Topic: Feature: Top ten vehicles for a road trip

[Autos_Editor]

We've compiled a list of road trip-ready vehicles with an emphasis on driving satisfaction and fuel efficiency.

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[ajay]

Great topic, Kudos . Good stuff . Learned a little real world knowledge too .
Mini can't do hills well , VW gets good mpg AT the posted mph .

[sailor723]

The list kind of surprised me. I've always thought of "roadtrip cars" as large ,powerful vehicles with a smooth ride, quiet cabins,great seats and lots of luxury features. I quess it all depends on how you look at it.

[rrocket]

The list kind of surprised me. I've always thought of "roadtrip cars" as large ,powerful vehicles with a smooth ride, quiet cabins,great seats and lots of luxury features. I quess it all depends on how you look at it.

Me too.  For cross country jaunts or long road trips, I want to feel as fresh when I arrive as I did when I left.  I think Lexus LS, Infiniti Q, Audi A8, etc..

Now if you're going to Deal's Gap, you'd want something sporty......

[sailor723]

The list kind of surprised me. I've always thought of "roadtrip cars" as large ,powerful vehicles with a smooth ride, quiet cabins,great seats and lots of luxury features. I quess it all depends on how you look at it.

Me too.  For cross country jaunts or long road trips, I want to feel as fresh when I arrive as I did when I left.  I think Lexus LS, Infiniti Q, Audi A8, etc..

Now if you're going to Deal's Gap, you'd want something sporty......

Exactly....there's a big difference between a 1,000 km interstate roadtrip and driving secondary roads through the mountains of Vermont or New Hampshire. Back when I had a more "trucky" SUV my wife's car (03 and then 05 Maxima SL) was always our roadtrip car.

[Snowman]

The list kind of surprised me. I've always thought of "roadtrip cars" as large ,powerful vehicles with a smooth ride, quiet cabins,great seats and lots of luxury features. I quess it all depends on how you look at it.

Agreed, the list is weak and all over the place.

[superukr]

Mazda3? road trip? I hope you guys meant trip to community center not like 500-1000 km trip unless your body made of wood.   

[quadzilla]

Mazda3? road trip? I hope you guys meant trip to community center not like 500-1000 km trip unless your body made of wood.   

  I drove from London Ont to San Fransisco CA and back in my Protege5, why couldn't a Mazda3 be able to do any long drive with its softer suspension?

[dragonfly]

 I just came back a few weeks ago, from Myrtle Beach, which is 850 miles from Wallkill, NY, my hometown...Total gas mileage there and back...about 39.5 MPG...with 4 people on board, Molly the Mutt,  a trunk loaded to the max, and the A/C on most of the trip...Comfortable roomy ride.
  Amazing frugality....Six speed manual didn't hurt...I love this car   dragonfly

[theonlydt]

Strange that the Mazda 5 was singled out for criticism on its real-world versus stated fuel economy - it's certainly not the only vehicle to use more fuel than stated! For the record my 2010 gets 10l/100km in predominately winter city followed by hilly 120kmh highway. Somewhere around 9l/100km in summer. When doing 100-110kmh on the highway it'll do 8l/100km without trying too hard (I've got 7.5 before). Compared to the Mother-in-law's Odessey where 14l/100km is standard in winter and you half kill yourself to get 10l/100km I'd say it's pretty much a fuel sipper.
Personally of all the cars on that list I'd take the Golf Wagon - I'm a big fan of diesel, the ride/handling of the Golf and the seats. My top choice for a summer roadtrip though would be a Mazda MX-5 - room for my wife and I, though not the Golden Retriever...
Of course if doing crazy distances it would be some sort of Merc S-Class or big Lexus, but those are beyond the reach of most of us mere mortals.

[johngenx]

My father and his SO have taken several really long distance road trips, and their favourite ride by far is the S2000.  It would be high on my list of choices, too.

[theonlydt]

I just came back a few weeks ago, from Myrtle Beach, which is 850 miles from Wallkill, NY, my hometown...Total gas mileage there and back...about 39.5 MPG...with 4 people on board, Molly the Mutt,  a trunk loaded to the max, and the A/C on most of the trip...Comfortable roomy ride.
  Amazing frugality....Six speed manual didn't hurt...I love this car   dragonfly

That was in your Sonata?

[blur911]

Mazda3? road trip? I hope you guys meant trip to community center not like 500-1000 km trip unless your body made of wood.   

  I drove from London Ont to San Fransisco CA and back in my Protege5, why couldn't a Mazda3 be able to do any long drive with its softer suspension?

Didn't someone on here just rent an Altima to drive from Ottawa to Toronto because they didn't want to drive their Mazda 5 that far?

[quadzilla]

Mazda3? road trip? I hope you guys meant trip to community center not like 500-1000 km trip unless your body made of wood.   

  I drove from London Ont to San Fransisco CA and back in my Protege5, why couldn't a Mazda3 be able to do any long drive with its softer suspension?

Didn't someone on here just rent an Altima to drive from Ottawa to Toronto because they didn't want to drive their Mazda 5 that far?

I think that was Tortoise but it was a Protege5. Something about the engine buzzing once you cross 120kph. 

[Jaeger]

The list kind of surprised me. I've always thought of "roadtrip cars" as large ,powerful vehicles with a smooth ride, quiet cabins,great seats and lots of luxury features. I quess it all depends on how you look at it.

You are not alone.  For a long road trip, a large comfortable sedan or a luxed-out minivan would be my choice.  Driving to Folrida in a Mini?  Sure it can be done,  but it wouldn't be my choice by a very long shot.

Jaeger

[Ex-airbalancer]

To take a load of stuff to the east coast the pick up was great
For a visit in the summer to the east coast, hard to beat the 323CIC with the roof down
To carry fout adult to the east coast the Prius has a lot of room and was great on gas

All 3 trips were done in one day will verry little stopping

[Snowman]

My best enthusiast road trip was driving a Lingenfelter prepared Z-06 from Sudbury to Winnipeg.... carry-on bag and a Visa card.





Best guys out road trip was in a rented Yukon.

Family road trips are always best is the Tribeca.

[Jaeger]

^^^ Too cool!

Jaeger

[aaronk]

Where's the Newell Coach???

(they did say 'vehicle', not car/SUV!)

[tortoise]

Didn't someone on here just rent an Altima to drive from Ottawa to Toronto because they didn't want to drive their Mazda 5 that far?

Yeah, that was me.  Though I did admit to getting soft.  To my credit, I did Vancouver to Boston in a regular cab Mazda B2500 - so i've earned my stripes!

And yeah, the P5 above 120 km/hr is a little much.