The summer driving season officially begins with the drop of the green flag on Memorial Day weekend. Record gas prices will play a large part in trip planning this year, but even at $4 per gallon, Americans will hit the road in droves. So, the question isn't whether or not to yield to the call of the open road, but which vehicles are best-suited for the journey. Finding the right vehicle for your summer trek, requires another question: What kind of road trip? The perfect vehicle for a two-person weekend getaway is quite different from the ideal transport for a two-week, full-family interstate excursion. So, as in past years, our goal in naming the Best New Road Trip Vehicles for 2008 was to come up with a list that included a vehicle for every long-haul excursion, whatever the passenger manifest, cargo list or destination. Our selection criteria included all the tangible and intangible attributes that would enhance any long journey, such as driving enjoyment, passenger comfort, cargo space, and of course, this year we added a few fuel sippers. Here, in alphabetical order, are Kelley Blue Book's Best New Road Trip Vehicles for 2008:
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Chevrolet Malibu
We recently drove six top-selling mid-size sedans in a back-to-back comparison test, and the remarkably quiet and comfortable Chevy Malibu handily outshined the competition on the highway. The first car in the category to combine a flexible six-speed automatic transmission with a gas-sipping four-cylinder engine, the Malibu is capable of an impressive 32 highway miles per gallon.
Audi S5
Bugatti Veyron
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
Dodge Grand Caravan
Ford Flex
Infiniti EX35
MINI Cooper Clubman
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Eos

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