The Range Game: 7 Efficient Highway Cruisers
It’s summertime, and that means it’s time for some road tripping. From distant beaches to far away cities, there are so many places our cars can take us, and getting there can be as fun as what we do when we get there. However, nothing kills a road trip faster than running low on gas and having to fill up in some scorching hot station in the middle of nowhere.
That's when it's import to find a car that sips gas and is fun to drive. Below, we have listed some of the best fuel-efficient cars you can buy, and the amazing road trips you could take with them. Yes, some of them are what you'd expect, but there are quite a few that surprised us with their exceptional range—and no, they’re not all hybrids. Hopefully you can get a few summer (or even winter) vacation ideas out of this as well. We're definitely planning on taking a few of these trips.
1. Bentley Continental GT V8
600 Miles—Napa, California to Tecate, Mexico
In case you didn’t know, GT stands for Grand Touring. With an estimated 25 mpg and 24 gallon tank, Bentley estimates you’ll be able to go 600 miles. Anyone can go wine tasting in Napa Valley, but only the most economical can go from famous wineries to famous breweries in the same trip. You’ll be able to go from wine tasting in Napa to having Tecates in Tecate, Mexico without having to stop for gas like a peasant, and still have 40 miles to spare.
2. Honda Accord Hybrid
601 Miles—Ottawa, Canada to Washington, D.C.
Slightly edging out the Bentley, the 2018 Accord Hybrid will go one mile farther if you squeeze out the reported 47 mpg from its 12.8 gallon tank. If you ever want to visit multiple capitals in one trip, this car can do it. It has enough to go from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s house in Ottawa, Ontario to the White House in Washington, D.C.
3. Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In
630 Miles—Big Bear, California to Salt Lake City, Utah
Summer isn't the only good time for a road trip. There are a bevy of fun places to see and things to do when the snow starts falling. The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has an electric range of 29 miles and squeezes out 52 mpg from its 11.4 gallon tank. That’s enough to go from snowboarding in Big Bear, California to skiing in Salt Lake City, Utah on one tank of gas.
4. Toyota Prius Prime
640 Miles—Detroit, Michigan to Bristol, Conneticut
If you're the kind of person to follow a sports team religiously, you're probably used to long drives to away games. Love it or hate it, the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is made for long drives. With a range of 640 miles, 25 of those purely electric and 615 from its 11.3 gallon gas tank, it can take you almost the whole way from a Tigers game at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan to ESPN Headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.
5. Toyota Camry Hybrid
676 Miles—Manhattan, New York to Tail of the Dragon, North Carolina
Imagine something exciting. Now imagine the opposite of that. You probably pictured a Toyota Camry. Luckily, Toyota is aware of that and has tried to spice up the current generation of Camry. It still might not be the most fun car you can drive, but you will be able to escape the concrete jungle of Manhattan and make it to the Tail of the Dragon, one of America's greatest driving roads, on one tank. When you get there, you can really run the Camry Hybrid through its paces on the twisties, though we’d still recommend you borrow something more exciting to drive, once you get there.
6. Chevrolet Suburban/Cadillac Escalade ESV/GMC Yukon XL
713 Miles—Atlanta, Georgia to Miami, Florida
Imagine this: After a day of driving at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, you and your crew of eight hop into an SUV and take the I-95 South to Miami Beach, Florida. You can make that trip in a Suburban/Yukon XL/Escalade ESV without stopping for gas once! Maybe the money and time you saved on gas could go towards a swanky hotel on Ocean Drive, or at least a few cups of Cuban coffee and a sandwich at La Sandwicherie.
7. Kia Optima Hybrid/Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
726 miles—San Francisco, California to Las Vegas, Nevada to Zion National Park, Utah
Sometimes it can be too hard to choose between the city and nature. When that happens, you need a car that can take you to both. The Optima and Sonata share the same drivetrain both have a cruising range of 726 miles. Whether you choose the Optima or Sonata, it can take you from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco to the Las Vegas nightlife and continue on to escape into nature at Zion National Park, all in one full tank!
