Mother's DayTop 10 Cars for MomsThere's a perception that the best cars for moms are minivans and SUVs. As a die-hard car person, I say "It ain't necessarily so." Hauling our own family in everything from pint-size subcompacts to three-ton SUVs has taught my wife and I that when it comes to cars for moms, bigger isn't necessarily better. Here are ten cars that are ideally suited to the demands of motherhood. I like the A6 -- particularly the wagon version, called the Avant -- because it embodies so many elements that make a car ideal for moms: Space (enough for bulky strollers and boxes of soccer gear), safety (all-wheel-drive and electronic stability control make it exceptionally sure-footed), and luxury (because parenting is hard work). The A6's biggest flaw is its complex stereo and navigation controls -- but if you can figure out how to raise a kid, you can figure out the A6's nav system. And the best part: It's cool shape proclaims that it's hip to be a mom. There's something reassuring about knowing that, no matter how many things have gone haywire that day, you can at least count on the car starting right up when you turn the key. That's the kind of reliability to which Honda owners become accustomed -- and I should know, as my wife Robin, stepmother of two, drives an eleven-year-old Accord that's yet to let us down (knock on fake wood trim). The Accord is perfectly sized to accommodate kids from infants right up to teenagers, and the four-cylinder versions are particularly good on gas. Corporate executives travel first class, so why shouldn't moms? They work just as hard, and usually for less pay. The Lexus ES350 offers a quiet and serene driving environment, yet it's as practical as any front-wheel-drive mid-size sedan because it is a front-wheel-drive mid-size sedan. And you don't need an executive-level salary to afford an ES350 -- pricing starts just north of a top-of-the-line Toyota Camry. The Lexus ES350 has a long list of desirable options, and even with all the options boxes checked it's price compares favorably against European luxury cars. The best thing about minivans is that they pack so many people into such a small space. The worst thing is the "mommymobile" image they evoke. The Mazda 5 seats six people -- one fewer than a typical minivan -- and even offers the convenience of sliding doors, but it's about the size of a mid-size car and gets its power from a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine. And unlike typical minivans, it doesn't look -- or drive -- like a bus. Who says Mom's car has to be the designated kid hauler? Let Dad drive the family truckster, while mom enjoys the sun on her face and the wind in her hair in the two-seat convertible MX-5 Miata. The Miata's passenger airbag disable switch means a single kid can be transported safetly, and the trunk is just big enough for a shopping trip or a kid-free romantic getaway. The Miata even offers an optional retractable hardtop for moms who live where the weather isn't always sunny. So let's say you really do need seating for seven. You need an SUV or a minivan, right? Not necessarily. The Mercedes-Benz E350 wagon offers a trick fold-down seat in its big cargo bay that expands seating capacity to seven. The Mercedes E-Class wagon has lots of power and comes packed with safety features (including 4-Matic all-wheel-drive), plus its warm, luxurious interior and smooth ride make it a relaxing car to drive. It's expensive, but it's worth it. The Versa is one of my favorite budget mommymobiles. When my own kids first rode in a Versa, they marveled at the back seat room; the Versa gave them more stretch-out space than many larger cars. That's pretty amazing when you consider that the Versa is sized -- and priced -- to compete with subcompacts like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. Small size makes the Versa fuel-efficient, easy to drive and easy to park, and a choice of sedan or hatchback body styles adds family-friendly convenience. I have a host of reasons for liking the Saab 9-5 wagon (known as the SportCombi) as a car for moms. For starters, it's huge, with a cargo bay that will out-haul many SUVs. Second, it's safe, with lots of airbags, standard electronic stability control, and a structure engineered to survive crashes. Third, it's a bargain compared to other European cars. And fourth, it's a heck of a lot of fun to drive, with an energetic turbocharged engine, choice of manual or automatic transmission, and a suspension that lives for the curves. You've probably seen TV commercials extolling the virtues of Subaru's all-wheel-drive. Well, those ads aren't just hype; Subarus really are excellent all-weather companions, able to get your family from point A to point B through weather that would stop lesser cars and SUVs. The Legacy is also one of the only non-luxury mid-size sedans available as a wagon -- plus it's affordable, reliable, and -- in the case of the 2.5i models, but not so much the GT -- good on gas. The Prius proves that you don't need a huge gas-guzzling SUV to haul a family. The Prius is sized for a family of five, and its hatchback design offers lots of luggage room (as well as a big opening to accommodate bulky cargo). And even with five souls on board, it'll easily manage 45 MPG in mixed driving -- roughly twice the economy of a typical mid-size sedan. Priuses used to command premium prices, but Toyota has some rather attractive deals of late, and they hold their resale value well -- so with a little planning, a Prius can save your family a lot of money. | 
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