By Sara Allaire
Walk outside into the fresh air and let the warm sunbeams cascade across your face. Summer is arriving which, for someone as bold as you, means it’s time for brand-new adventures.
From camping under the stars to summiting your favorite mountain peak, the sweet embrace of summer escape is calling your name. Do you have the right ride to take you there? The proper vehicle has the ability to make your adventures more enjoyable—and even more thrilling!
Let’s dive into the 10 most durable SUVs that are ready to take you on a memorable summer camping experience.
Car Camp in Style
There are so many different levels of outdoor lovers. So, if you’re looking for a more low-key camping experience with your closest friends or little ones, the following SUVs could be the perfect match.
GMC Terrain
There’s nothing like the excitement of heading out to a new campsite—your trunk is packed, your playlist is made and popping, and you’ve rounded up the best road trip snacks. But when the weekend is over and it’s time to tear down your tent and toss all those snacks back into your car, motivation is suddenly nowhere to be found.
No fear, the Terrain is here! With its Hands-Free Programmable Power Liftgate, you’ll be able to open the rear of your SUV with a simple wave of your foot. This allows you to load in your bins with total and complete ease and hit the road faster.
Honda Passport
In addition to packing up larger items, you need a few smaller essentials when camping, such as flashlights to help you find the bathroom in the middle of the night and an emergency kit for scrapes you may get on the trails. The Passport makes space for it all with underfloor storage in addition to an expansive rear cargo area.
Looking to bring some mountain bikes or kayaks along for the adventure? If so, then you’ll want to opt for the TrailSport trim with roof rails.
Kia Sportage
Road trips are half the pleasure when it comes to car camping. Venturing off to a new destination can be just as fun as the hiking and fishing you’ll do when you get there, as long as you have the right entertainment by your side. The Sportage is armed and ready for lengthy trips with features like a 12.3-inch touchscreen display packed with smartphone integration and paired to a robust 8-speaker sound system.
Plus, an available panoramic sunroof allows you to bask in the summer sun on your way to your next thrilling getaway.
Volkswagen Tiguan
After exploring a new trail or braving a climb to a stunning overlook, you’ll no doubt want to kick off your hiking boots and kick back in your SUV’s cozy interior. The Tiguan is ready to welcome you in with an available Climatronic® dual-zone automatic climate control. Blast that cool air as you head to a hidden swimming hole for an ultra-relaxing break.
If you’ve really worked up a sweat, then make full use of the luxurious available ventilated front seats.
Upgrade Your Excursions
Road trips and car camping is a lot of fun, but some women like to take their adventures to the next level. Whether you need to haul an Airstream or just want to take the road less traveled, the following SUVs are a bit more robust and well-equipped for the job.
Honda Pilot
Every excursion is made better by having the right adventure partners. If you’re looking to bring the crew along with you, then you’ll love the 8-passenger seating the Pilot provides.
Additionally, a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity allows you to bring a small camper along for the ride so you can camp in comfort. You and your fellow explorers will be able to spend a rainy day inside watching movies or enjoy an indoor shower after a muddy hike thanks to the capabilities of this rugged set of wheels.
Hyundai PALISADE
Another 3-row SUV ready to take you on unforgettable trips is the PALISADE. If you’re looking for some more luxurious touches to transition seamlessly from weekend camping to your weekday routine, then this is a great SUV for you.
The Calligraphy trim level adds touches of refinement such as quilted leather seating and door panels along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Subaru Outback
Think of the last time you climbed to the top of a mountain. It took the right fuel in your body, the proper hiking books, and plenty of water. Just as you needed to be prepared for the journey ahead, so does your car.
Summiting steep peaks is no problem for the Outback thanks to Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and X-Mode® powering your ride. When you’re ready to come back down to flat terrain, Hill Descent Control will gently take you there.
Toyota RAV4
Heading into the great outdoors means you get to disconnect for the week. Forget about social media and work emails—just enjoy the clear, blue sky and take in the rich scent of luscious pines.
Still, going off the grid doesn’t mean you have to live in the Dark Ages. With the 12V/120W outlet in the cargo area of the RAV4, you’ll still have access to electricity to light up your campsite, power your radio, and even keep your camera charged so you can get some unbelievable nature shots.
Leave Civilization in the Rearview Mirror
The boldest of us all need a car unlike the rest. The following two options are for the bravest of the brave, for those drivers ready to head deep into the great outdoors for thrilling off-road treks.
Ford Bronco
Saddle up and get ready for a wild ride. The bucking Bronco is built for ladies who don’t shy away from excitement. With a ground clearance of up to 13.1 inches, this SUV is ready for rocks, tree stumps, small boulders, and anything else that may come your way.
Even a stream or small river won’t stop you in your tracks since this car boasts water fording up to 37 inches when properly armed.
Jeep Wrangler
If everyone is always calling you tough, then the Wrangler could be the right match for your brawn. In addition to a host of 4-wheel drive systems, this SUV has an Off-Road+ Button that curates traction, control, and strength for the most daring of treks.
The best part is that this vehicle provides a complete open-air driving experience. Simply remove the roof and doors and fold down the windshield to become one with your surroundings.
Plan Your Summer Getaway Today
No matter what you need for your big summer plans, there’s clearly an SUV out there for you. Is adventure calling your name? If so, then it’s time to answer back with a stylish yet rugged ride.
Let’s go!
Sara Allaire
Sara Allaire is a copywriter and team lead at Stream Companies, where she has been working since 2019. In 2018, she graduated from Cabrini University in Radnor, PA, with a Bachelors Degree in Writing.
Sara is a lover of the great outdoors and road trips of any kind. She is also an avid hiker with her favorite excursion being a trek she did in Thailand through the jungle to find elephants. On the weekends, you can find her hiking Mount Misery at Valley Forge National Park and then reading a good book by the river.
All these SUVs look really dashing. I’ve however only heard of Pilot for good road trip recently. All the features of all these SUVs are mind blowing.
The Pilot is such a fun road trip SUV—so many cool features to entertain and excite!
I’ve seen Subaru Outback a lot in Colorado. In fact, I think it’s a must when you live in Colorado with lots of driving up and down the mountains. My husband and I liked to joke that we must have a Subaru if we move to Colorado. I also like the Honda Pilot. Not just because it can carries 8 people, but it can also hauling a small trailer.
Bringing a trailer around Colorado would be a ton of fun! The Outback is definitely ready to tackle those mountains.
These all look like great SUVs. I quite like the sound of the Honda passport. The underfloor storage adds more space for everything we’d need to bring.
The underfloor storage is so handy, Melanie. Definitely helps make sure nothing gets left behind!
we sure do love our toyota rav4!!
Hope you’ve been having great adventures!
This is 100% sure the kind of summer outdoor adventure setup I’m looking for! What I need for a quick getaway is just some road travelling and car camping. Thanks to your writing, I now know what kind of automobile to take on my next off-road excursion. The Jeep Wrangler is pretty cool!
Good luck in your new car search, Maria. Glad to be able to help set you on the right path 😊
a fine car really is helpful to take it all from summer. I am not considering a car purchase anytime soon but I do look into renting a car for a summer trip for several days.
Any of these vehicles would make a great rental for your next excursion, Lyosha!
I like sturdy SUVs and have a huge experience traveling and exploring different terrains in them. A 4-wheel-drive ones are the best, as such cars are powerful, yet very gentle.
If you’re looking for an off-road adventure, then 4-wheel drive is absolutely the way to go, Laura!
We love roadtrips and camping! Thank you for sharing this, will share your tips to my husband. We are still undecided if we will upgrade to SUV.
Camping is fun in any vehicle but SUVs can really help take that fun to the next level!
I pretty much like your list. And Ford Bronco is always my dream for different terrains.
Thank you—I hope you make your dream of owning a Bronco come true!
These are some of the ultimate selection of SUVs for off road trips for those seeking endless adventures. Nothing compares to heading for an exciting road trip packed with all the essentials.
Couldn’t agree more, Puloma 😊
I don’t know anything about cars, and I always trust my partner to rent the right vehicle for our road trips. We adapt the type of car to our plans, the length of the journey, and the route. 4-wheel drive or high suspension is not always needed. But I like SUVs because they always have more giant trunks, and in the event of rain, you can sleep comfortably in them without pitching a tent. Once, we rented Honda Pilot, and it was a great experience. But my favorite is Jeep Wrangler. We rented it, and we had to traverse gravel roads and some streams on our way. It’s a perfect adventure car.
I love that, Agnes! Every adventure is unique and there are so many different types of SUVs to rent to help meet your specific travel needs.
This is great for someone like me, who knows absolutely nothing about cars! I have good memories of long roadtrips with my family when I was a kid. That’s what I’ll always associate with SUVs.
Glad this post has helped, Tahlia. Cheers to your future road trips!
This is a great list but I’m sad the Subaru Ascent didn’t make it. It’s such an awesome car! Glad Subaru did make the list though. What a great lineup of SUVs that will make camping even better!
It was really hard to narrow down the list with so many amazing SUVs out there. Ultimately, the Outback won out due to it’s high ground clearance, but I am also a fan of the Ascent’s capability and third-row seating! Thanks for reading, Laura!
Camping is one of my favorite things to do! We often take our Tahoe and it packs up alot of our camping equipment and great to go through rough terrains!
The Tahoe is a great car, Janie—definitely a strong contender with these SUVs!
Thanks for the round up of options. I think I would choose Volkswagen Tiguan. We tend to only drive German vehicles. But see how all of these would fit the bill for outdoor adventures.
You’re welcome, Renee! I’m happy you liked the list! The Tiguan is great for adding a touch of refinement to all your travels!
I’ve always loved the Jeep Wrangler, still on top of my wish list! I can imagine going off rode with this, heaven!
The Wrangler is built to take on some big, off-road treks! I hope you get to make your wish a reality.
I like the sound of the large screen that folds down from the ceiling that the Honda Pilot has, how cool is that! It would be great to have links to all of the cars you mentioned so I could check them out.
Thanks for your suggestion, Sabrina! You can always view these vehicles on the manufacturer’s website or head over to your local dealership!
I am thinking of getting either an suv, maybe wrangler or a truck. I am leaning more towards buying a truck. The Wrangler SUV is gorgeous…
The Wrangler is great for getting that unique open air experience. Enjoy your new car search, Chad!
I’m totally an SUV person while my partner is more of a Sedan person and we ended up buying a Sedan. Car camping is indeed the reason why I wanted to go for an SUV. Honda Pilot was indeed one of the front runners on my list. Somehow I didn’t go in the direction of Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler and I’m thinking why I never considered them. Actually, those are more me than the rest. Let’s see what the future holds.
The open-air experience of the Bronco and Wrangler can’t be beat, but the 8-passenger capability of the Pilot is perfect for camping with your friends!
We bought a new SUV this year and did a lot of research before we decided on what we wanted. But I must admit that car camping was not really on our requirements list. We ultimately sent for a larger SUV. So maybe we could try camping in it one day. It is a good idea to think about going off-road when looking at the SUV options.
Absolutely, Linda! So many factors go into buying a new ride. But if you’re looking for some extreme adventures in your new car, definitely consider what off-road features are available.
Great suggestions. I would love to get one of these to go camping. I can see they are cool to be on such a trip.
Totally, Frank! These vehicles are sure to take your excursions to the next level!
Nnniiiccceeee…I don’t think I have seen a Ford Bronco before. It looks so pretty and powerful for the outdoor life.
The Bronco is a revival of an old classic and is sure to ignite your big adventures!
I’m torn between the Palisade (I like that third row of seats) and the Outback (my friend has one and loves it). I have been considering trading up for an SUV.
Rosey, the biggest difference between the Palisade and Outback is that the Palisade has three rows of seating—definitely something to consider in your new car search!
I could never camp in my car as it is too small. I did take it on a 5000 miles road trip though, but I never slept in it over night. I think that big cars are much more common in the States than in Europe. Here we want the smallest cars possible, to navigate the tiny roads. I would like to experience camping in a big car though. Maybe when I decide to visit the States I will have the opportunity to hire one and see how it is to explore the country in an SUV.
I had no idea that bigger cars were uncommon in Europe, Joanna! I highly recommend seeing this beautiful country in one of these SUVs—they’re more rugged, which is perfect for big adventures! 😊
We used to own a Toyota RAV4 and we do love its reliability and power. We sold it but bought another Toyota SUV.
Love the RAV4! Hope you’re enjoying your new SUV just as much!
When my kids were little, I had a GMC and loved its rugged utilitarianism with luxury touches (seat warmers!!). We took it to the drive-in, on New England road trips, and off the beaten path many a time. My son, now grown, has as a Subaru Outback. He’s always out fishing or exploring, and can car camp in the back at a moment’s notice. These cars have been essential to our adventurous lifestyle!
Love to hear that, Jackie! SUVs are so much fun to adventure in 😊
I miss good road trips. We used to camp in our van as kids with our family so these are great options to check out.
Cinny, I also grew up van camping and loved it so much. I find that camping in my SUV is just as exciting!