What is your Ideal Cross Country Moving/Road Trip Vehicle?

by "Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
Published 06/19/2017 at 13:02

Tags: Road Trip ; Moving ; Subaru ; Outback
STARS: 4

I’ll be moving my sister to Colorado this weekend (from Metro-Detroit Michigan) this weekend. I was thinking about what would be the ideal vehicle for the trip. We are moving all of her stuff in her Kia Soul and possibly a second vehicle (either a new boostang convertible or my dads F150). This post also applies to just longer road trips as well. Personally I vote for the Subaru Outback.

Pros

Wagon so plenty of room in the back

Roof racks for extra storage

Can handle smooth and rough roads

Optional 3.6 boxor 6 cylinder

Comfortable

Handling not as compromised as a larger SUV like a Tahoe or Suburban

Decent fuel economy (2.5 4 cylinder gets 25 32 with 28 combined) (3.6 6 cylinder gets 20 27 with 22 combined)

With a hitch could handle a small trailer

What do you think is the ideal cross country moving/road trip vehicle? Alternatively what has been your favorite vehicle you’ve driven cross country in or what has been the worst?

Replies (43)

"Tristan" (casselts)
06/19/2017 at 13:06, STARS: 2

Obvious choice is obvious.

Worst? ‘96 Mercury Cougar. I paid $50 for it, though so it was an utter POS.

"benjrblant" (benjblant)
06/19/2017 at 13:07, STARS: 3

If you get a Subaru, be sure to cover parts of it (especially your cargo box) with lots and lots of stickers so that you can tell it apart from all the other Subarus with lots of stickers here.

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
06/19/2017 at 13:07, STARS: 2

GMT400 Suburban.

"Future next gen S2000 owner" (future-next-gen-s2000-owner)
06/19/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 0

Conversion van. Space for days. Real towing capability. Excellent ride, handling doesn’t really matter when you are on the freeway. Room to really stretch out.

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
06/19/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 5

To be honest, its a van. I drove from DC to Orlando in a Routan and it was great. Smooth, comfy, lots of room for stuff (including sleeping if you need it) lots of payload and it got surprisingly good freeway mileage with plenty of passing power.

Otherwise anything long enough to sleep in, I’ve driven from SLC to Ann Arbor non-stop (minus gas/food/naps) moving my brother and his gen 1 highlander was NOT long enough to sleep in.

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
06/19/2017 at 13:09, STARS: 1

Favorite: 2002 Chevy Suburban, 5.3L auto ride suspension, leather seats, captians chairs at the second row, moon roof.

Least favorite: 1995 Nissan hard body pickup. Not even a tape deck. Manual everything.

"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
06/19/2017 at 13:09, STARS: 0

My current favorite SUV is the 07-09 RDX, but it’s extremely thirsty for a 4-cylinder. 17/22. Not exactly cross-country material.

"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
06/19/2017 at 13:11, STARS: 0

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
06/19/2017 at 13:12, STARS: 2

My car is in the middle.

"CB" (jrcb)
06/19/2017 at 13:13, STARS: 0

As someone moving in three weeks, I’m going with the plane/shipping what very little I have in my name via post or FedEx option.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 13:13, STARS: 0

Will do, I’m starting with this lol

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
06/19/2017 at 13:13, STARS: 3

The problem with subarus in the snow covered states.

"bwp240" (bwp240)
06/19/2017 at 13:16, STARS: 1

Large, Roomy, comes with a bed, and I can poop in it

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
06/19/2017 at 13:18, STARS: 1

Seconded, minivan is definitely the answer.

"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
06/19/2017 at 13:20, STARS: 2

For a vehicle that is for a road trip doubling as a move?

Mercedes Sprinter...

"RutRut" (RDR)
06/19/2017 at 13:21, STARS: 1

2007 F-250 diesel. Heated leather, all the options, ~450ish miles per tank of smooth 70mph cruising. It was easy to pile the miles on, the 2013 gas truck is decent but just doesn’t have that “Never going to downshift” torque.

"jariten1781" (jariten1781)
06/19/2017 at 13:23, STARS: 1

I’ve done lots of coast-coasters. For me +1 +dog and just luggage the Protégé 5 was the best mix of comfort and economy. W/ 3 people, moving boxes and trailer Suburban wins. Worst was a tie between an NA Miata w/o AC and a 3rd gen Prelude w/ broken AC and failing clutch hydraulics...though honestly the Miata would have been worse if I’d had a passenger...my worst memories of the Prelude trip was constant whining and sheer terror when I had to pump the clutch furiously to get into gear from the passenger seat.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 13:26, STARS: 0

Wow no A/C would be awful then adding the clutch problems and that sounds like a terrible ride.

"jariten1781" (jariten1781)
06/19/2017 at 13:37, STARS: 0

Clutch wasn’t too bad for 95% of it. Pump to get enough pressure to get into first then just clutchless shift/ride the syncros up to fifth and cruise. The 5% was awful, got stuck around that long ass bridge (20 mile bridge I think) in Louisiana in bumper to bumper for hours...constantly trying to pump to get in and out of gear so I didn’t completely trash the transmission, riding in first at idle up to a cm away from the car in front before braking in hopes they’d go...nightmare. With no AC it was just a constant battle of do I open the sun roof for more airflow or do I leave it shut to not be cooked by the orange globe in the sky. My passenger and I never agreed on the proper arrangement.

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/19/2017 at 13:52, STARS: 0

Ideal for me would be a great big luxury SUV like an Escalade or GLS550. It would be a sedan if I were just driving across country and not moving shit.

"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
06/19/2017 at 13:54, STARS: 0

Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. Tows two tons, has massive amounts of space inside, is reliable, parts are easy to get and the seats are incredibly comfy.

"So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky" (badams109)
06/19/2017 at 13:58, STARS: 1

As someone who has moved a sister from Chicago area to Colorado the question somewhat depends on if you need to go through the mountains or of you are stopping in Denver. Toyota Highlander works beautifully but those, Subaru’s and Jeeps are everywhere once you head into the hills

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 14:04, STARS: 0

She is moving to Fort Collins but we will have to stop in Denver at some point in the trip to drop my brother and possibly me or my dad at the airport.

"BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo" (bluemazda2)
06/19/2017 at 14:08, STARS: 1

A new Ford F-150 XLT Sport SuperCrew 2.7 EcoBoost

It has enough power, enough room, a bed with a tonneau cover to protect my stuff, the trailer tow package for larger items that don’t fit, rear AC, many cupholders, a rear outlet, comfortable seats, and a nice ride.

If you have to sit in the back, there’s tons of room. We used my dad’s to tow my stuff when I moved to college a few months ago.

"So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky" (badams109)
06/19/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 1

Make sure to look at all the weird ass murals in the Denver airport. They make so little sense I can see why some people come up with conspiracy theories to explain them. I just figure drugs were involved.

"ZHP Sparky, the 5th" (e30s2k)
06/19/2017 at 14:14, STARS: 0

Don’t you dare forget the PNW. Went camping here in Oregon this past weekend. Every single camp spot in our loop had a Subaru of some variation parked in front. We were the only Crosstrek, woohoo!

"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
06/19/2017 at 14:16, STARS: 1

I bet a Porsche crossover would be good, they must be comfortable and can handle well.

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
06/19/2017 at 14:25, STARS: 0

The cross trek is very popular here too, and they come in interesting colors!

"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
06/19/2017 at 14:38, STARS: 2

I’m driving my Taco back to NY next month. My wife’s Jeep Grand Cherokee I’m sure would be the better, more economical option. Pickup seems just about perfect though, other than mileage. Comfy, room in the back for plenty of stuff, tonneau to keep that stuff dry when it rains.

"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
06/19/2017 at 14:52, STARS: 1

The car I’d pick depends greatly on wether we’re taking freeway as much as possible or the scenic route. And how many people are coming. For freeway, and more than 3 people.

A Chrysler T&C. Lots of room, comfy ride 24 highly mpg, lots of room. Getting it serviced would be easy if something did go wrong. How ever if we’re talking Scenic route, and less gen 4 people. Then I’d go Mk4 JSW TDI, with tasteful mods.

Good handling, plenty of power, 40+mpg, decently comfortable for 3 adults, and pearly of cargo room. And at stock ride hieght it can handle dirt roads just fine. I’ve done a few road trips in my BIL’s mk4 sedan and they’ve been great, but they’d be better in a Wagon.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 14:53, STARS: 1

I’ll probably be driving my Dads 2017 F150 SuperCab with the 2.7 ecoboost. A tonneau cover would be great to protect the stuff in the back but we don’t have one. We might rig up a tarp or something for this trip. I don’t want her stuff to get rained on.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 14:54, STARS: 0

I don’t know if I’ll be flying or driving back but I will for sure if I fly!

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 14:55, STARS: 1

I’ll probably end up driving my dads 2017 F150. It would be perfect if it had a tonneau cover.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 14:56, STARS: 0

True

"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
06/19/2017 at 15:02, STARS: 1

Had I not found a used one, I would’ve gone with the tarp method and just wrapped up stuff in the bed.

"Stapleface" (patrickgruden)
06/19/2017 at 15:10, STARS: 0

For a road trip car, nothing soaks up the miles like a Town Car or Grand Marquis. Sufficiently large trunk to carry a good amount of stuff, and cruising on the highway can net adequate fuel mileage.

"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck)
06/19/2017 at 15:28, STARS: 1

Because we always lived a long way from family, I’ve done a number of long trips in a variety of cars. Most were in the 9 to 12 hour range, but we did have a 4,500 mile trip to see an uncle who lives in the pacific northwest. Here’s the breakdown.

Small car. We made 12+ hour trips with four of us crammed into a Neon. This is not recommended. Luggage space was at a premium, so we had to pack small and plan to do laundry. Six hours in the car was enough, eight was really pushing it. These trips were never pleasant.

WRX. I’ve made the 600+ mile run to my mom’s house in my WRX. It was fun by myself, but I wouldn’t want any passengers with me. I’ve taken a full load of scouts for a long weekend adventure, but I had to have a roof box to carry all the gear. While the WRX is fun, it’s rather loud. For a long trip, I’d pick something else.

Trucks. I’ve owned a couple of small trucks which were used for 9+ hour trips (one way). Trucks are great for one or two people. Luggage goes in the back either under a tarp or under a bed cap. It’s better with a cap if the trip will be long and you don’t want to stay in a hotel.

Subaru wagon (‘84 GL). This was what we used for two adults on an epic road trip (4,500 miles). We were staying in hotels, but we carried our food in a couple of ice chests in the back. The wagon gave us plenty of room.

Compact SUV. We rented a Kia Sportage for a trip to my mom’s (12+ hours one-way, broken into two days) and it was just the kids and I (3 total). The trip was fine, but it was a bit cramped. By the time we set up the DVD player and the kids dug out their pastime devices - books, DS, etc. - things were getting kinda cramped in the back seat. There wasn’t much room for luggage in the back, but we made do. Really, I wouldn’t rate this much better than a small car. It’s fine if you are by yourself, but it’s too small to be comfortable for a family.

SUVs/Minivans. We’ve rented a Traverse, rented a Dodge Town & Country, own an Explorer, and have used all to make 12+ hour (one-way) trips. Full-size SUVs and minivans are great for long trips. There’s plenty of space for the kids and the luggage. The rear seats even recline for more comfort! When the kids were getting snippy with each other, we put one of them in the third row to give a little more distance. I have to give a nod to the minivan because it had captain’s chairs in the second row. The extra distance between the kids was fantastic and the easy access to the back made getting to the cooler and the luggage very easy. I tried to get my wife to buy one, but she picked the Explorer instead. However, I’ve used the Explorer to pull a large U-Haul trailer on a solo trip over 1,200 miles. It was big, comfy, and pulled the trailer without any issues. If I had to move across the country and pull a trailer, this would be the way to go.

Subaru wagon (2014 Outback). I just inherited an Outback and I’ve driven it on three 600+ mile solo jaunts between my house and my mom’s. I admit, it’s very comfy. It also gets better mileage than the Explorer. It has similar interior space in the back, but it’s a bit smaller for the passengers. While it can haul a small trailer, it’s limited to 3,000 lbs, so large trailers are out. I think it will be fine with the family, but I haven’t tried it yet.

If I were traveling by myself and planned on camping, I’d pick a good truck with a full bed cap. For family trips, I’d pick a minivan. If I had to move across country and had to haul a trailer, I’d choose a full-size SUV or a minivan.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 15:34, STARS: 0

Yeah I’m thinking garbage bag as much as possible and then cover with a tarp personally.

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
06/19/2017 at 15:35, STARS: 0

I don’t know about that. I hated my crown vic and the seats sucked in that. Maybe the Marquis or Towncars have better seats but my car was awful.

"KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs" (kusabisensei)
06/19/2017 at 15:39, STARS: 1

Honestly, I liked the drive from Atlanta to Naples, FL in my old E300 Turbodiesel. One fuel stop, comfortable seats, large trunk.

Unfortunately I no longer own that car, so I’d go with my Silverado now.

"xyzabc" (stackofoldwood)
06/19/2017 at 16:03, STARS: 0

Contract all the “heavy lifting” to professional, experienced movers.

Take a Gulfstream GS650 ...and divert over to Napa for dinner / over-night stay.

"cmill189 - sans Volvo" (cmill189)
06/19/2017 at 17:47, STARS: 1

The Outback is a great contender in theory but is terrible (IMO) in practice. Subaru has a long history with terrible seats and that plays a huge role in long-term comfort. I had an Outback for six years and a GL for two and spent considerable time in Imprezas, Foresters, and Outbacks of other generations. The leather seats are the worst, but cloth isn’t much better. They also make so little power (can’t speak for turbo/H6 models) that the fuel economy suffers with crap on the roof, very strong headwinds, mountain passes, or any combination of those.

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
06/20/2017 at 12:19, STARS: 0

Moving:

Reality dictates 2005 GMC Yukon XL 2500

Dreams dictate 2010 HSV Maloo GXP E2

Cross Country trip:

Dreams call for 2010 Chevy Corvette ZR1

Reality calls for my 2006 Pontiac GTO