Valentine’s fantasy: the ultimate date cars

GET RIGHT on track with McLaren’s P1 GTR supercar.

If you’re heading out for that obligatory date on or around Feb. 14, you probably have little choice as to what vehicle to take. But what if you could have your choice of any new vehicle to take on that romantic excursion?

With respect to the Foton MPX van, a past Car of the Year awardee as the Victoria Court Most Spacious car, it’s not just all about space. You can always get a room, after all, but it’s what you take on the journey that counts.

Here’s what we would recommend, based on you or your date’s personality:

For the family oriented: Honda Odyssey

Honda’s class-leading minivan has all the bells and whistles, from power-sliding doors to a comprehensive entertainment system. It also packs a powerful V6 engine, so you can quickly get to that steakhouse before your reservation expires.

The rear space is versatile and roomy, and the van features rear privacy glass. And it already has room for six kids, so what more can you ask for?

For the Formula One fan: McLaren P1 GTR

McLaren’s P1 supercar is the ultimate road car from one of Formula One’s most successful teams. The P1 GTR will have even better performance, thanks to a diet program. Better head to the track for this date, and bring earplugs.

For the phone addict: Honda Jazz

NEW dashboard based on Honda’s “Sophisticated Futuristic Cockpit” interior concept

The new Honda Jazz is a compact hatchback that packs the interior space of a small minivan. Getting away from your phone is a must for any decent date, but if you must monitor your screen, its new touchscreen entertainment unit can mirror your phone’s display. Just switch it off as soon as possible, just for this night.

For the audiophile: Lexus LS sedan

You haven’t heard a John Williams score until you’ve pumped it through the Lexus LS sedan’s Mark Levinson Reference Surround System. Engineers reportedly put in 2,000 man-hours to get the perfect sound from the 19-speaker, 7.1-channel audio system.

With 450 watts of practically distortion-free audio on tap, you can impress your date when you shatter the LS’s trademark silence with spectacular sound.

For the technophile: Mazda6

Mazda6 is Car of the Year Philippines 2013-2014

The Mazda6 packs a lot of technology inside and out, from its multilayer, shade-changing paint to its high-compression gasoline engine. You can regale your date with tales of its supercapacitor-based energy-capture system even as the engine automatically shuts down at traffic lights.

Don’t worry; the air-conditioner and radio will keep running.

For the environmentalist: Toyota Mirai or BMW i8

From out of the blue, a whiff of the future at Toyota Mega Web

Forget the Prius. Toyota wants to eliminate all emissions, and it believes that the hydrogen-fuel-cell powered Mirai sedan is the way to do it. The car is already available in Japan and the United States.

Another path is the electric or hybrid vehicle, and BMW’s i8 is the ultimate plug-in hybrid car, combining a futuristic exterior and sporty performance with zero emissions while in electric mode.

RIDES WILL never get rough with the all-new Navara.

For the workaholic: Nissan Navara pickup

Those who know the value of work will opt for the workhorse—the pickup. One of the best to take on a night out is the all-new Navara. Its coil-spring, multilink rear suspension promises a smoother ride, while still providing all the cargo carrying capacity.

Just don’t stop by the Home Depot on this particular night.

THE INTERIOR of the Hyundai Sonata is perfect for an intimate evening date.

For the artist: Hyundai Sonata

Hyundai has updated the sweeping lines of its Sonata sedan with a more handsome rendering. Its interior, too, has clean lines and premium materials.

WHEN THE Mercedes F 015 Luxury becomes a reality, it is the ultimate for face-to-face conversations.

THE MERCEDES F 015 Luxury is designed to drive itself.

For the conversationalist: Mercedes F 015 Luxury

Holding a proper conversation with your seatmate while looking ahead at traffic is an art form, but for the ultimate face-to-face, look forward to the Mercedes F 015 Luxury. When the concept becomes reality, the passengers can sit facing each other, because the car is designed to drive itself.

For the extrovert: Lamborghini Aventador

There are times when you want to arrive incognito, and other times when you want all heads to turn. Driving up in the Lamborghini Aventador and popping open its scissor doors will stop traffic cold.