European Cars Made For The Great American Highways
For a lot of people, the whole driving thing is less about going fast, braking hard, going around corners sideways or driving a car so stylish it would make Steve McQueen look twice and more about going the distance, quite literally. It is about taking on the great American highways and lapping up our very best road trips. It is about enjoying the journey between point A and point B. It is about being as comfortable as any human has ever possibly been in a motor vehicle.
And for more and more people, that means driving European. Mmm hmmm. It means buying a car imported from Europe, taking it to a specialist garage like Bay Diagnostic to make sure everything is running just how those amazing Europeans intended them to run and then taking them out on the road, no buttock-hugging racing seats, firm suspension settings and snappy shift gearboxes – just you, your car and the great, big open road.
The big question is, which European car is best for living the long-haul dream? Well, read on and you’ll find out:
- Mercedes S-Class
When it comes to luxury cars, this German wonder-machine is an icon, the pacesetter for both comfort, design, technology and luxury. This is mainly because it has some astonishing features that come as standard, such as air suspension to absorb any uneven road surfaces and, best of all, Magic Body Control, which is where cameras scan the road ahead and make sure the car is prepared for anything that may pop up in front of the bumper.
- VW Passat
This may not quite tick the opulence box but, boy, does this car score some serious Brownie points on the comfort front. The reason: it has adaptive dampers that mean you could drive over a sleeping elephant and barely feel a bump in the cabin. But that’s only part of it. The other winning factor is the amount of space inside. You can pretty much stretch right out, and that’s in both the front and the back (and the boot too).
- Citroen C4 Cactus
This is comfortable in every way imaginable – it’s comfortable to drive and, given it won’t break your bank, it will let you sleep comfortably too, which means it is a double win. In terms of suspension, it’s automatically been set for comfort over tire-screeching cornering, while the inside of this car will make any road trip for a family of four an absolute joy to behold, with lots of legroom and plenty of space in the boot for Dad to perform his usual pre-camping ritual of playing Tetris with the luggage.
- Audi Q5
Sure, this isn’t the biggest of the Q-series bunch, but it is definitely the Jack of all trades that’s been subjected to some serious quality assurances both on the inside and the out. Stable, comfortable, reliable, relaxing – this thing is a dream to be in on a long journey to who cares where. Once again, this has the optional extra of air suspension, meaning no bumps will be felt, while it is also one of the quietest cars you will ever get behind the wheel of.