Five routes, one long weekend, and the right car for each
UAE National Day falls on a Saturday this year, which means a long weekend is coming. You’ve got about 40 days to plan a proper road trip — and to find the right car for it. Here are five routes worth driving from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, what type of car each one needs, and why right now is a good time to be shopping for an SUV.
The short version
- Five routes from 90 minutes to five hours — desert, mountains, coast, and empty highway.
- Three of the five routes are better in an SUV. SUVs make up over 63% of used cars in Dubai on CarSwitch right now — selection is huge.
- October and November tend to be the softest months for used-car prices in the UAE, so timing is on your side.
- A sedan car is perfectly fine for the highway routes (Fujairah coast road, Abu Dhabi to Liwa approach road).
- Every car on CarSwitch is inspection-verified before it’s listed — worth knowing if you’re buying weeks before a trip.
Why SUV selection is unusually strong right now
About half of all buyer searches on CarSwitch are for SUVs (CarSwitch listings data, July 2026). But SUVs make up nearly two-thirds of available listings. That gap means more choice and less competition for buyers.
SUVs: 63% of listings, 49% of buyer searches
Sedans: 28% of listings, 24% of buyer searches
October price index: 97 vs annual average of 100 (about 3% softer)
November price index: 97 vs annual average of 100 (about 3% softer)
“There are more SUVs listed than people searching for them right now. If you’ve been waiting to pick one up, this is a good window.”
Ramiz Islam, Head of Marketing at CarSwitch
The five routes
1. Dubai to Hatta — mountain pools and winding roads
About 90 minutes each way. The drive takes you through the Hajar Mountains, with sharp bends and gravel shoulders near the pools. An SUV with decent ground clearance makes sense here, especially if you plan to explore past the main dam. A mid-size SUV — think Tucson, RAV4, or X3 — is the sweet spot.
2. Dubai to Fujairah coast — the east-coast highway
Under two hours on the E88. This is smooth, well-maintained highway the entire way. A sedan handles it just as well as an SUV. Take a comfortable cruiser — a Camry, Accord, or even something a bit more fun. You’re here for the beach, not the terrain.
3. Abu Dhabi to Liwa Oasis — deep desert on good tarmac
Around three hours from Abu Dhabi city. The road itself is excellent, but once you reach Moreeb Dune or want to explore off the main route, you need a proper SUV — ideally a body-on-frame one like a Patrol, Land Cruiser, or Prado. Air down your tyres and bring a recovery rope.
4. Dubai to Jebel Jais (via RAK highway) — UAE’s highest peak
About two hours from Dubai. The summit road is paved and spectacular. Any car can make it up, but an SUV feels more planted on the switchbacks and handles the altitude wind gusts better. This is a great day trip — leave early, coffee at the top, back by afternoon.
5. Abu Dhabi to Al Mirfa — quiet coast, no crowds
About two and a half hours west along the E11. Flat highway, no off-road required. A sedan is fine. This route is about getting away from everyone, not conquering terrain. Pack a cooler and find a quiet stretch of beach.
Which car type for which route — at a glance
| Route | Distance from city | Car type | CarSwitch listing share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai → Hatta | ~130 km | SUV | 63% |
| Dubai → Fujairah coast | ~150 km | Sedan | 28% |
| Abu Dhabi → Liwa | ~300 km | Full-size SUV | 63% |
| Dubai → Jebel Jais | ~170 km | SUV preferred | 63% |
| Abu Dhabi → Al Mirfa | ~250 km | Sedan | 28% |
Timing your purchase around Dubai cars and National Day
If you’re thinking of picking up your next car before the long weekend, October and November are historically the softest months for used-car prices in the UAE — about 3% below the yearly norm. That’s not a massive swing, but on a car listed at AED 80,000, it’s a couple of thousand dirhams working in your favour.
Cars with still-active manufacturer warranty tend to carry about a 5% premium, which can be worth it for a road-trip car. And if you’re comparing trims, the difference between a base model and a fully loaded one has generally been around 7% on CarSwitch — so decide which features you actually need before you overspend.
Before you hit the road
A road trip is the worst time to discover something’s wrong with your car. Every car on CarSwitch goes through a detailed inspection before it’s listed, so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. No hidden surprises 200 km from home.
With over 63% of listings being SUVs right now, you’ve got real choice — from compact crossovers for the Hatta hills to full-size trucks for the Liwa sands. Browse used cars in Dubai to find your next road-trip car, inspection-verified and ready to go.
It depends on the route. Mountain and desert trips (Hatta, Liwa, Jebel Jais) are better in an SUV. Highway routes to the coast (Fujairah, Al Mirfa) work fine in a sedan. SUVs make up about 63% of listings on CarSwitch right now, so selection is strong.
Yes. Prices tend to run about 3% below the yearly norm in those months based on CarSwitch data. It’s not a dramatic drop, but the timing lines up well if you want a car before the National Day weekend.
The main roads to both are paved. An SUV with decent ground clearance is helpful for exploring off-route near Hatta’s mountain pools, but a regular SUV will handle the Jebel Jais summit road. You don’t necessarily need a full 4×4 unless you’re going off-tarmac.
SUVs make up over 63% of all CarSwitch listings. About half of buyer searches are for SUVs, so there are more listed than people looking — that gives you plenty of options to choose from.
