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Suzuki

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

Suzuki’s all-new, affordable, performance-tuned mid-sized Kizashi sedan is now available at Suzuki dealerships nationwide. Starting at just $19,000, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi is loaded with standard equipment and may be the most affordable performance sedan on the market today.

Why is the Suzuki Kizashi such a good buy?

First off, the exterior and interior design of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi makes this mid-sized sedan look more luxurious than its low price. Secondly, the Kizashi is truly a performance-minded sedan. Plus, Suzuki also delivers on top safety ratings and an excellent warranty.

The 2010 Kizashi features a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with six-speed manual or automatic transmission with CVT paddle shifters. The 2010 Kizashi also comes standard with multi-link rear suspension, performance shocks, ABS Akebono brakes, advanced stability control and optional all-wheel drive.

The 2010 Kizashi was also built to include tons of standard luxury features such as rain sensing wipers, a premium Rockford Fosgate audio system, USB ports for iPod interfacing, wireless Bluetooth integration and keyless start, among many other standard features.

In Japanese, the word Kizashi means “something great is coming.” And for Suzuki, this launch into the highly competitive all-wheel-drive sport sedan segment is being viewed by company executives as a complete “brand transformation.”

Although I have yet to road test the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi, I did get up close and personal with this cool new sedan this fall at Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.

I looked at the 2010 Kizashi from all angles and decided, if Suzuki removed the logos and nameplates, that this handsome sedan might be designed by Mercedes-Benz or Audi, Acura or even Lexus.

Standing on an almost unbelievably pretty point along the golden cliffs and pounding surf at Trump National, I was pleasantly surprised at the 2010 Kizashi’s bold grille, long bulgy nose, curvy side lines, sleek windows, sport wheels and sporty extras like flared fenders and chrome exhaust outlets. The back side is certainly sexy with a good-looking combination of the best in European and Asian design.

Suzuki execs allowed us to sit inside the 2010 Kizashi, which they had played up as truly luxurious despite its inexpensive price. I’m not sure the total package oozes luxury, but I did find touches of true luxe in the Kizashi’s “French” seams, textured plastics, burnished chrome accents, comfortable sport seats and handsome central console.

2010 Suzuki Kizashi Trims & Pricing

The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi comes in four trim levels: S, SE, GTS and SLS. The base S model is priced at $18,999 ($21,749 for the all-wheel-drive model). Some of the standard features on the S model include: eight air bags, keyless start, dual-zone climate control, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, projector beam head lights, ambient and foot well lighting, nine-speaker audio system with steering wheel controls and power windows, doors and mirrors.

The 2010 Kizashi SE FWD costs $2,500 more than the comparable S FWD model. The SE features continuously variable transmission (CVT), alloy wheels, power driver’s seat with 10-way adjustment, memory driver’s seat, leather-wrapped parking brake handle and cruise control built into the steering wheel.

The GTS model starts at $22,499 and includes the SE’s standard features as well as Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, performance tires, fog lights, power moon roof and a 425-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with 10 speakers.

The top-of-the-line SLS model costs $24,399 for FWD and $26,749 for AWD and adds leather seats, power passengers seat, heated front seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror, heated outside mirrors, automatic rain sensing wipers, automatic head lamps.

Still not sold on testing out the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi? Get into a Suzuki dealership now to discover how this high-quality, high-performance, high-safety vehicle can also have a low price. Bravo, Suzuki!

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