If I go on a road trip, I'm bringing the wife and 3 kids. With that being said, my options are more limited: seating, luggage space, etc. I'd have to go with a crew cab pickup, like either of my F150s, or a Honda Odyssey. I've never had or driven in a Honda Odyssey, but I imagine it's very comfortable. And I like the way it looks.
What’s the ultimate road trip car?
- Thread starter Nick1994
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Full size rental car. Not a care in the world, just enjoy the road.
Beat me to it. Land boat.
Late 89s early 90s buick with those couch seats.
well, after four days tooling around wyoming and sd i can tell you that it sure isn’t a subaru crosstrek. yes, it fit three suitcases and two carryons. yes, the front seats are roomy and supportive. but the engine is gutless, the cvt revs all over the map, the cruise control isn’t smooth and the electronics are maddening. this was my longest, and shall be my last, experience both in a subaru and with a cvt.
My HiHy AWD is a great road trip car. Plenty of room, competent handling and most importantly, the less trips to the fuel pumps, and the AWD means road trips in the winter also, with snow on the ground.
Best road trip car is a motorhome...diesel pushers are king.
Depends on the situation.
If it's for work or I have my family with me then I must admit my 2020 BMW 520d has been amazing. Awesome sound system, good climate controls and at 70mph it sits at just 1700rpm and will pull hard in 8th gear from there if needed. It will do 1000miles on a full tank if you keep your foot out of it and 750miles if you use the power. It's going this weekend for something cheaper to run as our financial situation has changed and I'm totally gutted it's going.
However, if I'm on my own, not in a rush or driving for pleasure then nothing puts a smile on my face like the LR Defender. It's uncomfortable, it's noisy, it's slow, it drinks fuel like crazy, the heaters are useless, it doesn't have A/C, the sound system appauling and you never know when it's going to break down and it will. BUT, it has massive amounts of character. Driving the Defender is always an experience, always an event. You have no choice in the Defender but to sit in the inside lane at 55mph, maybe 60mph at a push and use your high driving position to admire the views.
If it's for work or I have my family with me then I must admit my 2020 BMW 520d has been amazing. Awesome sound system, good climate controls and at 70mph it sits at just 1700rpm and will pull hard in 8th gear from there if needed. It will do 1000miles on a full tank if you keep your foot out of it and 750miles if you use the power. It's going this weekend for something cheaper to run as our financial situation has changed and I'm totally gutted it's going.
However, if I'm on my own, not in a rush or driving for pleasure then nothing puts a smile on my face like the LR Defender. It's uncomfortable, it's noisy, it's slow, it drinks fuel like crazy, the heaters are useless, it doesn't have A/C, the sound system appauling and you never know when it's going to break down and it will. BUT, it has massive amounts of character. Driving the Defender is always an experience, always an event. You have no choice in the Defender but to sit in the inside lane at 55mph, maybe 60mph at a push and use your high driving position to admire the views.
Drive the Pan American Highway as far south as your time and budget allow. Drove it a bit in Costa Rica (in a rented Yaris, lol), guessing that it is the closest thing to the pre-Interstate era.
en.wikipedia.org
Or if you are not a fan of the sun...drive north as far as your time and budget allow...either to Alaska or northern Quebec.
en.wikipedia.org
Darién Gap - Wikipedia
Or if you are not a fan of the sun...drive north as far as your time and budget allow...either to Alaska or northern Quebec.
Trans-Canada Highway - Wikipedia
A class b camper van would be my choice.
I once traveled out to Vancouver island in my 86 Dodge camper van with the 318. Pulling the boat along behind kept me to some pretty slow speeds in the mountains of interior BC including one half hour climb where I couldn’t get above 40kmh. I just didn’t have the gearing or power. I remember seeing bears on the side of the highway giving me puzzled looks as I plodded by as if to say “shouldn’t you be going way faster?”. Coming down the other side was much more exciting. It was really nice just being able to pull over and hop in the back for a nap or a bowel movement.
I once traveled out to Vancouver island in my 86 Dodge camper van with the 318. Pulling the boat along behind kept me to some pretty slow speeds in the mountains of interior BC including one half hour climb where I couldn’t get above 40kmh. I just didn’t have the gearing or power. I remember seeing bears on the side of the highway giving me puzzled looks as I plodded by as if to say “shouldn’t you be going way faster?”. Coming down the other side was much more exciting. It was really nice just being able to pull over and hop in the back for a nap or a bowel movement.
As a single guy, I had a remarkably good experience with my 1995 Integra GS-R. It would average around 37 MPG on long stretches of freeway even with EPA estimates of 30/25. I had plenty of passing power and could stash a ton of stuff in the back, especially with the rear seats down. It wasn’t that loud and I could sit for hours without any soreness.
I’ve even gone with friends in it, although maybe as far as Tahoe.
I’ve even gone with friends in it, although maybe as far as Tahoe.
Yeah! Build a highway through the Darien Gap!Drive the Pan American Highway as far south as your time and budget allow. Drove it a bit in Costa Rica (in a rented Yaris, lol), guessing that it is the closest thing to the pre-Interstate era.
Darién Gap - Wikipedia
Or if you are not a fan of the sun...drive north as far as your time and budget allow...either to Alaska or northern Quebec.
Trans-Canada Highway - Wikipedia
But I generally like the northern routes, and have travelled a little in near northern Quebec. When I got to Sept-Iles, I knew I wasn't at the end of the earth, but swore I could see it from there. There are roads in northern Quebec that are intended to service only the hydro installations, and run 350 miles through uninterrupted forest. If you break down out there, you are DONE.
That's the ones I like. Especially in burgundy. Of course, I think a Buick Roadmaster Wagon looks good as well, so I do go against the grain.
Agreed, on all points.
1982 WB Holden Statesman Caprice V8
2015 VW Passat TDI hands down. Torque for miles and i achieved several 900+ mile tanks of fuel on crazy long road trips. Put 62k miles on it in two years.
manicrodder
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My vote is a newer 5th generation RAV4 Hybrid. Just did a 22 day, 6200 mile road trip this Spring in my 2020 RAV4 Hybrid. The vehicle handled 3 adults, luggage, and a cooler comfortably even with the back window unobstructed. Most of the cruising was 80+ MPH and we still averaged over 37 MPG. It also had enough ground clearance for us to enter the “high clearance vehicle only” areas of two National Parks without issue. Phenomenal road trip car.
Bentley Continental GT for me. If youve never been in one, you cant imagine how smooth and powerful they are. Its just one of those cars that you have to experience if you ever get the chance.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.
To me, it’s the ultimate road trip car. Extremely comfortable seats and effortless high speed interstate cruising made it a joy through the boring parts of the trip.
The handling is as good as a big heavy car can get, and the Pacific Coast Highway is full of twists and turns.
The V8 has all the power you need/want and will rip it’s way merging from the shoulder or into/out of a turn.
It also has all the tech I want, with Apple CarPlay for Waze, ventilated 14 way adjustable seats, radar cruise control, and automatic climate control.
1,698 miles and 81.39 gallons turned out to be 20.86 mpg. I’m not an easy going driver at all. Most of one tank was sitting in traffic in LA. riving back to Phoenix was almost entirely with the cruise set at 85, with some areas at 90 to keep up with traffic. My best tank was 23.1 mpg. I also only run it on 87 octane, not sure if that makes a difference.
Although it turns out it isn’t too good in the sand, as I got stuck in the parking lot at Pismo Beach by trying to create my own parking spot.But I dug with my hands for about 5 minutes and was able to back up, threw off some good rooster tails onto some people, I apologized but they were laughing so all was well.
So what’s the ultimate road trip car to you?
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