I'm a Mechanic: 6 Luxury Cars To Avoid If You're Driving Long Distances
A long road trip in the wrong car can turn a vacation into an ordeal. For luxury vehicles especially, the gap between what a car promises and what it delivers over hundreds of miles can be major.
Chris Pyle, auto expert at JustAnswer, broke down the luxury cars he says are poor choices for extended travel — and the specific reasons each one falls short.
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Cadillac CT4
The CT4 is a reasonable car as long as you stay in the front. The back seats are a different story. Pyle said any rear passenger over 5 feet, 6 inches will be uncomfortable enough to require frequent stops just to stretch out. For a solo driver or a couple, it can work. Load in a family or a group of adults and the cramped rear cabin becomes a recurring problem over any significant distance.
Cadillac CT5
The CT5's highway fuel economy sits at 20 miles per gallon; not terrible, but not good either. The city figure of 13 miles per gallon is where the real issue shows up for anyone driving routes that mix highway and surface roads. Pyle also flagged the small fuel tank as a compounding problem. Between the fuel stops, the snack breaks and everything else a long drive demands, you'll be pulling over far more often than you want to.
Audi RS7
Pyle described the RS7 as nearly identical to the CT5 situation; just 1 mile per gallon better in both city and highway driving. For a car that is sleek, aerodynamic and carries a price premium, those fuel economy numbers are hard to justify on a long trip. The RS7 looks built for speed and distance. The fuel consumption doesn't match that impression.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volvo XC60
Pyle grouped these two together for the same core reason: reliability concerns that become a serious practical problem when you're far from home. Both have a history of mechanical issues that can interrupt a trip at the worst possible time. What makes it worse is that independent shops often won't touch them, leaving drivers entirely dependent on a dealership, which is likely dealing with a backlog of local customers already. A breakdown in an unfamiliar city with a vehicle that requires specialized service is not a situation any road tripper wants to navigate.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Pyle acknowledged this one is a borderline entry in the luxury category, but included it because the interior experience crosses into premium territory. The reliability problem is real — the ID. Buzz is still early in its production run and needs more time to work out the kind of issues that tend to surface in the first few years of a new model. Pyle's advice is to let someone else work through those early ownership problems before considering it for a long haul. His assessment of the exterior styling was characteristically direct, though he noted the distinctive look does at least make it easy to find in a parking lot.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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