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Mothers' Day cars: Beyond the soccer mom

Bored with the stereotype of moms hauling their children to soccer practice in minivans, we look at what other stereotypical moms would drive.

Wayne Cunningham Managing Editor / Roadshow
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
Wayne Cunningham
Antuan Goodwin
4 min read
Josh Miller/CNET

A kernel of truth lies at the core of most stereotypes. Certainly mothers across the country trawl suburban streets in minivans, picking up kids from school and delivering them to various extracurricular activities, including the art of kicking a ball into a net. But the moms we know encompass a much greater variety, too much for one simple stereotype. So we considered nine other mom stereotypes, matching the cars most appropriate for them.


Executive moms
Clad in a stylish business suit, the executive mom finds herself concerned more with the next quarter's balance sheet than what to make for dinner. Her kids learn to be independent early, and gain a healthy respect for a woman breaking the glass ceiling. Her car is the Lexus RX 350, offering no-hassle luxury and the space to deal with the demands of work and home life.



Stage moms
Getting young Crystal to the beauty pageant on time, or taking Master Byron to his tap class, the stage mom must deal with makeup and costumes, but more importantly, making a good appearance. The Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet makes the right impression among the other moms at the stage door. However, she will want to keep the top up so as not to reduce the hair stylist's work to a bird's nest.



Step-moms
Ever since the whole Cinderella fiasco, step-moms have gotten a bad rap. But consider the step-mom as a savior, a woman willing to give old Dad a second chance, taking on his kids and other baggage. She deserves a nice car, one that contributes to her strong nature, and that car is the BMW 650i, one of the best automotive expressions of purpose.



Burning Man moms
Burning Man, the yearly art ritual in the Nevada desert, attracts people from all walks of life. The moms that go not only need to worry about feathered head dresses and body paint, but also keeping the little ones hydrated. The Honda CR-V has the chops to handle the high desert, the interior space to haul kids and camping gear, and the reliability to drive back home in dust-covered glory.



2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
James Martin/CNET

Empty nesters
Hey, we don't like the term "empty nester" any more than you do. With the kids all grown up and out of the house, these newly liberated moms find themselves taking the world by storm, gathering new hobbies and interests. They want it all and Nissan's Murano CrossCabriolet aims to deliver it, meshing the utility of a crossover with the exhilaration of a convertible. Spacious, comfortable, and just a bit funny looking, the CrossCabriolet is the "mom jeans" of the automotive world.



Josh Miller/CNET

Nascar moms
Nascar moms want rumbling American muscle that will let them go fast and look good doing it, but they also need space for their Nascar kids. These moms will be thrilled to find that the Dodge Charger on sale at their local dealership looks a heck of a lot like the 2013 Dodge Nascar Sprint Cup racer, but with real headlights rather than just stickers. The Charger features three engine options, ranging from an efficient V-6 to a beastly, 470-horsepower HEMI V-8. Regardless of the engine, the Charger is available with a solid tech package and many small cabin details that are sure to wow the kids in the spacious backseat.



Fiat 500C Gucci
Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Hipster moms A compact and trendy car for the city dweller, the Fiat 500C is, in many ways, the perfect car for the urban, hip mom. Despite its short wheelbase, the 500's backseat is surprisingly spacious, making it useful for transporting friends, small kids, or a car seat. Make the 500C even more stylish with a bump up to 500C Gucci trim, which adds Gucci fabric to the interior and Gucci colors to the retractable cloth top. Hipster moms will no doubt try to play the Gucci element off as ironic or claim that they were totally into small Italian cars before Chrysler got involved, but should enjoy the little Fiat no less.



CBS Interactive

Earth mothers The Toyota Prius is the obvious guess here, but we actually think the Subaru Outback is a better pick for the earthy (read: hippie) mom. Subaru has been the unofficial poster vehicle of granola moms for many decades for a few good reasons. For starters, the all-wheel-drive system serves the double duties of increasing safety in wet and snowy situations while also affording the car light off-roading capabilities for the monthly camping trip to commune with nature. Additionally, the Outback's spacious wagon design and new, more-efficient engine/transmission options make it perfect for the earthy mom.



Jaguar

Cougars The term "cougar" can be used to refer to a "mom I'd like to...er, get to know better." These attractive older moms are sure to be pleased by the the deep rumbling V-8 and sexy, classic curves of the automotive world's own big cat: the Jaguar XK convertible. Both the cougar and the Jag have aged gracefully and still manage to turn heads of young men wherever they go.