Follow us on TwitterCarThrottle Asks: What’s The Best Road-Trip Car?
One of the greatest freedoms afforded to Americans is the road-trip. I’ve covered my own road adventures here on CarThrottle in great detail before (here, here, and here) and it’s absolutely one of my favorite things to do (at least that I can write about here on this family-friendly site!). So this obviously brings us to our latest edition of CarThrottle Asks as we head into the spring/summer travel seasons. If money were no object, what would be your ideal road-trip vehicle?
On the lower, more practical end of things, I’d have to spring for a brand-spankin’-new Jetta TDI SportWagon. Having put about 75,000 miles on a MKV-chassis VW Jetta over the course of 4 years, I can attest that they’re simply fantastic road-trip vehicles. They have impeccable highway-speed stability, killer A/C and heating systems, generally awesome stereos, and minimal obnoxious road noise. However those miles were all done in a 2.5L gas-powered 5-cylinder Jetta, which is less than ideal. It’s only got 5 gears – at least in clutch-equipped form – which means it turns about 3000 rpm at 80mph, which is a little busy for my taste. Also, the 5-banger has decent grunt but it still requires a downshift for passing power. Total fuel mileage is usually around 28mpg on the highway with the cruise and A/C on, which isn’t bad. If you wanted more power (which really just means more speeding tickets) you could spring for the turbo-tastic 2.0T motor, with 200 bubbly horsepower. But for serious road-trip duty, it’s gotta be the new 2.0L 16v turbodiesel. It’s not got a ton of power – 140bhp is 10 less than the gas 5-cylinder – but it’s got more torque than either of the gas powerplants, at 236lb-ft. Furthermore, with an EPA number of 41mpg on the highway, each fillup is probably going to be longer than your bladder can hold out. Plus, the low-end torque of the turbodiesel makes it great for highway duty. The wagon doesn’t enact a mileage penalty, so why not spring for the extra cargo space?
If I was being less practical and more ostentatious, I’d definitely spring for a loaded-up Saab 9³ Aero Convertible. With a 255bhp turbocharged V6, a six-speed manual, and hip-hugging sports seats, it’s a mean ride. The gas mileage isn’t atrocious either, with 26mpg highway mileage (more with Maptun software, plus a huge extra chunk of power). But the main appeal would be that when the weather’s nice, the wind’s blowing in your hair and the sun’s shining on your head and you can smell the world around you. When it’s nasty out, you’ve got a triple-layered cloth top to keep you nice and warm. And there are three-stage heated seats for anywhere in-between. Plus, Saabs just make amazing highway cars.
How about you? Would you rock a first-gen Insight and go hypermiling to California? Would you pimp it out in a Bentley Continental GT? Pick your poison, and drop us a note below.
I love these ‘CarThrottle Asks’ pieces. Keep ‘em comin’.
Back in the day, I always loved hitting the road in my non-turbo, 97 Eagle Talon. I never got better than 38mpg in it, but that was at a cruising average of better than 70mph with a fully built motor. Even so, 500 miles on a tank was easily attainable. Were she better equipped interior-wise, she might still be in the family. Alas, nowadays I’m lucky to break 300 miles on a tank at around 25mpg in the Galant. (An extra 1000lbs, twice the drive wheels, and a smaller tank own me.)
Still. I’m really looking forward to cruising down to Tucson in the morning, and to the multiple trips to SoCal by summer in the car. Smooth, quiet cruising, the reassuring pull of the turbo when pulling into the passing lane, the leather seats, and the power everything makes for a great road trip.
The station wagon is an absolute must… so I will have to go with a ’97 or ’98 Volvo 960 (V90)… I6 power, RWD, Plush Interior (Leather, Heated Seats, Wood Trim, Excellent Stereo), Excellent Ride Comfort (Thanks to 4-wheel independent suspension), and 27 MPG cruising at 80 MPH with the A/C blaring. I drove one of these several times from Nashville to Naples, FL without incident. Even in the 95+ heat in the Everglades, it never failed to keep me thoroughly chilled and comfortable.
The best part: You can pick one of these up in perfect condition all day long for $4-5k.
ohhh, I’m gonna have to agree here. The last of the RWD Volvos were probably the best cars they ever made. Not really a great car for if you’re in a hurry, but that straight-six is butter smooth and it rides like a dream. Plus the wagon is huge in the back, room for anything you could possibly need to bring with you.
Good question James, well for me it has to be a 1970 Volkswagon Van, my dad had one when I was growing up and we would take awesome road trips from San Diego to San Francisco in it. It had plenty of room to lay out in, and had a table to sit to eat at while on a trip. Not sure why Volkswagon stopped making them but I really liked them alot.