Top Cars for Mom's Day Out
CARS.COM — Charles Dickens once wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” And although his words described London circa 1775, they also translate to the chaotic, joy-filled, messy, loud state that is motherhood. When life turns into a nonstop merry-go-round ride of diapers, dishes and Little League games, a sanity break is in order.
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Enter Mother’s Day. As Sunday approaches, the moms of the Cars.com Editorial staff weighed in about our “getaway car” of choice. It’s time to ditch the mom-mobile, cluttered SUV, and family car. From go-fast, don’t-look-back sport convertibles to coddling luxury sedans and SUVs, a little me time is only a ride away.
Jen Burklow, Copy Editor, Mom of Four
2016 Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition Coupe
The go-fast car that got James Bond (Daniel Craig) out of several scrapes in “Spectre” just might get a daydreaming mom into trouble. Sculptured, sleek and sensuous, this coupe packs a 6.0-liter V-12 that makes 540 horsepower. It comes with 007 badging but lacks the arsenal Q packs into the secret agent’s cars. Nevertheless, it’s still loaded with luxury features. Actually, any Bond-inspired Aston Martin will do for our mom’s day out — especially if it’s equipped with James himself.
Practical sums up the vehicles my family owns, so I’m going in the opposite direction: dreamy. Time to say goodbye to the family car. What better way to spend Mother’s Day than tooling down country lanes in this sleek, seductive droptop vehicle with no destination in mind? The top retracts with the touch of a button to reveal a sumptuous interior of rich leather and wood. It’s powered by a 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-12. Elegant, sophisticated and fast. What more does a woman need to leave “momness” and the kid-friendly minivan behind?
Jennifer Geiger, Assistant Managing Editor, Mom of Three
We all know parents don’t get much sleep, but as the mom of toddler twins, you can double that statement … which is why I selected a minivan rather than a luxury SUV or sedan for my mom’s day out. But it’s not what you think; the only person I’ll cart around is me. With the Kia Sedona minivan’s pop-out leg rests, cushy leather seats and plenty of cargo room, I can drive to the beach (in silence!), kick back and nap gloriously all by myself.
There’s a lot of talk these days about whether moms can “have it all,” but forget that — the only thing I want on my day out is a vehicle that has it all, and I don’t mean cargo room for the kids and a great rear-seat entertainment system. The Audi S7 checks a lot of boxes: It’s stylish, sporty, luxurious and — unlike my minivan — not overflowing with pulverized Cheerios and car seats. With its stunning good looks, indulgent interior and robust, twin-turbocharged 450-hp V-8, the S7 will take me from a sink full of dirty dishes to a sushi dinner out with my girlfriends in style.
Jennifer Newman, Managing Editor, Mom of Two
Here’s what I want in a mom’s day off car: room for two. Heck, I’d even be happy with room only for one person — where do I sign up for that? My family car is a 2013 Subaru Outback provides plenty of cargo space that is currently crammed with baseball gear, including a giant hitting net. The S550 coupe is the opposite of my family car.
This luxury coupe is a looker, inside and out, and driving it will make even the most harried mom feel fantastic. What I most like about the S550 are the heated and massaging seats. And while there’s a backseat in this coupe, it’s one in name only, so the kiddos will have to stay home with their dad.
Here’s my truth about Mother’s Day: I’m really not that into it. Sure, we do brunch as a family (in between my boys’ sporting events), but I don’t expect jewelry or flowers or any of the trappings associated with Mother’s Day. What my husband usually does is take my two busy boys out of the house so I can have some time to myself. Add the TT luxury vehicle to this gift and I’d be in mom heaven.
Like my two sons, I’ve loved this car the moment I first saw it in 2000 or 2001. Redesigned for 2016, the Audi TT’s exterior stays true to its roots. Its turbo four-cylinder engine and superb handling make for a lively driving experience. What I like best, though, is the clutter-free dash with climate controls that are incorporated into the air vents and the virtual cockpit, which displays the multimedia functions such as radio and navigation.
Every mom deserves some time off from the rotating diaper and Little League game carousel. Whether your dream car is a capable SUV, practical minivan, or safe Toyota — hopefully this Mother’s Day you can enjoy some time to yourself and think about your “getaway car”.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
