The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the best SUV for road trips: it gets 35 to 40 mpg on the highway, holds up to 37.8 cubic feet of cargo, and starts at $31,900. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the best electric pick, with one big catch in winter. I’d skip the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
Published November 14, 2026.
I’ve been following electric SUVs for years, and the road-trip question I hear most is still the wrong one. People ask which SUV is biggest. The better question is which one makes the boring middle of a 500-mile day cheap and easy. Most of my driving plans are fall-foliage drives and runs up the coast to Cape Cod and Maine. I build those trips around what holds up in bad weather: a good scraper, a warm layer in the back, and a fuel or charging plan that still works when it’s 20 degrees out.
That’s the lens for the seven SUVs below. Comfort matters too. No spec sheet can tell you how your back feels at hour six, so I’ll give you my read, and you should still sit in the seat yourself.
Best SUV for road trips: the seven compared
| SUV | Highway mpg or EV range (EPA) | Cargo behind 2nd row | Starting MSRP range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | 35–40 mpg highway | Up to 37.8 cu ft | $31,900–$43,300 |
| 2. Kia Sorento Hybrid | 35–36 mpg highway | 38.5–45.0 cu ft (Kia lists a range) | $39,090–$47,590 |
| 3. Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid | 34–36 mpg highway | 40.5 cu ft | $36,650–$48,950 |
| 4. Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid | 32–34 mpg highway (27 for Hybrid MAX) | 57.9 cu ft | $45,910–$60,475 |
| 5. Hyundai Ioniq 5 (electric) | 245–318 miles of range | 26.3 cu ft (behind rear seats) | $35,250–$46,525 |
| 6. Kia EV9 (electric) | 230–305 miles of range | 43.5 cu ft | $54,900–$71,900 |
| 7. Hyundai Palisade Hybrid | 31–35 mpg highway | 46.3 cu ft | About $44,560 |
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Winner: the RAV4 Hybrid. Loser: the Palisade Hybrid, for reasons below. Model years are 2026 or 2027, whichever each maker is selling now, and prices exclude destination.
The 7 best SUVs for road trips, ranked
1. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid: the one to beat
This is the cheapest way I know to cover a lot of miles without thinking about the gas gauge. Highway ratings on fueleconomy.gov run from 35 mpg on the Woodland trim up to 40 on the front-drive LE, and the other AWD trims sit at 37 to 39. A tank goes a long way and a fill-up is a short stop. The cargo hold fits a couple of soft duffels and a cooler, not a family of five’s luggage.
Best for: couples and small families who drive a lot and want the lowest running cost. Skip it if: you need a third row, or you carry bulky gear for four people every trip. My take: the fuel gap between this and everything else here is the whole story. Over a long fall loop it adds up to real money, and the $31,900 base price is the lowest on the list.
2. Kia Sorento Hybrid: the roomy middle
The Sorento Hybrid is the one I’d look at if the RAV4 feels tight. It has a small third row. With that row folded, Kia’s spec sheet gives the space behind the second row as a range, 38.5 to 45.0 cubic feet, without saying which layout gets which. Highway is 35 to 36 mpg. A plug-in version adds about 30 miles of electric driving before it runs as a normal hybrid. Kia prices it from $48,290, more than the top hybrid trim.
Best for: families who want more cargo than a compact without jumping to a big three-row. Skip it if: you’re tempted by the plug-in for road trips. My take: 30 electric miles barely dents a 400-mile day, cold weather shrinks that stretch like any battery, and the extra cost buys a lot of gas. The regular hybrid is the smarter road-trip buy.
3. Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid: the value pick with a big trunk
The boxy Santa Fe looks like it was drawn around its cargo hold. Hyundai lists 40.5 cubic feet behind the second row, a few more than the RAV4, plus a third row for short hops. Highway is 34 to 36 mpg, and it starts at $36,650, roughly $2,400 under the Sorento Hybrid.
Best for: road-trippers who pack more than two people’s gear and want a price below the Sorento. Skip it if: top highway mpg is your priority, since the RAV4 beats it by a few miles per gallon. My take: this is the one I’d cross-shop hardest against the winner. You only appreciate a tall, square tailgate opening when you’re loading a cooler and two folding chairs in the rain. For a family of four, the extra room is worth the small price gap to the RAV4.
4. Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid: three rows without a fuel penalty
A three-row SUV that still gets 32 to 34 mpg on the highway is the reason this one makes the list. With the third row folded there’s 57.9 cubic feet, and 20.6 behind it with every seat up, so you choose between people and bags. The Hybrid MAX trims are quicker but drop to 27 mpg highway, and I’d skip those for road trips.
Best for: bigger families and groups of friends who’d otherwise need a minivan. Skip it if: you only ever carry four people. You’d pay $45,910 or more for room you don’t use, and the RAV4 sips less.
5. Hyundai Ioniq 5: the electric pick, with a winter catch
This is the electric SUV I’d point a first-time EV road-tripper to. The EPA rates it at 245 to 318 miles depending on battery and drive, and the quiet cabin is a real difference at highway speed. Cargo behind the rear seats is 26.3 cubic feet, the smallest here, so pack soft bags. Hyundai prices it from $35,250 to $46,525.
Best for: drivers who charge at home and take trips on routes with fast chargers. Skip it if: you drive into remote country in January. That EPA number is a mild-weather number. At 20°F, the federal fuel economy site says EV range can drop by 41 percent, and about two-thirds of the extra energy goes to heating the cabin. Without the heater, the drop is about 12 percent. A 300-mile EV can become a 180-mile one, so plan charging stops sooner and warm the car while it’s still plugged in.
6. Kia EV9: the three-row electric
The EV9 is the one electric SUV here that seats a crowd. Kia lists 43.5 cubic feet behind the second row, the EPA rates it at 230 to 305 miles, and the price runs $54,900 to $71,900. Highway efficiency is 72 to 78 MPGe, the thirstiest of the group in energy terms.
Best for: families who already charge at home and want an electric three-row. Skip it if: your trips run long and cold. A big cabin to heat, the lowest efficiency and the highest starting price of the seven make it the one I’d least like to run on a cold highway day.
7. Hyundai Palisade Hybrid: the one I’d skip
The Palisade Hybrid isn’t a bad SUV. It has 46.3 cubic feet behind the second row and a big, comfortable cabin. The problem is that it’s squeezed from both sides. Its best rating, 35 mpg highway, comes only on the front-drive SEL and SEL Premium. Every AWD version drops to 31, the lowest of the hybrids here apart from the Hybrid MAX. It starts at about $44,560.
Best for: someone who already likes the Palisade’s cabin and will buy a front-drive SEL. Skip it if: you want AWD for winter trips. My take: the Santa Fe Hybrid starts about $7,900 lower and still gets 34 mpg highway with AWD. The AWD Grand Highlander Hybrid gets 32 and has more room behind the second row. That’s why it’s the loser here.
Road trip fuel and charging cost calculator
Here’s the quick math I run before booking anything. For a hybrid: miles divided by highway mpg gives gallons; gallons times your gas price gives the cost. For an electric SUV: miles times kWh per 100 miles, divided by 100, gives kWh; kWh times your rate gives the cost. The table runs 1,000 miles using the EIA’s weekly U.S. average for regular gas, $3.995 a gallon in the week of November 9, 2026, and its latest average residential electricity price, 18.16 cents per kWh. The fast-charging column uses 50 cents per kWh as an example input only, since networks set their own rates. Swap in your own numbers.
| SUV | Energy per 1,000 miles | Cost at U.S. average gas or home electricity | Cost at an example 50¢/kWh fast charger |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAV4 Hybrid | 25–29 gallons | $100–$114 | n/a |
| Sorento Hybrid | 28–29 gallons | $111–$114 | n/a |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | 28–29 gallons | $111–$118 | n/a |
| Grand Highlander Hybrid | 29–31 gallons | $118–$125 | n/a |
| Palisade Hybrid | 29–32 gallons | $114–$129 | n/a |
| Ioniq 5 | 290–358 kWh | $53–$65 | $145–$179 |
| EV9 | 380–410 kWh | $69–$74 | $190–$205 |
The EV rows use the EPA’s combined kWh per 100 miles, so steady 75 mph driving will run higher. The spread is the point. An EV charged at home is the cheapest road-trip mile on this list, while one charged only at fast chargers can cost more than a hybrid.
Winter range caution for hybrids and EVs
Hybrids feel the cold too. The cold-weather page on fueleconomy.gov says a hybrid’s fuel economy can drop about 30 to 34 percent in city driving at 20°F, against roughly 15 percent for a conventional gas car. Those are city figures, so treat them as the bad case for a highway day. Three habits keep it manageable:
- Precondition while plugged in or parked. Heating the cabin before you leave uses wall power instead of the battery.
- Plan the first charge stop earlier than the app says. With range down as much as 41 percent at 20°F, I plan around 60 percent of rated range in freezing weather.
- Check tire pressure the morning you leave. Cold air lowers it and costs efficiency.
Which SUV for road trips should you pick?
If you drive a lot and pay for gas, buy the RAV4 Hybrid. If you carry six or seven people, take the Grand Highlander Hybrid. Charge at home and take most trips in spring through fall? Then the Ioniq 5 is a great electric choice. For wet, snowy runs, the guide to the best SUV for snow and ice covers the grip side. For size comparisons, the list of the best midsize SUVs shows the bigger bodies. The most reliable SUVs page helps if you keep a car past 150,000 miles. And if your next trip is leaf-peeping, check the fall foliage peak timing before you fix a date.
Frequently asked questions about SUVs for road trips
What is the most comfortable SUV for long road trips?
I’d rank the three-row models highest for comfort, because a longer wheelbase usually rides smoother and the Grand Highlander and EV9 have room to stretch out. Comfort is personal, so sit in the driver’s seat for 20 minutes before you buy and adjust the lumbar before you judge it.
Is an electric SUV good for road trips?
Yes, if you can charge at home and your route has fast chargers. I’d say no for remote winter trips, because at 20°F an EV’s range can fall by about 41 percent, mostly from running the heater.
Which SUV has the best gas mileage for road trips?
The RAV4 Hybrid, at up to 40 mpg highway in front-drive form. I’d still take the AWD version for New England winters, since it gives up only a mile or three per gallon. The Sorento Hybrid and Santa Fe Hybrid follow at 34 to 36.
How much cargo space do I need for a road trip?
Lay out your bags and the cooler before you shop, then compare against the cargo column above. For four people with soft duffels, the RAV4, Sorento and Santa Fe all have room. Hard suitcases push you toward the Palisade or Grand Highlander.
