What's the best car for rough roads?

I'm looking to replace my 2025 Volkswagen Touran. The area I live in has rough roads and this means the Touran has a tendency to be loud (road noise) and uncomfortable over potholes.

Could you recommend a car with a raised driving position, as I find getting in/out of the Touran quite uncomfortable, too. I've test-driven the XC40 and found myself disappointed that it wasn't quieter than my Touran at speed on typical rough surfaces.

Asked on 7 June 2022 by Andrew James Harding

Answered by Andrew Brady

Have you considered a Mercedes B-Class? It's a versatile and comfortable people carrier with a classy cabin and high seating position. Look for one with small wheels (and high-profile tyres) for reduced road noise. Also look at a Volkswagen Tiguan or Citroen C5 Aircross as two spacious and comfortable SUV alternatives.

Tags: ride comfort refinement buying a new car

Similar questions

I want a used SUV that offers refinement - what do you recommend?

I'm looking to buy an automatic mid-sized used SUV, with a budget of approximately £17,000. I've narrowed the choice down to an older BMW X3, Mazda CX-5 or a year old Hyundai Tucson. I'm very tall, so...

Ear raid warning

Having reached an age when my hearing now requires aids, I find these in fact distort extraneous sounds so that it is quite useless trying to listen to the radio on long journeys. Also, because of the...

Does the Ford Ka+ have the same issues as the Fiat 500 that it's based on?

I recently put a small deposit down on a 2017 Ka+. Yesterday, a friend told me that it's a poor Fiat engine and bad gearbox. I'm now worried. Could you please tell me if his information is correct?

Related models

Volkswagen Touran (2015 on)

Hugely practical and flexible interior, with seven seats as standard. Good build quality. Refined driving experience. Economical engines.

Volkswagen Tiguan (2016 on)

High-quality interior offers plenty of practicality, plus a strong array of standard equipment. Refined driving experience fits with Volkswagen’s upmarket image.

Citroen C5 Aircross (2019 on)

Very practical SUV with loads of interior space and three individual rear seats. Extremely comfortable. Efficient petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines. Improved infotainment from 2022.