The Five Best SUVs for Family Road Trips on and Off-Road

Now, you could always take a Chevy Aveo on a road trip across country but what fun would that be? In all reality the best vehicles for road trips are SUVs. They offer up plenty of visibility to enjoy the passing scenery, they are roomy and they usually come equipped with all of the features that make road trips manageable.

They also sometimes offer the ability to take your road trip, well, off road. If you see a deserted, dusty road that (allegedly) leads to a Gold Rush era Ghost Town, an SUV allows you the freedom to explore it. They also just look way cooler than minivans.

Range Rover
There is no greater road trip vehicle, on road or off, than the Range Rover. Sure, fully loaded versions easily top the $100,000 mark but this luxury SUV also doubles as a luxuriously appointed executive express. You can use it to go off-roading, on trips to your snow cabin or just to take clients out to dinner. The Range Rover is that multi-faceted.

The interior was recently updated with new leather colors, switches, knobs and dials but the stately feel still remains. No matter if you are pulling up to a fine restaurant or a watering hole in Kenya, nothing says class and power like a Range Rover.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
This extended wheelbase four door variant of the iconic Jeep Wrangler might not be tons of fun for a cross country freeway jaunt cross country. But if you plan on taking an off-road journey there are few SUVs that can top the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited over muddy, rocky or slippery terrain.

For model year 2011 the interior of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has been totally refreshed with more expensive feeling materials and a more upmarket look. Do consider, however, that the Unlimited variant of this Jeep was the first Wrangler to offer power windows and door locks.

Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V really delivers the goods when it comes to smooth, serene and totally comfortable family road trips. The interior materials are durable and there are storage cubbies, consoles and containers galore. You could practically move in.

The CR-V comes standard with a surprisingly powerful 2.4 liter 180 horsepower 4 cylinder engine connected to one of the smoothest five speed automatics in the business. The optional all-wheel drive system is really only useful in rainy or snowy weather on regular roads. The ride height is designed for ease of entry and exit, not for crawling over boulders. But this still makes the CR-V a fine road trip tool.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Finally, a Cherokee worthy of the "Grand" nomenclature. This smartly styled SUV boasts a smart exterior update with a high quality interior that doesn't skimp on luxury features. 3 different all-wheel drive/4-wheel drive options are available to buyers so you can pick and choose based on your off-road needs.

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is also the first application of Chrysler's new Phoenix 6-cylinder engine. Let's hope the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee allows Chrysler to rise from the flames of bankruptcy much like the bird from ancient myth.

Ford Flex
Now, the Flex may have zero off-road credentials but it does offer minivan-like room for seven and the option of a refrigerated center console in the second row. It may take away one of the seats but isn't having cold Diet Coke on hand worth it? Add in the optional Sync system, a slamming Sony audio system, rear seat DVD entertainment, panoramic sunroofs and a finely detailed interior and you may never want to go back in your house ever again. Who says you have to ever return from your road trip?

Sources:

Fordusa.com

Landroverusa.com

Honda.com

Jeep.com