Random Coolest 'Soccer Mom' Cars That Aren't Minivans (10 items)

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  (#10) Nissan JUKE

  • Nissan

  It might not look it, but Nissan's funky little Juke will seat three across on its flat bench back seat, provided those three aren't adults. It's style is kind of love-it-or-hate-it; but at $22,000 to $27,000, the Juke probably is one of the biggest style statements you can make for the money. 
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  (#7) Mini Cooper Clubman S

  Mini says you can fit five people in the Clubman S - though it definitely better fits children. It'll run to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, and handles about the way you'd expect a Mini engineered by BMW would. Top-end JCW models are a somewhat pricey $36,000, but $27,000 will get you into a more basic Cooper Clubman. 
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  (#5) BMW 3 Series Sportwagon

  On a list unusually heavy with speedy station wagons, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the wagon that makes all others cool. With a 240-horsepower four cylinder, this car isn't going to keep up with the other two wagons on this list in a drag race. But it will give you respectable straight-line performance, BMW handing, all-wheel drive and a not-to-shabby 43 mpg. All for not much more than a fully spec'd Ford Flex EcoBoost. 
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  (#4) Tesla Model 3

  Pitched as the first affordable all-electric car from Tesla Motors, the Model 3 is a more reasonable alternative to the souped up Model S. For the $35,000 price tag, this one offers seating for five and a range that tops out at roughly 215 miles per charge. The base model has a bit of zip, accelerating from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than six seconds. Of greater importance to discerning parents, however, is the spacious interior, the extra storage in both the front and rear, and abundant safety features such as the "auto-pilot" mode.
  
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  (#11) Ford Escape

  • Ford

  The last two generations of Ford Escape (aka Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner) might not have been anything to write home about, but this new version is one dead sexy beast. From most angles, anyway. It won't keep up with the Mazda CX-5 around corners, but it will beat it by a nose to 60 mph. In a dark paint color, with blackout trim and black wheels, this generation of Escape would simply ooze bad intentions. 
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  (#6) Mazda CX-5

  • Mazda

  Mazda designed the CX-5 to be the sports car of compact crossovers, and it definitely looks the part. With a 0 to 60 time of 7.7 seconds, the CX-5 isn't quite a demon in a straight line - but its incredibly nimble handling is on par with a lot of sports sedans we could name. Remember, this is the same company that brought us the Miata, RX-7 and RX-8; Mazda does know its way around some chassis tuning. Yours for a fantastically reasonable $24,000. 

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