Ideally, you can find a newer model car that has a built-in DVD player. A good selection of movies will keep kids occupied whether you need to drive across town or across the state. They get lost in their cartoon worlds. Normally, that's something you should monitor. When you're dealing with congested traffic, though, a quiet kid could actually help the whole family stay alive.

If you can't find an affordable vehicle with a built-in entertainment system, you can always get a portable DVD player.

A Navigation System That Keeps You Sane

Moms do more than drive. They pay attention to the road, monitor backseat behavior, and swerve around kidless drivers who somehow can't seem to watch the road even though they have fewer distractions.

That's why moms need navigation systems that will tell them exactly how to get from point A to point B. If you add "read a map" to that list of activities, you will lose your mind. Then you get road rage... you don't want to see your kids like that and you don't want the rest of the world to see you as that crazy woman on the news.

Luckily, dealerships like Klick Lewis have plenty of affordable vehicles with built-in navigation systems.

Enough Seats for a Whole Field Hockey Team

At some point, you'll probably have a thought that seems ingenious: if you buy a tiny car, no one will ask you to drive the whole field hockey team to an away game. That sounds good, but it will earn you, and your kid, a bad reputation. It isn't worth it.

Instead, look for a vehicle that offers plenty of room in the back. You'll feel better for doing your part. Plus, you know that every other mom with a daughter on that team owes you a favor. One day you will cash in on those favors.

A Huge Trunk for... Whatever!

Mom, don't worry about having too much junk in the trunk. Just find a car with a trunk that's big enough to hold all of the stuff your kids seem to need. Your vehicle's trunk will likely become a sports locker, cabinet for science experiments, and a closet for uniforms.

Plenty of moms have also used big car trunks as baby changing stations. Hey, whatever works.

More Cupholders, Less Spilled Beverages 

When a car salesperson asks you how many cup holders you need in your car, just tell them "more. I need more." Because you will never have enough. If you can find a car that gives you at least one cup holder per passenger, that's pretty good. Ideally, though, you'll have a few extra. Why? Because at some point you will have to squeeze in at least two more passengers than the car is meant to hold.

What are some other design features that parents should look for in cars? 

Which ones have mattered most to you?

~Guest Post~