The best cars for a UK road trip
Considering exploring the open road this summer? These are the best cars for the job.
With lockdown measures beginning to ease across the UK, it’s fair to say that lots of us are thinking of exploring further afield over the next few months. With restrictions on foreign holidays set to be in place for some time now, it’ll be a summer of exploring closer to home.
And for that, you’ll need the right car for the job. Fortunately, we’ve picked out some of the very best road trip cars on sale today for a variety of different budgets.
Under £15,000 – Dacia Duster
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We reckon that £15,000 is a good budget to start with for new cars, and one of the best finance-friendly models out there is the Dacia Duster. With its chunky looks and raised ride height, it’s a car that is geared up for adventure and will happily trawl up and down the motorway, too.
You can get a new Duster for just under £12,000, in fact, so if you’re wanting to make your money go further, there’s an option to do so.
Under £25,000 – Skoda Octavia Estate
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Skoda has been knocking it out of the park with its new cars recently and the new Octavia is an example of this success. It’s wonderfully comfortable, stylish and well-finished inside, too. A range of efficient engines only adds to the appeal.
We’d argue that the Estate version is the one to go for if you’re looking for the ideal road trip companion, as it brings just a little extra space over the standard hatch. Prices for it start from £22,210, as well.
Under £40,000 – Alfa Romeo Giulia
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An Alfa Romeo will make any road trip exciting and the Giulia is one of the firm’s latest cars to do just that. Though our budget won’t quite stretch to the full-fat Quadrifoglio, £40,000 is more than enough to secure the regular Sprint model – while the more performance-orientated Veloce specification chimes in just £195 over budget.
It’s a truly exhilarating car to drive, with neat handling and pin-sharp steering combining to create a car that’ll be great fun to pilot down twisty roads.
Under £50,000 – Alpine A110
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We’ve yet to include a sports car on this list, but the Alpine A110 represents a great way to kick things off. It’s a car that is surprisingly well-suited to longer journeys; despite its low ride height, its relatively pliable suspension means that it’s not back-breakingly firm over longer distances.
Plus, the 1.8-litre turbocharged engine is reasonably economical on a cruise, so there will be no need to pepper your journey with too many fuel stops.
Under £60,000 – Jaguar F-Type
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If your budget comes close to the £60,000 mark, then Jaguar’s F-Type could be the ideal road trip car for you. It’s comfortable, quick and great to look at too, while recent improvements have seen the cabin made considerably better than before.
Coupe versions start from £54,510, though if you want that wind-in-your-hair experience, it’ll cost £59,990 to get the convertible variant.
Under £70,000 – Audi RS4 Avant
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Audi’s RS4 Avant is arguably one of the best all-rounder cars out there. It’s got the performance box ticked, that’s for sure, with a turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 engine kicking out a healthy 444bhp to all four wheels.
But because it’s an estate, it’s got more than enough boot space for most occasions, while the cabin is well-made and spacious too.
Under £80,000 – Range Rover Sport
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A Range Rover is often seen as the ideal long-distance option and the Sport version brings an added level of driver involvement. It’s a great place to be, too, with superb materials finishing what is a very refined and comfortable cabin.
Though a new plug-in hybrid variant has recently been added, we’d argue that the conventional diesel version might be better-suited to longer journeys.
Under £90,000 – Porsche 911
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It’s hard to go wrong with a Porsche 911. The latest 992-generation car is superbly well-rounded, with excellent handling and a punchy turbocharged petrol engine which practically sings as you use the throttle.
It’s composed over longer distances, too, and though it might not be the largest car on the road, has a decent enough amount of luggage space.
Under £100,000 – Mercedes-AMG E63S
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If you’re looking at a dream budget of £100,000, then there are quite a few options available to you. We’d opt for the Mercedes-AMG E63S, a car that delivers almost muscle car-like thrills but will happily settle down to a comfortable cruise when subjected to longer motorway jaunts.
With a 4.0-litre biturbo engine it’s certainly no slouch, but thanks to all-wheel-drive capability it’s got more than enough traction for most occasions.
