SUVs are still popular for female drivers. The Mercury Mountaineer has power running boards that slide out from each side to help with entering the SUV.
In the last few years, tech features designed to make driving safer, more convenient and more fun have proliferated at an unprecedented rate, with many targeted towards female drivers, particularly those with kids.
Below are seven examples of high-tech 'mom mobiles' I've tested in the past year—and that my wife has often driven with our two young children onboard and has gladly given me feedback on. With features ranging from rearview cameras to motorized running boards to sliding power doors, each vehicle makes life just a little easier for a busy mom on the go.
Nissan Quest 3.5 SL minivan ($34,015 as tested)
Minivans are perfect for moms who need to haul kids, their friends and all their stuff, and this practical people-mover does it with convenience, comfort and class. The optional SkyView glass panels that run along each side of the second- and third-row seats gives the already spacious interior of the Quest an even more open feel, while the "aircraft" style overhead console in between the skylights houses AC vents, storage compartments and can be ordered with up to two 8-inch video monitors. But what moms will love most are the right and left sliding power doors that open at a click of a button on the key fob remote control or via a switch on the dash, a button next to each door or just by operating the door handles. Little touches like puddle lamps on the sliding doors and illuminated audio controls on the steering wheel make this a minivan with maximum benefits.
2006 Mercury Mountaineer Premier AWD V8 ($40,505 as tested)
SUVs are still a popular set of wheels for women drivers, and the Mountaineer makes life on the road easier. Power running boards slide out from each side of the vehicle to help with entry and egress when the doors are open and then retract when the doors are closed, while adjustable gas and brake pedals can be raised or lowered and their settings memorized for each driver. To keep the Mountaineer steady in adverse conditions, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control automatically applies the brakes and decreases engine torque whenever wheel slippage is detected and provides more control on road surfaces made slippery by snow, mud, or gravel. Our test vehicle also came with an easy-to-use DVD navigation system and rear-seat video system with an 8-inch screen, a DVD player and two sets of wireless headphones to keep the kids happy.
2006 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD ($41,620 as tested)
The ever-expanding crossover segment is starting to edge out minivans and SUVs as the vehicle of choice for moms, and the Pacifica kicked off the whole category back in 2004. This roomy all-wheel-drive version has ParkSense rear-parking assist system, which indicates how close you are to the car behind you when parallel parking and also alerts you to objects outside of your sightline. Unlike GPS navigation systems that use a screen in the dash, the Pacifica's nav system positions a small screen in the middle of the instrument cluster so that your eyes don't stray too far to glance at it. An overhead console with a 7-inch screen, built-in DVD player and transmitter for wireless headphones will entertain the kids while mom jams to the 385-watt Infinity sound system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
2006 Infiniti FX45 ($50,400 as tested)
The window sticker that came with the FX45 called the vehicle a "Crossover," but also described it as a "Premium SUV with the Heart of a Sports Car." In this instance, Infiniti does get to have it both ways: The FX45 has the interior space and high clearance of an SUV, but handles more like a sedan and has the kind of styling inside and out that any hip mom could love. Tech touches included a rearview camera that automatically switches on when the transmission is shifted into reverse and an instrument cluster that moves in conjunction with the power-tilt and telescoping steering wheel for better visibility. The FX45 also has Bluetooth hands-free phone capability, and a snow mode switch makes winter travel safer at the touch of a button.
2007 BMW 530xi Sports Wagon ($67,665 as tested)
Wagons have been the de facto standard of family transport for decades. And this past winter, when my wife had to make a nighttime drive down a sketchy stretch of interstate, I felt more comfortable knowing she was in this high-tech all-wheel-drive wagon. The night-vision camera allows the driver to discern images that otherwise would be obscured on a dark highway, while a heads-up display superimposes crucial information such as speed and navigation directions on the windshield so that the driver's eyes can remain on the road. The Park Distance Control system gives a clear indication—both with a color-coded display in the dash and with audible beeps—of how close you are to an object at the back and front of the vehicle. Creature comfort features such as a heated steering wheel and four-way lumbar support keep moms snug as well as safe.
2007 Volvo S80 V8 AWD ($56,025 as tested)
This is another vehicle I'd feel more at ease knowing my wife and kids are traveling in. Volvos are known for their safety, but this solid and sporty sedan takes it a step further with several innovative features. The Blind Spot Information (BLIS) system, for example, uses orange light-up indicators at the forward corner of each front door to indicate when another vehicle has slipped into the car's no-see-'em zone. The Collision Warning System flashes a red light on the dash and sounds an alarm to alert the driver to an impending crash, and applies the brakes if action isn't taken. The Adaptive Cruise Control also uses the same visual and audible indicators if space between two vehicles decreases to a dangerous level. The Personal Car Communicator doesn't simply tell the owner that the vehicle has been broken into—a heartbeat monitor also warns if someone is hiding inside.
2008 Land Rover LR2 SE ($40,350 as tested)
There's something about sitting up high in a Land Rover that makes a driver feel more secure. And with the Terrain Response System, dial in the best traction by simply twisting a knob in the center console and the Four-Wheel Electronic Traction control on duty, the new LR2 takes the guesswork out of getting a grip. A heated front windshield lets you sit in the LR2's heated front seats rather than hassle with an ice scraper on the worst winter days. The bi-xenon adaptive headlights put light where you need it and turn in sync with the steering wheel. The side mirrors tilt downward when the LR2 is shifted to reverse to provide a better viewing angle and help avoid hitting a cub, while a rear park distance control system beeps to tell you how close you are to objects while backing up.
Doug Newcomb has been writing about car electronics since 1988, as editor of Car Audio and Electronics, Car Stereo Review, Mobile Entertainment, Road & Track Road Gear and as a freelance writer. He lives in Hood River, Oregon.
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