Autobytel's Best Cars for Mothers of All Types

The best cars for mothers are not always the most predictable or easy to spot at first sight, just like mothers are not always typical: they can be closing a deal while pushing a stroller or even out on date night. If you wander the parking lot at the zoo or any other family friendly weekend hot spot, a quick glance will reveal that there are all sorts of cars that matriarchs have chosen as the best cars to safely shuttle their offspring to and from family fun time. While mothers cannot be stereotyped into any one single category, there are a plethora of cars to suit every mother's fancy.

We have picked the best cars for mothers of all types and while some may be new and others can be found under used, many will seem like predictable choices while others might just surprise you as our pick for the best cars for mothers; whatever they might be into.

Best Cars for Elegant Mothers

For the understated yet elegant mom, life isn't just about luxury. Life is about understated attention to detail and the beauty of going out into the world in something appropriate and well-made; like putting on a couple of choice, refined pieces of jewelry only to remove one or two such as not to look excessively overdressed or flashy.

Our choices for the best cars for elegant mothers are all well-made, understated luxury cars with room for even the unruliest of children and can be had either new, or used.

The 2012 Cadillac CTS Wagon was not only Autobytel's 2012 Wagon of the Year but is a perrenial favorite of those who appreciate the very American brand.  With room for 5 and more than enough cargo space for a pair of hunting saddles, the Cadillac CTS Wagon is a like that one piece of jewelry lets everyone else know that it's worth more than all the other rubies in the room combined.

Our other choices as the best cars for elegant moms includes the GMC Acadia Denali and Lincoln MKT.

Best Cars for Sporty Mothers

If you see a mom who is more likely to have a triathlon participant number in grease pencil on her arms and legs than mascara and lipgloss, you may have spotted a sporty mother and the best cars for sporty mothers are not only family-friendly haulers that can carry their miniature competitive kiddos, but also can sport bike racks and surfboards with ease.

Our choices for the best cars for sporty moms have plenty of practical interior space and are also easily equipped with after-market roof racks and back-end bike carriers, can be had new or used and will last for many racing miles.

The 2013 Subaru Forester is our pick for the best car for sporty mothers and is a 5-seater with room to add sporting equipment both inside and out. Starting new at a very practical $20,595.00, the Subaru Forester is a reliable option.

Other options for the best cars for sporty mothers are the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen and the Volvo XC90.

Best Cars for Outdoorsy Mothers

Fresh air and sunshine are the happy places for some moms and their little trail climbers and the best cars for outdoorsy mothers need to take on the rough and ready adventures that call to them are sturdy and trail-ready. Whether it is the mountains, the desert or lakeside retreats, getting to the destination is only a part of the journey. The best cars for outdoorsy mothers need to be able to venture off road, carry camping equipment and be safe places to strap in young explorers.

Our choices for the best cars for outdoorsy mothers have four wheel drive, space for a family and lots of gear, and an outdoorsy style that makes the occupants feel like kings of the dunes.

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is a 4-door machine engineered to tackle the outdoors with the doors off and the sky above. With plenty of room for the family, we recommend the hardtop version for the best cargo accessibility.

Other fun choices for the best cars for outdoorsy mothers are the Nissan Xterra and the Hummer H3 which can only be found used now, but beats new suv options hands down.

Best Cars for Business Mothers

Being a mom isn't always all about business but for some professional moms: getting clients, co-workers, and even bosses from place to place is as essential as getting a young star to dress rehearsal for the Spring Ballet. The best cars for business moms can take summer day camp carpool in stride early in the morning and then easily ferry buyers to the real estate buy of their dreams during the day.

Our choices for the best cars for business moms are practical and professional looking, are suitable and comfortable enough for a family and allow Vice Presidents to ride in safety and luxury as easily as they do the tiniest of ballerinas.

The best car for business mothers is the Hyundai Genesis. From the buying experience that allows busy professionals to avoid the dealership to the luxurious comfort and high performance of an executive German sedan at a price that would please the accounting department, the Genesis is the go-to answer for business mothers.

We also recommend the Volkswagen CC and Acura RDX as contenders for the best cars for mothers for their professional appeal and because they can easily double as family haulers.

Best Cars for Thrifty Mothers

Everything comes with a price but for some moms, it can always be had at a lower price. A mom doesn't have to be an extreme couponer to be a thrifty mother: savings are a goal so that other things in their kids' lives can be enjoyed. Shopping around for the best prices on groceries can sure pay off when it comes to splurging on special events like theme park tickets!

Our picks for the best cars for thrifty moms are the lower priced gas savers that can carry at least a couple of kids and a bevvy of shopping finds that can really pay off for the quick-thinking, thrifty minded mom.

Our favorite best car for the thrifty mother is the 2012 Nissan Versa. While it may not be the most stunning looker in the parking lot of the 2nd hand clothing store, it is cute, is a fuel sipper that has legroom that is a class killer in the compact sedan class, and starts under $11,000.00. Step up the the $15,000 S version and the back seats, in a pinch, can be folded down to pass through to the trunk so that the new-to-the-family bunk bed found on Craig's List can be hauled home without the expense of a moving truck.

Our other picks for the best cars for thrifty mothers are the Suzuki SX4 and the used Hyundai Santa Fe.

Best Cars for Crafting Mothers

Some moms just always know how to be the bake sale champion and some just love creating and showing off their unique ideas on Esty. The challenge for every artist, but especially for artist-moms, is staying organized and some cars are better than others as the best cars for crafting mothers.

The best cars for crafting mothers have to be unique looking enough to reflect their artistic souls and have to be practical enough for moms who have their own little budding artists. Storage and style are second and third to safety when considering the best cars for crating mothers.

Our pick for the best car for crafting mothers is the 2012 Dodge Durango because it has backseat space a-plenty but also a cargo area where paintings can be laid out and the extra bonus storage space under the passenger's seat that can hold a portfolio of custom beaded headbands or a small stack of sketchbooks.

Our other favorites for the best cars for crafting mothers include the all-new 2013 Mazda CX-5 and the recently new Mini Cooper Countryman.

Best Cars for DIY Mothers

Everyone knows that mom who did all of the new drywall in the family room on their own and/or who thinks that building a deck around the above-ground pool is more fun than anything. These moms also like to eye their own 2X4s and cut them to size at home with their own chop saw. These are the DIY moms and they need trucks that are worthy of the best contractors out there but can also haul home their little helpers from school.

The best cars for DIY mothers are really crew cab trucks and all of our picks can be had new or used, have backseats that will even bring home the neighbor's kid and carry a cord or so of firewoord for the hand-built brick firepit that will be the envy of the neighbors when it comes to s'more making time.

Our pick for the best car for DIY mothers is the Ford F-150 crew cab. New or used, the Ford crew cab means that the kids can have plenty of room to apprentice on Mom's Big Projects from the backseat while the bed of the truck is filled with a pallet of rock for the new pond. Other picks for the best cars for DIY mothers that can be had new or used are the Suzuki Equator crew cab and the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid crew cab. The Equator is really the better looking sibling to the Nissan Frontier at a much better price and the Silverado Hybrid has that "a bit better than the regular version" hybrid-appeal.

Best Cars for Hot Mothers

There are a lot of reasons why a mom can be considered hot and while the "hot" might be in the eye of the beholder, the "mom" is a self-assured woman who knows what she wants and a big part of that is putting her law of attraction out there for her kids.

The best cars for hot mothers are stylish and high-performance but are really practical beasts under the growl. A hot mom may be a tiger, a cougar or a wolf but her offspring are the priority.

The best car for a hot mother is a 2012 Buick Regal GS with its 6-speed manual transmission and sexy good looks. While the Regal GS might look a little understated, anyone who knows the car knows that this mom appreciates the preformance and technology and that alone makes her hot. Other cars to consider as the best cars for hot mothers are the Porsche Panamera and any Jaguar. Really. A Jaguar XK, XF or XJ is sure to make a mom look hot.

Best Cars for Chauffeur Mothers

When we say "chauffeur" when talking about the best cars for chauffeur mothers, we don't mean the traditional sense of the livery driving, black suited and quiet coachman who who silently delivers passengers and takes a nap around the corner until meetings are done. The chauffeur mom takes turns getting their kids and the neighbor's more annoying kids home from band practice and schlepps a dating teen and a nervous date to the exotic destination known as the mall.

The best cars for chauffeur mothers have seating galore and are appointed with the comfort, navigation, and entertainment options that can keep even the most frustrated chaffeur cool under the cap.

Our pick for the best car for chauffeur mothers has to be the all-new 2013 Infiniti JX35 for the cockpit's creature comforts that include a personal assistant for the overwrought driver with Infiniti Personal Assistant and a telematics system that is full of saftey and navigation assistance. For the passengers, the backseat offers comfort and cargo space for a couple of saxophones until an unexpected guest jumps into the third row.

Other considerations for the best cars for chauffeur moms are the new or used Honda Odyssey and the used Mercedes-Benz R-class.

Best Cars for Pet Mothers

Not every mom has only human offspring! Some moms have furry family members that enjoy time at the beach, hikes in the hills, need to travel in crates, have the space to rest four legs and ample windows to allow the wind in their faces.

The best cars for pet mothers can be easily cleaned of the odd stray hairs and muddy paws that happen with life and can easily fit a crate or a pet safety restraint in the backseat and cargo area. Style is also a factor in the consideration for the best cars for pet mothers.

Our pick for the best car for pet mothers is the all-new 2012 Toyota Prius v for its adaptability as a backseat-scooting, spacious cargo available, cool-looking hybrid. The Prius V is a wagon made for wagging tails and can fit a large dog crate or, when shopping without the furry kids, a massive 55" flat screen television, optimized for Animal Planet.

Used car options for the best cars for pet mothers are the very washable Honda Element and the Jeep Compass.