Posted on 05/22/2008 2:33:10 PM PDT by Cagey
A family road trip can be a great way to bring everyone together. However, it can also lead to squabbles over seat space, fights over how to drive and the wrong kind of family interactions. But the right vehicle might ease some of those tensions. Gabriel Shenhar, auto program manager for special publications for Consumer Reports gives a sneak peak at Consumer Reports' annual list of the top 10 vehicles for family travel.
Shenhar said he and his colleagues compiled the list based on test scores which identified certain characteristics that would make the perfect family road trip vehicle. A high priority was placed on autos that rated the best in comfort, noise, safety, reliability and fuel economy.
The list is also a mixture of luxury cars and more affordable ones
"We tried not to just (limit) it to high-end cars because clearly, the more comfortable seats and quieter cars are in those kinds of autos," said Shenhar.
Audi A6
The Audi A6 has a roomy trunk and is also available as a wagon.
"It has really comfortable seats and a nice ride, a big trunk and relatively good fuel economy for such a car with all-wheel drive," said Shenhar.
BMW 5 Series
Like the A6, the BMW 5 Series is a luxury car that is also available as a wagon.
"You can drive it all day long and cover one state after another without really feeling any fatigue," said Shenhar. "It's got comfortable seats, high quality interior and an effortless powertrain."
Cadillac STS
The Cadillac STS is a new addition to the list this year, replacing the Cadillac CTS.
"The difference is size, basically, and price," said Shenhar. "But the cars are based on the same chassis and have similar driving characteristics … (The STS) has really comfortable seats and a smooth powertrain and a comfortable, controlled ride. The same things that apply to the Audi and the BMW apply to the STS."
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is Consumer Reports' top-rated family sedan.
"It's roomy, it's comfortable, it has ample storage spaces in the cabin, really easy controls, excellent driving position, the handling is pretty agile and the riding is nice and controlled," said Shenhar. "Also, the fuel economy is pretty good and the crash test results are impressive."
Honda Odyssey
For families with a lot of kids or a lot of luggage, the Honda Odyssey comes highly recommended by Consumer Reports, and not just because of its practicability and roominess.
"As odd as it sounds to say about a minivan, it is a delight to drive, actually," said Shenhar. "It seats eight. It's got all your family entertainment things. Its got a DVD player in the back and you can have the kids listen to a different audio source as well. And it scores points for safety and reliability."
Infiniti M
The Infinity M was Consumer Reports' top pick in '07 for luxury sedans.
"It's a really nice car," said Shenhar. "It has easy controls and it drives comfortably. It handles well. It had a roomy cabin. You kind of sit a little higher and have a good view of the road. It's easy to get in and out of."
Lexus RX
Surprisingly, only one SUV made the list, and that was the Lexus RX.
"It's like a mid-sixed luxury car, only elevated and with more utility," said Shenhar. "But it drives. It's very quiet and it's very refined. It rides comfortably. It has a quiet engine and gets pretty good fuel economy, too."
Lexus LS
The LS, a full-size luxury sedan with a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive, is Lexus' flagship auto.
"The LS is the ultimate in terms of cruising on the highway," said Shenhar. "You feel like you are traveling first class. It has a roomy cabin, quiet interior, and effortless acceleration. You can't go wrong here, but the price is not for everyone."
Toyota Avalon
For those that cannot afford a Lexus LS but are sill looking for a top-rated sedan, the Toyota Avalon could be a great car for a long road trip.
"The Toyota can do a lot like the LS, but for a fraction of the price," said Shenhar. "You get really roomy interior and a quiet, comfortable ride. It's smooth, quick, with a V6 engine, a big trunk, and limo-like rear seats. It's a nice long-distance cruiser."
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna is the second minivan to crack Consumer Reports' top 10. The Sienna can also seat eight people, so it is an ideal choice for large families. Shenhar said it is quieter and rides more comfortably than the Odyssey, but doesn't have the same agile handling.
"It's really a delightful car for long distance, and I can attest to that because it's one of our favorite vacation cars here among our staff, especially those of us with kids," said Shenhar.
Oh, and how supportable are yours?
"I’m thinking you’d soil your pants riding shotgun with my buddy at the wheel of, say, a C6 or a 911."
You would be guessing wrong, I expect you would be the one soiling your pants if I took you on a ride .
Whoo, a 911? give me a break, try driving something at the limit from the 60's.
This conversation is going nowhere, Consumer Reports will always be a joke as will Motor Trend.
Talk to the hand.
Bye!
That brings back memories of family trips from Texas to Pennsylvania in the circa 1965 Ford Galaxy station wagon with a custom fitted foam mattress in the back for me and my brothers. No sealtbelts for us! Room enough for two to lounge with the third seat down. Suitcases were on top strapped to the luggage rack. We’d move back and forth from the back seat to the mattress during the three day trek from hell. Probably looked like the Beverly Hillbillies.
The fact that the last Cobra had an IRS and this one (or the equivalent) doesn’t, despite variants priced as high as $80K, tells me the new one is pretty much crap anywhere but on the dragstrip - especially in the real world of potholes and uneven surfaces.
Actually, the police hate them here - they MUCH prefer the Dodge Charger and departments here are converting to them wholesale.
Whether justified or not, the Panther cars (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car) have a reputation for bursting into flame when hit from the rear, are overpriced for what little you get, and are grossly underpowered in police trim.
No, as much as I dislike stick axles on cars, they’re not *that* bad. They really aren’t very good, either, and I really hate how a live axle car’s rear end bounces all over the bloody place when going over uneven surfaces.
Interesting... Here, they want to keep them, hate the Chargers. Complain about the Chargers being to small, and bad visibility towards the rear (thick C pillars). I guess it’s regional!
Up front, the Chargers are larger than the Crown Vics. The back doesn’t count, of course.
The only times that local officers have complained about the size of the Charger is when the departments cheap out and don’t buy the optional Dodge-built cage. The third party cages sometimes take up more room, aren’t as sturdy, and don’t offer the storage on the officers’ side that the factory optional one does.
That said, there’s another reason why they like the cars.
Crown Vic Police Interceptor engine: 245hp.
Dodge Charger Police 5.7L V8: 340hp/390lb ft *and* gets better fuel mileage
Check out the web page for it - they’ve built the Charger police car specifically for the police, where the Crown Vic is just a badly adapted civvie car:
https://www.fleet.chrysler.com/fleetcda/CDAController?pageid=252
A true gem. Full frame, solid suspension and predictable in quick maneuvers.
Um... not driven any good modern cars lately?
The Panther chassis is old, sloppy handling, slow out of the box, heavy, and it has an awful rear suspension design.
Maybe it’s just how I drive. I have the most fun driving curvy roads with hairpin curves at speed. Even thinking about that in a Mustang feels like taking my life in my hands.
Oh, it’s perfectly fine for that.
If the road surface is new-track-smooth.
Otherwise, IRS will eat it alive.
The best roadtrip car is a truck!
It is a great looking machine... shame it feeds that 540HP to a live axle. Good for a straight line and not much else.
Not many new track smooth roads around here but even on a good road the Mustang can’t corner well. Maybe it’s not just the rear axle... maybe Ford just doesn’t know how to engineer good handling.
Well, the old SN95 and earlier Mustangs with stick axles sucked. The 03-04 Cobras with the IRS and the blower handle very well, especially if you do a bushing replacement and add full-length subframe connectors.
The S197 with the stick axle isn’t nearly as bad as the SN95 and Fox Mustangs were... but it’s still not great.
72 Ford LTD Station Wagon.
I’ll let the police choose their own car, and I know my friends in the Lynnwood force here prefer the older Crown Vic. They like the size, the storage, the big door openings, and the heavier weight (in city use, top speed is really not an issue; being able to spin another car with a tap, or take a beating in the pursuit is critical). So I don’t argue numbers, I leave the choice to the pros and around here they prefer the Crown.
Additionally, I’ve rented Chargers and while they’re fun, for a road trip with buddies the comfort of the Crown Vic is hands-down better for my tastes. Cruising 8 hours is painless and easy. And for a road trip the size of the rear seat REALLY keeps the complaints down! Not to mention an enormous trunk...
And people get out of the way of the Crown Vic; the only people who drive Crowns are either retirees who do 55 MPH, or the police. If you’re hustling down the road at 85, everyone assumes you’re the latter not the former...:)
Mark
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