What Moms really want in Cars

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

I was not your usual carpool mom. I had a cute yellow Plymouth Duster. My son was born in that car so I felt very sentimental and motherly towards it.

I was so carpool inept that I did not understand you have to have seats for six (five kids plus driver) so each mother could drive one day of the week.

I know a lot more about buying a mom car now that my kids are grown and have their own children. And the manufacturers seem to be making much more of an effort to understand women. I asked some moms what they’re looking for now when they buy a car. I found they are less concerned with how the car looks than how convenient and safe it is.

Cari Shane Parven, a freelance writer from Maryland says, “My car buying specifically involves my position as a mother, not a woman. My requirements for a car include:

• enough seats for carpooling (at least 6 passenger seats)
• headrests for every seat
• harness seat belts for every seat.

I don't care about color, make, or model as long as these features are taken care of.”
Other features moms say are very important are easy-to-open trunks and easy access doors.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness and Just as Difficult to Achieve

Garden journalist Nan Sherman of plantsoup.com says, “When I was a mom to young children, what I wanted most was an interior that could be washed out with a garden hose or by the guys at the car wash. And a rear hatch for my van that was close to the ground to make it easier to haul strollers and other child paraphernalia in and out of the car. A place to stash ear plugs would have been good, too.”

I can easily relate to this. My ex-husband always complained that my car was a mess. He had strict rules for his car: No drinks. No food. No papers. No sticky fingers. Of course his car was always clean. He never drove carpool.

What Should a Mom Car Look Like?

Jennifer Truman of Mason, Michigan, has one child, age 3 and another on the way. She explains “When I was shopping for my latest car, right before the birth of my first child, my priorities were:

• It can't look like a "mom" car. I was trading in my Pontiac Grand Prix 6 cylinder for something more family friendly. I was always the girl who drove the cool car. My first and second cars were Ford Thunderbirds. One a V6 the other a V8. My third car was the Grand Prix. How do you go from a cool, fast car to a family wagon?

• Comfort. In a lot of "mom" type cars the seats always seem to be bench style. No curve to hold you or make you comfy like a bucket seat. Of course foot space was a must. Having semi-long legs I knew I'd need space, especially if there was going to be a lot more baggage to carry around. (diaper bag, toys, kitchen sink...)

• Color. Yes, this is silly. Especially now looking back, I wouldn't have picked what I did. I noticed on the roads a lot of "mom" cars (vans!) were a neutral tan color. How boring can you get. It reminds me of the elastic khaki pants moms wear because their bellies are too fat to wear jeans. I of course chose black because I still imagined that color as being hip and a little mysterious.

Hold Everything

Although they said it in many different ways, moms want a place for their stuff. Whether it was groceries for a big family, equipment for the soccer team, posters for an art project, the trunk and other storage space is a key in a purchasing decision. They prefer to have reconfigurable storage compartments that truly optimize available space as their children grown and their needs change.

Jennifer, for instance,  is a stay at home mom/photographer. “I tend to carry a lot of stuff with me whenever I go anywhere, like props for my shoots or extra clothes or toys when I take my son, Jack, to a play date.”

A response from Annie Banannie (aka Laura Caldwell ) of XXX really resonated with me. She says, “I'm a family entertainer.” (explain in a sentence). “I drive a Scion because it's like a box on wheels. Cute and very practical for hauling stuff around from gig.”

Safety

While everyone wants a safe car, Moms seem to be more vocal about it. Perhaps it is the maternal instinct, but they to mentioned safety much more than single women did. “My choice for my first ‘mom’ car was a Black 2006 Pontiac Torrent with leather interior. The same vehicle as the Chevrolet Equinox,” says Jennifer. “Would I buy it again? No. And I would pick different features to base my final decision on, like safety.”

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves testing and writing about cars. Although her children are grown, she still has a messy car stashed with stuff. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.coffeeAtlas.com