What’s the ultimate road trip car?

[TheLawnRanger]

50s convertible Cadillac

 

[Astro14]

I’m going to humbly suggest the Mercedes S600.

Smooth, quiet ride, and excellent handling from the Active Body Control. Amazingly smooth powerful engine. Direct, accurate steering. Wonderful seats, which can be set to heat, cool, or massage. Bose sound system with Sirius.

Many road trips in that car, it eats up miles like no other.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

#1 BMW 335d
#2 BMW 435i

 

[Gasbuggy]

I averaged 27mpg on an East Coast to Colorado and back road trip in my old LS6 manual trans Cadillac CTS-V with headers/cam and a lean cruise. A good bit of that is 80-90mph cruising. The bumper was amber around the tailpipes when I got back. Car wasn't a great road trip vehicle because my tune didn't allow working cruise control.

My new cts-v can't come close to the fuel economy and I don't like filling up often. It's nice to do a road trip and get across states you hate, like Illinois, without stopping for anything.

I took a 06 accord v6 on my last road trip. Not a great car either for a long drive. Got 33.xx mpg though.

 

[Trav]

I’m going to humbly suggest the Mercedes S600.

Smooth, quiet ride, and excellent handling from the Active Body Control. Amazingly smooth powerful engine. Direct, accurate steering. Wonderful seats, which can be set to heat, cool, or massage. Bose sound system with Sirius.

Many road trips in that car, it eats up miles like no other.

Another really great car.

 

[skyactiv]

• Mercedes-Maybach S 580 4MATIC.

 

[RooflessVW]

My 1992 750i was the best road trip car I've ever had. Maybe that was because of where I lived and where the road trips were to.

It's hard to beat a weekend trip to Chamonix in a well-sorted classic BMW.

 

[eljefino]

I know this is going to sound strange, but I think there definitely is something about a road trip that is not just the trip itself, but the car...that connection, the experience of it, how it made it more enjoyable (or less enjoyable). Especially if it’s your car and not a rental. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to people about a long road trip and they’ll talk more about the car they did it in, than the actual trip. Or people that rented a car for a week long vacation and told stories about the car they were in.

I don’t know what it is with cars, but there’s a connection there.

Well and that's a matter of philosophy, how much adventure/ inconvenience do you want? This is the same reason some buzz through on interstates while others take two-lane roads. Why some eat at Applebees while others try local diners.

Some people, consciously or subconsciously, want more drama in their lives and will take a road trip to find it. Others are in it for the destination.

 

[NitroM3]

In your opinion, what’s the ultimate road trip car?

Just got back from the longest trip I’ve taken my Genesis on so far. Previously the longest I had done was a trip to Vegas. I drove up to Monterey, CA to take Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway down to Long Beach, then back to Phoenix. Also drove around the LA/Hollywood area.

The handling is as good as a big heavy car can get, and the Pacific Coast Highway is full of twists and turns.

So what’s the ultimate road trip car to you?

I have to say I have been on exactly the trip you mention and more. In all the cars I owned I would have to say the most fun was in my 1979 MGB Special Edition .
I have gone up and down Ca and Oregon HWY 1 many times on road trips and still do. We just cruised from Rocklin CA to Gold Beach Ore in the MAZDA . I just hate the total cleaning when we return. It takes about 3 days of cleaning and detailing. LOL

 

[Zee09]

To me it has to be comfortable, quiet, and fuel efficient sans irritating quirks....

Not many of them available these days. Sounds like yours is a winner.

 

[Nick1994]

I have to say I have been on exactly the trip you mention and more. In all the cars I owned I would have to say the most fun was in my 1979 MGB Special Edition .
I have gone up and down Ca and Oregon HWY 1 many times on road trips and still do. We just cruised from Rocklin CA to Gold Beach Ore in the MAZDA . I just hate the total cleaning when we return. It takes about 3 days of cleaning and detailing. LOL

Yeah I'm not looking forward to getting all the beach sand out..

I've also driven the coast twice north of San Francisco up Oregon, once was all the way around Olympic National Park.

 

[supton]

Some people, consciously or subconsciously, want more drama in their lives and will take a road trip to find it. Others are in it for the destination.

Something I learned during the pandemic was I just like to be moving. I started missing my daily commute. One or two days back in office per week cured that. I think there is something about moving at a speed well in excess of walking that appeals to the primitive part of the brain, of covering more ground in one hour than one could walk in a day, that somehow just feels magical.

I don’t think I’ve ever done a road trip in a “nice” car, closest was when our Camry was newer. Most of my trips have been in older cars, gas and go, just sit back and watch the scenery. I like to keep low standards for most things in my life, easier to hit than if something has to be “just perfect”.

 

[Averroes]

I'd say the new 2022 Land Cruiser. Roomy, reliable, can handle any conditions thrown at it.

If I wanted a sports car for my road trip, I would take my 370z.

Now, if I wanted real hardcore road trip, I'd grab a bike from KTM, Ducati or Yamaha, throw on som hard boxes and ropes for storage, a jerry can or two and become a real Vegabond.

 

[4WD]

X350 series Jaguar. I owned a 2006 XJ8 Vanden Plas in college. A true full-size sedan, massive trunk, V8, air suspension, decent stereo. Double pane glass and lots of sound deadening, was very quiet even at 100+. >30 MPG highway (premium) if you kept your foot out of it.
View attachment 64785

We have a bank CEO that does 3 year leases on the big Jags … left the plantation for an AMG once … went back to the big black Jags …

 

[ecotourist]

My first recommendation would be "a car you already own". Just do it.

My second recommendation would be a Volvo 740 Turbo. Wonderful seats and a turbo that could flatten any grade. Not a lot of torque off the line but have you ever tried to pass one on a mountain grade?

 

[eljefino]

Volvo 740 Turbo. Wonderful seats and a turbo that could flatten any grade.

And enough glass that you can see what you're driving by. Something modern cars suck at.

 

[addyguy]

Any mid-1970’s full-size American Luxor-barge.
Mercury Grand Marquis, Olds 98 Regency, Chrysler New Yorker….
Top of the line one with ‘loose pillow’ seats, 7.5 litre V-8, air…just waft along Route 66…
Sorry, was getting into my bucket-list trip there…sigh…

 

[manicrodder]

View attachment 64781 has lots of torque.

And look at that trunk space!

 

[02SE]

We had an SL600 for awhile, which was a great road trip car.


But I've had some great road trips in all sorts of vehicles. My favorite would be the trips on motorcycles.

 

[Zaedock]

My wife and son just came back from a 1,000 mile road trip to Rochester Institute of Technology and Champlain College in our new Stinger and had a blast. My son was stoked because my wife let him drive most of the trip. He really enjoyed the mountain passes. On the highway in Eco mode, they were getting over advertised mileage, around 26 mpg.
My wife and I are heading to the White Mountains in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to hit the hair pin turns on the Kanc'.