Recently, I had the chance to drive an Abarth and a McLaren on Royu Driveway, and got to experience firsthand that there are plenty of wonderful cars out there beyond Porsche<\/strong>. Ever since, I\u2019ve been even more keen to get behind the wheel of cars from a variety of manufacturers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Test-driving different cars should help me assess them more objectively. And as a woman, I think it would be fun to report on cars that are enjoyable to drive from a mother\u2019s and wife\u2019s perspective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n For context, the situations in which I usually drive are:<\/p>\n \u2460 Around town (picking up the kids from preschool or daycare, shopping, and so on)<\/span> I rarely push hard on mountain roads like Royu Driveway, and I never go to the track. So, for now, I want to focus on whether a car is comfortable and fun to drive without stress around town and on the highway. I suspect that\u2019s how many wives and mothers use their cars, too.<\/p>\n To get a little more specific, here are the things I look for:<\/p>\n \u3010What Matters to Me\u3011<\/strong> That\u2019s roughly what I\u2019m looking for. Though I have a feeling there aren\u2019t many wives out there quite like me (lol).<\/p>\n On the other hand, I don\u2019t need a luxurious interior, and if a car is fun to drive, I don\u2019t mind if it\u2019s not especially nimble in tight spaces. I don\u2019t worry much about fuel economy, either. Sorry for making no effort to save on gas (lol).<\/p>\n So, once I started thinking, \u201cI want to test-drive all kinds of cars<\/strong>,\u201d I signed up for the car-sharing app Anyca and looked into test-drive events at dealerships near me. Then I remembered: \u201cWhen I visited Mercedes me the other day, they invited me to come back soon to try the C-Class<\/strong>.\u201d So I decided to head back to Mercedes me in Grand Front Osaka.<\/p>\n
\n\u2461 On the highway (mid-distance trips of up to 100 km round trip)<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u2713 Ride comfort (I like a firm but smooth ride)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Rear-seat comfort (If it\u2019s too cramped, I can imagine the kids in the back complaining nonstop)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Handling (I want responsive handling and steering that has a moderate amount of weight\u2014not too light)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Throttle and brake response (I want the car to respond in proportion to how much I press the pedals, rather than doing little at first and then suddenly lurching into action)<\/span>
\n\u2713 A decent amount of power (I don\u2019t need an outrageous 500 horsepower, but I want the car to accelerate properly when I press the throttle\u2014not just make noise without going anywhere)<\/span>
\n\u2713 High-speed stability (I want it to feel secure cruising straight and changing lanes at highway speeds)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Driving enjoyment (It\u2019s hard to put into words, but does the car make you want to keep driving?)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Simple, beautiful design (I\u2019m not a fan of designs that sacrifice natural elegance just to stand out)<\/span>
\n\u2713 Enough room for luggage (At a minimum, it should fit shopping bags, a suitcase, and a stroller)<\/span><\/p>\n