Winter 2023 travel trends

by Turo

posted on December 8, 2023

Mountain destinations and snow-ready vehicles on the rise this winter

The snow is now falling across much of the US, and travelers are finalizing their plans for the 2023 holiday travel season. To check in on how Turo guests are approaching their holiday travels this year, we consulted the data to reveal which destinations, cars, and car features these road warriors have been looking at for November and December 2023 trips. From the bustling metropolises of New York City and Boston, to the perennial warmth of Southern California, travelers are keen on tailoring their trips with specific cars with specific features for their winter vacations.

Trending winter destinations and cars*

Top trending US winter destinations

With a record number of travelers taking to the skies this holiday season, there has been a large increase in searches in East Coast cities like Boston, Raleigh, Baltimore, and of course, New York, where the Turo marketplace launched just last summer. Southern California continues to be a trending destination for travelers seeking warmer weather with Long Beach, Santa Ana, and Burbank taking three of the top 10 trending spots this winter. Belgrade, Montana, next to the winter adventure hub of Bozeman, also ranks very high. Notably, in addition to the large cities here, most of the smaller towns on this list have airports that serve their respective regions.

1. Boston, Massachusetts
2. New York, New York
3. Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
4. Long Beach, California
5. Belgrade, Montana
6. Clayton, Georgia
7. Santa Ana, California
8. Raleigh, North Carolina
9. Baltimore, Maryland
10. Burbank, California

Top trending winter rides

Luxury vehicles were decidedly trending among travelers in need of a car this holiday season. The Jeep Wrangler has long been one of the most popular models on Turo, and its abilities on snowy roads surely have increased its draw this winter, but the rest of this list is full of the kinds of alluring, upscale models that make the Turo marketplace so special. They span a wide range of sedans, sports cars, SUVs, and even supercars, but all from the luxury marques BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Land Rover.

1. Jeep Wrangler
2. BMW 7 Series
3. BMW i8
4. Audi R8 Spyder
5. Mercedes-AMG G63
6. BMW X6
7. BMW X5
8. Land Rover Defender
9. Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
10. BMW M5

Top trending snow-ready rides

Ski season’s just about in full swing, so we took a look at which models appeal most with the “Snow tires/chains” filter applied. In these colder winter months when good traction can be vital, guests are turning to large all-wheel-drive models with a knack for safely navigating snowy weather. If you live in or are a regular visitor to North American mountain towns, none of these adventure-ready vehicles’ appearance here should be a surprise.

1. Ford Explorer
2. GMC Yukon
3. Toyota 4Runner
4. Toyota FJ Cruiser
5. Ford Bronco
6. Toyota Tacoma
7. Toyota Land Cruiser
8. Jeep Cherokee
9. Chevy Tahoe
10. Jeep Gladiator

Trending filters and car features

This winter, guests are increasingly interested in filtering for specific types of vehicles (SUVs, trucks, etc.), and have decreased their searches with the delivery option selected, signaling that travelers are prioritizing customizing their trips through the kind of car they book, and are somewhat less concerned with the convenience of picking up their car at an airport or somewhere specific.

Among the features that Turo guests can filter for, Android Auto was the trendiest feature for trips during this holiday season, followed closely by some safety features and features that will keep travelers well equipped for drives in cold weather.

1. Android Auto
2. Heated seats
3. Apple CarPlay
4. Accessible
5. Ski rack
6. Blind spot warning
7. USB input
8. Pet friendly
9. Backup camera
10. Snow tires/chains

*Unless specified otherwise, data in this document reflects growth in searches from January 1 to September 30, 2023 globally (compared with the same period in 2022). “Winter” is defined as trips occurring between November 1 and December 31.

Forward-looking statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding trending winter destinations and cars on Turo, electric vehicle demand, luxury vehicle demand, car delivery demand and the expansion of the Extras feature on Turo. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “looking ahead,” “look to,” “may,” “move into,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “target,” “will,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, including, among other things, market risks, trends, and conditions, changes in adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles, changes in the luxury vehicle market, and changes in laws and regulations in cities where Turo is available. These risks are not exhaustive. If any of the risks materialize or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate only to events as of the date of this press release. Turo undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information, actual results, revised expectations, or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

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