If you love road trips and you have a family or just need a lot of space, you’ll want to know what the best SUVs for road trips are. The best SUVs for road trips have plenty of space, are safe (you can check out IIHS and NHTSA ratings), and require little maintenance. Here are five of the best SUVs for a road trip.  

5. The 2021 Honda Pilot is one of the best SUVs for road trips

The 2021 Honda Pilot is the best midsize three-row SUV, according to Consumer Reports. Forbes says it has a spacious cabin and plenty of tech. Still, the IIHS and NHTSA give it somewhat mixed safety ratings.

4. The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse is a large midsize SUV

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse  is a great choice for road trips because it’s one of the biggest midsize SUVs you can buy. There’s plenty of room to sit as well as to store your luggage. It comes with a great infotainment system including Apple CarPlay and a WiFi hot spot. 

The Traverse also wins an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. This means that it’s met a certain amount of safety standards. To be awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick award, an SUV must score a good rating in all IIHS crash test ratings. It also must have an advanced or superior in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Headlights must have a good or acceptable rating available. Oftentimes one trim level has good headlight ratings while another trim level does not, so it’s important to check the test results of the trim level you’re considering purchasing.  

3. The 2021 Kia Telluride has a touch of luxury

The 2021 Kia Telluride is pretty similar to the Hyundai Palisade. They’re built on the same platform, meaning mechanically they’re basically the same. It has loads of safety equipment and plenty of room. The Telluride also wins an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It has a luxurious feel which is sure to impress you initially and keep you feeling like you’re on vacation long after you’ve bought it. 

2. The 2021 Ford Explorer has loads of safety features

The 2021 Ford Explorer has tons of space and headspace. Even the second row has plenty of room, which is great for kids who may want to stretch their legs while watching movies. The third row isn’t quite as spacious, but the Explorer does come with a host of safety features. 

The IIHS gives the 2021 Ford Explorer its highest honor: a Top Safety Pick+ award. This is similar to the Top Safety Pick award, but the vehicle has to ace all of the tests. Additionally, the headlights on all trim levels must be good or acceptable. 

1. The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is the best SUV for road trips

The 2021 Hyundai Palisade is a spacious three-row SUV with plenty of USB ports to charge devices. Similar to the Explorer, the first two rows have lots of space, while the third row is somewhat smaller, but still decent. 

The Palisade also wins an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, so it’s passed safety tests with flying colors.