Automobile Features Every Grocery Shopping Mom Should Have: Top Ten Tuesday
Ben and I debated for some time our mode of transportation for going to Atlanta for the Once A Month Mom Tweet-Up this past weekend. Plane, train or automobile?
We originally thought we would fly. Then we got to imagining ourselves carrying two children, a stroller and 2 car seats and trying to fit all that on an airplane after wiggling our luggage down to 50 lbs. Then we would need to rent a vehicle once we got there and coordinate the car seats all over again. Yea, didn’t seem like the best option for a family with 2 children 2 and under.
After the anxiety attacks of thinking of flying we decided that we would be best if we drove to Atlanta. And we have an SUV but we are also in the midst of listing it for sale. So there was some uncertainty of whether it would be available.
That is where the great people at Chevrolet come in! They gave us a chance to try out a more “family” vehicle and to share that experience with you and with those at the Tweet-Up. But did Chevy know that they were in for a challenge? After all, I am a month-at-a-time grocery shopper with two kids in car seats and a LOAD of stuff to take to the Tweet-Up.
Even Isaac likes driving it!
The vehicle (in our case, a Chevrolet Traverse) rose to the challenge though. Here is what I loved most about it:
1. Rear View Camera – It turns out I didn’t get a picture of this but it is one of the most amazing features I have ever seen on a vehicle (and to this point, I had never seen or heard of it before). When you are in reverse a camera turns on and appears as video in your rear view mirror! We live in a neighborhood with TONS of kids always whizzing by on their bikes, skateboards, and the likes. This is an amazingly helpful feature.
2. Back-End Storage Space – Whether you are doing a months worth of cooking, a family full of vacation luggage, or simply heading out for your favorite activity. There is a great amount of back-end storage. Especially for us who didn’t need to the third seat (more on that coming) so we were able to haul quite a bit of stuff. And a good thing because we had so much to pack!
3. Hidden Back-End Storage – it seems I didn’t get a picture of this either (FAIL). I was laughing when we got ready to leave because my husband proudly showed me how he had made a diaper changing station of this space. It was complete with both sizes of diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream for the kids. You simply opened the back end, retrieved the needed supplies, then used that area on top for a changing table. It was quite handy. Especially since Tessa apparently is trying to work on the “poopiest child ever” award.
4. Wide 2nd row seating – as I mentioned above we opted to put both of the kids car seats on the second row. I wanted the kids to be able to see each other and converse. What I wasn’t expecting was the LARGE amount of space between the two of them. Both my husband and I were able to sit in between their car seats! This was HUGE for us! It meant that we could feed the kids on the go without taking them out of their seats. It also meant we could go entertain them when they got fussy. I estimate that this feature alone saved us 1.5 hours each way on our trip.
5. Gas Mileage – for a SUV this vehicle really did give us great gas mileage. I was shocked. We estimated that we got the nearly 22 miles to the gallon on our trip. And that figures in stop and go Atlanta traffic! Not too shabby!
Side mirrors with extra blind spot mirror.
6. Blind Spot Mirrors – These were AMAZING! Have you ever driven in Atlanta traffic? Even at its slowest it is madness! The mirrors have a smaller blind spot mirror that help you to see the cars that would normally be in your blind spot. It is genius! I was so thankful for those mirrors and felt so much more at ease and safe as I was driving.
7. OnStar – Traffic? No problem. Of course, you should hit the right button! 
I didn’t hit the emergency button but I hit the OnStar button instead of the traffic button. The guy that answered was more than nice to me and laughed with me about my experiment with the buttons! But the traffic report was nice. You just hit the little phone symbol on the rear view mirror and it tells you what accidents there are and when they might be cleared. Nice!
8. Self Closing/Opening Rear Door – What is more difficult than having a cart full of groceries, kids hanging from every part of the cart and your hands full only to have to find a way to open the rear door to load groceries? Not fun. Like many vehicles the Chevy Traverse opens with a click of a button BUT it also closes with a click of a button. Being 5’2 it is a COMPLETE blessing to just have to push a button and have the back door close. That way I can focus on the kids jumping from my cart.
Leave my controls alone!
9. Individual Air Controls – like most couples in America, my husband and I do not agree on temperature. Inevitably when he is hot, I am cold. He wants it blowing a little harder, me a little softer. Agh, the arguing over temperature. This is the first vehicle I shared with him for any length of time where we got to choose our own temperatures. And it was heavenly!
10. Safety – When you are traveling with your most precious cargo, your husband and kids; you want a vehicle that you know is going to be safe. Loaded with safety features, air bags and all of the latest safety innovations the Traverse ranks high among reviewers and among our family. We are just thankful we didn’t have to try any of them out.
Lest you think that I am all “The Traverse is the best thing since sliced bread”, there were a few features I wish it would have had. They aren’t major, just really, mom type things – I want more cup holders. I want one at the steering wheel at my disposal. Sad but true. And I want the handle on the door to be a place to store things and not just a handle. Silly, yes I know. But overall, those were the worst things I could find.
It really was a monumental experience for a girl dead set on the next vehicle being a min-van. We are definitely rethinking our choices of next vehicle – mini-van or deluxe SUV? What do you think?
This post is linked up to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.
lol….LOVE it!
Glad the ride down was enjoyable. And yes, Atlanta traffic is INSANE. Assuming you went through downtown to get to the zoo, so you experienced some true craziness.
It also seems you have a real decision on your hands. Don’t they want to just GIVE it to you?
How neat that you were able to try out a car for a whole weekend!!! Sounds great, though I am definitely a minivan girl myself–and you can never have too many cupholders–but really it sounds like this has most of my van’s features plus a bunch more. I’d love a rear view camera!!!
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