Build My Dream Car – A Challenge For Auto Companies

If you know me well, you know that I love cars and I love driving. It doesn’t matter what make or model; cars to trucks to SUV’s to sports cars, I like them all. Each one gives a different experience and each one solves a different problem. I’ve been obsessing over what will be fit our family. Who will build my dream car – this is a challenge for auto companies!

In 1996 I got my first car. It was a cherry red 1985 Honda Prelude. 5 speed manual that was so basic on the inside, the sunroof was the only thing that was powered. I put a removable faceplate CD player in it and tinted the windows because you know, it goes faster with tint and loud music. In the winter the heater fan often stopped working and so I added blankets for passengers and if you sat “shotgun” you were the official ice scraper to keep the frost off the inside of the windows. Sometimes, if we were lucky, a swift kick to the dash would spark the fan to rotate and move warm air into the cabin. It burned oil when it was started, it blew a tire on the highway and it was freezing in the winter but it was mine and it was awesome! I loved that car.

 

 

In 1998 I got my first brand new car! This time I wanted an SUV. I got a 1998 Nissan Chilkoot. I knew I would marry my husband after spending 10 days camping with only a futon mattress in the back of the Chilkoot and clothes to change. We had no gear, no food and a big fluffy white dog and after 10 days, we still liked each other. We got married in 2001!

In 2003 we welcomed our first child which also marked the point in our lives where my vehicle choices were no longer just about me and my weekend jaunts to the mountains or going out dancing with my friends. Safety, storage and size started to outweigh style, le sigh. This lead to a variety of typical young family type vehicles. A 2003 Nissan Mirano and a 2005 Volvo XC90. Perfect for our family of 4. Lots of fun to drive and still be cool on the weekend on a date sans kids.

 

 

And then came the twins.

In 2008 we instantly went from a family of 4 to a family of 6. This eliminated an entire group of vehicles and moved us to the market of what I like to call “people movers”. Our first people mover was a 2008 Dodge Caravan, yes, I drove a mini van. How far I’d come from the days of the red Prelude. But as I’m sure you can imagine, if I was going to drive a minivan, I was going to drive the most pimped out minivan I could build. After not being able to find all the options I wanted in stock, I went online and built the exact van to my specifications. Once it arrived at the dealership for me to pick up, our salesman had half a dozen phone calls from other dealerships who wanted it because (shocker) it had all the options that families want (and need) in a people mover!

This got me thinking.

Are car manufacturers even listening? Do they know what big families want and need in a people mover?

We’re in the market for a new vehicle as our kids get bigger and we contemplate adding a dog to our family. We have long since traded in our minivan for a crossover 2010 Ford Flex but even this AWD 6 seater isn’t going to fit our family eventually. I’ve driven a lot of cars over the years, A LOT. And so I’ve been dreaming of what the perfect family utility vehicle (FUV) would be. Imagine the luxury of a full size SUV like an Escalade, crossed with the storage and accessibility of the sliding passenger doors of a mini van, adding a dash of styling and drivability of a cross over. Shut up and take my money!

Here’s my wish list of options:

– must seat 7

-AWD or optional 2 to 4 wheel drive for those Alberta winters

-second row pivoting captains chairs (make it fun so they can face each other)

-in floor storage (the more the better)

– heads up display and infotainment system (I need a map!)

-large rear storage is crucial for large family trips to Costco and for a dog (a dog? I don’t even know who I am anymore)

-power outlets at each seat (right?!)

-tablet mounts for each passenger

-cup holders big enough for water bottles

-adjustable seats in the 3rd row so they recline, even a bit

– rear sliding passenger entry doors (put minivan doors on an SUV and BOOM, we’re in business)

-a privacy window that the driver and roll up and down that would separate the passengers from the driver and front seat, like a limo but really for the safety of the occupants in the back when they’re fighting and yelling at each other. (think about the silence)

-a cup holder that will keep your coffee warm or your water cold

-a cubby to fit a purse!

-an app so I can lock, unlock, start or flash lights and check engine stats remotely.

-keyless entry (my hands are always full)

-remote start (did I mention that I live in Alberta, brrrrr)

-adjustable tailgate height

-heated seats for all passengers (no more fighting over who’s bums get warm and who’s don’t)

-wide walk thru from 2nd row to 3rd row (no one wants to climb over seats)

-comfortable leg room for 3rd row (my girls are going to be tall)

-blind spot warning (safety first)

-lane departure warning

-back up camera

-WiFi

-heated steering wheel (pure luxury for me!)

That’s not too much to ask. Now the question is, will we (as a big family) continue to have to settle for a vehicle that sort of checks all the boxes or will the auto makers finally come up with a real FUV!

What would your wish list option be in a vehicle?