New Jersey offers plenty of scenic byways but a personal favorite is Route 521, the ideal drive behind the wheel of my newly leased Hybrid Rubicon. The kids have plenty of room in the rear seating and my wife, Yasmin, loves the ultra-quiet ride. Personally I like the power and the superior sight-lines. Our annual summer road trip usually takes us further afield but with twins expected within weeks we decided to hit the road close to home-base this year. After the recent deluge and landslides, keeping our expanding brood safe in all conditions suddenly seemed more urgent so we’ve also upgraded Yasmin’s auto-baby … but after test driving a few wagons and SUVs we still weren’t 100% sold on any of them.
By chance, we took a look at the new leasing incentives over a Mercedes-Benz and sauntered over to our local dealership. Yasmin spotted it first … the E450 All-Terrain crossover. Personally, I think it was the elegance of this vehicle that sold her but she swears it’s the adjustable air suspension and standard rear-facing third row where the kids will be safe and tickled to no end by the novelty of the “backward” sensation. It’s more car than SUV so, in her cumbersome state, getting in and out of this family-sized car has a huge advantage over traditional SUVs and minivans. It’s a far cry from the 1990 Buick Roadmaster my parents brought me home from the hospital in. Here’s to progress!
As summer speeds away, why not gather the family or hook up with friends and take in the New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning? It’s the perfect chance to enjoy some great live music, good eats, rides, the 5K multi-surface run and so much more. We’ve been saying we’d get to this festival since our first date and now, 2 kids later, with 2 more on the way, we thought we’d better do it now. The only question that remains … will it be my car or hers?
Have a safe, happy and wonderful summer!
For suggestions on cars for summer vacations, reach out to us at VIP Auto ,32 US-46, Lodi, NJ 07644, (201) 749-4339, https://vipautonj.com/
