Six best 4x4 off-road SUVs for family travel adventures

We know the school summer holidays are fast approaching and we are all looking forward to the break from routine and that big family summer holiday camping trip!

Families are getting ready and looking for the best off-road SUVs for camping, beach and off-road driving for your family summer trip.

It’s important to note that not all large family SUVs are capable off the beaten track, despite having four-wheel drive and styling or badging that may make you think otherwise!

For confidence and ability off-road – especially if you are planning on spending your school summer holidays beach driving and bush camping – then genuine 4WDs like the models in this article are the right choice for your family.

Big and with three rows of seats, they offer the flexibility to make the most of the available space when packing for your holidays.

When we think of family holidays and off-roading, boot space for tents, swags and everything including the kitchen sink is important!

We all know that with kids we have to take EVERYTHING with us so it’s vital to know the 4WD is up to the task.

Practicality for holding drink cups, snacks and devices for those long journeys is crucial to keeping passengers big and small content and catered for.

Our summers are hot so air-con vents in the rear for all passengers are a must-have to keep everyone comfortable and if everyone can see out nicely and the ride is good then travel sickness will be reduced too.

Even if your family likes the simplicity of swags, the day might come when a camper trailer beckons or perhaps from day one you’re planning on towing a big pop-out rig – so the towing capacity, and knowing how much you can carry, is an important consideration for your family off-road SUV too.

We want something we are confident to drive on the beach and off-road a few times a year when on holidays and the rest of the year we want it to be practical and perform as an everyday family car for the school run too.

So ceiling height, boot space for prams, shopping and scooters and the ease of fitting child seats (as well as how many of them and where) are all big considerations.

There are some fantastic 4WDs and off-road SUVs out there that I have tested with my family over the past seven years as a mum of two, family car journalist and founder of BabyDrive.com.au.

So, here’s my top six best off-road SUVs for family travel adventures …

The latest Ford Everest is currently among the safest family cars for kids in the second row as rated by ANCAP, which awarded it 93 per cent for child occupant protection as part of its overall five-star safety rating.

For those wanting to tow, the braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes is up there with the best, sufficient for most campers and caravans.

Even when using all seven seats, the boot is large enough for a twin pram so there’s room for your tents and for those who don’t need to use all seven seats, you have the flexibility of a large boot that will fit lots of camping gear.

Standout features that make the Everest that little more comfortable for family holidays are the dashboard cup holders, large door bins and the specially designed large fries holder in the front! There are air-con vents and sockets for charging devices in all three rows of seats.

In the cabin, five Infasecure child seats fit nicely in the second and third rows, and for those needing generous legroom, a 186cm-tall driver can sit confidently in front of a rear-facing baby seat with another 180cm-tall passenger in the third row.

The Everest is a practical SUV for everyday family life as well as a confident 4WD for beach and off-road driving for those family camping trips.

The Isuzu MU-X has successfully taken my family on multiple off-road camping holidays, from beach driving to the Outback.

The MU-X is extremely comfortable to drive and capable off-road. Air vents in all three rows ensure all passengers are comfortable and airbags extend to the third-row passengers too.

Storage is great throughout for passengers’ needs on the journey, especially the front dashboard cup holders.

Interior space is fantastic; three Infasecure child seats fit nicely in the second-row seats, although unlike the Everest there are no top-tether anchorages in the third-row seats. A 186cm-tall driver can easily sit in front of a rear-facing baby seat.

Boot space in the MU-X is big and a twin pram can fit in the boot when using all seven seats. Alternatively, you have an enormous boot space for the Esky and tents when using just two rows of seats.

For those wanting to tow, the braked towing capacity is 3.5 tonnes – plenty for most campers and caravans.

The Nissan Patrol Warrior is made for family off-road adventures, featuring suspension upgrades and more to make it seriously capable away from the beaten track.

I would confidently take my family up the Old Telegraph Track in this gentle giant!

When creating the Warrior, Australian engineering company Premcar also improved the ride for on-road driving, reducing travel sickness and upping comfort for everyday use with the family.

Three Infasecure child seats will fit in the rear two rows of seats, one in each of the outer second-row positions and one in the third row. If you are only using the first two rows of seats, the boot space is enormous so all your camping gear can fit.

If you are towing a camper trailer or caravan the Nissan Patrol Warrior has a braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes but be mindful – the extra strain on that big petrol V8 will make it even thirstier!

Air-con vents are in all three rows of seats so rear passengers are kept comfortable and visibility is great for all rear passengers. Storage is good throughout, my favourite being the central console box that opens in two directions so that rear passengers can help themselves to the snacks too!

The Toyota Landcruiser 300 Series is a very capable off-road SUV and really feels at home on rough terrain.

Sure, like the Patrol, depending on your location, this beast can feel like overkill at the school drop-off! But that said, sitting high up means visibility is great for everyone and it’s a great SUV for tall passengers.

A 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity and lots of power means the LandCruiser can easily tow your family’s camper or caravan.

This large family 4WD also has the perfect-size boot for family camping, so you’ll fit your tent and camping chairs when using two rows of seats and there is a household plug socket in the boot for your fridge too.

Three Infasecure child seats fit across the second-row seats with excellent legroom, but there are no top tether anchors in the third row.

Air vents in all three rows of seats and power sockets for passengers’ charging devices are in all three rows, so rear passengers are comfortable on long road trips too.

The Land Rover Defender is a very cool-looking family 4WD. With a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, you could rock a pretty cool off-road camper behind this.

Three Infasecure child seats fit comfortably in the rear seats but there are no top tether anchorages in the third row so you can’t install child seats back there (note: the bigger Defender 130 does have third-row ISOFIX and top tether anchors).

The Defender 110 has air-con vents in all three rows of seats so passengers are comfortable. There is some great storage in all three rows, including an optional chilled central console box, perfect for road trip snacks!

Screen mounts in the back of the front seats mean rear passengers can watch on long journeys, straps and nets in the third row can hold drinks and devices, and the rear door has a storage shelf for storing maps and other odds and ends for your off-road adventures.

When you go off-road you can easily raise and lower the height of the Defender on the media screen, and the on-screen height measurement is super-handy when entering multi-storey car parks to check you can fit into them.

If you need all seven seats, boot space of the Defender 110 is small but if you are just using the first two rows then you have room for a double pram and your weekly shop, so plenty of camping gear will fit when you are off on your family holiday.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee L is a very well-equipped family off-road SUV for both everyday family life and family holiday adventures.

It also matches the Ford Everest’s 93 per cent child occupant protection score and five-star ANCAP rating.

It fits five Infasecure child seats easily in the back two rows with plenty of legroom throughout. There are air-con vents in all three rows and built-in window blinds in the rear doors, as well as a rear seat camera that displays in the media screen so you can keep an eye on your little kids in the back seats.

A 2.8-tonne braked towing capacity makes the Jeep less suitable for bigger trailers or caravans than other models here, and its petrol V6 engine feels only just powerful enough for this big car and passengers let alone towing as well.

The Grand Cherokee L has USB-A, USB-C, 12V and household-type sockets onboard so you can charge devices, fridges and all sorts of camping gear easily.

Boot space is very generous, easily fitting a twin side-by-side pram when using all seats or a family’s weekly shop. Using the first two rows of seats, you have an enormous boot to pack all your camping and holiday gear into.

The drive is very comfortable for all passengers around town and for school drop-offs.

Off-road, high-spec versions enable you to easily raise and lower the clearance of the vehicle with a lever in the central console.