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Chevrolet Traverse

No. 1: 2010 Chevrolet Traverse The top reason to pick the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is seating. Yes, the Chevy Traverse can fit up to eight people comfortably. In my road test, I found the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is a handsome, versatile, fun-to-drive CUV, cargo star (seven or eight passengers depending on trim level) and heavy hauler (up to 5,200 lbs.). Plus, the 2010 Chevy Traverse’s 3.6-liter, 288 hp V-8 is astonishingly powerful. And, this direct injection engine maximizes fuel, giving the Traverse great gas mileage at 24 mpg highway and 17 mpg city. Truly a SUV crossover, the 2010 Chevy Traverse feels like both truck and car when driving. The driver and passengers sit tall of the ground as in a truck and the suspension also feels like a truck in its bouncy suspension. Still, the 2010 Chevy Traverse has more of a passenger car feel in its overall easy drive, excellent handling and responsive braking. The exterior of the Chevy Traverse just looks cool with its Euro styling. The beefy chrome grill, swooping side lines, upswept windows and brash back side with rear spoiler make for a pleasant experience on the eyes and in the rear view mirror. The 2010 Chevy Traverse’s interior flows well with swooping lines, sexy textures, burnished chrome accents and three tones. The door panels, instrument panel, gauges and central console all seem to work together well to bring about a very pleasing feeling to the driver and passengers. Second- and third-row passengers, namely my kids, were also enamored with the 2010 Chevy Traverse’s intelligent interior design, which includes lots of cup holders, pockets, mobile device niches and plug-in adapters. Chevrolet also made sure to make the 2010 Traverse a safety super star. The vehicle has lots of advanced safety technologies. In fact, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has awarded the Chevy Traverse five stars in driver, front passenger and side rear passenger crash tests.

Busy families need reliable vehicles with great versatility, performance, fuel efficiency and affordability. Are you looking to buy a brand new family-friendly vehicle?

• The 2010 Chevrolet Traverse is an exceptional crossover utility vehicle (CUV) for large families. With a seating capacity for seven, the 2010 Chevy Traverse also has loads of standard luxury features, lots of leg and cargo room, top safety marks, excellent design inside and out, overall great driving dynamics, advanced technology and pretty good fuel efficiency (24 mpg hwy, 17 mpg city).
• The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is one of GM’s best designed cars in a long time. This full-sized sedan has sexy Euro-Asian design outside and excellent performance, but the interior is truly cool with a truly unique central console and TV screens built into each back head rest. Plus, the Buick LaCrosse gets great fuel economy at 27 mpg hwy and 18 mpg city.
• The 2010 Suzuki SX4 has it all for busy families: low price, standard navigation, zippy performance, ergonomic interior, excellent safety and lots of cargo room. If you are seeking an all-wheel-drive vehicle for inclement weather, go for the Suzuki SX4 Crossover, which comes as a five-door hatchback model.
• The 2010 Ford Fusion has what American drivers need: form and function at a low price, excellent fuel economy (41 mpg city, 36 mpg hwy), a roomy and comfortable interior with quality materials and seriously fun performance. Plus, the Fusion comes with Ford’s way cool SYNC connectivity system.
• The redesigned 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 hits all the right notes with its low price tag, sophisticated modern design inside and out, exhilarating zoom-zoom performance and handling and a rather luxurious interior. Plus, the 2010 MAZDA3 has top notch fuel economy at 33 mpg hwy and 25 mpg city.
• The third generation 2010 Toyota Prius is one of best value family cars because this mid-sized hybrid gas-electric sedan is the most fuel efficient car on the road today (51 mpg city, 48 mpg hwy), has a high resale value, top quality, zippy performance, excellent safety rankings and advanced technology.
• The 2010 Ford Flex is possibly one of the most versatile family cars ever built. With room for eight (depending on trim level), the Flex’s long wheelbase gives each passenger lots of leg room even in the third row. Plus, the 2010 Ford Flex can feature a built-in refrigerator and Ford’s kick ass SYNC technology.
• Like the Chevrolet Traverse, GM’s 2010 Buick Enclave is an exceptionally-designed CUV. The 2010 Buick Enclave just has it ALL: really great performance, a sexy exterior, superb safety, lots of options and, above all, a super cool interior design.
• Although the Scion xB is designed mostly for the youth market, the 2010 Scion xB is a super versatile vehicle for families. In fact, the Scion xB is one of my most favorite cars to drive because of its versatility, overall excellent design and smooth performance.
• For families who love good design, the 2010 Nissan Maxima is one of the prettiest sedans on the road with its combination of graceful and sporty exterior, excellent performance (amazing handling, suspension and acceleration), well-designed interior and totally comfortable seating.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande

The holidays are upon us and that means getting ready for family road trips. What can you do to make the trip more enjoyable? And, which cars work best for long trips with the kids and pets?

I’m a mother of two talkative daughters, a new car road test reviewer and a road trip lover. I’ve traveled thousands of miles with the kids in all kinds of vehicles. So, what cars do I like best for road trips?

See my list of super family-friendly vehicles below as well as great tips for traveling with kids from snacks to technology to cleaning up to keeping teens happy.

The best vehicles for road trips, of course, are minivans. However, if you can’t afford a gas-guzzling minivan, then look to more fuel efficient CUVs or full-sized sedans for family road trips.

My favorite CUVs for families are: Suzuki SX4, Mazda CX-7, Lexus RX 450h, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, Ford Flex, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Murano, Toyota Venza, Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander and Scion xB.

Fortunately, there are lots of affordable full-sized sedans with lots of great features for families. I have road tested each of these models and find each one to be fantastic for road trips, including Acura TL, Nissan Maxima, Mazda MAZDA6, Audi A4, Ford Fusion, Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI, Lincoln MKS, Mitsubishi Lancer, Saab 9-3, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

What about safety? For safer driving in winter, all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles equipped with electronic stability control (sometimes known as dynamic stability control) are some of the safest vehicles on the road.

All Subaru vehicles come equipped with AWD, but most others car companies offer AWD as an option or standard on more expensive trim levels. Electronic stability control now comes standard or as an option on many new cars, but by 2011, the government is making ESC standard.

Real Tips for Family Road Trips

Portable Tech: The best way to keep kids happy and quiet on long road trips is giving each child their own personal DVD player with headphones. To keep the players working, keep extra batteries on hand or a car adapter for recharging. And, buy each child a new DVD they’ve been wanting for some time.

Satellite Radio: Don’t think it’s worth subscribing to Sirius or XM satellite radio? Think again. The no commercials approach to satellite radio makes it the most peaceful and rewarding in-car experiences of all time. Plus, you can get regional weather and traffic reports. My husband prefers Sirius because it carries 24/7 NFL coverage.

Get Cozy: Do you think bringing pillow, blankets and stuffed animals on road trips is a big hassle? For kids, nothing is better than putting their head down on their own pillow and wrapping their blanket around them for a nice nap in the car. Don’t leave the comforts of home behind!

Play Games: Some families love car bingo. Others like to count out-of-state license plates, play cards or sing songs. For my hyperactive family, I play Drivetime Yoga. This CD uses yoga increases energy and decreases stress with yoga movements for drivers and passengers such as neck releases, shoulder stretches, spinal twists, pelvic tilts and ankle rolls. To purchase, visit, www.DrivetimeYoga.com.

Snacks: Always fill a cooler with healthy drinks and snacks such as spring water, apples, grapes, bananas and low-fat cheese. Healthy bars are a good idea too, but some get squashed rather easily. Try Clif Bar’s Kid Organic Z Bar. These bars are virtually indestructible and can stay in your glove compartment for months. Another good way to get kids interested in healthy foods is to stop at a produce stand and let them pick their own fruit. If you are staying at a hotel, call ahead and request the mini-bar be completely emptied so you can pack the mini-refrigerator full of your healthy food and drinks.

Got Teens? My teenager just loves her iPhone. So, make sure your teen has fully charged her phone before your road trip. Also, buy a car adapter for easy recharging. And don’t let them forget headphones!!

Keep Clean: During winter flu season, it’s best to carry lots of sanitary hand wipe packets in the glove compartment and in your purse. That way, you can wipe the kids clean quickly and easily as well as kill germs.

Stop A Lot: Are your kids restless on road trips? Before you go, research your trip’s half way point and find a great public park on Mapquest or Yahoo maps. If you bring a football, soccer ball or baseball equipment, you’ll be ready for a pick-up game, which will give everyone some exercise and then tire them out for a long nap.

On-the-Go Wireless: Work, play and watch Hulu on the go when you have a wireless card. But does your wireless card really when you are driving? Yes! Although the signal does wane at times, I have found working on my laptop while being a passenger is very rewarding and more than possible.

Hide the Candy: Don’t believe in giving kids candy? When you are really desperate for some quiet time or for the fighting to stop, bring out a few special treats. It will keep them happy and you will have a bargaining tool for the rest of the trip.

With a family-friendly vehicle and some good planning, you and the whole family can have a fun on your holiday road trips!

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande