanwhile, if countries’ announced energy and climate pledges are met in full and on time, two in three cars sold would be electric by 2035. In this scenario, the rapid uptake of electric vehicles – from cars to vans, trucks, buses, and two- and three-wheelers –  avoids the need for around 12 million barrels of oil per day, on a par with current demand from road transport in China and Europe combined.

“The continued momentum behind electric cars is clear in our data, although it is stronger in some markets than others,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol . “Rather than tapering off, the global EV revolution appears to be gearing up for a new phase of growth. The wave of investment in battery manufacturing suggests the EV supply chain is advancing to meet automakers’ ambitious plans for expansion. As a result, the share of EVs on the roads is expected to continue to climb rapidly. Based on today’s policy settings alone, almost one in three cars on the roads in China by 2030 is set to be electric, and almost one in five in both the United States and European Union. This shift will have major ramifications for both the auto industry and the energy sector.”

The report finds that manufacturers have taken major steps to deliver on the strengthening EV ambitions of governments, including by making significant financial commitments. Thanks to high levels of investment over the past five years, the world’s capacity to produce batteries for EVs is well positioned to keep up with demand, even as it rises sharply over the next decade. The pace of the transition to EVs may not be consistent and will hinge on affordability, the report emphasises.

In China, more than 60% of electric cars sold in 2023 were already less expensive to buy than their conventional equivalents. However, in Europe and the United States, the purchase prices for cars with internal combustion engines remained cheaper on average, though intensifying market competition and improving battery technologies are expected to reduce prices in the coming years. Even where upfront prices are high, the lower operating costs of EVs mean the initial investment pays back over time.

Growing electric car exports from Chinese automakers, which accounted for more than half of all electric car sales in 2023, could add to downward pressure on purchase prices. Chinese companies, which are also setting up production facilities abroad, have already seen strong sales of more affordable models launched in 2022 and 2023 in overseas markets. This highlights that the composition of the main EV-producing economies is diverging considerably from the traditional auto industry.

Ensuring that the availability of public charging keeps pace with electric vehicle sales is crucial for continued growth, according to the report. The number of public charging points installed globally was up 40% in 2023 relative to 2022, and growth for fast chargers outpaced that of slower ones. However, to meet a level of electric vehicle deployment in line with the pledges made by governments, charging networks need to grow sixfold by 2035. At the same time, policy support and careful planning are essential to make sure greater demand for electricity from charging does not overstretch electricity grids.

Accompanying the Global EV Outlook 2024 are the Global EV Data Explorer and the Global EV Policy Explorer . These online tools allow users to interactively explore EV statistics, projections and policy measures worldwide. 

Global EV Data Explorer

Explore historical and projected data on electric vehicles sales, stock, charging infrastructure and oil displacement.

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    The 2022 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel full-size pickup features a luxurious cabin plus a generous 2,300-pound payload and 12,750-lb max tow rating, making it one of the best road trip trucks of 2022. You'll also appreciate an air suspension that lowers the truck at speed, resulting in a highway fuel economy estimate as high as 33 mpg.

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  28. Taxi or Car from DME

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  29. Moscow to Berlin drive

    drive for about 3 hours. 3:31 pm Poznan. stay for about 1 hour. and leave at 4:31 pm. drive for about 2.5 hours. 7:09 pm arrive in Berlin. eat at Burgermeister. stay at Melia Berlin. day 4 driving ≈ 8 hours.

  30. The world's electric car fleet continues to grow strongly, with 2024

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