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Nissan Murano

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

Most luxury cars these days come standard with advanced all-wheel-drive (AWD) technology. Yep, AWD now comes standard or as an option in more and more affordable cars, CUVs and SUVs.

There are actually several reasons to consider AWD in your next new car purchase. Generally, AWD vehicles give you better safety and handling as well as the ability to drive in more inclement weather situations.

And, if you can afford AWD as well as advanced braking systems like electronic stability control (ESC), you should consider it. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates ESC will reduce crashes by as much as 34% (59% for SUVs with a great reduction in rollovers), saving between 5,000-9,000 lives and prevent around 200,000 injuries (once all light vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC).

Some car companies like Subaru are known for putting its super advanced AWD on all models. In fact, AWD has been a standard feature on American-made Subaru vehicles since 1996. Perhaps that is why Subaru is the top-selling car brand in the state of Alaska and some Alaskans are known to be die-hard Subaru enthusiasts.

So, what really is AWD and why do you need it? With his technology, all four wheels receive torque from the engine simultaneously, allowing each tire to rotate at different speeds. Independent tire rotation improves a vehicle’s overall handling and stability, making it useful in rain, snow and dry pavement.

AWD is not 4WD and it is not advised to take AWD vehicles out on unpaved roads, in mud or in deep snow. AWD systems are also not always in full AWD mode. In fact, AWD vehicles drive most of the time just as any front-wheel-drive car. With advanced AWD technology, however, engine power automatically goes to the rear wheels when the front wheels begin to slip.

The least expensive AWD vehicle in the U.S. car market today is the five-seat hatchback Suzuki SX4 Crossover. Priced at around $16,000, the Suzuki SX4 Crossover comes standard with a three-mode AWD system. What does this mean? The drive can choose between 2WD, 4WD Lock or 4WD Auto. In 4WD lock mode, the wheel lock together for low gear driving in snow, ice, sand and mud). The 4WD Auto mode is more versatile, allowing the driver to push power to all four wheels for extra safety and performance.

AWD comes standard or as an option on most luxury models from Audi, Volvo, Acura, Lexus, BMW, Lincoln, Infiniti, Cadillac, Porsche, VW and Mercedes-Benz.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Read more from Sheryll Alexander at Driving Smart.