Whether it's breathtaking Scottish Highlands, sandy Cornish beaches or idyllic Welsh valleys – the UK has a wealth of stunning places to visit without ever needing to leave our shores.
For most of these destinations, road tripping in your car is the easiest and most relaxing way to get there. But which models are up to the job?
A great road trip motor should be big enough for your luggage, spacious so you can stretch out on long motorway stints, and satisfying to drive so making it all that way doesn't feel like a chore.
Here are our picks for our favourite road trip cars, all available as great-value used cars from Motorpoint.
Audi A5 Sportback
There are remarkably few areas the Audi A5 Sportback doesn't excel in. It's stylish on the outside and even better looking on the inside, with plush materials and a modern dashboard design. You also get extremely surefooted handling, a slick automatic gearbox and a selection of strong engines to effortlessly eat up the miles. Plus, five-door Sportback models have enough seat space for four adults to lounge in comfort and a spacious, easily accessible hatchback boot for your luggage.
Browse used Audi A5 cars or read our Audi A5 review
Mazda MX-5
If you're unburdened by the need to bring kids along for the trip, why not embrace the lightweight lifestyle with the Mazda MX-5? This is the definitive two-seat convertible – and also one of the very few left on sale that doesn't cost a fortune. Fizzy petrol engines urge you to rev them to redline while the darty, communicative handling makes every journey feel like a special event. You can drop the roof so you and your passenger can experience the sights, sounds and smells along the way, and there's enough boot space for a couple's holiday.
Cupra Formentor
The Cupra Formentor is another great option if your road trip includes the whole family. This dramatic-looking coupe-SUV blends grippy and engaging handling, with enough suspension compliance that you can enjoy a twisty mountain pass without your passengers getting motion sickness. Plus, unlike many cars that try to mash coupe style with an SUV body, the Formentor still has enough space to seat grown adults and carry their cargo, or for families with kids who might need to drag a pushchair along for the ride.
Check out used Cupra Formentor cars
Hyundai Tucson
Life on the road with the Hyundai Tucson is easy. The cabin is spacious and elegantly trimmed – the driving experience is composed and calming – and, if that's not enough, the strong fuel economy and long factory warranty means you can pile on the miles with confidence. All that's before you've taken in the futuristic styling and unique, segmented headlight design. Plus, if you're shopping used examples, you'll find enormous discounts on the previous-generation Tucson made until 2021, which still has most of its successor's talents.
View used Hyundai Tucson cars or read our Hyundai Tucson review
BMW 3 Series Touring
The BMW 3 Series is a superb all-rounder, combining agile, entertaining handling with a practical cabin that's slightly larger than its direct rivals from Audi or Mercedes. Saloon models have a spacious boot with enough space for at least two large suitcases but road trippers might want to consider the cavernous 3 Series Touring estate, which is ideal if you need to bring pets or pushchairs. Nearly new examples can be had for less than £25,000, so you don't need to blow the bank to get a great road trip companion.
Shop used BMW 3 Series cars for sale or read our BMW 3 Series review
Range Rover Evoque
This second-generation Range Rover Evoque finally delivers on its original billing – to distill the full-fat Range Rover down into a more affordable, everyday package. Its cabin is properly luxurious, with soft, expensive-feeling materials and enough practicality that rear-seat passengers won't be complaining on long trips. It's also one of the best-riding SUVs on the market, let alone at this price point, with a softer edge to its suspension than its main German rivals – it floats over bumps and potholes, all without compromising the deft handling.
Browse used Range Rover Evoque cars for sale or read our Range Rover Evoque review
Nissan Qashqai
This generation of Nissan Qashqai was replaced by a new model in 2021, so what's it doing here? Well, it has a trump card thanks to its super-soft ride specifically tuned to cope with the UK's ragged road surfaces – a refreshing choice when so many rivals are making cars firmer and 'sportier'. Plus, with loads of Qashqais available on the used market, prices are extremely competitive, so you get an awful lot of car for your money, along with all the room you'll need to take the family along for the ride.
Shop used Nissan Qashqai cars or read our review of the latest Nissan Qashqai
Mercedes C-Class Coupe
If you want to road trip in style, few can compete with the Mercedes C-Class Coupe. It's the two-door sibling of the standard C-Class and shares that car's elegant cabin, which comes trimmed with lots of real wood, metal and leather details. Like the four-door, it strikes a great balance between being soft and comfortable, and still feeling agile and direct, ending up less sporty than rivals like the BMW 4 Series but without losing a sense of driver appeal. Plus, once you're done driving it, you can just get out and take in its handsome looks.
Browse used Mercedes C-Class cars or read our Mercedes C-Class review
Peugeot 2008
The handsome Peugeot 2008 is a small SUV that's well suited to almost any task you can throw at it, including carting the family off on a road trip. There's a good amount of room inside for four adults and a boot that's usefully larger than the hatchbacks you might cross-shop it against. Plus, you get a flexible boot floor that can drop down to give you a deep load area, or be raised up to mostly eliminate the load lip at the boot opening, making it easier to load heavy items.
Check out used Peugeot 2008 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 2008 review
Volkswagen Arteon
The Volkswagen Arteon is perfect for eating up huge cross-country mileages. You get an eye-catching coupe-like body that hides an impressively spacious cabin – offering more rear legroom than you'll find in any of its direct rivals. Under the skin, you'll find high-tech engines and gearboxes shared with other VW Group cars, which work effortlessly in the Arteon, making it a supremely relaxing car to drive for long periods. There's also enough boot space to hold a couple of big suitcases, even if you didn't manage to get the zip done up all the way!
Take a look at used Volkswagen Arteon cars or read our Volkswagen Arteon review
Ready to take a trip with one of these cars?
Check out Motorpoint's huge selection of used cars. For more inspiration, take a look at our picks for the best nearly new SUVs and the best cars for dogs and their owners.
