For many Australians, buying a 4WD unlocks the potential to tour the country, not just handle school runs and grocery trips.

Trips to Cape York, the Kimberley or the islands of SE Queensland are a big part of the appeal, built around getting off the beaten track. However, new research from insurer Club 4X4 suggests those plans are increasingly being delayed or scaled back by cost-of-living pressures.

The Australia Unlocked Report found that 94 per cent of 4WD, SUV and ute owners are primarily using their vehicles for everyday duties, with many Australians spending upwards of $100,000 on vehicles built for the bush but ultimately using them for daily commuting, from school drop-offs to grocery runs and sitting in peak-hour traffic.

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That is not because interest in road trips has faded. Nearly eight in 10 respondents said they would take their dream road trip within the next 12 months if financial pressures were removed, while more than a quarter said they would head off within three months. Cost remains the key barrier. Almost seven in 10 owners cited fuel prices and broader living expenses as the main reason they had scaled back travel plans, while nearly two-thirds said they had taken fewer road trips over the past year.

The findings help explain why many capable and often expensive adventure vehicles spend more time in suburban driveways than on remote tracks. The average Australian household now spends around $23,500 a year on vehicle-related costs, including close to $3000 on fuel, according to the report. For those planning a lap of Australia, Club 4X4 estimates fuel alone now costs more than $3000.

The impact is not evenly spread across the country. Queensland recorded some of the highest levels of inactivity, with more than one in five 4WD owners saying they had not taken a single road trip in the past 12 months.

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Western Australia reported the highest cancellation rate nationally, with 17 per cent of owners saying they had cancelled all road trips, and one in four not taking any trips at all. Fuel costs were also the top barrier in WA at 37 per cent.

Victorian owners were also pulling back, with 67 per cent saying they had taken fewer road trips over the past year, and one in six reporting they had cancelled trips entirely. While South Australia stood out as the most resilient state, with 21 per cent of owners saying they had not reduced their road travel at all.

Younger Australians are also shifting travel patterns. One in five under-30s said they had taken more overseas holidays than domestic trips because it was cheaper, compared with 11 per cent across all respondents.

Despite this, demand for domestic road trips remains strong. The Great Ocean Road was the nation’s top bucket-list drive, nominated by 31 per cent of respondents, followed by an East Coast coastal road trip (23 per cent) and a lap of Tasmania (22 per cent). The Red Centre and Uluru (16 per cent), Coral Coast (15 per cent), Flinders Ranges and SA outback (13 per cent), Kimberley (12 per cent), Victorian High Country (12 per cent), K’gari (11 per cent) and Cape York (11 per cent) rounded out the list.

To coincide with the findings, Club 4X4 has launched its Mod Grant competition (↗), offering one winner $30,000 worth of ARB accessories. Other prizes include fuel vouchers and vouchers to use at BIG4 Parks around the country.

“We’re doing this to help give Aussies an added boost, so they can begin their next adventure sooner,” said Tony Mitchell, Club 4×4 CEO. “For some it’s a lift kit. For others, it’s the fuel. Whatever the barrier, we want to help more Australians actually use these vehicles the way they were intended.” 

Australia Unlocked by the numbers

  • 94% of 4WD, SUV and ute owners primarily use their vehicles for commuting, school runs and errands.
  •  64% have taken fewer road trips in the past 12 months.
  •  67% cite fuel and cost-of-living pressures as the main barrier to travelling.
  • 18% of under-30s travel overseas more than domestically because it is cheaper (vs 11% overall)
  • Nearly 8 in 10 would take a dream road trip within 12 months if financial pressure was removed
  • More than 1 in 4 would leave within 3 months
  • Average household vehicle costs: $23,500 per year (around $3,000 fuel)
  • Lap of Australia fuel cost: $3,000+

The Australia Unlocked Report was conducted by Pureprofile on behalf of Club 4X4 in May 2026, surveying a nationally representative sample of 1009 Australian 4WD, SUV and ute owners.

MORE Club 4X4 has launched its Mod Grant competition