As our children were born and grew up, our car life changed.

Before we had kids, my husband drove a sports car he’d owned since his single days, but as our children arrived and grew, our criteria for choosing cars shifted dramatically.

Also, my own views and values about cars changed significantly, influencing our later car choices.

Choosing cars that fit our family’s changing situation and my evolving values each year. Honestly, I don’t know what the perfect or best answer is, but in this blog, I’d like to share the history of our family’s car life and how our choices evolved.

Our Family’s Car Life: The Best Solution

To summarize the changes in our car choices over the past 10 years:

① Prioritizing “driving enjoyment”
② Prioritizing “5 seats and passenger comfort”
③ Prioritizing “versatility to go anywhere and compactness”
④ Prioritizing “driving and ride comfort”
⑤ Not expecting one car to deliver driving fun, comfort, and compactness all at once → where we are now

Before our children were born, a two-seater focused on driving pleasure was fine, but after childbirth (especially since we live far from the station and bus service is limited), we needed a 4-seater.

As the children increased, criteria like “lots of cargo space,” “5 seats,” and “compact size” were added to our car selection standards.

When the kids were small, we were visiting hospitals almost weekly—dermatology, pediatrics, ENT, dentists—and hospital parking lots are narrow.

Also, for daycare and kindergarten drop-offs, grocery runs, and more, the ability to “go anywhere with the kids” became a key factor, but “reliability and fun in driving” remained essential. Back then, we drove cars like the Volkswagen Golf, BMW 3 Series, and Nissan NOTE e-POWER NISMO.

As the kids grew, “rear seat space and comfort” and “ride quality” became important (kids do prefer bigger cars after all).

Still, for us drivers, the axis of “cars that are fun to drive” couldn’t be abandoned, so we drove the Cayenne e-Hybrid for a while after a test drive completely won us over.

The Cayenne was spacious and comfortable for five people on long trips, including the front passenger seat. It easily fit two suitcases, had a smooth ride, and the hybrid acceleration felt great without the motor’s weight being noticeable—there was nothing to complain about, but…

Because the body is large and wide, parking remained a challenge…

In the end, we concluded that “we don’t need one car to deliver driving fun, comfort, and compactness all at once. We enjoy driving fun in my husband’s Boxster and 911.”

Choosing a car with “at least 5 seats,” “decent rear seat space,” “ample cargo capacity,” “narrow and compact width,” and “solid driving performance” led us to the Mercedes-Benz GLB.

The GLB can seat 7 in a pinch, carries plenty of cargo, is under 1850mm wide, and drives well.

The family car is the GLB. For driving enjoyment, it’s the 911 or Boxster.

This is the current best solution for our family car life.

Changing Views on Cars

As I mentioned earlier, besides the family growing, my own views on cars have changed dramatically over the past 10 years.

When I married my husband, I had zero interest in cars, was a paper driver for over 10 years, and was certain I’d never be interested in cars, drive, or own one myself.

No matter how many times my husband said, “Once the kids are born, you’ll definitely drive more, so practice now!”, I stubbornly refused, saying “I’m scared. Driving is impossible for me.”

I couldn’t tell the difference between cars at all—Prius and kei cars I could recognize, but everything else looked the same. (Back then, I had no clue what distinguished a Mercedes-Benz C-Class from an S-Class lol.)

Now, 10 years later, I find myself thinking, “Cars aren’t just transportation; they enrich my life and motivate me to work hard.”

Paying monthly loans is tough, but it motivates me to work hard. When I’m tired from work, just knowing I can drive my own car home lifts my spirits and makes me happy.

In that sense, I’ve come to want to “stretch myself a bit and own a car that lifts my spirits and motivates me in life.”

It’s amazing how someone who once had zero interest in cars has changed 180 degrees like this… Life really is unpredictable.

A Car Life That Fits Us

Our car life and choices have changed as our family grew, deeply reflecting our values and lifestyle at each stage.

As the kids grow, factors like comfort and usability become as important as driving fun. At the same time, cars become more than just transportation—they create family memories, support daily life, and serve as important partners helping us pursue our dreams and goals.

I hope we can continue to enjoy these changes and live a car life that truly fits us.