Countries That Have The Best And The Worst Road Quality, According to Tourist Drivers

Taking the top spot for the best quality of roads according to our tourist drivers is New Zealand, with a score of 8.71 out of 10. This island country located in Oceania offers stunning scenery, making driving through the country a pleasant experience!

The most simple way to explore everything New Zealand has to offer is through renting a car. If you’re planning to explore the North Island, you can tour the big cities of New Zealand, such as its capital Wellington, or Auckland. One of the most exciting things to do in Auckland is to visit Mount Eden, the highest volcano in the country. The mountain offers incredible views of the city below and is a great hiking spot for tourists to enjoy.

The South Island has several big cities and rural areas to explore too, with many tourist drivers finding the roads here to be the best to drive on in the whole country! One tourist driver who visited Queenstown claimed “it was a great experience” and another driver also remarked that the “roads were perfect.” Many other tourist drivers left beaming reviews, which explains why New Zealand has taken the top spot on our list.

Coming in second place with a score of 8.70 out of 10 is Poland. This central European country is a popular vacation spot, as it boasts a rich history and stunning scenery, which is perfect for tourists to explore. Renting a car is a great way to see the sights of Poland, and the roads are generally well-maintained and great for driving on.

One tourist was pleasantly surprised with their driving experience, claiming “I was positively surprised by the condition of Polish roads.” Another tourist simply said “great roads”, indicating that driving as a tourist in Poland won’t be any trouble at all.

Poland is home to a variety of castles, including the world’s largest one by landmass! Malbork Castle is a must-see if you’re planning to visit this country. Other popular destinations include the contemporary capital city of Warsaw and Krakow.

Claiming third place is the Canary Islands in Spain, with a score of 8.61 out of 10. These stunning islands are a tourist hot spot, with millions of visitors choosing these islands to vacation on every year.

The Canary Islands consist of 7 islands: Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, La Palma, and El Hierro. The road quality on these islands is generally very good as they are well-maintained, making it easy for tourists to rent a car and explore the scenery and attractions.

A tourist driver who visited Lanzarote remarked that the roads on this island are the “best roads I have traveled on for a long time.” So if you’re planning a road trip to this stunning volcanic island, you’ll hopefully find driving there a breeze.

In fourth place is Germany, with a score of 8.45 out of 10. Nestled in the heart of Western Europe, Germany has a rich history, vibrant nightlife, and delicious cuisine, making it a popular destination for tourists from across the world.

The road quality in Germany is generally very good, thanks to the autobahn network. The autobahn is a federal-controlled highway system located throughout the country. This makes Germany’s road networks safer for tourists and provides an enjoyable experience.

Tourist drivers have found the roads to be in good condition, despite reports of road works. A tourist who rented a car in Hamburg claimed that there were “a few road works and uneven surfaces, but in general they were ok.” when asked about the country’s road quality.

The following are the remaining five countries that scored high on road quality, completing our top ten.

France takes sixth place, with a score of 8.40 out of 10. Having a great road infrastructure and well-maintained toll roads, tourists found driving in France to be smooth sailing.

In seventh place with a score of 8.39 out of 10 is Croatia. This central European country boasts incredible scenery, stunning beaches, and lovely hot weather. As for the road quality, the country is said to have a well-maintained road infrastructure, making it an enjoyable experience for tourist drivers.

Coming in eighth place is Spain, with a score of 8.37 out of 10. Spain is well-known for many reasons, from its sunny climate and gorgeous beaches to appetizing cuisine and rich culture. Spain also has great road quality, its well-maintained roads make driving through this country an easy and enjoyable experience.

In ninth place with a score of 8.32 is the Azores Islands in Portugal. The Azores are a region in Portugal that offers spectacular scenery, beautiful vineyards, and incredible natural beauty. Driving in the Azores is said to be enjoyable, as roads are generally in good condition.

Rounding up our top 10 in tenth place is Australia. With a score of 8.24 out of 10, tourists found driving down under to be smooth and easy to drive on! With sunny weather and scenic views, renting a car is a fantastic way to explore the country.

Although these destinations didn’t make the top 20, we were interested in seeing where popular car rental destinations such as the US and Canada scored on road quality.

We found that in the US, Florida scored the highest on road quality. With 94 reviews, this state scored 8.28 out of 10.

29 people reviewed California’s road quality, and the state received an average score of 7.97 out of 10. Additionally, 9 tourists reviewed Nevada, resulting in a score of 8.89 out of 10.

Moving onto Canada, the country scored 6.11 out of 10, with 51 tourists’ reviews.

Driving on bumpy or poorly maintained roads on vacation can have a detrimental impact on your driving experience and even your vacation as a whole. Below we’ve included a list of 5 countries that some tourists found more difficult to navigate.

To find the bottom 5 countries for road quality, we have only included countries that have a score below 7 and a minimum of 40 tourist driver reviews. Here is what the results showed.

The country that scored the lowest on road quality according to tourist drivers is Sicily, Italy. Sicily scored 6.55 out of 10, and tourists found the roads to be narrow and winding, with potholes to watch out for.

Malta scored just above Sicily, with a score of 6.56 out of 10. Tourists found the roads in Malta to be rather narrow, with some finding them difficult to navigate.
The country with the third lowest rating is Macedonia, with a score of 6.60 out of 10. Some tourists have reported some of the roads being in poor condition, with one review mentioning potholes.

The fourth country with the lowest rating is Bulgaria, with a rating of 6.70 out of 10. We found that the main problem tourists encountered when driving through the country was the amount of potholes.

Albania has the fifth-lowest score, coming in with 6.89 out of 10. Albania had some mixed reviews, some tourists found the roads to be in good condition, whereas others were not impressed.

Whilst the above countries have scored low on our list, with the right precautions and research, you can still have a fantastic time exploring them.

One tip to bear in mind when traversing bumpy roads would be to remember to slow down. By slowing down and maintaining a consistent speed, you gain better control over the car and better protect your tires, too. Another tip to consider is to plan ahead by researching any roads or areas to avoid due to poor road conditions, also familiarizing yourself with what the local road markings mean would come in handy once you’re out there.

Renting a car is one of the best ways to explore a new country, as you’ll be treated to stunning views of the breathtaking landscapes.

If you’re looking to rent a car for your vacation, please consider booking with us. We can help you find the right rental car to suit your preferences and needs, in over 145 countries.