Australia is built for road trips. but the wrong car can turn a dream trip into a nightmare. Range anxiety in the outback, no boot space for camping gear, or a suspension that destroys your back after 6 hours. Here are the best cars for every type of Australian road trip.
Best Overall: Subaru Outback, From $42,490
The Outback is purpose-built for Australian road trips. Symmetrical AWD handles dirt roads and rain with confidence. 213mm ground clearance clears rough tracks. The flat-four engine is smooth on highways. 522L boot swallows camping gear. And the ride quality over 500km stretches is genuinely comfortable.
EyeSight driver assist reduces fatigue on long highway stints with excellent adaptive cruise and lane centering.
Best for the Outback: Toyota LandCruiser 300, From $89,990
When the road ends, the LandCruiser begins. If your road trip includes the Gibb River Road, Simpson Desert, or any serious off-road, nothing else comes close. 700km+ range on the 80L diesel tank, proper low-range 4WD, and Toyota reliability that's proven across 70 years of outback abuse.
The downside: it's $90k+ and drinks 8.9L/100km. But for remote Australia, it's the only car you'd trust your life to.
Best Fuel Economy: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, From $44,560
At 4.8L/100km, the RAV4 Hybrid stretches a 55L tank to roughly 1,100km on the highway. That's Sydney to beyond Broken Hill on a single tank. For sealed-road touring where fuel stations can be 200-300km apart, this range advantage provides genuine peace of mind.
Best for Towing a Caravan: Ford Ranger, From $42,430
If your road trip involves a caravan or camper trailer, the Ranger is the best tow vehicle under $80k. 3,500kg braked towing, 600Nm from the V6 turbo diesel, and Pro Trailer Assist makes reversing with a caravan almost automatic. 800km+ highway range on diesel.
Best EV for Road Trips: Tesla Model Y, From $57,900
The Supercharger network along the east coast makes the Model Y viable for Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane road trips. 533km WLTP range means charging every 3-4 hours. a natural rest stop interval. Autopilot reduces highway fatigue significantly. The catch: west of the Great Dividing Range, charging infrastructure gets thin.
Road Trip Car Comparison
| Car | Range | Fuel/km | Boot | Towing | Off-road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LandCruiser 300 | 900km+ | 8.9L | 553L | 3,500kg | Extreme |
| Subaru Outback | 800km | 7.3L | 522L | 2,000kg | Light |
| RAV4 Hybrid | 1,100km | 4.8L | 542L | 1,500kg | Light |
| Ford Ranger V6 | 830km | 8.7L | Tray | 3,500kg | Serious |
| Tesla Model Y | 533km | 15.5kWh | 854L | 1,600kg | None |
| Hyundai Palisade | 700km | 8.3L | 704L | 2,200kg | None |
Fuel Cost Per Road Trip
| Route | Distance | RAV4 Hybrid | Outback | LandCruiser | Model Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney → Melbourne | 880km | $80 | $122 | $149 | $41 |
| Brisbane → Cairns | 1,700km | $155 | $236 | $288 | $79 |
| Adelaide → Perth | 2,700km | $246 | $375 | $457 | N/A* |
*Tesla Model Y: Adelaide-Perth has limited Supercharger coverage as of 2026. Plan carefully.
Road Trip Essentials Checklist
- RACV/NRMA/RACQ membership. roadside assist is essential outside metro areas
- Spare tyre (full size if possible). many new cars only have tyre repair kits. Check before you leave
- 10L water per person. if you're driving outback, carry emergency water
- Paper map / offline Google Maps. mobile coverage disappears quickly outside towns
- UHF radio (channel 40). for outback and dirt roads where you share the road with road trains
- Fuel up at half tank. in regional Australia, don't gamble on the next town having fuel
EV Road Trips: The Honest Truth
East coast (Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane): very doable with a Tesla. Supercharger stops every 200-300km. Plan 20-30min breaks.
Regional/outback: not yet practical. Charging gaps of 400-500km exist. Until the network fills in, a diesel or hybrid is the safer choice for anything west of the Great Dividing Range.
Use our Speed vs Range calculator to see exactly how driving speed affects your EV range on highway trips.
Compare these cars yourself
200+ specs, fuel costs, safety ratings, braking distance, and speed vs range calculator.
Disclaimer: All information in this article was believed to be correct at the time of publishing (3 April 2026). Prices are manufacturer recommended retail prices (RRP) and may vary by state, dealer, and options. Specifications, government incentives, and rebates can change without notice. Always verify details with the manufacturer or relevant authority before making a purchase decision. Running cost estimates are based on average Australian driving conditions at 15,000 km/year. All opinions are editorial and independent. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations or rankings.
Published by CarSorted Editorial Team · 3 April 2026
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