Road trips are a terrific way to see the country while on vacation, but hitting the long road may be tough on your ride, even if it’s one of the best cars for the long haul. Not to mention, the extra wear and tear on your vehicle are only one of the reasons you might choose to rent a car instead of driving your own. To illustrate, if you’re going on a long trip, you might want more legroom or trunk space. On the other hand, you might not have a car at all but still wish to embark on a little trip for the holidays. Whatever your reasons, renting a car for your vacation can be a smart choice, as long as you choose your rental carefully. Check out our nifty guide to select the perfect road trip vehicle for you.
For Cargo-Heavy Trips: Chevy Silverado
Maybe your family car isn’t capable of making a college move-in trip in one go. The Chevy Silverado is one of the best for a road trip because it has a large cargo capacity and outstanding towing capabilities. In addition, this roomy SUV is ideal for transporting futons, mini-fridges, totes full of bulky sweaters, record players, crates of vinyl, and other college necessities. This rental is especially ideal if you’re going on vacation and your family is unfamiliar with the concept of packing light.
For Off-road Adventures: Jeep Wrangler
ou don’t have to go off-roading with your Jeep Wrangler, but if it’s in your vacation agenda, there’s no better vehicle for the job. This isn’t your typical suburban Jeep. The four-door Wrangler can go topless and even doorless, allowing your entire family to easily commune with nature. The soft top retracts with a single press of a button, making it as simple to drive as a convertible. You can also transport your family over rocky terrain, through snow, and over streams. No terrain can stop you in this SUV. Plus, the Jeep Wrangler is one gorgeous ride. The Instagram photos of your road trip will make your friends and family back home even more envious.
For a Fun and Unique Ride: Polaris Slingshot
If you’re looking for excitement and a unique ride, then the Polaris slingshot is your vehicle. This 3 wheeled automobile accelerates to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, making the Polaris one exhilarating ride. With an open cockpit, The Polaris Slingshot is built to make you feel the wind in your hair and turn the open road into your greatest adventure yet.
For Big Families: Toyota Sienna
Don’t let yourself be tempted to rent an RV for a cross-country road trip. Getting around in the city is too tricky in those enormous home-on-wheels. Instead, Allow your family to relax in the spacious interior of a Toyota Sienna. This minivan, which comes with a third-row option, provides plenty of passenger capacity to comfortably accommodate a family of six, as well as a dual-view entertainment center to keep the kids occupied. Of course, safety is a top priority, and the Sienna includes Toyota’s Safety Sense technologies, as well as all-wheel drive, making it suitable even in inclement weather.
For Off-road and City Driving in Style: Land Rover Range Rover
If off-roading is your thing but don’t actually want to rough it with your vehicle, the Range Rover is the ride for you. It’s just at home along a rocky trail as it is cruising through the cities. It has plenty of legroom, a supercharged engine, and a slew of other features, including frontal collision warning and, in some models, blind-spot monitoring. It may be the best SUV to rent for a road trip because it allows you to live the high life for a little while without having to pay a fortune to buy it.
For Fuel Efficiency: Tesla Model Y
Renting a Tesla not only allows you to drive one of the most attractive and sought-after vehicles on the market today, but it also means you won’t have to pay for gas on your journey. Keep one thing in mind, advises John Greathouse, who put his Tesla to the test on a 1,670-mile road trip and subsequently wrote about the experience for Forbes. While he enjoys driving his Tesla, he says that when he goes on a road trip, “we must invest time upfront in planning the location of our meal stops and supercharger locations.” There is, of course, another advantage to renting a Tesla: By avoiding gas, you’ll be lowering your carbon footprint and allowing yourself to actually relax while on vacation.
For that Old-School Family Roadtrip Vibe: Subaru Outback
Remember how every summer, you’d all get into your family station wagon and drive to Disney World or Grandma’s house? The Subaru Outback is as close to having that kind of experience today. While the station wagon has gone the way of disco, this half-SUV, half-station wagon brings back that old school ’70s and ’80s vibe. Of course, it’s a lot more modern than your grandfather’s rusty old truck. It boasts the ground clearance needed for off-roading and comes standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of safety and driver assists, making your family road trip safe and enjoyable.
For Budget Travels: Toyota Corolla
The Corolla isn’t going to turn heads on the highway or get you a lot of Instagram likes, but it gets the job done and is easy on the wallet. Edmunds has praised previous models for being dependable and fuel-efficient. At the same time, car experts from Car and Driver and U.S. News & World Report think the newest version provides an even better driving experience. One thing to keep in mind with this model is that the front seats have more legroom than the back seats. Overall, the Corolla checks all the boxes for the most refined car to rent for a budget road trip.
For Campers and Hikers: Ford F150
If staying in hotel rooms isn’t your thing, consider towing a travel trailer behind your vehicle. However, this may or may not be doable depending on the sort of vehicle you own, in which case a rental car such as the Ford F-150 will come in handy. This vehicle has excellent towing and hauling capacities. It also has a maximum payload of 3,270 pounds and can tow up to 13,200 pounds when fully equipped. A 3.3-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque is standard. However, being able to pull your studio apartment on wheels is only part of the road trip puzzle. The F-150 also has the best-in-class cabin for maximum passenger capacity and adequate storage space to carry all of your clothes and road trip essentials, ensuring smooth, spacious, and pleasant travels between your destinations.
For Safety in Travel: Mitsubishi Outlander
If staying in hotel rooms isn’t your thing, consider towing a travel trailer behind your vehicle. Having a safe trip must be your number one priority with long road trips. Safety isn’t just a feature in the Mitsubishi Outlander; it is woven deep into its performance, technology, design, and comfort. With Active Blind Spot Assist, Rear Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, and Forward Collision Mitigation With Pedestrian Detection, the Mitsubishi Outlander truly deserves the IIHS Top Safety Picks award.
The Bottomline
Having a hot ride is a flex in itself, but make sure that your ride suits your drive. Cars come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and styles, but you have to ensure that you can get the most out of your car rental. Whether you’re looking for a chill city cruise or a daring off-road adventure, TimelesPleasure provides a variety of options for you to choose from to maximize your power of choice.
