As the winter drifts away and spring starts to make its presence known, the idea of a road trip becomes a more attractive - and believable - prospect.
But which car should you take along for the ride? With a whole host of options out there today, it can be a daunting challenge to pick one out. Fortunately, we’ve chosen five of the best.
Audi RS 6
We’re going in hard to begin with.
The latest-generation RS 6 is a colossal powerhouse, with an immensely punchy twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 under the bonnet allowing this Audi to out-pace most supercars.
Despite that performance, the RS 6 ticks all of the regular road trip car boxes too. It’s comfortable thanks to well-sorted suspension and, because it’s an estate car, it’s immensely practical too.
Ariel Nomad
We’ll admit that Ariel’s mad-hat Nomad might not appear like the ideal road trip car, but hear us out.
First off, it’s capable of travelling over rough terrain with minimal fuss, which means that if you’re planning on travelling further afield then you’re not going to have an issue.
Also, despite the lack of any real boot, you can strap luggage to the roof - so you can bring plenty of belongings along with you too.
It’s also properly mad and likely to make any journey even more exciting, which can’t be a bad thing, can it?
Volkswagen Grand California
If a road trip is on the cards and you want to undertake it in the most comfort possible, then the Volkswagen Grand California should be on your list.
Essentially a larger version of the firm’s successful California camper, the Grand California adds even more space and practicality.
It’s got enough room for two adults to sleep in comfort, and there’s even an additional ‘bedroom’ for the kids. It’s likely to be a hit with the whole family.
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler has been a go-to adventure vehicle for some time now, so it would be a shame to miss it from our list.
Chunky and distinctively American, what the Wrangler misses in terms of outright driver enjoyment it more than makes up for with attitude.
Plus, it’s close to unstoppable off-road, so if you’re fancying taking a road less travelled then the Wrangler is a car you’ll want to bring along.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Though Jaguar’s XF Sportbrake has been around for some time now, age hasn’t stopped it from being an excellent cross-country option.
It’s spacious, comfortable and well-appointed inside too, while a range of extras such as roof boxes and bike racks means it can easily be adapted to a variety of different occasions.
A punchy range of engines are available, and it’s also impeccably refined which should help to make those long-distance cruises a breeze.
Dreaming of your next road trip and the perfect car to do it in? We have a wide range of offers available to search by monthly budget.