It starts out rather innocently. I’m informed that my next test car won’t really fit into my “normal” demographics. No problem, I’m trying my best not to typecast moms by choosing only stereotypical mom-mobiles to drive; a hatchback, a little sedan, maybe even a coupe – some families might be perfectly comfortable in cars like these.
Then I see it pull into my driveway: a shining, “absolutely red” Lexus SC430 – a premium luxury hardtop convertible. My eyes glass over with daydreams of a night out on the town, hair blowing in the wind, sultry music slinking through the Mark Levinson Stereo System, stopping only to dance the night away with my husband (who hasn’t danced much since our wedding night nearly eight years ago).
In spite of having a back seat for two with Latch connectors, the SC430 doesn’t comfortably house my kids’ car seats – my hands are tied, I’ll just have to get a babysitter. Before I can even think about it, my fingers are dialing. “You’re available both Friday AND Saturday night?! Great!”
Friday night rolls around and the stars are aligning perfectly. My children both fall asleep for a late nap, leaving me alone to primp without the normal distractions of kids knocking on the shower door, or my favorite lip gloss disappearing only to be discovered later oozing into the carpet in my toddler’s bedroom.
The babysitter shows up right on time, and my husband meets me downstairs cleanly shaved and smelling delicious. We jump into the SC430 (so red that people just can’t help but stare), hold a small button down and the car that looks nothing like a convertible transforms magically into my dream date-mobile – top-down and all.
Armed with a favorite CD, we crank up the bass. The speakers vibrate through the seats giving me a cheap thrill. Foot on the gas – whoa this thing’s fast. Foot on the gas just a little less and we’re off.
On the highway, my husband exclaims, “Whoo-hooooo!” I’ve finally found a car that impresses my hubby, who is the most practical and down-to-earth person I know. I ask what he likes about the car. “The wind inside the car is blowing your skirt up.”
OK, so in spite of being practical and down to earth, he’s still a guy after all.
It’s obvious that the 2005 Lexus SC430 is a great excuse for date night, but my mom instincts aren’t far behind. I appreciate the fact that this car comes with a tire pressure monitoring system (a system that alerts the driver if a tire looses pressure, helping to avoid blowouts) and optional run flat tires (for an additional $400).
We escape the evening without running over any nails in our construction zone of a neighborhood. However, if we had, we could have driven an additional 100 miles at a whopping 55 MPG without an issue. This is a great feature for moms who may otherwise be stuck on the side of the road for hours on end with hungry and crabby children, waiting for roadside assistance.
I also enjoy the practically sized trunk, well practical as you can get in a sporty number like this: 9.7 cubic feet to be exact. If I absolutely had to, I could fit all my kid-toting equipment and have room left over.
When all is said and done, date night is a huge success. We return home feeling reconnected, rejuvenated, and re-energized enough to handle a few more dateless months until the next impractical test car arrives forcing us to head out without the children. It’s only in the interest of thorough journalism that I take this chore upon myself.
Let’s Talk Numbers LATCH connectors: 2 Passenger seating (including driver): 4
It’s the Little Things That Count Storage Compartments (puny, fair, ample, galore): fair Cargo/Trunk Space (puny, fair, ample, galore): fair
Sense and Style Family Friendly (not really, fair, great, excellent): not really Fun-Factor (None, some, good times, groove-on): groove-on
