Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
33.5 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Downey, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Irvine, CA to Downey, CA covers 33.5 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Costa Mesa Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
Founded 1873
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 33.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 41m highway drive covering 33.5 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and San Diego Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 18 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 33.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the exit toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 55 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Norwalk Boulevard, Imperial Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Irvine, CA to Downey, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Imperial Highway along the way.
Imperial Highway
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 18 mi | 20m |
| San Diego Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| Firestone Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Imperial Highway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Adoree Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Jeffrey Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Irvine, CA and Downey, CA.
Start on I 405
Take the exit
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 405
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto CA 55
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55
Take the exit
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on Adoree Street
Turn left onto Imperial Highway
Turn slight right onto Firestone Boulevard
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$7.70 one way
$15.40 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.93 | $15.87 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.15 | $16.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.40 | $14.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.52 | $1.61 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.69 | $2.14 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Irvine on Saturday
Local time
7:44 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in Downey on Saturday
Local time
7:44 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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