The Best Vehicles For Family Holiday Travel

The Right Answer Here Depends On Your Family And Its Travels

Not all families tend to remain in the same location. Some families are close together, some are spread out like buckshot after it has separated from the shotgun shell a hundred yards down the range. If you’re going to travel during the holidays, you want to be sure you’ve got a vehicle that’s up to the task. We’ll explore a few options to consider in this writing.

The Long Trip Kings

If you’re going to drive a few hundred miles from home, you want a vehicle that is good for road trips. That means it’s got good suspension, can handle adverse weather conditions, and features a high level of comfort. Ideally, you want something that won’t guzzle gas, either; but there will be necessary concessions. 

A big pickup truck that’s got an extended cab can be fairly comfortable for a family of five; but those in the back may get uncomfortable after a few hours on the road. Also, such trucks will drink gas like a man who just escaped the desert. Meanwhile, if you’ve got a suburban, or a van, gas consumption will be similar, but everyone will have more room to move around. 

Something else that recommends a van or a suburban in this scenario is luggage room. If you’re traveling from, say, Wyoming to Iowa, and you’re staying with relatives for a week or two, everybody’s going to average about three bags; if you’ve got a family of five, that’s fifteen separate pieces of luggage that likely occupy about four cubic feet per item. 

You’ll need sixty cubic feet of storage. That will fit neatly in a pickup bed, but you’ll have to buy an additional covering. Meanwhile in a van or a suburban, there’s ample space for that much luggage in the back storage area. 

Short Travels

When you’re not traveling far, just about any vehicle will do which is properly configured to handle the cold. If you’re in Wyoming, you want something that has four wheel drive, ideally, and snow tires. Beyond that, any sized vehicle that will fit the family will likely do the trick. For the purposes of this writing, a “short drive” is under fifty miles. 

Small Families

If you’ve got a small family—like only one child, or just a pair of newlyweds—then you can go where you want in a sports car if you like; jut be sure not to forget caution when you encounter adverse weather, look into all-wheel drive or 4WD (four wheel drive) options, and if you need snow tires, get them. 

Finding The Best Option For You

Know how far you’re going to travel, your gasoline budget, how many people are traveling, and the amount of luggage you’re bringing with you. 

If you’re buying for long, regular road trips, you might even want to consider an RV; it all depends on how many are in your family, and the budget you’ve got to work with. To learn more about traveling advisements for families over the holidays, be sure to explore our blog at Anybody’s Autos!