The best road trip car to rent depends on the type of adventure you’re planning on—The Honda Odyssey gives you maximum interior space, whereas the Ford Expedition is perfect for offroading and hauling gear.
No matter what vehicle you’re driving, everyone wants to enjoy a safe trip and save money. The car insurance comparison app Jerry
can help you uncover cost savings without losing coverage. More cash and great car insurance
? Sounds like a recipe for road trip success! Read on to discover the 10 best road trip cars for every destination.
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What makes a car great for a road trip?
The best car to rent for a road trip is safe, spacious, and reliable. It should also get reasonable fuel economy so you don’t have to stop every hour for an expensive re-fuel.
Each of the 10 vehicles below has good safety ratings from accredited institutions like the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety
, or IIHS. These vehicles offer plenty of space, either inside the cabin or in the cargo area. Some are the best suited for road trips and camping, whereas others are better for off-roading with your gear or slow coastal cruising with your sweetie.
2020 Honda Odyssey
Not just for soccer moms.
Spacious in both cabin and cargo room, the Honda Odyssey
is a great car for a road trip. Plus, it comes with Magic Slide seats which makes it possible to shift the vehicle’s layout and make room for more bags. The Odyssey has a snazzy infotainment system that includes an onboard navigation app, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost or losing cell signal on a road trip. Backseat passengers will love the CabinControl feature, which allows everyone to control their own temperature and airflow.
Fuel economy: 19 mpg (city) / 28 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
MORE: How to avoid being unfairly charged for rental car damage
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Get great fuel economy and show off your (car’s) body.
Many hybrids forfeit storage to accommodate a battery, but the RAV4 Hybrid’s
batteries do not intrude on the cargo area. This is great news for adventurous eco-aware people who need space for gear but prefer electric vehicles. The fuel economy on this model cannot be beaten—your wallet and the planet will be equally satisfied.
The RAV4 offers a zippy driving experience but plenty of excellent driver assistance technology to keep you safe on the road. The 2020 model even includes a WiFi hotspot to keep passengers connected (and entertained) on long journeys.
Fuel economy: 41 mpg (city) / 38 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Key Takeaway Even with batteries, the Hybrid RAV4 offers plenty of cargo space.
Kia Telluride
Maximum safety with minimum hassle.
The Kia Telluride
is a three-row SUV with lots of flexibility. Its spacious interior offers plenty of room for large families and the seats are surprisingly comfortable. The Telluride is a top safety pick from the IIHS. It also has an above-average reliability score, so you shouldn’t run into any nasty problems while crisscrossing the country.
This model offers a hassle-free road-tripping experience. It has a powerful V6 engine and a 5,000 lb. towing capacity—perfect if your trip includes a trailer or a boat.
You will love the infotainment Quiet Mode, which lets you lower the volume for dozing backseat passengers. But if it gets too rowdy back there, you can flip to the Driver Talk function to chastise the culprit.
Fuel economy: 20 mpg (city) / 26 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Audi e-tron
An electric drive and a smooth ride, guaranteed.
The Audi
e-tron is a completely electric vehicle, which means that it has a limited range of about 200 miles. Some parts of the country have lots of charging stations, whereas other areas do not. Make sure you plot your route carefully. The e-tron comes with all-wheel drive and a smooth driving experience. It has above-average predicted reliability, which puts it above most other electric models.
If fuel economy and safety are not enough to convince you, the spacious cockpit and sleek body style elevate the e-tron to a truly delightful road trip machine.
Fuel economy: 78 mpg (city) / 77 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Key Takeaway Enjoy the Audi e-tron’s smooth and quiet ride, but remember— its battery has a maximum range of roughly 200 miles.
Subaru Outback
Stereotypes aside, the Subaru is a solid road-trip companion.
Hop into a classic Subaru Outback
for your next backcountry adventure. All-wheel drive comes standard and the newer models offer safety features that will make your driving experience a breeze. Adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist are just two of the many support systems you’ll enjoy. You can fit a total of five people into the Outback, but you may struggle to cram in all their baggage.
However, the Outback is perfect for a two-person road trip when there’s a ton of gear involved. For instance, throw some innertubes and coolers into the backseat and safely pilot the Outback to a pristine, mountaintop lake.
Fuel economy: 26 mpg (city) / 33 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 4/5 stars
Honda Ridgeline
Haul yourself anywhere and do it in style.
A pickup truck is a perfect choice for hauling motorbikes, kayaks, or other gear on a road trip. The Ridgeline
also has a sneaky cubby beneath the truck bed floor that includes a drain, so you can use it as a cooler. This model is a top safety pick by IIHS with an above-average predicted reliability score.
But the Ridgeline is far more than just a rugged machine—it is a sleek and stylish truck with smartphone connectivity and supportive seats so you arrive at your destination ready to rock.
Fuel economy: 18 mpg (city) / 24 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Ford Expedition
Oodles of space and fully kitted out for long-distance driving.
The Ford Expedition
is an enormous SUV. It’s great for big families or people with a ton of stuff (it has a whopping 20.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row). You will sacrifice fuel economy, but it gets a pretty fair rate for such a huge car. This model is not only practical, but it’s also thoughtfully designed to provide maximum comfort for both passengers and drivers.
The Expedition’s back row is comfortable enough for adults. New models include a WiFi hotspot and USB ports for easy charging on the go. The MyKey feature is a particularly unique value-add for multi-driver trips, allowing you to set limits on radio volume and speed when you swap drivers.
Fuel economy: 17 mpg (city) / 24 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Who said road trips can’t be stylish?
If you want to feel like James Bond, choose this solid SUV for your next road trip. 4WD is standard and you’ll enjoy 416 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.
This model gets terrible fuel economy and it comes with a high price tag, unfortunately.
However, if you are willing to overlook the drawbacks in exchange for a temporary thrill, then you really can’t beat the reliability and off-road capabilities of the G-Class. Plus, a seriously stylish vehicle makes for seriously impressive Instagram photos.
Fuel economy: 13 mpg (city) / 16 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: Not rated
Key Takeaway Looking great is always fun, but the Mercedes-Benz G-Class’s lackluster fuel economy makes it prohibitive for long road trips.
Ford Mustang Convertible
Put the roof down and get someone special along for the ride.
The rear seats in the Mustang Convertible
are pretty unusable, but the front seats are very comfortable for long drives. This is the perfect choice for a road trip with one other person, like your sweetheart or your BFF. The trunk on this model has far more space than many other convertibles, so you should be able to pack a day bag and other gear without breaking a sweat. You’ll also enjoy great fuel economy, reducing stops (and spending) by a ton.
With the Mustang Convertible, put the roof down and you’re almost guaranteed an unforgettable road trip experience.
Fuel economy: 20 mpg (city) / 28 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: Not rated
Dodge Challenger
Roar through the landscape and get good mileage, too.
The Challenger
is a muscle car with seriously respectable fuel economy. You probably wouldn’t want to choose this model for a big family road trip, but it’s the perfect choice for a grownup-only adventure to Vegas, for instance.Most driver-assistance tech is optional, although the Challenger’s standard model does include a rearview camera.
The backseat is spacious enough that adults can ride comfortably, and the trunk offers much more storage space compared with other sports cars.
Fuel economy: 18 mpg (city) / 27 mpg (highway)
NHTSA safety ratings: 5/5 stars
Conclusion
To enjoy your road trip
, you will need three things: a safe car, a healthy budget, and plenty of entertainment. Jerry
can help you on all three counts. For a safe vehicle, rent one of the options on the above list before you hit the road. To save money, use Jerry, the licensed broker
and comparison shopping app, to compare insurance rates and put cash back in your pocket. Jerry’s sign-up process takes 45 seconds, it is completely free, and the average user saves $879 per year on their car insurance. Sounds worth a try before your road trip, wouldn’t you say?