Fun And (Somewhat) Practical Family Vehicles

My husband MJ approached me grinning, new car brochure clutched excitedly in his hands.

I knew it was already too late. 

Once he gets to this point, asking me to take a look at a new car is only an extended courtesy because his mind is already made up.

My car has always been the practical one. I haul the kids to school, the dog to the groomers, and crates of Goldfish home from Costco. I have a Honda Pilot that’s not spotlessly clean, but comfortable and roomy and great for our eight-hour road trips to visit family in West Virginia.

MJ’s vehicle gets driven to the airport and back, is lucky to see the outside of the garage outside of weekends and special occasions. He’s had his present car for just over a year. It has less than 10,000 miles on it and it still smells brand new, as opposed to mine which smells faintly of dog and McDonald’s french fries.

But MJ feels we need something “fun”.

I asked him to help me out and compile a list of vehicles that would be perfect for sporting around in warmer weather, but also reasonably functional for a family. I figured this would keep him busy and out of the dealerships for at least a week or more.

Within 24 hours he e-mailed me a detailed list complete with price points, pros and cons, and pictures.

The man is motivated.

• Jeep Wrangler 4-door Sport. Pricing starts at $28,000 and can run up to $33,000 depending on the package. Pros: Iconic off-road capabilities (Mud-bogging, kids?), 4-door version has more room and easier access, can go topless. Cons: Rough ride, 4-speed transmission, and poor gas mileage.
• Toyota FJ Cruiser. Pricing starts at $25,290, nicely equipped for around $30,000. Pros: Rugged look, good off-road capabilities, good power and acceleration (for beating that PTA snob to the front of the parent pick-up line). Cons: Only comes in a 2-door version, the seats are not very comfortable, and looks a little like a Tonka toy.
• Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet. Pricing starts at $46,300(!) and better equipped at $47,500(!) Pros: This is a one of a kind convertible SUV, plenty of power, all-wheel drive, and a Continuous Variable Transmission or CVT (I had to ask MJ what, exactly this is: it means there are no gears like a traditional transmission, so it’s extremely smooth when shifting up or down—or as MJ put it, “You would have no problem applying your makeup if I was accelerating onto the interstate.” Cons: Expensive, questionable styling, reminds you a little of a Chrysler PT Cruiser (But this may be a “pro” if you like the PT Cruiser).
• Audi A5 Cabriolet Quattro. $45,000 starting price. Pros: Most spacious convertible in its class, comfortable backseat, all wheel drive (so not just for the warm months) great styling (and the ride is super quiet- unexpected for a soft-top convertible). Cons: It’s still a soft top, has a trunk that’s larger than most of the competition, but you’ll still need to pack light.
• BMW 3 Series Convertible. Pricing starts at $45,500. Pros: Very sporty and fun to drive, best handling convertible in its price range, it’s a hard top. Cons: Depending on the options, this one can get (uber) expensive, backseat is very small (would have to grease up the kids and wedge them in with a shoehorn), small trunk- only one overnight bag per passenger (or roughly one Justin Bieber).

When you’re looking for your next family car, remember, you can have all three of the F’s: Family, Function, and Fun.