Top vehicles for summer road trips
San Antonio Express-News
Friday, June 05, 2009
It’s the travel season once again, time to dust off the family jalopy, clean a winter’s worth of accumulated junk out of the cargo compartment, throw away all the fast-food wrappers and drink cups on the floor and get ready to take your significant other or the whole family out on another Discover America jaunt.
OK, maybe that’s not in the cards for you homebodies, but for many of us — my family included — summer brings the perfect opportunity to go where we’ve never been before or to revisit some of the fun places we have found in our past explorations.
GM
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is the car that starred in the original TV series ‘Route 66.’ The convertible is the way to go.
My goal this year is to visit the only four states I’ve never been to — Iowa, Nebraska and the two Dakotas, North and South.
Some of us already have the cars we’ll take, but others might be in the market for a good new or used vehicle to use for the coming trips. Others might leave the family car at home and rent a suitable vehicle for the vacation.
To help those who are looking for a great ride, the auto-pricing service Kelley Blue Book (on the Web at kbb.com) has named its “Top 10 Road Trip Cars” for 2009.
“Given the gloomy state of the economy, the lure of escaping everyday life via the open road is more appealing now than ever,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley.
There is something for almost everyone on the list, from budget-conscious consumers to those for whom cost is no real object. Some of the cars can accommodate the entire family, while others are intended just for couples.
At the top of the list (because it’s in alphabetical order) is the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ($74,875), the continuation of the line of two-seat sports cars that starred in the original TV road-trip series of the early 1960s, “Route 66.”
“On the way to your favorite twisty road or racetrack, the 505-horsepower Corvette Z06 pleases with an unexpectedly supple highway ride and a convenient top speed of 198 miles per hour,” the kbb.com editors wrote.
While I certainly agree with putting a Corvette high on any “Driver’s Trip” vehicle list, I probably would want the convertible rather than the coupe, however. Going topless in a ‘Vette is one of life’s greatest experiences.
Next is the Ford F-150 Super Crew ($29,550), chosen for the “Towing Trip” — when you’re hauling a boat or trailer.
“When hitting the open road includes bringing something along that requires a hitch, look to the Ford F-150 to deliver,” Kelley said.
It’s a good choice, for sure, but there are competitors that can handle the task just as well, including the Chevrolet Silverado and the Toyota Tundra. Most serious trailer-haulers probably would pick a heavy-duty pickup, however, rather than the lighter F-150 (think Ford Super Duty with diesel engine and dual rear wheels).
We could have used Kelley’s choice for the best “Spring Break Trip” vehicle a few weeks ago. This year’s choice is the Ford Mustang convertible ($26,050).
It’s not too late to use this vehicle for a summer trip, though, as long as it’s not through the desert in the middle of the day.
For the “Camping Trip,” Kelley picked the Honda Element ($20,945), a boxy compact crossover utility vehicle that can hold up to four people and/or a lot of stuff, such as all of that camping gear.
The best “Family Outing” vehicle is the Honda Odyssey ($27,025), Kelley said, although I’m sure that a Toyota Sienna, Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona or one of the Chrysler or Dodge vans could satisfy as well.
There are other notable camping-capable vehicles as well, including my favorites — the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (four-door) and the Toyota Land Cruiser (for those not on a budget, as it begins in the mid-$60,000s).
The best “Trip for Two” vehicle on Kelley’s list is the Jaguar XKR convertible ($94,475), a beautiful car with perfect performance — but with a price tag that limits it to those who have a lot more money than I do.
For that snow-country jaunt later on in the year, Kelley recommends the Lexus LX 570 ($76,730) as the “Ski Trip” vehicle. OK, I’ve already put a slightly less expensive version of this vehicle on my “Camping Trip” list — the Land Cruiser — but for a ski trip to a tony resort somewhere in Colorado (say, Aspen or Telluride), the LX 570 should do fine.
For the “New Grad Trip,” Kelley suggests the Mazda 3 ($19,295), a cool and fun-to-drive five-passenger compact hatchback that offers great fuel economy but doesn’t make you feel like you’re in an economy car.
Some of us might want to go alone, so Kelley offers the Porsche Cayman S ($60,290) for the “Solo Flight.” There is room for a companion, though, just in case you find someone along the way who could join you. Last but not least is the “Cross Country” recommendation, the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI ($24,570). This little wagon, new for 2009, offers room for five people and their luggage/gear. And with its diesel engine, it can cruise a long way on a tank of fuel. It gets up to 41 miles per gallon on the highway.
.JPG)
Services »
