Best long-distance cars 2025
From long-distance road trips to mile-munching motorway commutes, these are the best long distance cars money can buy
The idea of covering huge distances in a car fills many drivers with dread. For some, even the daily commute is a few miles too far, but others relish the opportunity of settling in for the long haul – particularly if they have the right car for the job. The best long-distance cars are ideally suited to covering big miles in effortless comfort so even those who’d really rather not travel so far at the wheel can arrive feeling refreshed.
While those with a sense of adventure might choose a Caterham for the task, for this list of our long distance champions we’re thinking more along the lines of cars that ride smoothly, generate minimal noise, and cosset and pamper you at every opportunity. Keeping those fuel costs in check is an added benefit.
The ten cars below are our pick of the best long-distance cars on sale. Some you might expect, others might surprise you, but all of them make the prospect of spending a day behind the wheel far more appealing than it would be in other cars.
1. Rolls-Royce Phantom
We couldn’t really choose anything else for the ultimate long-distance model. Whether or not you agree that a £400,000 luxury car can really be the best vehicle in the world, as its maker has expressed on occasion, there are certain qualities about the Rolls-Royce Phantom that are indisputable.
It is not perfectly isolated, but you won’t find a car that gets closer. It’s certainly hard to put your finger on any area of refinement that could be improved; from the silence of its 6.7-litre V12 to the near-total absence of wind and road noise, courtesy of everything from impeccable door and window sealing to tyres that have foam-filled sidewalls. Cabin comfort is, of course, first-class in the truest sense of the word, and ride comfort is effectively unsurpassed in modern vehicles.
2. BMW 7 Series
If you want a pretty significant chunk of the Phantom’s opulence for about a quarter of the price, the current BMW 7 Series is a pretty good place to start. This Bavarian flagship’s interior offers soft materials, cabin space and technology in abundance, even if it is a bit difficult to look at on the outside.
The latest 7 Series is best appreciated as the i7. Electric cars are already quiet, but the i7’s insulated feel is on another level from the average electric Kia or Volkswagen. All 7 Series have a remarkably comfortable ride quality and some of the best seats you’ll ever sit in. All have effortless performance, too, while features such as the rear-seat 8k ‘Theatre Screen’ mean trips are even more relaxing for those in the back.
3. Rolls-Royce Spectre
It would appear that the only way to make a Rolls-Royce even quieter is by removing the engine entirely. The Rolls-Royce Spectre is the first fully electric car to carry the Spirit of Ecstasy, and with a maximum WLTP combined range of 329 miles, long-distance journeys shouldn’t pose a problem.
You’ll turn some heads in the process, too, because the Spectre’s swept-back coupé bodystyle is the most elegant of any current Rolls-Royce, and it looks right at home sweeping along the motorway. The Spectre isn’t quite as large as the Phantom, but there’ll be no complaints from those in the front. Its ride also isn’t quite up to the standards of the two cars above, yet is still opulent and effortless, just as a Rolls-Royce should be.
4. Bentley Flying Spur
A Rolls-Royce Phantom may ultimately be more isolating than a Bentley Flying Spur, but it remains the kind of car you’d best appreciate from the back seats, whatever distance you were doing. The Flying Spur, on the other hand, is the one you’d want to cover those miles in yourself, as has long been the case between models from the two British luxury marques. More so now Bentley has added its new plug-in hybrid V8 powertrain - big performance is matched with respectable economy considering the power on offer and nearly 50 miles of EV driving range.
Much like the Continental GT it shares its underpinnings with, the Flying Spur is big, comes with heaps of presence, and an array of neat touches. Its interior is roomy, and gloriously appointed, while the materials in the Flying Spur are the stuff dreams are made of - smooth leather, knurled metal, fine wood, all of which make for a super comfortable place to cover huge miles. There’s a touch of surprise and delight in there, too, thanks to a rotating centre display that hides your infotainment screen away when you want to leave the outside world far, far away.
5. Mercedes S-Class
You could put almost any Mercedes-Benz S-Class on this list, going all the way back to the original model from 1972. It’s always had the qualities you’d want from a luxury saloon, and while the S-Class has changed significantly over the past five-and-a-bit decades and seven generations, the focus on space, luxury, and technology has remained unchanged.
The latest car is a mighty thing, more than 5.1 metres long even in standard-wheelbase form, with abundant space for passengers in both the front and rear. The seats are fabulous, too, remaining comfortable for as long as it takes for the fuel tank to run dry – and naturally, they’re heated, cooled and have a massage function. But another key aspect is the near-silence of travelling at speed in an S-Class, which really makes a difference over long trips. Just avoid the 21-inch wheel option.
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6. Citroen C5 X
So what’s this Citroen doing amongst generally more expensive and exotic cars? Well, just as with some of the legendary Citroens of old, the Citroen C5 X punches above its weight for comfort. It might have a mainstream badge, but there’s nothing mainstream about its relaxed feel – it’s a match for several other cars on this list.
It starts with the ride quality. While it’s not infallible – occasionally you’ll hit an expansion joint that’ll send a shudder through the car – it generally floats down the road, making light work of most bumps. You might think this would severely affect its cornering abilities, but while it’s no hot hatchback, the Citroen is far from out of its depth. Couple a soft ride with broad, well shaped seats, and better than average refinement for this class, and the C5 X makes long distances a breeze.
7. Alpina B3
The Alpina B3 isn’t the grandest model by the German manufacturer, known for decades for imbuing BMWs with even more luxury and performance than usual. It is, however, one of the most all-round desirable cars on the roads, taking the already accomplished BMW 3 Series and giving it M3-baiting performance, but with a much greater focus on class and comfort.
It’s not a long-distance car in the sense you’ll barely notice your journey pass by. Instead, it’s more of a long-distance car in that you’ll try to find any excuse in order to drive it somewhere far-flung. One aspect that Alpina has mastered is ride quality: despite enormous 20-inch wheels, it’s far more pliant than a BMW M3, but barely less able when you get to a twisty road. It’s a long-distance car that will make you want to take the long route…
8. Lexus LM
Let’s face it, £90,000 is a lot of money for what is, if you wanted to reduce it to its bare constituents, a posh MPV. The price might raise eyebrows but the concept is nothing new, certainly in the brand’s Japanese homeland, where large, luxurious MPVs are big business. The Lexus LM is big, based on the Toyota Alphard available in overseas markets, but it takes the luxury part to the next stage, mixing space with real opulence.
As owners of premium SUVs will tell you, there’s something luxurious about sitting up high, which all passengers of the LM get to do. In the top-spec model, everyone gets their own seat, too, with legroom being truly vast in the four-seat version. Lexus, already known for its well built and high-quality interior materials, has really pushed the boat out with the LM – everything you touch feels great. It’s…well, MPV-like to drive, but it’s smooth and refined virtually everywhere.
9. Porsche Panamera
The Porsche Panamera saloon underwent a hefty update in 2024, but it wasn’t a simple design tweak and fresh lick of paint. While, yes, it does look suitably different from its predecessor - the new nose-mounted air intake is a big giveaway - there are plenty of quality of life updates too. There’s a new, bigger set of infotainment screens offering better access to music, nav, and CarPlay/Android Auto functions, as well as a 10.9-inch screen for passengers to see what the driver’s up to.
With efficient, and quick plug-in hybrid powertrains on offer drivers will be able to get to their destinations briskly, and efficiently should the mood take them. While they’re on the road, Porsche’s trick suspension and damper combinations will keep them comfy no matter which mode they select. Smart tech, space to stretch out, and a strong selection of powertrains mark the Panamera as a smart long distance choice.
See our Porsche Panamera deals
10. Volkswagen ID.7
As with the other electric cars on this list, you won’t go quite as far on a charge in the Volkswagen ID.7 as you will in, say, a diesel Passat. But when the longest-legged ID.7s can do up to 435 miles on a charge, does that really matter? All but the most dedicated drivers with the sturdiest bladders will have stopped for a break long before then anyway.
And the ID.7 makes a fine cruiser in its own right. As with all VW’s ID cars, the cabin is large, a benefit of the dedicated EV platform, while a drag coefficient of 0.23 helps it slip through the air relatively silently. The ride quality is also well judged for long-distance comfort - perhaps a little floaty for some, but comfortable, with great motorway stability. It has good visibility, too, so you won’t have the stress of large blind spots (just the stress of VW’s slightly iffy infotainment system, instead).
Best long-distance cars: ratings table
| Best long-distance car ranking | Model | Boot space, comfort & practicality rating (out of 5) | Overall Auto Express star rating (out of 5) |
| 1 | Rolls-Royce Phantom | 4.3 | 5 |
| 2 | BMW 7 Series | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Rolls-Royce Spectre | 4 | 4.5 |
| 4 | Bentley Flying Spur | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| 5 | Mercedes S-Class | 4.5 | 4 |
| 6 | Citroen C5 X | 4.5 | 4 |
| 7 | Alpina B3 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 8 | Lexus LM | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| 9 | Porsche Panamera | 3.9 | 4 |
| 10 | Volkswagen ID.7 | 4.5 | 4 |
How you can choose the best long distance car
If you’re going to be hitting the highway on a regular basis, your car needs to suit you perfectly. Weighing up comfort, economy, performance, and tech is important, but most of all it needs to suit your budget.
On your test drive, make sure you can achieve a comfortable driving position and pay particular attention to the ride quality at speed on different surfaces as well as the noise levels in the cabin. If you need long distance comfort for a family, check out the rear-seat leg and headroom carefully, check that smaller occupants can get a view out and remember that charging options for phones and tablets can be a godsend.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you spend your days hacking up and down the motorway, or threading your way along A and B roads to get from city to city, the car you’re in could well be classed as a long distance motor, whatever it is.
There are plenty designed for that purpose explicitly though. They tend to be big, have softer suspension to keep the ride comfy, have efficient and very smooth engines, and come with technology to make your life easier on the road. A tiny hatchback with a buzzy engine can take you the length of the country, but a big saloon with a torquey, smooth motor makes the job far more comfortable and you’ll be in better shape when you arrive.
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