If you're planning a family road trip, maybe it's time to consider making a station wagon your next station wagon.

Why should what's thought of as your mother's station wagon be thought of when buying a new car? Well, minivans were "The Next Station Wagon" when they became the typical American family car in the 1980s, and SUVs took over the label in the '90s and earlier this decade. But sales of SUVs peaked in 2004, as rising gas prices and changing tastes drove them out of favor.

For the coming decade, "crossovers" are expected to rein in that title role by combining the seating capacity of a minivan, the high seating position of an SUV, and the gas mileage, ride and handling of a ... well, of a station wagon.

Here's our list of 10 best new cars for family road trips this year: