Survey Uncovers North Americans' Road-Tripping Preferences
Road trips can evoke different feelings and memories for everyone. For some, you may remember long car rides to visit family in the summertime. For others, it may have been the opportunity for a new adventure, exploring parts of the country you wouldn’t see otherwise.
At Mazda, we believe that life — and road trips — are just as much about the journey as the destination. With all the transportation modes available to travelers, we were curious to know how many North Americans still enjoy traveling by car. And of those individuals, what was it that they liked about it? And more importantly, what do you need for a successful road trip?
When designing cars, we’re building a vehicle for creating memorable experiences. From ensuring a comfortable ride to providing engaging driving dynamics, the Mazda goal is to enhance both drivers’ and passengers’ time spent on the road. So naturally, we wanted to understand what drivers care about and need when spending an extended amount of time in the car.
To answer those questions, we surveyed roughly 2,500 U.S. adults to learn just that. We found that the vast majority (93%, to be exact) of North Americans enjoy road trips. So much so, that nearly seven out of ten people (68%) plan to hit the road in the summer of 2024.
Road trips make journeys, not just travel, possible
With all the convenience that flying offers, why do so many North Americans still love road trips? Most answers spoke to the pleasure of having experiences en route to a destination, while many also took practical considerations into account. Cost savings were selected 46% of the time as a reason for enjoying road trips.
Namely, people said they love going on road trips to take in scenic views (82%), have adventures (71%), take advantage of the flexibility to explore places along the way (71%), experience the joy of driving (58%), bond with their family and friends (57%), and revel in a little bit of nostalgia (44%). Resoundingly, road trips provide drivers and passengers the time, space, and ability to go on a journey — to move through the liminal space between points and arrive at your destination changed by what you saw and did.
In less esoteric terms, they’re about that sudden, breathtaking mountain range vista as you crest a hill; the sound of your kids laughing (and yes, occasionally bickering) as they play whatever nonsensical game they’ve conjured up in the back seat; the core memories that surface when you pull into a parking space at the same trusted hole-in-the-wall restaurant your parents took you to every summer for years.
Another thing we learned is that some road trip experiences appeal to one generation more than others. For example:
- Gen Z is 13% more likely than other generations to say they enjoy road trips because of bonding time.
- Millennials are 9% more likely to say they enjoy road trips for adventure.
- Baby Boomers are 14% more likely to say they enjoy road trips for scenic views, 10% more likely to say the same in terms of flexibility, and 18% more likely to say the same in terms of cost savings.
Compared to other generations, Gen X wasn’t more or less likely to say they enjoyed taking road trips for any particular reason.
But road trips are about the destination, too.
There’s a quote commonly attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson that goes, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” As much as we enjoy this sentiment, the originator of that quote had clearly not visited one of the big theme parks.
We all want to get where we’re going eventually. Indeed, 43% of North Americans stated that they prefer to take a more balanced approach to their route planning, opting for a mix of the efficient and scenic.
So where, exactly, is everyone headed?
The most popular road trip destination is Florida (23%), followed by California (17%) and Georgia (13%).
However, a road tripper’s planned destination is highly influenced by the region in which they live. For example, Westerners are more likely to plan a visit to California (53%) or Arizona (24%).
Midwesterners are more likely to have a trip planned to Florida (20%) and Illinois (17%) or Michigan (17%).
Southerners also have Florida high on their list for 2024 road trip destinations (35%) followed by Georgia (24%).
Whereas Northeasterners are more likely to be planning a trip to New York (29%) and Massachusetts (23%).
The least popular destination for summer travelers is the desert (9%); road trippers might want sand between their toes, but that sand had better be next to a large body of water.
Another relative constant for road tripping is how long people are willing to drive. Most North Americans (40%) from all generations and across all regions of the U.S. preferred to spend a maximum of 6-10 hours in the car.
Gen Z was 32% more likely to not want to travel more than 1-5 hours. But as with other generations, most would be willing to take up to a 6 to 10 hour journey (38%).
Considering roughly 78% of respondents said they are willing to drive for 6 or more hours to their destination, it may be that there’s a minimum threshold for what feels like a road trip versus a regular drive in the car. Perhaps that’s why roughly the same number of respondents (23%) said they’d be willing to spend 16 to 20+ hours in a car as those who said they’d be willing to spend just 1 to 5 hours.
After all, calling a 1-hour drive a road trip might feel like a stretch when some people commute to work for longer durations. Of course, your time in your car is what you make it.
Crossovers and SUVs are the road trip vehicles of choice
Ample space in a car appeals to road trippers. The most popular road trip vehicles among North Americans are 2-row SUVs or Crossovers (31%), followed by 3-row SUVs or Crossovers (20%) and sedans (20%).
For those seeking a road trip companion that combines spaciousness and comfort, the Mazda CX-70 , a 2-row midsize Crossover, and the CX-90 , a 3-row midsize Crossover, are excellent choices, with their spacious interiors and ample cargo space, offering comfortable seating for passengers and plenty of room for nearly all your essentials on the journey ahead.
This favorability held true across most generations, although generational preferences varied.
Gen Z seemed more interested than other generations in road tripping in vehicles that provide higher seating capacity and cargo. When surveyed, they were 32% more likely to opt for a 3-row SUV or crossover and 67% more likely to opt for a minivan.
Minivans were their 3rd-most popular choice, with 10% of Gen Z respondents saying they’d be most likely to take one on vacation.
Millennials, on the other hand, primarily favored the 3-row/2-row SUV or crossover and sedan trend but were also 50% more likely than any other generation to choose a hatchback for a road trip.
The Baby Boomer generation also stuck to these trends, albeit with a higher inclination towards driving a 2-row SUV or crossover and sedan during road trips. They were 28% more likely to drive a 2-row SUV or crossover on a road trip and 39% more likely to drive a sedan on a trip compared to other generations.
Gen X shared the trend with Baby Boomers of preferring either a sedan (21%) to a 3-row SUV or crossover (19%), with 2-row SUVs and crossovers still being their first choice of a road trip vehicle (34%).
We also found that families with kids at home were 93% more likely to plan on driving a 3-row SUV or crossover than empty nesters and other types of drivers; they were also 50% more likely than these groups to drive a minivan.
That said, empty nesters and other driving groups without children still appear to place a premium on space, whether for friends as passengers or cargo; both groups selected 2-row SUVs as what they’d most likely drive on a road trip, with sedans holding a firm second place for both groups.
While much can be said for a comfortable sedan or hatchback, the flexibility of SUVs and crossovers allows drivers to adapt their vehicle to suit their specific needs in the moment, whether it's maximizing passenger space, cargo capacity, or a combination of both.
For example, a 2-row SUV or crossover configuration can allow for ample cargo space (just how much depends on the model) while still accommodating up to five passengers; 3-row SUVs and crossovers, meanwhile, can provide additional seating capacity for larger groups or families, while also offering cargo space — especially when the third row isn’t needed and can be folded down.
To underscore the importance of seating and cargo, when asked what baseline features drivers found essential when choosing a road trip vehicle, comfortable seating was selected 85% of the time followed by ample storage compartments (50%) and interior cargo capacity (44%). At Mazda, we prioritize a comfortable driving experience through our human-centric design approach that extends to crafting seats that naturally support the body’s posture, instead of requiring drivers to adapt to their vehicles.
Add to that the fact that many SUVs and some models of Crossovers are built to handle more rugged terrain, like the Mazda CX-50 , and you have a vehicle that’s ideal for adventurous road trips, particularly for the respondents that said comfortable suspension (43%) and AWD or 4WD (42%) was essential. In addition, all Mazda Crossovers come standard with our i-ACTIV AWD® system and is available in at least one trim level for all other Mazda vehicles, except the MX-5 Miata.
To that end, comfortable seating and spacious cargo aren’t all that road trippers want or need for a successful and enjoyable drive. Technology and safety have evolved significantly, even in the last ten years, and many drivers have grown accustomed to such features.
Looking at technology features, in-car GPS navigation is viewed as crucial for a road trip vehicle being selected 73% of the time, while smartphone connectivity trails closely at 58%.
Also high on the list of what people see as essential tech features are USB ports (51%), security systems (42%), and Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (42%). The latter is especially important to Baby Boomers, who were 12% more likely to find Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) essential than other generations.
Finally, when asked about which safety and driver assistance features they considered essential for a road trip, the majority of respondents selected backup cameras (67%), Blind Spot Monitoring (56%), and Collision Warning (47%).
Backup cameras are now required safety features in any vehicle built in or after 2018, and all Mazda vehicles are built with safety in mind.
The 2024 Mazda CX-90 , CX-30 , CX-50 (built after August 2023), Mazda3 Sedan , and Mazda3 Hatchback have all earned a 2024 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+.
The 2024 CX-90 PHEV has earned a 2024 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK.
Hybrids, PHEVs, and EVs for road trips
Looking back at the essential baseline features for a moment, you can see that fuel efficiency was, at 62%, the second-most selected must-have feature. And the group that will experience the most fuel-efficient road trips are those driving hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and fully electric vehicles (BEVs, often simply EVs).
21% of North Americans have plans to take some type of electric vehicle on a road trip in 2024 (with 2% already having done so as of February 2024). Of those, 62% plan on taking a hybrid, 31% plan on taking a BEV, and 7% plan on taking a PHEV, like the Mazda midsize 2-row CX-70 PHEV or our midsize 3-row CX-90 PHEV.
Historically, one of the largest buyer concerns around electric vehicles is a driver’s ability to take these vehicles on longer trips. Looking at respondents’ sentiments, this feeling may be waning somewhat.
When asked how they felt about driving long distances in a fully electric vehicle, only 6% of respondents claimed to feel anxious. 69% — over two-thirds — of full EV drivers said they felt confident, and a quarter of respondents felt neutral.
Not only that, but when asked about the perceived difficulty of taking a hybrid, PHEV, or EV on a road trip, over two-thirds of respondents (67%) also stated that they would find doing so easy, with 26% feeling neutral about the experience and 7% claiming it would be difficult.
On a road trip, the biggest difference between driving a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE) and one powered by battery packs is how you refuel or charge it.
Charging your EV or PHEV means knowing you will need to wait for a while at a rest stop and being aware of charging station availability since there are fewer charging stations than traditional gas stations currently.
As such, the majority of respondents (52%) state that they plan their route around their favorite charging stations, while 40% simply select the quickest route to their destination and charge at any network along the way.
Should you ever find yourself in a situation where there are no charging stations nearby, your PHEV will automatically switch the means of propulsion from its electric motor to the gas-powered engine, giving you peace of mind that you can continue on your journey. While driving, the CX-90 PHEV you can also deploy “Charge Mode” which utilizes the gas engine to charge the battery up to a preset level.
Find the perfect vehicle for your next road trip at Mazda
From premium PHEVs to off-road ready SUVs and Crossovers, from stylish sedans and trusted hatchbacks to iconic roadster, the Mazda suite of vehicles is designed for people who value comfort, connectedness, and safety, making them ideal for road trips — whether venturing off-the-beaten-path or embarking on a new adventure.
After all, it’s about the journey, not just reaching the destination. Explore our wide range of vehicles online or schedule a test-drive at a Mazda Dealership near you to see first-hand how our vehicles can elevate your road trip experience.
Methodology and Definitions
The findings presented in this article are the result of a February 2024 study of 2,523 U.S. adults. (Confidence Level: 95%, Margin of Error: 2%)
Age Cohorts (based on Pew Research Definitions)
- Baby Boomers: 1946-64
- Gen X: 1965-80
- Millennials: 1981-96
- Gen Z: 1997-2012
Regions (based on U.S. Census Regions)
- West: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
- Midwest: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
- South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
- Northeast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
- Pacific: Alaska, Hawaii
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and is based on the latest competitive information available at the time of posting. Information herein is subject to change without notice and without Mazda incurring any obligations. Please review a variety of resources prior to making a purchasing decision. Visit Resource Center for more articles.