Becoming a parent can change many aspects of your life, including your finances, priorities, and of course, your sleeping schedule. It can also change your wants and needs when it comes to the type of vehicle you drive.
Soccer moms–and dads–need a safe, reliable vehicle with plenty of room for their kids. Parents typically spend a lot of time driving their kids to and from school, play dates, and various extracurricular activities, which means they also need a car that gets good gas mileage.
Finding a vehicle that meets these unique needs isn’t easy. Fortunately, there are a number of vehicles that fit the bill. What’s the best car for soccer moms and dads? Here are some of the top picks:
Ford Expedition
The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV that comes with either two or three rows of seating, so you can comfortably seat between five to eight passengers depending on which option you choose.
Even though the Expedition is a large vehicle, it still gets good gas mileage compared to other full-size SUVs. You can expect to get about 17 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway.
The Expedition is designed with a number of features that make it ideal for a soccer mom’s lifestyle. For example, it includes a WiFi hotspot, which will keep your kids busy during long drives. It is also designed with 15 cup holders, so everyone who is along for the ride will have a place to put their drink.
Volvo V90
Soccer moms aren’t limited to driving minivans or SUVs. There are also a number of wagons, including the Volvo V90, that are ideal for soccer moms and dads.
The Volvo V90 isn’t as big as the Ford Expedition, but it comfortably seats up to five passengers and has plenty of cargo space.
Volvo is known for producing safe vehicles, so it’s not surprising that the V90 earned the highest rating possible in six separate crash tests. The V90 also comes with countless safety features, including oncoming collision mitigation, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist.
The Volvo V90 also has a luxurious interior that features high-end materials, a user-friendly infotainment system, and comfortable seating. There’s also a panoramic moonroof that parents can open to make the drive a little more entertaining for their kids in the back.
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester is a compact SUV that is designed to meet all of the needs of soccer moms and dads. Because it is a smaller SUV, it gets better gas mileage than some of the larger vehicles on this list. You can expect to get about 26 miles per gallon in the city and up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway.
Even though it’s a compact SUV, the Subaru Forester is built with an impressive amount of cargo space. There are 31 cubic feet of storage space in the truck, which increases to over 76 cubic feet of space when the seats are folded down.
The Forester is also designed with plenty of features to keep your passengers safe, including a rear-seat seat belt reminder, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert.
Chrysler Pacifica
There’s a reason why soccer moms are often associated with minivans: these vehicles are practical, reliable, and ideal for active parents. If you’re interested in a minivan, you can’t go wrong with the Chrysler Pacifica.
The Chrysler Pacifica has three rows of seating, so it’s perfect for large families. You can even choose between a bench or two bucket seats for your second row of seating. Both the second and third row of seating also fold flat into the vehicle’s floor so you can quickly convert your backseat into a large trunk with over 140 cubic feet of storage space.
The Pacifica comes with a number of standard entertainment features. But if you want to keep your kids busy during a long road trip, you may want to upgrade to the trim level that includes a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system.
Dodge Durango
The Dodge Durango is a mid-size SUV that seats between five to seven passengers, depending on whether you choose a model with two or three rows of seating. The trunk has about 17 cubic feet of storage space, which increases to 43 cubic feet when the third row of seats is folded down. If you want to maximize your cargo space, you can fold both the second and third rows of seats down. This will give you more than 85 cubic feet of storage space.
The Dodge Durango is also designed with an infotainment system to keep your passengers entertained on the road. The system is simple and straightforward to use, so your kids can adjust the controls while you focus solely on the road.
Mercedes-Benz GLS
If you’re in the market for luxury, look no further than the Mercedes-Benz GLS, which is a full-size SUV. The GLS can seat up to seven passengers and has a powerful engine capable of producing up to 603 horsepower.
The interior features comfortable seating, high-end materials, and plenty of legroom. The base model comes with an infotainment system, an in-car communication system, a touchpad controller, satellite radio, and multiple USB ports. However, you may want to consider upgrading to one of the higher trim levels, which come with a 7-inch Mercedes-Benz tablet and wireless chargers in the backseat.
Toyota Avalon
Soccer moms and dads often assume that they need a SUV or minivan to accommodate their growing families. However, some sedans can meet the needs of a busy parent. One of these sedans is the Toyota Avalon.
The Toyota Avalon is a full-size sedan that seats up to five passengers. The Avalon’s truck offers over 16 cubic feet of storage space. But unlike many other sedans, the Avalon’s rear seats are designed to fold down to substantially increase the cargo space in the back.
Because it’s a sedan, the Toyota Avalon gets better gas mileage than other vehicles on this list. You can get up to 22 miles per gallon in the city and 32 miles per gallon on the highway when you’re driving an Avalon.
Plus, like other Toyotas, the Avalon is known for its reliability. You won’t need to worry about being late to pick up your kids due to an unexpected car problem. The Avalon also comes with many safety features, including blind spot monitoring, a rear view camera, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning.
Volkswagen Atlas
The Volkswagen Atlas is a mid-size crossover SUV that is popular among busy parents with active lifestyles. It is available with two or three rows of seating, so you can seat between five to eight passengers depending on which model you choose.
The Atlas gets fairly good gas mileage, especially for an SUV. You can travel up to 21 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.
The Atlas doesn’t have the most powerful engine, but it does offer a smooth and comfortable ride. Plus, it has an easy-to-use infotainment system and speakers throughout the cabin so your kids will enjoy the ride even if you get stuck in rush hour traffic.
