Best Cars For Camping

Camping is fun but comes with its own set of challenges. You’ve got to be able to carry a tent, food, clothing, and other supplies. You also need to physically make it to the camp site, and if it’s in the middle of treacherous woodlands then you’ll need a car that can take you through the brush. Fear not, brave soul for we have chosen five cars that can take you through just about any terrain safely, and affordably.

2014 Honda CR-V

We’ll start with the basics for now, which is the 2014 Honda CR-V. It’s a staple vehicle, tried and true, for going off-roading and having the space to haul a few people and lots of things. The CR-V can be AWD, it comes with a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that produces 185 horsepower, and the trunk is a spacious 37 cubic feet. That space can almost double if the back seats are folded down, making this car perfect in almost every single way for going camping, whether it’s just a couple or a whole family. You can get one for around $16,500, so it’s affordable as well.

2004 Toyota Tacoma 4D

Next we have another staple, the 2004 Toyota Tacoma. You can find one for $11,000, and it would be handy to get the 4 door model so you can easily take more people along. Since it’s a truck the trunk space is infinite cubic feet, or at least you can pile stuff back there until the truck starts to tip over. It comes with AWD, has a 3.4-liter V6 that produces 190 horsepower, so it’s well equipped to handle off-road conditions.

2015 Subaru Forester

Looking at cars that are a bit sportier and more comfortable, the 2015 Subaru Forester is a good option. It’s got a 34 cubic foot trunk which is ample, and with the rear seats down the space opens up to accommodate plenty of supplies. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 250 horsepower sits under the hood, and powers the famous Subaru AWD system. You can find one for around $16,000.

2014 Ford Taurus SHO AWD

If you’re the sort of person that likes their sedans but still want to go camping, the 2014 Ford Taurus SHO is an excellent choice. The car is reliable, safe, and has ample trunk space at 20 cubic feet. Not as much as the CR-V or Forester, but for a sedan that’s relatively comfortable and spacious on the inside, and AWD, it’s got enough room for pack a lot of supplies for a trip. The car comes with a twin turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 putting out 265 horsepower, and you can find one for as little as $20,000.

2013 Golf R

For the camper that’s looking for a more sporty experience while going on a camping trip, the 2013 Golf R is the way to go. It’s got AWD, and comes with a 256 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s got 4 doors, and with the back seats up has almost 15 cubic feet of cargo space. It’s less than the other cars, but with the back seats down it opens up to accommodate plenty of things. The reason we went with a 2013 instead of the almost 300 horsepower 2014-present model, is because the 2013 model still comes with a manual transmission. You can get this car for around $20,000.

Get creative with the car you decide to take camping. AWD is, depending on where you’re going, a necessary attribute but that doesn’t mean you need to choose a truck or an SUV. Plenty of sedans have lots of ground clearance and have soft enough suspension to make uneven pavement bearable to drive on. Don’t limit yourself to big cars. Even a convertible can be taken camping, just be sure it’s not too low.