The 5 Best Cars for Long Road Trips – Canadian Edition

It’s that time of year again, the weather is getting nice, the temperatures are getting warmer, the days are longer, and we are all just one step closer to Summer. But, if you plan to stay in the city (or wherever you may be living) and are looking to go for nice long drives, here are the best cars for it! In this week’s blog post, we will be reviewing the 5 best cars for long road trips. 

Audi A6

Coming in at number 1 (on our list) is the Audi A6. Now, this may come as a surprise to many of you, because Audi is a luxury brand, but yes, they can be taken for long drives and are more than just a pretty exterior shell. The Audi A6 has seen many revisions since its introduction back in 1994, but by far the best year model for this car has to be between 2008 and 2011 – the 4th generation years. 

Audi’s are not only reliable and strong cars, they also typically last a really long time (200,000 miles or 20 years). So despite the figures on the price tag seeming hefty, it really is worth the buy and the best part is in retrospect, they don’t cost much to own yearly either. The average cost to own one for 5 years is $64,138 (or 12,827.60/year). The 2024 base model A6 (Premium 45) starts at $59,195 and the top model (Prestige 55) pricing goes all the way up to $72,795. 

What makes this car great for long road trips is the cargo space and fuel economy ratings. From the cargo space aspect, the 2024 Audi A6 can hold up to 20 cases thanks to the large trunk and easy to fold down rear seats. With the seats up and just the trunk space factored in, it can hold up to 6 cases. When it comes to the fuel economy ratings, two engine models figures will be provided below:

2024 Audi A6 Quattro 2.0L 4 Cylinder Automatic: 

• 23 MPG city / 33 MPG highway 

2024 Audi A6 AllRoad Quattro 3.0L 6 Cylinder Automatic: 

• 22 MPG city / 30 MPG highway 

Now keep in mind, you can’t take an Audi on rougher terrains because of how low the car sits to the ground. However, it is perfect for long “road” trips especially if you want to travel in style.  

Subaru Crosstrek

Next on our list is the Subaru Crosstrek. Made famous (again in my opinion) by the iconic commercial they featured in 2021 called the “Report Card”, and this car stood true to its roots. It really is the best option for off-roading and definitely one that can stand all terrain types. The 2024 base model (Convenience) starts at $31,572 in Canada and can go all the way up to $40,572 for the top of the line model (Wilderness). 

This car is another great choice (if not the best choice on this list), for long road trips. Why you may ask? Well, for starters, it has pretty good EPA ratings – with an impressive 34 mile per gallon ratio – basically meaning fewer trips to the gas station. But Subaru’s in general are pretty good on gas and this is because of the decision they made back in 2020 to switch to smaller turbocharged engines and direct injection technology into the all-wheel-drive vehicles. This vehicle has the capability of holding up to 5 passengers (in the Wilderness model) and is rated at 28 MPG city / 34 MPG highway. The base engine managed 36 MPG while the more powerful engine got 35 MPG. 

Subaru really outdid themselves especially with this car for so many different reasons. The seat designs are more comfortable, the front doors have pockets to store drinks like water bottles and loose items, and not to mention the cargo area offers 20 cubic feet of space (with the rear seats up) and up to 55 cubic feet of space with the rear seats down. 

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Then there’s the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and let me just say with this car having so many features packed into a smaller price tag, it’s very surprising it is not more popular than it is. In Canada, they go for anywhere between $32,599 and $34,599. The cost to replace the battery might not make too much sense though, factoring for ⅓ of the cost. Yeah, that’s right, almost $10,000 to replace just the battery plus labor to install it. But typically the battery will last 15 years, so the good and bad does balance itself out. Nonetheless, it would be interesting to travel around in a hybrid for a long road trip, don’t you think? 

The 2024 version EPA ratings for the SEL Hybrid are 47 MPG (combined) / 44 MPG city / and 51 MPG highway. In terms of cargo space, there is plenty and this is thanks to the updated materials used in the interior of the car that expand across the dashboard and into the rear passenger space. Not to mention as well, the interior features a new steering wheel, dashboard, infotainment, driver info screens, and a new center console; which ultimately makes for a more comfortable ride and drive. 

The safety features for this car (especially with it being a Hyundai vehicle) are really what makes this car so great. Hyundai generally has pretty impressive warranty coverage, and for this vehicle in particular it offers the following: 

• Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles 
• Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 10,000 miles 
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for 3 years or 36,000 miles 

It’s so much better to take longer road trips when you feel safer, don’t you agree?  

Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is next and this car is pretty great too. With a base price of $35,125 (in Canada) and the C/D ratings being at 10/10, this car definitely puts up a fight with the other cars on this list. Not only is it reliable and offers a smooth ride, it even secured a spot on the 10 Best Trucks and SUV’s list for 2023 and made the list again in 2024. It also received the 2024 Editor’s Choice Award. Impressive right? 

It offers tons of usable space which is great for long road trips especially when you plan on staying wherever you’re going just a little longer. And just to put this into perspective a little further, try and imagine this, between the front passenger seats there is a large center console bin (one great place to put things) and behind it are reclining seats. Yes, you read that right, seats you could practically lay in, that offer an extra 0.6” of rear legroom. Cargo space is also pretty great when it comes to this vehicle as there is 39 cubic feet available behind the second row when the adjustable load floor is at its lowest.   

The CR-V offers friendly driving dynamics and comes available in front or all wheel drive. It even has towing capabilities, believe it or not – of course when equipped with the right gear – and can tow up to 1500 lbs. 

EPA ratings for the front wheel drive, turbocharged 1.5L four cylinder engine are 28 MPG city and 34 MPG highway, but opting for the all-wheel drive option will drop these numbers a little bit. 

Porsche 911

Finally, securing a spot on this list has to be the Porsche 911. Imagine rolling around the city for a road trip in one of these? Yeah, lots of head turners wherever you go for sure. The price tag on one of these in Canada is pretty hefty though – the heftiest on this list – but so worth the buy if you can afford it. The 2024 model starts at $130,700 and goes all the way up to $325,900. 

For 2024, Porsche decided to make some changes to the infotainment system and connectivity capabilities, finally adding Android Auto. For years, only Apple users were able to wirelessly connect their phones to Porsche’s system but now everyone can! Spotify was also added to this model year which means you don’t have to connect your phone to play music from the app anymore.

The EPA ratings for the Porsche 911 Carrera S (with manual transmission) offers 18 MPG city and 25 MPG highway. The interior modifications are really what makes this car fun to drive though. Of course there’s the standard mix of buttons, knobs, and touchscreen controls, but, for the first time ever, there is a large center cup holder – great for putting the beverages collected along the way. Now some would argue the new bigger screen sizes can be troublesome and can even be blocked by the steering wheel but you’re in a Porsche, so can you really complain? 

The cargo space (as limited as space is in this car) has to be the downfall in terms of comfortability. In theory, 4 people can be seated in this car, however, the tinier seats at the back make it harder for adults to feel comfortable while seated for long drives. The limited space is actually due to one specific feature in the car – the piano black trim in the center console. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, the 5 best cars for long road trips (Canadian Edition). What was your favorite from this list? Do you have one that you think is good for long road trips? Let us know in the comments!