Canadians Plan to Spend an Average of 18 hours Behind the Wheel This Summer as Road Trips Dominate the Travel Season

New Turo data reveals 70 per cent of Canadian road trippers have two or more trips planned, with Gen Z outspending and out-travelling every other generation

TORONTO, July 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- Turo, the car rental marketplace, today released its Summer Road Trip Report '26, revealing that for Canadians this summer, the road trip isn't a compromise, it's the plan. More than half (55 per cent) of all Canadian summer travel between June and September is by road, seven in ten road trippers have two or more trips planned, and the average Canadian will log 18 hours behind the wheel, roughly the drive from Toronto to Halifax, with many budgeting thousands to make it happen.

Among Canadians choosing road trips this summer:

• Nearly half (48 per cent) of travellers say they're choosing to drive because it's more cost-effective than flying.
• Seven in ten Canadian road trippers have at least two trips planned this summer.
• Nearly half (47 per cent) will travel in an SUV, while 15 per cent plan to drive a hybrid or electric vehicle.
• The most popular road trip destinations include Banff, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Prince Edward Island and Jasper.
• 62 per cent of Canadians will be road tripping with their partner or spouse, while 28 per cent will road trip with their children.

Other notable national findings from the study include:

Gen Z is road tripping differently than their parents this summer. While Canadians across all age groups are embracing road trips, Gen Z is leading this trend with the number of road trips they're taking and how much they plan to spend.

• 18 per cent have four or more road trips planned this summer, and more than one in four (28 per cent) expects to spend over $5,000 on summer travel, the highest of any generation.
• 16 per cent of Gen Z road trippers plan to visit a luxury destination this summer, the highest of any generation.
• 21 per cent of Gen Z road trippers will drive a hybrid or electric vehicle, compared to the national average of 15 per cent.
• 60 per cent plan to travel internationally this summer, compared with just 27 per cent of Baby Boomers, suggesting Gen Z is road tripping in addition to their travel plan, not instead of them.

Albertans are budgeting big for road trips. Canadians' budgets differ significantly by province, reflecting differences in geography, travel habits and trip distances.

• One in four (25 per cent) Albertans expects to spend more than $5,000 on road trips this summer.
• One in six (16 per cent) Ontarians expects to spend more than $5,000 on road trips this summer.
• More than one in four (28 per cent) Ontario road trippers plan to spend less than $1,000 by taking shorter trips closer to home.

Friends, family and events are driving Canadians' summer travel plans. Summer travel is being driven less by where Canadians are going and more by the experiences they want to have with the people who matter most.

• Nearly half (47 per cent) of road trippers are travelling to visit friends and family.
• One in three Canadians plans to attend a major event or festival this summer.
• 66 per cent plan to travel within Canada this summer.
• 72 per cent will take at least one trip within their own province, while 53 per cent will visit another province.

"We expected road trips to play a big role in Canadians' summer travel plans this year, but what surprised us was the sheer scale," said Bassem El-Rahimy, Vice President of Turo Canada. "Canadians aren't just taking one road trip. They're planning multiple getaways, spending hours behind the wheel and, in many cases, budgeting thousands to do it. That tells us this isn't necessarily about finding a cheaper way to travel. It's about choosing a better one."

To view the full Turo Summer Road Trip Report '26, visit: turo.com/ca/en/guest-canada-summer-road-report

This study was completed on May 5, 2026 by using a cross-sectional survey to gather data on Canadians' travel intentions between June and September, including destinations, budgets and transportation preferences. The methodology was designed to ensure external validity and a comprehensive representation of the adult population within Canada. A total of 2,073 completions were obtained from participants from across Canada from ages ranging 18-80+, with quotas in place for age, gender and region to ensure findings can be generalized at a national level.

About Turo

Turo is reinventing rental to unlock independence for all, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles listed by a vast network of local hosts across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Australia. By removing the hassles and rigidity of the traditional rental experience, Turo lets customers choose the exact vehicle they want, pick it up where they want, and keep it for as long as they need.

SOURCE Turo Canada Co ULC

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