Best Cars for Camping in Australia (2026)

Australia has some of the best camping in the world. But turn up in the wrong car and you're either stuck in sand, scraping your undercarriage on a fire trail, or fitting a tent where your kids should be sitting. Here's what to buy for every type of camping.

Weekend Camping (Sealed Roads, National Parks)

If your camping is powered campsites, national parks with paved access, and the occasional well-maintained dirt road, you don't need a LandCruiser. You need boot space and comfort.

The Outback is the pick here. 213mm ground clearance handles rough dirt roads without scraping, symmetrical AWD grips on wet grass, and the boot swallows camping gear. Plus it's comfortable enough that you won't hate the 4-hour drive to get there.

Off-Road Camping (Fire Trails, State Forests)

When the roads get rougher, you need real ground clearance, proper 4WD, and a vehicle that can handle rocks, ruts, and creek crossings.

Approach angle tells you how steep a hill or rock ledge you can climb without scraping the front bumper. Anything over 30° handles most Australian fire trails. Wading depth is how deep a water crossing you can drive through. The Ranger Raptor at 850mm is in a class of its own.

Outback Touring (Remote, No Help Coming)

The Gibb River Road. The Oodnadatta Track. Cape York. If you're doing proper remote touring, reliability isn't a nice-to-have, it's survival.

Toyota LandCruiser 300. Full stop. There's a reason every tour operator, mining company, and outback station runs LandCruisers. 80L fuel tank gives you 800+ kilometres of range. Parts are available in every remote town. If something breaks in the middle of nowhere, a bush mechanic can fix a LandCruiser. Try saying that about a Range Rover.

Camping with an EV: The V2L Advantage

Here's something most people haven't thought about. EVs with V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) are basically mobile power stations. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 can output 3.6kW from a standard power outlet in the boot. That's enough to run:

• A portable fridge all weekend
• Phone and laptop charging
• LED camp lights
• An electric kettle or induction cooktop
• A portable heater on cold nights

With a 77.4kWh battery, the Ioniq 5 could run a 200W fridge for roughly 15 days before going flat. No generator needed. No fuel. No noise. Just plug in.

The catch: range drops on dirt roads and off-road. Plan your charging stops carefully. Stick to coastal and semi-urban campgrounds where you can recharge.

Camping Car Essentials

• Roof racks or rails for a rooftop tent, kayak, or extra storage. Check the roof load rating (dynamic vs static weight limits).
• Tow bar even if you don't tow. Useful for bike racks and rear-mounted cargo carriers.
• Bash plate/underbody protection for off-road camping. A rock through the sump ends your trip immediately.
• Second battery or power station if you don't have V2L. Running a fridge off the starter battery is risky.
• Recovery gear for off-road: snatch strap, shackles, tyre deflator, portable compressor. Don't leave the bitumen without these.

→ Browse SUVs and utes sorted by ground clearance on CarSorted