Random Best Road Trip Cars (16 items)

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  (#12) Acura MDX

  • Acura

  In most ways, the Acura MDX crossover is pretty much everything you could want in a long-distance cruising companion. While just a bit short on rear cargo space compared to others like it, the MDX offers plenty of passenger space. Honda offers it with every luxury amenity in the catalog, and its comparatively excellent acceleration and handling encourage drivers to feats of fun that passengers might not be too thrilled about. That handling is thanks to Honda's SH-AWD, which is objectively one of the greatest all-wheel-drive systems ever created. It's even pretty decent on gas at 28 mpg. 
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  (#7) Infiniti Q50

  Of all the good things the Q50 has going for it, the best has to be its name. No, not "Q50," which sounds like a component in an industrial blender. I'm talking about its Japanese name: "Skyline." That's right, we really do have the Skyline in the United States, selling under the Infiniti banner. In effect, the Q50/Skyline is a Nissan 370Z with four doors, a twin-turbo V-6, and (of course) all-wheel drive. Everything good that can be said about the Lexus IS can be said about its arch rival from Infiniti - but the Infiniti is faster, better performing, and more fun in every way. Plus, you can order factory Skyline badges right from Nissan, and bolt them on in place of your Infiniti badges. Game, set, and match. Bye, Toyota. 
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  (#4) Mazda Miata

  Say what you will about the old Miata, but this new car is decidedly more butch than most cars on the road today. It may not be in the Honda S2000's league, but it's not far off either. Unlike the S2000 though, the Miata isn't just a go-kart that will hammer your soul to jelly after more than 100 miles of driving. This new Miata pulls off the neat trick of being small, incredibly fun to drive, fairly fuel efficient, and surprisingly freeway-friendly. If you're rolling solo and looking for fun, this Miata is a toy you'll never want to put down. 
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  (#11) Lincoln MKZ

  • Lincoln

  With 300 horsepower from its top V-6 engine, the MKZ isn't exactly a Hot Rod Lincoln. But its power is more than adequate, and this LS sedan replacement is one of Lincoln's best selling vehicles. No, it's not a sports car or a canyon carver, but the MKZ is one of those cars that just runs like a train once you set the cruise control at freeway speeds. Four-cylinder versions are good for 33 mpg, and V-7 models for 26 mpg. That's nothing to write home about, but the Lincoln's huge interior space, luxury amenities, storage space, and highway manners more than make up for it. 
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  (#15) Honda Insight

  • Honda

  Well, it's a mid-sized hatchback hybrid that isn't a Prius. That's the Insight's primary attribute: it isn't a Prius. Other than the not-Yoyota-ness of its being, the Insight offers great fuel economy, low cost of purchase, low insurance costs, availability at rental lots, and massive interior volume for your stuff and your front-seat passengers. The back seat is on the smallish side though, and while it is pretty good on the highway, the Insight's really best if your road trip consists of hopping from city to city. 
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  (#9) Lexus IS Series

  The new Lexus IS is leagues better than the old car, and Toyota's luxury division is getting closer and closer every year to challenging the BMW 3-Series for mid-sized supremacy. The new IS still doesn't quite match the 3-Series in performance; it's still a little vanilla, a little too soft-edged for that. But this arguably makes the IS a better companion for long-distance cruising. Reasonably quick and fairly efficient depending on trim, the IS is an almost perfect traveling companion: It can crack a joke from time to time, but mostly this Lexus is happy to just sit there, shut up, and not change your radio stations. 

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