Selecting cars for single moms can be overwhelming. You have all sorts of other obligations to take care of, and now you need a new car. What should you get?
The type of car you get will, of course, be governed by your budget. But you should also take into consideration your driving habits, the number of children you have, and your cargo needs.
You want something reliable that is cost-effective and easy to maintain.
5 Categories of Cars for Single Moms
Don’t get stuck in a car rut if you don’t need to be. When it’s time to get a new car, you have an opportunity to upgrade and possibly get something better. Here are some categories of cars you should consider in the car comparison process:
1. Standard 4-Door Sedan
A four-door sedan (or saloon in the U.K.) can be a boring but safe car to use. If you have few kids (or older kids), and don’t need much in the way of storage space, a sedan might be a fine pick for a car. Additionally, this car might be good to have if you need to express a professional veneer for your job.
2. Hatchback
Hatchbacks can be great due to their easily accessible storage space in the back, but the downside is they tend to run small. They would not necessarily be a great choice for a single mom unless the hatchback runs a little large and has “five” doors (the fifth door is the hatch in the back).
3. Station Wagon or Estate Car
Children of the ‘70s and ‘80s will probably remember the massive, long station wagons that had a massive area in the back for storage. Some of these cars even had wood paneling on the side, which became the butt of jokes. Often, these long cars would have a third row of seats where the trunk should have been. Children would be put into this extra back seat, which faced backwards to the traffic behind the car.
These days, you can’t find that type of station wagon as they are no longer built. Instead, what you can find are basically elongated five-door hatchbacks that are more of a cross between a sedan, hatchback, and SUV. A good example of this is the Subaru Outback. Even though it’s really just a station wagon, Subaru markets it as a “crossover SUV.”
4. Van or Minivan
Vans and minivans are so not cool, and haven’t been for a while, but they boast tons of space. They also have a sliding door on the side that can be extremely convenient for harried moms who need to get a lot of stuff (and kids) into the car.
5. Hybrid / Electric Cars
Eco-conscious single moms may want to drive an eco-friendly car such as the Toyota Prius. The Prius is basically a five-door hatchback. However, you should take into consideration a possible danger with hybrid and electric cars, specifically with small children. The electric engines do not make noise in the way that gas engines do. Therefore, if you are starting your electric-powered car and moving down the driveway, it won’t make noise to warn nearby children. Be extra careful when driving your car in electric-power mode when children playing are nearby.
What’s the Best Car for a Single Mom?
Only you can decide what the best car might be for you and your family. We would guess, however, that a two-seat luxury sports car is not on that list—at least for now. As your children grow up and leave the nest, maybe then you can reward yourself with that hot Maserati.