Is it road trip season for your family? The availability of comfortable, safe and fuel-efficient vehicles has improved the prospect of traveling with your family. Here is a list of a few vehicles that topped many best-long-road trip lists.
Volkswagen Touareg
This is a great choice for road trips because this car is dripping with luxury. It is offered in seven models with engine choices between gas/diesel or a hybrid option. The mpg ranges from 20 city to 29 highway for most models and the hybrids mpg is estimated at 20 city and 24 highway. A great asset of this vehicle is that is the on-road-off-road capability. This opens up the door to possibilities like ski, beach and across-the-country trips. The luxury of this vehicle makes it easy to ride in for long periods of time. Comfort amenities include plush seating, Bluetooth, navigation, and Satellite radio.
Chevrolet Equinox
Edmunds chose the Chevrolet Equinox as its No. 1 choice for a road trip vehicles. This is a comfort cruiser that is like having a family room on wheels. No more cramped legs, sore muscles or “he’s touching me.” There is so much room that you can ground them to different areas of the vehicle that they will have to text each other. Enjoy quality features like quiet cabin, MP3, Stability Control, Traction Control and an average mpg of 22 city and 32 highway, according to a Phoenix Chevrolet dealer. The Equinox is a classy crossover SUV that offers comfort and stability without feeling like grandma’s Buick. The rear seats recline. So fill them up with fast food, set the DVD, and well just let them sleep. This crossover is huge for a small car.
Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
This is the No. 4 choice from Bankrate for a road trip vehicles. The AWD is versatile enough to take your family skiing, to the beach or just over hill and beyond. It is an iconic vehicle for camping and seats four comfortably along with plenty of room for hauling gear. Owners can enjoy summer, winter, fall, and spring seasonal outings with little concern about the weather. Safety is handled by the six standard airbags, the electronic stability control system and AWD.
Owners who want more clearance for rougher trails often add a modest suspension lift and a Subaru Crosstrek lift kit is built along the same lines for the Outback’s smaller sibling. Most of these kits raise the ride height an inch or two, which helps clear rutted campsite roads and rocky beach approaches without changing how the car handles on the highway. That extra room also makes it easier to fit slightly larger tires with more sidewall for gravel and mud.
Photo by David Villarrael Fernandez via Flickr
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna LXE offers convenience and comfort for those extended, confined hours with your children. Creature comforts include DVD entertainment, house-style outlets, and side sunshades. Mileage is estimated at 18 city and 24 highway. Seating six to eight comfortably, it still allows for gear storage. Safety includes six airbags and stability control. 3.5L V6 will haul you up hills at a comfortable speed.
Ford Flex
This seats four to six comfortably, depending on seat choice, and has a style that is both appealing and functional. According to Edmunds, it acts like a minivan, but looks like a retro/modern vehicle that even appeals to the teens. Bankrate likens the Flex styling to that of the classic Woodie. It offers comfort, room and outstanding options like the mini-fridge, automatic transmission and a 4500 lb. towing capacity. Take the boat, the dog and the kids.
Photo by HighTechDad via Flickr
