Shopping for an SUV that won’t leave you exhausted after eight hours on the highway requires careful consideration. Ideally, you’ll buy a car that balances safety ratings, comfort features, affordable cost and practical road-trip necessities.
Learn More: The One Vehicle Feature That’s Always Worth the Money for Retirees, According to Car Experts
Check Out: 6 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster
We asked Chris Pyle, a mechanic with JustAnswer, which 2026 SUVs deliver on all four counts (and which two he’d personally choose for a cross-country drive). Here are the cars that the expert recommended.
The Top Safety Picks
Pyle identified eight SUVs ranking highest for safety in 2026:
- Kia Telluride
- Mazda CX-50
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai Palisade
- Honda Pilot
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Toyota Highlander
- Ford Explorer
Safety features prevent accidents before they happen and protect occupants when crashes occur. For families hauling kids across states or retirees road-tripping for weeks, that peace of mind matters more than acceleration times or badge prestige.
Be Aware: 7 Cars Middle-Class Retirees Should Avoid at All Costs in 2025
The Most Comfortable SUVs
Comfort rankings shift from safety considerations. Pyle’s most comfortable SUVs for 2026 include:
- Kia Telluride
- Jeep Wagoneer
- Lincoln Navigator
- Hyundai Tucson
- Ford Explorer
Comfort encompasses seat quality, cabin noise levels, ride smoothness and overall ergonomics.
What Actually Matters for Long Road Trips
Pyle said that successful road-trip SUVs need specific capabilities beyond just comfort and safety scores. “For a long trip, you want room to spread out, have some leg room, space for luggage, amenities to hold electronics, hold drinks, entertain kids, have some driving safety features and get good fuel mileage,” he said.
That practical checklist eliminates several contenders. Small SUVs lack cargo space. Thirsty vehicles destroy budgets on fuel. Models without rear entertainment or charging ports make kids miserable. Poor fuel economy turns scenic routes into anxious sprints between gas stations.
Towing capacity matters for families bringing bikes, small campers or boats along. The ability to haul recreational equipment expands vacation possibilities without requiring separate tow vehicles.
The Expert’s Top Two Choices
Given all these factors, Pyle narrowed his recommendations to two SUVs: the Kia Telluride and Ford Explorer.
Both vehicles appear on the safety list and comfort list, meaning they don’t sacrifice one category for the other. Both start under $45,000 for base models, keeping them accessible to middle-class budgets rather than requiring luxury-tier spending.
Fuel economy for both ranges from 20 to 25 MPG, which represents reasonable efficiency for three-row SUVs. That’s not Prius territory, but it’s far better than older body-on-frame SUVs returning 15 MPG or less.
Both can tow small trailers or boats, adding versatility for families wanting recreational options during trips. Towing capacity matters less if you never tow anything, but having the option means not limiting vacation possibilities based on vehicle constraints.
The Reliability Factor
Pyle added a crucial detail from his JustAnswer experience: “I rarely ever get questions about mechanical failures for both of these vehicles.”
That matters enormously for road trips. Breaking down 800 miles from home creates expensive, stressful situations. Vehicles with established reliability records reduce that risk substantially.
Mechanics see patterns across thousands of vehicles. When a particular model rarely appears with the same problems, that signals genuine reliability rather than marketing claims. Pyle’s daily exposure to breakdown questions gives him perspective most consumers just don’t have.
More From GOBankingRates
- Trump's $2K Dividend: Who Qualifies and How You'll Get It
- Could Homer Simpson Support His Family in 2025?
- How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires -- and How You Can, Too
- 5 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The 8 Best 2026 SUVs for Comfort, Safety and Long Road Trips
