If you’re a fan of road trips, you know how important your choice of vehicle is. Your available legroom can make a huge difference in how enjoyable the drive is, while your available cargo space determines how many bags–and souvenirs–you can bring along. But these are far from the only factors that road trip fans should consider when shopping for a new vehicle.
To help you choose your ideal road trip vehicle, we’ll walk through some of the most important factors to consider when shopping. Then, we’ll look at some of Hyundai’s best sedans and SUVs for road trips.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a Car or SUV for Road Trips
You should keep a variety of factors in mind when shopping for a vehicle to accompany you on road trips. First, you’ll want to consider your ideal road trip preferences, as these can affect the type of vehicle that you need. Then, you’ll want to think about how different vehicle specifications can compliment your ideal road trip.
Road Trip Preferences
Part of the beauty of road tripping is the flexibility that drivers enjoy. Someone might prefer driving to new cities, camping in their car, towing their canoe to a friend’s cottage, or exploring an off-road trail. When choosing a model, think about the types of road trips that you’d like to take, as this affects how your vehicle can best support you along your journey. For example, if you enjoy venturing off the beaten path, you may benefit from a model with exceptional range and terrain capabilities; if you enjoy camping, you might enjoy driving an EV with Vehicle-2-Load (V2L) charging, which allows you to use the car battery to power items such as coffee makers or projectors.
Vehicle Specifications and Details
Once you have your ideal road trip in mind, it’s time to begin looking at vehicles. Consider the following factors when shopping:
- Passenger Comfort: It can be uncomfortable to sit in the wrong vehicle for hours. Ensure your chosen vehicle offers enough legroom for all passengers and keep an eye out for features that improve passenger comfort such as heated or ventilated rear seats and multiple automatic climate zones.
- Trip-Enhancing Features: Look for features that can dramatically improve your road trip, such as a premium audio system, support for V2L and fast charging, or a panoramic sunroof. Prioritize features that will have the biggest impact on your ideal road trip experience.
- Range: Regardless of whether you’d prefer an electric, hybrid, or gasoline vehicle, it’s a good idea to consider how far you can travel on a full battery or tank of gas–especially if you enjoy travelling to remote areas or prefer to make as few stops as possible. Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles often have longer maximum ranges than their gasoline counterparts.
- Fuel- or Energy-Efficiency: Vehicles with strong fuel- or energy-efficiency can lead to significantly cheaper road trips. Consider a hybrid or electric vehicle for optimal efficiency.
- Performance and Towing Capabilities: Make sure that your vehicle can keep up with your ideal road trip’s performance needs. If you plan on driving over non-paved surfaces, consider a vehicle with terrain modes, which optimize performance and handling over different types of terrain; all-wheel drive can also be useful to maximize vehicle control. Additionally, if you plan on transporting heavy loads, ensure your vehicle can produce ample torque. Similarly, confirm that your vehicle’s towing capabilities meet your needs, and be sure to use trailer brakes as directed by the manufacturer.
- Cargo Space: It’s important to choose a car or SUV with ample cargo space for everything you need to transport, including luggage or overnight bags, pet carriers, and camping equipment. However, you don’t need to limit yourself to trunk space. You can typically increase your vehicle’s cargo space by lowering unused seats; some EVs also come with a storage compartment under the hood.
- Safety: Regardless of your ideal road trip, look for a vehicle with a comprehensive safety suite; these systems offer a wide range of benefits. Collision-avoidance systems can help drivers to avoid crashes, while blind-spot monitoring systems improve visibility. Additionally, a Driver Attention Warning system can alert the driver when fatigue is detected, making it especially valuable on long trips. All vehicles mentioned below feature an extensive list of safety features for added protection.
- Roadside Assistance Coverage: In the event of an unforeseen incident, roadside assistance coverage can be key to an uninterrupted road trip. Confirm that your vehicle comes with roadside assistance and review all coverage details. For example, all of Hyundai's new vehicles come with 5 years of Roadside Assistance coverage, available 24/7.
- Warranty Coverage: Extensive warranty coverage provides reassurance that you can continue to take your vehicle on road trips for years to come. Hyundai Canada offers a warranty program for new vehicles: a 5-year/100,000 km New Vehicle Limited Warranty, 5-year/100,000 km Powertrain Warranty, and an 8-year/160,000 km Hybrid or Electric Vehicle System Warranty.
Best Hyundai Vehicles for Road Trips
Hyundai offers a wide range of vehicles that make excellent road trip companions. Below, we’ll highlight some of our top picks.
Hyundai TUCSON
The TUCSON is a great all-around SUV for road trips, featuring impressive fuel economy, plenty of legroom for all passengers, and a spacious trunk. The TUCSON is suitable for all, with three powertrain options: gasoline, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid.
Inside the TUCSON, a wide range of features are designed to enhance passenger comfort, including dual-zone automatic climate control, available heated rear seats, and an available panoramic sunroof. Meanwhile, Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® ensure drivers can access key applications while minimizing distractions.
The TUCSON also offers impressive performance capabilities with standard All-Wheel Drive and Snow, Mud, and Sand Terrain modes that allow drivers to explore different environments with ease. Additionally, the TUCSON offers great fuel economy and range; while specifics vary by model, hybrid configurations feature a 6.7 L/100 km combined fuel economy and can travel an estimated 776 km on a full tank of gas1. The TUCSON also offers good towing capabilities, with the ability to tow 2,000-3,500 lbs with trailer brakes (depending on trim)–ultimately providing enough power for most small utility trailers or personal watercrafts.
The TUCSON is also an incredibly safe vehicle that features a wide range of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist help to prevent accidents, while Driver Attention Warning alerts the driver if it detects fatigue. Additionally, an available Blind View Monitor displays the blind spot on the information gauge when the turn signal is enabled for greater visibility.
Hyundai IONIQ 5
The all-electric IONIQ 5 is an excellent SUV for those who enjoy road trips. It boasts impressive range, rapid-charging support, and a wide range of features to enhance your next road trip including V2L2.
Passengers in the IONIQ 5 will enjoy its spacious legroom and dual-zone automatic temperature control. Available ventilated front and heated rear seats further improve comfort, especially on long-haul rides. Meanwhile, Wireless Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® and an available Heads-Up Display with augmented reality functions offer enhanced connectivity.
When it comes to storage space, the IONIQ 5 continues to impress. It features a large trunk, with the ability to lower the rear seats for more than double the amount of cargo space. Under the hood, a front trunk (or “frunk”) offers additional storage space.
The IONIQ 5’s performance and range are just as impressive, and make the SUV a great road trip companion. While range and energy efficiency vary by trim, the base configuration provides a range of up to 504 km and an incredible combined fuel economy of 1.9 Le (Litre equivalents)/100 km. All configurations support rapid charging, and can charge from 10% to 80% in approximately 18 minutes, based on a Level 3 charger (350 kW fast charging station with CCS DC Adapter needed)3. Additionally, the IONIQ 5 can tow up to 2,700 lbs using trailer brakes, providing enough towing capacity for most pop-up campers and small travel trailers.
Additionally, the IONIQ 5 is a very safe vehicle that comes with a wide range of driver-assistance technologies. Collision-Avoidance safety systems include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and the available Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist. Additionally, like the TUCSON, the IONIQ 5 comes standard with Driver Attention Warning and features an available Blind View Monitor.
Hyundai PALISADE
The PALISADE is a great 3-row SUV that can seat 7-or-8-passengers depending on which version you choose. It is available as a gasoline or hybrid vehicle, with different trims offering unique benefits that best suit different types of road trips.
The PALISADE’s hybrid configurations are a great choice for drivers seeking both power and efficiency with optimal hybrid fuel economy. Meanwhile, drivers interested in off-roading will be interested in the XRT Pro trim, which comes with exclusive front and rear tow hooks, a rear electronic Limited Slip Differential (e-LSD), and other features uniquely suited for off-road driving. All configurations come with dual zone automatic temperature control and heated second-row seats, while available second-row ventilated captain’s chairs can further enhance passenger comfort.
Regardless of configuration, the PALISADE offers impressive performance. All configurations come with All-Wheel Drive and snow, mud, and sand terrain modes for enhanced handling. Hybrid models can tow up to 4,000 lbs with trailer brakes, while gasoline models increase that limit to 5,000 lbs–this is typically enough for a small trailer, aluminum boat, or multiple ATVs. While range and fuel economy vary by model, the hybrid PALISADE configurations have an 8.1 L/100 km combined fuel economy and can travel about 852 km on a full tank of gas4.
The PALISADE features an extensive range of advanced safety systems, including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist. Like the TUCSON and IONIQ 5, the PALISADE comes standard with Driver Attention Warning and features an available Blind View Monitor system.
Hyundai SONATA
The SONATA is an excellent choice for road trippers who prefer sedans. Available as a gasoline or hybrid vehicle, it features a spacious cabin, the largest trunk of any Hyundai sedan5, and exceptional fuel economy.
Inside, passengers enjoy plenty of legroom and a well-appointed cabin. A dual-zone automatic climate control system maximizes comfort amidst differing temperature preferences, while a panoramic sunroof allows passengers to admire the view above. Additionally, a rear seat centre armrest with cupholders further elevates the road trip passenger experience.
The SONATA also offers incredible performance. Range and fuel economy vary by trim, but the hybrid configuration features a remarkable combined fuel economy of 5.0 L/100 km. Even more impressive, this extreme fuel efficiency provides the hybrid SONATA with an estimated range of about 1,000 km on a full tank of gas6.
Additionally, the SONATA is a very safe vehicle; it comes with a variety of ADAS including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Driver Attention Warning. Select trims also come with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Blind-Spot Collision Warning for added protection when driving.
Discover Your Ideal Road Trip Sedan or SUV Today
Shopping for your next road trip vehicle? Our Build and Price tool allows you to customize your preferred vehicle, then provides you with cash, finance, and lease pricing information. You can also book a test drive at your local Hyundai dealership to experience your preferred model firsthand.
1 Total combined estimated driving range of up to 776 km available on 2026 TUCSON Hybrid. The range is based on the calculation of combined fuel economy number of 6.7 L/100km (NRCan rating) and tank size of 52 L.
2 V2L charging requires accessory sold separately.
3 Charge times are estimates only and can vary significantly based on numerous factors including external and internal air temperature, charger type/condition, accessory use, and battery level and condition.
4 Total combined estimated driving range of up to 852 km available on 2026 PALISADE Hybrid. The range is based on the calculation of combined fuel economy number of 8.1 L/100km (NRCan rating) and tank size of 69 L.
5 Comparison based on latest versions of all new Hyundai sedans available in Canada (2026 SONATA, 2026 ELANTRA, and 2026 ELANTRA N).
6 Total combined estimated driving range of up to 1,000 km on the 2026 SONATA Hybrid. Range is based on calculation of SONATA Preferred Trend Hybrid version with combined fuel economy of 5.0 L/100 km and a 50 L gas tank, not an official range figure.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It may not reflect the latest updates to vehicle models, features, or availability. For the most accurate and up-to-date information about Hyundai vehicles, please visit the current model pages on the Hyundai Canada website or contact your local dealership. Hyundai Canada does not assume liability for reliance on this content.
