The automobile industry is expanding at a dizzying rate, which has led to a perfect storm of problems such as traffic, accidents, parking problems, and overcrowded highways. As a reaction, the research community has shifted its focus toward studying the development of Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs), which are seen as a promising solution for addressing these problems. Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) provide smooth communication among automobiles, effectively integrating safety, comfort, and entertainment. Nevertheless, the navigation of these networks that prioritize vehicles is a complicated problem that requires a dependable and effective solution. In order to tackle this difficulty, numerous routing protocols have been developed; however, their effectiveness still has to be assessed. Within this context, VANET simulators have become indispensable tools, enabling researchers to evaluate the efficiency of several protocols and choose the most appropriate one for a specific situation. This work conducts a thorough examination of VANET routing protocols, focusing on selecting the most proficient ad hoc routing protocol for the highly dynamic environment of VANETs. After carefully analyzing the literature, it is evident that finding a routing protocol that can be used universally is still a challenging task, and the search for such a protocol is ongoing.