Best cars to sleep in are a great option to consider if you’re thinking of going camping regularly with your car or you want to explore forests and rivers. You might also not want to spend money on a camper or sleep in a tent, but it’s important to be careful of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Depending on your height, there are different cars that you can sleep comfortably in when you’re on the road. In this guide, we take a closer look at the best cars to sleep in and their features, so continue reading below.
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10 Best Cars to Sleep In Comfortably
If you’re looking for the best cars to sleep comfortably and overnight, continue reading below for our top 10 options. Small cars would be less comfortable than SUVs and minivans. We would be looking at the best cars and SUVs for sleeping in.
Other options not on this list include the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, Honda Jazz, Nissan Note, Kia Telluride, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Prius, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Golf Wagon, Chevrolet Suburban, Jeep Wrangler and Ford Expedition.
1. Subaru Outback
| Interior Dimensions | Front and rear headroom: 40.1/39.1 inches,
Front and rear legroom: 42.8/39.5 inches, Front and rear shoulder room: 58.1/57.4 inches. |
| Exterior Dimensions | 191 inches length, 73 to 75 inches width, 66 to 67 inches height |
| Cargo Volume | Behind 2nd row: 32.6 cubic feet.
Behind 3rd row: 75.6 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer four-cylinder engine |
The Subaru Outback is the most comfortable car to sleep in if that’s what you’re looking for. The SUV is ideal for camping or road trips, and you can fold the third row and the second row to enjoy up to 75.6 cubic feet of room. The back seats will fold completely, so you can add a mattress to the back.
The SUV allows you to transform your car into a makeshift bedroom, so it would be comfortable. Since it offers up to 40 inches of headroom, the car is almost as tall as a tent, which makes it a more comfortable option. Aside from the comfort, the Outback offers high ground clearance and 4-wheel-drive systems ideal for bumpy roads.
2. Ford Explorer
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 38.9 to 40.5 inches
Legroom: 32.2 to 43 inches Shoulder room: 54.6 to 61.9 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 198.8 inches length, 78.9 to 89.3 inches width, and 69.9 inches height |
| Cargo volume | Behind third row: 18.2 cubic feet.
Behind second row: 48 cubic feet Behind first row: 87.8 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine |
You can get more than enough space for sleeping in your car with the Ford Explorer. With three rows of seats, the car can be easily converted into an RV if you remove the third row and second row. You can fit a mattress into your car with up to 87.8 cubic feet of space behind the first row.
If you plan on using your car often for camping and sleeping on the road, you can consider removing the seats. But if sleeping in your car is a one-time thing, you can fold the rear seats and behind the middle seats, you get a space of 48 cubic feet. There is also excess headroom, making it ideal for tall people under 6 feet.
3. Volvo XC90
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 36.3 to 38.9 inches
Legroom: 31.9 to 40.9 inches Shoulder room: 46.9 to 57.7 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 195 inches length, 84.3 inches width, and 69.9 inches height |
| Cargo volume | Behind the third row: 12.57 cubic feet
Behind second row: 65.5 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine |
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As the Volvo XC90 is a highly spacious car that can seat up to seven passengers, this makes it a top choice for sleeping. You can easily fold the rear and middle seats or remove them totally to make room for a mattress or air mattress. Even without using the foldable seats, there is enough shoulder room and headroom to relax in.
The XC90 also has a spacious cargo area that can be converted into a sleeping area. You can enjoy resting in this car, even if you are tall. The interior is designed for comfort with high-quality materials, and it has a wide, boxy silhouette that is pretty spacious.
The car is also designed with quality infotainment features that would make a sleepover comfortable.
4. Chevrolet Equinox
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 36.9 to 40 inches
Legroom: 39.9 to 40.9 inches Shoulder room: 55.5 to 57.2 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 183.1 inches length, 72.6 inches width, 65.4 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind rear seat: 29.9 inches
Rear seat folded: 63.9 inches |
| Engine Power | 1.5-liter turbo DOHC DI VVT |
Another option to consider is the Chevrolet Equinox, which offers up to 63.9 cubic feet of space when you fold the back bench. You can fit an air mattress into the back of your car.
The rear seats also fold completely flat, which gives you an extra layer of comfort as there are no bumps or dips in the seat. It would be comfortable when going on a road trip.
The Equinox is also designed with smaller windows, so even if you’re sleeping outside, you won’t have to worry about people looking in. If you are still worried, you can use tinted windows. The seating is also comfortable and fits up to five people, especially with the split-folding rear seats. The cabin is made of durable materials.
5. Honda Civic Hatchback
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 37.1 to 39.3 inches
Legroom: 37.4 to 42.3 inches Shoulder room: 56 to 57 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 179 inches length, 55.7 inches height, 70.9 inches |
| Trunk space | Behind rear seat: 24.5 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine |
The Honda Civic Hatch is so comfortable and spacious that two people can sleep in the back once the rear seats are folded. If you already have 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space, you can expect more than double that with folded seats, even if you are over 6 feet tall. It’s ideal for a night of comfortable sleep.
The headroom and legroom are also spacious, even if you don’t fold the seats. But keep in mind that the back seats don’t fold fully flat, so it would have a slight incline. You might have to block your mattress or sleeping bag from rolling down when you’re asleep in your car camp.
6. Honda Element
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 38 to 43.3 inches
Legroom: 39.1 to 41 inches Shoulder room: 52.2 to 57.1 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 169.9 inches length, 71.6 inches width, 70.4 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind second row: 25.1 inches
Behind front row: 74.6 inches |
| Engine Power | 2.4-liter K24A4 4-cylinder engine |
Although the Honda Element is an older car, there’s no doubt that it’s a top choice when you’re looking for a car to sleep in. The seat offers up to 74.6 cubic feet of interior space when you fold the rear seats, and this gives you more than enough room to fit a twin mattress for top comfort.
You can remove the back seats if you plan on sleeping in your car more often. Even if you don’t remove the seats, they fold flat and comfortably, so you can simply lay a blanket on the folded seats and sleep there. Plus, the car is ideal for those that are under 6 feet.
7. Chrysler Pacifica
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 38.7 to 40.1 inches
Legroom: 36.5 to 41.1 inches Shoulder room: 61.2 to 63.8 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 204.3 inches length, 79.6 inches width, and 69.9 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind third row: 32.3 cubic feet
Behind second row: 87.5 cubic feet Behind front row: 140.5 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 3.6-liter V6 engine |
If you can fold the second and third row of the Pacifica, you can get up to 140.5 cubic feet of space, which is more than enough to fit you and other people while camping. The rear of the cars is ideal for sleeping as the seats would fold completely flat. This allows you to enjoy a lot of space to fit a mattress for sleeping in a car overnight.
The Pacifica is well-designed for campers since you don’t have to worry about removing the seats and setting up the beds all the time. All you have to do is fold the seats down after a long day, lay your blanket or mattress on the folded seats and enjoy.
8. Jeep Cherokee
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 39 inches
Front/Rear legroom: 41.1 inches/ 40.3 inches Front/Rear shoulder room: 58/55 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 183.1 inches length, 73.2 inches width, 65.7 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind second row: 24.6 cubic feet
Behind first row: 54.7 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.4-liter inline-four engine |
If you remove the back seats in the Jeep Cherokee and even push the seats forward, you get more than enough space to sleep while camping or on the road. The Cherokee models before 2000 also have an extra layer of padding under the seat, so it might be hard to remove the seats quickly.
You can also consider flipping the seats on your Cherokee. Do this by removing the bolts on the seats and then flipping them so they would face backward. If you are tall or you need extra room for more than one person, this is a good idea for long trips.
9. Toyota Sienna
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 37.3 to 40.1 inches
Legroom: 38.7 to 40.3 inches Shoulder room: 58.5 to 62.4 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 204 inches length, 79 inches width, 69-70 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind third row: 33.5 cubic feet
Behind second row: 75.2 cubic feet Behind first row: 101 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.5-liter gas-powered four-cylinder engine |
If you’re interested in having a lot of space, fuel efficiency and an affordable price, you can consider purchasing the Toyota Sienna. The impressive car offers up to 101 cubic feet of space if you fold the second row and the third row.
It has enough room for seven passengers to sit in and a headroom of up to 40.1 inches, depending on the row.
10. Mazda CX-9
| Interior Dimensions | Headroom: 35.4 to 40.1 inches
Legroom: 29.7 to 41 inches Shoulder room: 53.1 to 57.9 inches |
| Exterior Dimensions | 199 inches length, 78 inches width, 68 inches height |
| Trunk space | Behind the third row: 14.4 cubic feet
Behind the second row: 38.2 cubic feet Behind the first row: 71.2 cubic feet |
| Engine Power | 2.5-liter turbocharged engine |
The Mazda CX-9 is a much bigger car than people think, especially since it offers different ways to transform the interior into a comfortable bed. You can lay a mattress after removing the third row of seats, as this is still very spacious. There is also a storage space under the seats for placing items in while car camping.
Conclusion
With our guide on the best cars to sleep in, you can pick comfortable cars for sleeping on the road while camping or taking long road trips. Here’s a rundown of what our article covered:
- The Subaru Outback offers up to 39 inches of headroom, and the back seats fold completely flat.
- The Ford Explorer has up to 87.8 cubic feet of space behind the first row for a mattress.
- The XC90 offers more than enough space for seven passengers, or you can get enough space by folding or removing the rear and middle row of seats.
You can check out these cars and their other features if you’re interested in space and comfort.
References
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