So with the passing of the Dudeling’s first year and the ageing of our current fleet of hoopties, we’re in the market for a new vehicle. Having a new kid (and probably a second in a year or two, along with a pair o’ pooches) suggests minivan, but they seem few and far between model-wise. SUVs and the like, however, are all over the place.
The big draw to SUVs is the wide availability of AWD—only the Toyota Sienna offers that in minivan-world. That’s counter-intuitive to us, so if there’s any explanation as to why there’s a dearth of AWD options for the family-oriented vehicle, that would be great.
So … minivan or SUV? We’re not obsessed with coolness, and don’t care if we’re seen in a minivan or a monster truck. We’re in downstate New York, so we get a fair amount of snow but we’re not in northern Idaho. We want plenty of room and driver conveniences, but who doesn’t?
Honda, Toyota, Kia (though gas mileage is not so good), IMHO, should be looked at first. I do know a lot of folks with the Caravan, but they do have issues with build quality (that includes the VW, by the way).
I’m in Ottawa, by the way - very similar weather patterns I’d assume.
In Ottawa too. Last year we bought an SUV. A minivan would only be convenient when both kids wanted to bring a friend along. That doesn’t happen often enough, so a 5 seater SUV was our choice. Although we do have another car and on those rare occasions when 6 of us have to be somewhere, we split up and take two cars.
Holy cow, Ottawa is about six hours north. Aren’t you in a completely different climate? {{{shudder}}}
It’s too early for us to know how kids/kids’ friends will be involved. We’re assuming it’s better to think more space = better (within reason) than try and make things snug off the bat. Kind of like the house–we have a full basement and attic that are fairly empty at the moment, but realize that as time passes we’ll be glad they’re there.
Going from a front wheel drive to an all wheel drive systems add weight, bulk and not negligible expense to both the initial and operating costs of a vehicle. People who but minivans want roominess, flat cabin floors, versatility, good MPG and low cost. All wheel drive does usually make a vehicle slightly safer but that safety come with the above mentioned costs. Many people feel that on balance, it’s not worth it.
Minivan, minivan, a thousand times minivan. Or a wagon if you don’t think you need the 3rd row. SUVs are for chumps, AWD is usually for chumps unless you live in the great frosty north or something.
I bought a used Kia Sedona and couldn’t be happier with the price/versatility ratio. We also considered a Mazda5, but when we were cross-shopping them they were roughly the same price and got roughly the same gas mileage, and we couldn’t rationalize not getting the bigger one. 2 kids and a dog, for the record, and occasionally a niece.
I haven’t looked at crash test data in several years, but crashworthiness is one of my criteria when choosing between vehicles. Back in the day, minivans seemed to do better but I think that was because SUVs were based on trucks. That’s probably not the case anymore, so I’d check on that.
I’ve had both, and I thought the minivan had a smoother ride and better parkability. The two were a Dodge Caravan and a Toyota 4Runner.
Are you counting crossovers as SUV’s, or are you not interested in crossovers?
In size order from smallest to largest, the Ford Escape, Ford Edge, and Ford Flex all are available with AWD.
I’m currently driving an Expedition (a real, full-sized SUV with truly horrible gas mileage), and I can say this it’s absolutely the finest vehicle in any class that I’ve ever driven. I don’t pay for my own gasoline, though, so maybe I’d not recommend it as fervently as an Edge.
We took a non-AWD Sienna out for a weekend and loved it; not sure how the AWD machinery will affect the cabin space.
I think our draw to AWD is movement more than safety. That is, with a 350’ driveway, getting in after a snow (and before plowing) is a big deal. As is getting around if we need to and there’re un-plowed roads around. We’re not too rural (under an hour from NYC), but rural enough.
Why such the clear distinction between SUV and minivan? Being a part-time chump, it’s difficult to see the obvious.
ETA: what’s a crossover? A small SUV? Something else?
I beg to differ. The smaller SUV’s offer a nice middle ground between cars and minivans in terms of carrying capacity, which is a good choice for some (though not necessarily for the OP). AWD makes a noticeable difference in roadholding ability over 2WD, helpful on wet roads and particularly so in snow. There’s plenty of snow to be found in areas that are not “the great frosty North.”
Your standard egg-shaped minivan is very space efficient. You end up getting a very usable amount of interior room with good ease of access. An SUV with the same footprint will have much less interior room and usually require clambering over the middle row to get to the 3rd row…something I wouldn’t have my grandmother try, but she has no problem getting into the back of the van.
When I point this out to people and their only response is “But it’s a minivan, I’m not getting one,” that’s when I pull out the chump card.
The difference isn’t as great now that SUVs are all car-based and not body-on-frame, but it’s still a deal breaker for me.
What do you drive now, and does it have a problem getting around in the snow? I’ve found my minivan to be better than any of my cars in snow driving, probably because of all the weight on the front wheels. Not so good on ice, but where it can bite into snow it does very well.
SUV’s are built on truck chassis, as mentioned above. A typical full-size SUV is essentially a pickup with rear seats, an enclosed bed, and a more car-like interior. Minivans are built on car chassis, and are less robust.
From here: “A crossover is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a traditional sport utility vehicle (SUV) with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.”
This is true, if only because the American consumer has killed the notion of the wagon. It’s hard to cross-shop a CR-V against an Odyssey, because the van is notably bigger. But I’d still rather take a Fit over a CR-V, and a Civic wagon would be ideal but alas, this is North America.
Traditionally, SUVs are based on solid frame rail construction and rear wheel drive truck chassis. This is durable, heavy and primitive and it demands a high riding vehicles that cheaply gives good ground clearance and a high driving position. Minivans are usually front wheel drive with uni-body construction. This is lighter, more expensive to engineer, build and repair but more efficient and practical in everyday use.
Cross-over is essentially a meaningless marketing term. Typically a crossover is a front wheel drive car, sometimes with an added all-wheel drive system, with a new body, raised seating position and more rugged styling to look like a smaller version of an SUV. Mechanically, they are typically no different than a basic sedan.
I drive (well - my wife drives) a Toyota Sequoia. We have 8 seat belts, a trailer hitch, and a roof rack. We regularly fill the truck with either kids or gear. Our kids are older than yours, so this is more for someone with kids hitting 5th grade and beyond:
Why I would not give up my behemoth of an SUV:
Trailer hitch. We use it for hauling bikes and sometimes a trailer for the Scouts.
Higher ground clearance. This is an issue for a lot of the campgrounds we go to that are at the end of a long dirt road.
8 seat belts and a V8 - I can fill the truck with kids, gear, and a trailer and still climb hills heading out of town.
Why my sister-in-laws minivan rocks:
A) 7 seat belts, so only 1 less
B) The Captain’s seats in the 2nd row are really comfy when you are hauling 4 adults.
C) Much easier to get in and out of the minivan - you just “walk” into the seats, instead of climbing up in the truck.
So, for where you are NOW - the minivan is probably the right way to go. If you find yourself hitting the outdoors more (mountain biking, car camping, etc.) you might trade in for a truck in a few years.
Awfully glad I posted; this is great. I had the inkling that a crossover was a manly term for minivan with different styling, seemingly confirmed above. Not that there aren’t differences in models, but no need for a whole category to describe them.
That’s a good list Algher. The “much easier to get in and out of” is key. We’ll be in child seats for several years, and ease of access is crucial. We’re out in the sticks now, but don’t go off road all that much, if at all. We also have nothing to haul, so until he makes it to scouting age that is a not-quite-superfluous option, but one that’s down on the list of what we may need.
For comparison, we have an old handmedown '95 Mazda MPV. It’s RWD, so never goes out in any inclement weather, but we do love the space and with the middle seats taken out, love the interior access for the Dude’s gear and stuffing him in and out of his seat. Our car is a '99 Acura with FWD and traction control; that’s great in the snow but there have been one or two times we decided not to travel. With a kid, it would be nice never to have to worry about making it somewhere in an emergency.
My $.02- get the minivan. I resisted it until our 2nd kid was born and we ended up getting the Honda Odyssey- I’m not ashamed to admit that I love it. It’s a great car- hauls people, good power, OK on gas, nice creature comforts, smooth ride, and whenever I need lumber for some home reno project, I pop out the 2nd-row buckets, fold the back row into the floor, and I can slide 4x8 sheet goods in the back. When we downsize my wife’s car to something smaller in a year or two, I’ll hang onto the van for tailgating and project supplies.
We owned a minivan (1996 Dodge Caravan) and the plus side of such a car is that if you’re lugging around the kids, you have room for their friends / Scout troop members etc. - SUVs don’t generally seat up to 7 though of course some of the larger ones do. When we replaced it with our CR/V (5-seater) we got better gas mileage, better build quality (that Caravan had some major problems), but we do occasionally really miss the seating capacity.
Minivans also sometimes have tremendous flexibility regarding seating / hauling. We could remove either or both bench seats from ours if we needed to lug something big. Some others even fold the seats flat into the floor of the car, which would be even better.
BTW - the selection of actual station wagons is unfortunately sparse. The reason I wouldn’t get one even if they were: I really, REALLY like the height of a minivan/SUV. It’s painful to climb into/out of my husband’s Civic - I’m tall and… not slender. IPlus i you’re dealing with kids in carseats it’s easier to buckle them into something that’s waist-high to you when you’re standing, as opposed to having to bend and lean in.
Really, for where you are right now, I think I’d advise the minivan but you might be perfectly happy with an SUV.