Joe Tralongo – 2010 GMC Acadia

A variation on my pick last year, the Acadia (and its sibling twins the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave) is still, in my view, the best family hauling CUV on the market. It offers an exceptionally roomy interior, provides usable cargo space even with the third-row seat in place and, considering its size, returns pretty reasonable fuel economy. GM’s traction and stability control systems are among the best in the industry and unique features, such as OnStar’s turn-by-turn navigation guidance and emergency response, add the peace of mind every family wants when they hit the road.

Nick Kurczewski – 2010 Ford Taurus

Like Taylor Lautner packing on 30 pounds of muscle for “New Moon,” Ford has given the Taurus a similarly strict gym regime. Pumped up with handsome new looks and bursting with power (we’re talking about the car folks!), the new Taurus is suddenly a stand-out in the crowded family car market. If you crave high-speed thrills as much as I desire Taylor’s six-pack abs, the 365-horsepower SHO is the best choice.

Casey Williams – 2010 Subaru Tribeca

While the first-generation Tribeca’s “screaming vagina” grille did little to win dates, the creatively styled crossover was the perfect family car. Redesigned and up-powered, the current edition looks great, seats seven in three rows, and trudges through the worst weather with Subaru’s legendary all-wheel-drive and horizontally-opposed “boxer” six-cylinder engine. Best of all, Tribeca is a family car from a company that takes care of “family”.

Joe LaMuraglia – 2010 Volvo XC60

Volvo introduced their beautiful new XC60 in 2009 with the tagline “The Car That Stops Itself”. It describes Volvo’s innovative new City Safety system that automatically applies the brakes if the driver is about to drive into the vehicle in front. This is yet another Volvo safety first and when choosing a car to haul your precious cargo around, safety is paramount. It also doesn’t hurt that the Volvo XC60 is roomy, comfortable and a blast to drive – perfect car for your family, no matter how you define it.

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