When you want to get onto the open road, you have some big decisions to make. You need to decide where you’re going, what you’re going to see and who you’re going to take with you but that’s all half the fun of the road trip in the first place! You also have to decide which car you’re going to pick for your trip. Often, hiring a car and taking that on the road is the better option than bringing your own.
There are plenty of car dealerships, car sales websites, even second hand websites that will tell you that the car they’re advertising is the best car in the world. The secret here is that every brand has the same schtick. They will tell you that they have the best run car with the best materials and the highest quality engineers working on them. Realistically, you need to use websites like Edmunds, as you can then learn about the cars that you could drive for your trip and read honest reviews and rankings before you buy. Choosing the right car for a long trip is difficult, we are not going to lie to you, but below we’ve got a few tips to help you learn how to pick the right car to make your road trip one of excellence!
- Safety first. The very first thing that you need to consider when you are on the road is your safety! Whether you are driving over the dunes of the beach or you are heading out to the mountains, you have to choose a car that will make you safe. An SUV is a natural choice and it’ll give you plenty of space in the car, too, for all of your luggage – and if you’re camping, a tent.
- Make sure that you’re comfortable. You have to be comfortable in your car when you are on a road trip. Being on the road for hours at a time is exhausting and you shouldn’t be uncomfortable while you’re doing it. Check out the Edmunds site for reviews on cars with unbeatable space and comfort together.
- Fuelling up. We all know the cost of gas is going up, up, and up. You have to consider your fuel requirements and whether you want a petrol or diesel run car, or even if you want to hire an electric car while you’re on the road. If you are keen to do well with the environment you might think about hybrid models, and it’s a nice way to feel good about road tripping without the added cost to the environment.
- Get entertained. Being on the road can be a bore when you’re on your own, but you can be entertained with the right music system! A good infotainment system in your hired car will be fun and you’ll be able to pick up local radio stations while you move, gaining a little local culture as you drive!
- Location matters. The type of car you buy depends on your environment. If you’re traveling on the mountains a small hatchback probably isn’t going to help you. If you’re planning to tour cities, then you don’t really need a mountain climbing, gas guzzler.
