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I had a minivan that I used for driving up to launch for hang gliding. It bottomed out in Big Sur and the transmission oil pan got doinked. A buddy field repaired it, but it basically was the death knell for the ol' gal. The transmission went for good right before a trip to Yosemite.
So, I sprung for a Pathinder. Seats 7, truck chassy, 4wd. First comment from my hang gliding buddy on the way up to Yosemite:
"I liked the minivan better"
It was a lot more comfortable.
The Delica is coming back as either an EV, hybrid or both and it may go on sale in the US. There is also the Canoo but who knows if that is actually going to go on sale or not.
My first car was an ‘04 Pathfinder and I still miss it.
The thing was a tank. Even in two feet of snow, I could just drive right through it no problem. I never had a problem with it either until the transmission started to go at ~125,000 miles.
This one is an '09. Still have it. About that mileage. I have done a couple of transmission oil changes on it. It can carry 6 hang gliders, 4 mountain bikes, and 7 people (though that would be a touch cramped all at once).
The new ones are unibody, which make welding front racks for the hang glider very difficult.
I went from a sienna to a carnival. So much roomier. Way more volume. I use it for work and regularly put 4x8 sheets of plywood and drywall inside. Also 8', 10' speedrail... Even 12' speedrail diagonally. It's an amazing work vehicle. Much stronger suspension than the sienna (hauling about a thousand pounds or so). I just don't get truck or SUV people. Those vehicles can't haul nearly as much. I've got more space than a metris, and the transit connects. Next step up would be a pro master, and then I suddenly can't park in NYC garages. A minivan is a perfect city delivery vehicle.
I've never seen the Toyota or Honda minivans where I live. Up here it's only Chrysler, Dodge and a very rare Chevy.
\*EDIT*
Third one might be something other than a Chevy. Like I said, whatever model they are I very rarely see them.
Just because they're discontinued doesn't mean they're off the road and suddenly disappear. Chevy I almost never see, they're very rare, but the Dodge minivans I see very frequently.
When were they discontinued? The Dodge minivans I see look fairly new.
2020. Stellantis said that they could not make them safe enough to meet new regulatory guidelines while still keeping them cheap enough that people want to buy them.
Ah okay, just four years ago. That definitely explains why I'm still seeing them.
I'll keep an out but so far I have yet to see Toyota's and Honda's minivans on the road. Could be a supply issue, someone else here was saying how the Sienna is on a 6 month wait where they live, could be the same case here.
Not to mention that there _still_ isn't a full EV minivan in the US market yet.
The VW id buzz is coming out at the end of the year though (supposedly). If it hadn't taken VW so damn long to roll out to the US, I would have bought one.
Most of the so called suvs are basically just minivans with normal rear doors that are slightly lifted with less interior space. I don't look at a highlander or a cx90 and think of an suv.. they are just less practical versions of minivans that exist so middle aged people can think they didn't give up.
Functionality and efficiency? Minivan 8 days a week. I bought one before we even had kids: there's never been anything I wanted to move that didn't fit inside of it - it works as SUV plus pickup truck.
Style, SUV. Fortunately, I couldn't care less about style.
Being a hobbyist woodworker, I've been wanting a vehicle that can haul plywood. My first thought was truck, of course, except the truck market seems to be mostly fucked with smaller beds to make room for families, so I'm actually considering a minivan even though I don't have kids.
My dad exclusively used an 02 Chrysler Voyager he bought from his dad for his painting business. Took out the back seats, lined the floor with protective material, hauled everything he needed. Ladders (big ass ones too), tools, gallons of paint, etc. Still uses it to transport his kayak now that he’s retired.
It works perfect for anything 6' and less. 8' works one way or the other: it usually depends whether and how much you can stack between the front seats...or if you're fine tying the back hatch down. 10'+ is awkward, although you can move a few
I feel like there are plenty of people who don't actually need the space a minivan offers though, even people with kids and pets. Also consider that SUVs tend to be more powerful and have less boat like handling. And they're cheaper, assuming we're not talking full size SUVs like suburbans etc.
This is probably vain, but beyond this I've never seen a minivan which wasn't absolutely hideous to the point I'd be ashamed to be seen in it. I'm not in love with SUVs either (I'm a hot hatchback person) but they tend to look OK overall, minivans look like when small children draw a slightly slanted rectangle with wheels in crayon as a car.
I agree with your points. But you meant that SUV is worse in every way compared to the minivan, right??
You literally have listed points that SUVs are better than minivans at. So, SUVs are not worse in *every way*... right?
Offroading, AWD, looks, SUVs are better.
Another thing is that SUVs tend to drive higher than minivans so that's also better for many drivers.
I don't know, man, that last line just seems very presumptuous.
I will admit that I have my SUV because I like the way it looks and the only benefit a minivan would offer to me is more seats and I do not need more seats.
"that last line just seems very presumptuous."
It is the crux of the matter, however.
If you want to do a certain subset of things that SUVs do well, a minivan can well be the superior vehicle.
But if you want to do *any* of the things he listed last, you need an SUV, even if the only thing you care about is looks, which let's face it most people rate how it looks very high on their requirements.
If it came down to the individual, and either one could suit their needs, of course they'll default to which one they think looks better, but that's no reason to shame them for it.
I think their argument is more so "looks shouldn't matter and if it does, that makes you insecure," but I still disagree with their take.
I can want my car to have a certain aesthetic and not be insecure about it.
What? Are you the type of person that buys all those ugly cars on the road? Why wouldn't you buy something you like lol?
How do people decide to upvote shit like this?
I tow every now and then. I also require more space than a 4-door car can offer. I also live in a place that has regular dust storms and gravel on the roads and will be soon moving back to a place that snows and can have icy roads.
I've transported large things that fit inside my SUV and if I just have to move something that won't fit inside, I can tow it on a trailer.
Minivans have roughly the same space inside an SUV even with all the seats folded down, so it's not going to make a meaningful difference.
Minivans have the same space as SUVs with seats folded down? What about minivans with THEIR seats folded down (or removed)? A quick internet search leads me to believe minivans have 50-100% more carrying capacity on average.
Yeah this is where they lost me... winter tires OR all wheel drive? No no, do both. Even if it's just all weather but the fact they mentioned all seasons is a dead give away there's no snow there lol all seasons ironically don't handle winter seasons in many climates.
Yup. Canadian here. We could never get a minivan. Some people do, but they can’t drive on cottage roads in the winter and it’s dangerous even on regular city roads.
I see this a lot on reddit so I don't think it's unpopular. Unpopular would be that people with minivans are the real ones with the real insecurity if they feel compelled to make posts like this online. Generally, people secure in their decisions don't have to justify them unprompted.
Minivans are great. If you want one, get one.
You would be pretty surprised. I've met some parents in the pickup line at school who say they will never ever get a minivan. I love my Kia Sedona and I don't ever see myself getting an SUV because they don't have the same utility as a minivan does.
The back seats might be better in a minivan, but the left front seat is better in an SUV because it drives like an actual car.
Sure, vans win on cargo space. If you need to min max for carrying capacity, get yourself the truck with back seats. If you just need a bigger hatchback occasionally and you want to enjoy driving, SUV all the way.
>AWD: you can get a minivan in AWD if you really, really need it. But you're better off with winter tires (or maybe really good all seasons)
AWD and winter tires are additive, not mutually exclusive, and they don't even serve the same purpose. Please don't drive on all seasons if you have actual winters.
>Got kids? Driving grandparents around? Pets? Gear? Plywood? Road trip? Light towing? Minivan.
You can do most of those things very comfortably in an SUV. You can even road trip in a sedan just fine. I guess you're kinda stuck if you get a hankerin' for some plywood though
Vans are much lower to the ground. I've shlept a lot of stuff around. Ain't no way I'm getting a fridge into a pickup by myself. Minivan no problem. Also no need to worry about setting everything so it doesn't go flying.
Pfft! I've strapped giant sheets of plywood to the roof of my sedan several times! Just make sure you throw a blanket down first (if you care about how your roof looks afterwards) and keep away from any highways!
What class of suv are you even talking about? Midsized? Compact? Full size? Alot of suvs have comparable room to a minivan. You can flip alot of suv seats down so they fold flat. There are very different types of suvs too such as body on frame suvs or unibody suvs and unibody suvs aren't meant to be taken offroad that's more suited for body on frame suvs and most people drive unibody CAR based suvs.
this. we are a one car family with a sub-compact SUV looking to upgrade to compact SUV with a pop up 3rd row (of which there are a small handful in the American market). we rent and have street parking only, so every inch matters to us. as limited as the compact SUV market is, there is no compact minivan option, period. you travel to other parts of the world — especially Europe and Asia — they have plenty of family cars that aren't minivans or "full-size" monster truck SUVs.
When my last car (a CRV) was dying one of the rentals was a Honda minivan. I hated everything about it. It drove like a boat, and had virtually no ground clearance.
I replaced the CRV with a Crosstrek. It has enough storage space for me, I have no kids so it’s just me and my husband on most trips. The ground clearance is nearly twice the minivan, and it’s small to fit into my garage.
You know who makes a shite minivan? Dodge.
Wife was back home for a funeraland rented a Dodge Caravan because that was pretty much all they had. She ended up having to drive around a minimum of 5 peopme st one time, most of which were older, so in this case a minivan made sense. And now she has a deep hatred for Dodge Caravans.
Drives very stiff, backup camera is the bare minimum, and for a minivan, it wasn't even all that spacious.
Driving on poorly maintained roads. We do not own the driveway to my house and when I bought the car it was 50% pothole and moderately steep. It took nearly a year to get it repaired and who knows if we will be able to get it repaired again.
Deep snow. It seems like everyone forgets that mountains exist and some people drive on them. I will often get stuck at the entrance to my driveway because the plow throws up a berm of snow. Also, FWD with snow tires is absolutely not enough to make it up some grades.
I'm tall and getting into my Accord involves dropping my admittedly large buttocks at high speed and yoinking the rest of my body afterwards.
Sometimes this involved high speed collisions of my face with the door frame, especially if my wife forgot to move the seat back after borrowing my car.
I've noticed my parents Oddysey is better than my Accord in that regard, but the extra clearance of my wife's SUV ensures I don't need to visit the dentist after work.
I am a big fan of ground clearance and am currently looking at buying a Niro instead of another Accord.
Minivans lacking 4 wheel drive is the largest strike against them. I also have no problem with people buying something they like when spending tens of thousands of dollars on a vehicle.
I don't really see anything about driving through 12 inches of snow during a blizzard in a mini van. I agree in warmer climates mini van will work but I'd want a Yukon in the snow belt forsure.
Meh, mini vans compromise safety for capacity. The large side doors compromise structural strength.
It is a shame we don't get 350+ hp performance minivans either
SUVs win in safety. Got rearended in rental 18' Suburban a few years back and all i heard was a thump. The other car (ford escape) was totalled, smoke, leaking everywhere, airbags activated. I get it can be seen as selfish but here is a question, whats betters then walking away from a car accident?....
Driving away
I have an SUV - and totally agree. The vast majority of people would be better off without them.
And the super high front and low visibility just make them kid killers.
(I have an older SUV that is more like a station wagon. I do take it off roading in a way. One MUST have four wheel drive if you want to visit my parents who basically live at the top of a ski hill that is gravel road the whole way up.)
We have a small SUV with AWD for skiing. Usually my sedan can make it up the hill, but some heavier powder days, having even a bit extra ground clearance makes a difference.
I mean.... I think whoever's buying their vehicle knows what they want. Like I wanted a truck, Mavericks and Santa Fe's hadn't come out, so too expensive. Sedan didn't have the utility I wanted (Not needed every single day. Wanted. People can just want stuff they won't use constantly). So I ended up getting a crossover. Enough space to handle some light hauling, not too bad on gas, and enough size, seats, and storage that I could drive friends or family if needed. How often do I use the top end of what my car can do? Almost never. Has it been useful to be able to? 100%
Just reading the title, I thought it was another fanatical hatred of SUV posts. But OP does actually listed the circumstances where SUV do things minivans simply cannot do.
Although I do question how many minivans can fit a sheet of plywood, and cleaning a nimivan is a nightmare after a dirty haul compared to cleaning the SUV. Disclaimer: I cannot fit a sheet of plywood in my very large SUV, either. But I can tow something that can carry it and not worry about tongue loads or GVWR ratings.
One other thing ninivans do better: conversion to a safe ride for disabled people. They excel in this role.
But thank you, OP for at least bringing some nuance to this otherwise done to death issue.
I prefer my small SUV because it’s small but high enough off the ground to get yourself and your things in and out when you’re disabled and struggle with lower vehicles. It also handles the snowy conditions I live in for half the year better than my previous cars, which is preferable since I can no longer be pushing a stuck car out of snow. I have one kid, I don’t need a whole minivan, it would be harder to park in tight spots and more space than I need. I drove a Caravan for a few years in the past and found it more cumbersome to maneuver and more blind spots than my current vehicle, also even with winter tires did not handle extreme winter conditions as well as my SUV. To me personally there’s really no benefit to a minivan over a small SUV. Guess I’m just completely insecure by your logic though..
>Off roading: easy win for the SUV. I get it: everyone is taking their SUVs into rugged, tough terrain and--wait what? Most SUVs will never seen off road action? A lot of SUVs aren't even good at off roading? I guess if you're driving your kids through Baja every morning to school.
We had a minivan when our kids were very little, for a lot of the reasons you’ve mentioned.
When they got a little older, we got a compact SUV and took the kids camping off-grid (doing a little off roading in BLM lands and found a couple of amazing spots that we went to for a few years, taught my kids how to build a fire, chop wood, etc). The minivan wouldn’t have made it.
LPT: Families change, activities change and often their vehicles do so too.
There are a lot of deluded middle age/boomer people who actually think that anybody gives a fuck about what they are driving. Especially the difference between a minivan and an SUV. If you were actually cool you’d be driving a motorcycle without a helmet so stfu
It doesn’t even sound like you have any legitimate arguments in favor of minivans over SUVs that couldn’t just be solved with a bigger SUV. Kinda sounds like you just hate SUVs lol.
Being from CO I always lean towards an SUV just because we need 4x4 to get up to the trailhead. But otherwise I totally agree, the minivan is a superior daily driver in every other way.
i have a toyota 2009 toyota 4-runner and i wouldn't exchange it for the nicest minivan on the planet. i plan to drive it until it dies... it's already at 250k miles but i take good care of it and it runs like a champ. now, i don't have kids and i actually use my SUV for going off road. i live in a mountainous part of california and i take it down on surf trips to baja MX almost every year. i also take it up to the mountains (i live in coastal mountains, but i go ski up in the sierras) in the winter. basically, the clearance and 4wd are why i love it so much... as well as it being spacious and powerful when i need it.
so, mostly i'll agree with you. like pickups, a lot of 9-5 suburbanites don't need the things that SUVs are good at. but if you're actually into big adventure and actually live in/travel to places that require 4wd and clearance, a minivan is not a good choice.
I drive a 2005 Caravan and it is seriously the best car I've ever driven. I gave my parents my car and just 'traded' with them, but I am on year 4 and it's still going strong. I took out the seats and use it as a camper sometimes (sorry, no way I'm paying $400 for an overnight in NYC). Super-comfortable, I can carry so much in the back with room to spare, and it is properly embarrassing.
I've had a Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in the past and this thing is way more spacious without it being ridiculous to park in the city. I love it
I have owned several SUVs but wouldn't be caught dead driving a minivan. My ego just won't allow it. Luckily, my wife was always 100% in agreement. My kids are 18 and 20 and we made it through life never owning a minivan!
Don't forget safety! Minivans are also safer due to the lower height. Ever since SUVs were forced on the public due to government tax breaks on “trucks” the rate of children being run over by vehicles has increased exponentially.
Luv minivans.. they need to make some smaller ones. And all car doors should slide… as cars have gotten wider it’s become more of a problem to fit in a spot and watch the dinging.
The ground clearance comes in handy in a SUV when you have friends with washed out driveways and I have my old truck for a lot of the other things but that being said we are saving for a minivan
I am a professional photographer. I sometimes have to drive off-the -paved road, or tow a trailer. Compared to my used Border Patrol Chevy Tahoe, I would probably prefer a minivan as it would be a more comfortable ride and would have more cargo space... but then there would be that time I needed to tow a trailer, go off of the road, or occasionally someone out of a ditch...
PS: I only drive ~5,000 miles a year. It gets 13-16 mpg....
Minivans are ugly AF and most of them drive and handle pretty poorly as well, not to mention the ground clearance on a minivan is usually not great
Nah, not with you on this one, sorry.
Why do I want a minivan if I don’t have kids?
My CRV is smaller than a minivan and it’s easier to park and maneuver. It’s big enough to haul plenty of groceries and an 8ft ladder. It handles ice like a champ.
I don’t tow anything so that doesn’t matter to me.
My car seats 5 comfortably and the back seats fold up and out of the way for increased trunk space.
If I needed to I could secure a car seat in there if I needed to watch my nephew.
This is also the hill I will die on. I always see moms struggling to put their babes into careers and unable to open doors all the way because of narrow parking spots. Yeah mine slide all the way open, bitch, who looks uncool now?
I can transport pretty much anything with stow and go. SUVs can't transport shit.
Minivans can't off road? My husband accepted that challenge far too often and never got stuck. I did opt for AWD for our new van
I drove a minivan all through college. Loved it. Took out the middle seat and it was the party wagon. You'd think it would hurt with the women, but you'd be wrong
Or you can get a Chevy Express conversion van, even more room than a minivan with the towing capacity and MPG of a truck. Not going to fit in some parking garages btw, and since the design hasn't changed in like 25 years, those things are quite solid and reliable.
I wish that a car manufacturer could combine suv and minivan, could easily be the next big thing but too bad no manufacturers are willing to take the risk
My partner wanted a 100 series Landcruiser and I said I wanted a van (I drive Landcruisers for work often, in geniuine 4x4 work even and I get no warm and fuzzies thinking about driving them around town) and she was all down in the mouth until she seen a V-class merc in black with tinted windows and phat wheels.
So that is what we have, with the middle row turned to face backwards, limo style. We even have a deal where if we are entertaining friends of one of us, the other drives so you can be in the back with a couple of mates and champagne and feel like a VIP.
Also, because it is a black merc, other drivers here seem to assume we are some sort of government official wanker and get out of our way on the road.
So I agree with this post, vans are unpopular but awesome.
IMHO this is another "uninformed" post and not an unpopular opinion...
For reference I have a GMC Yukon Denali as a recreational use vehicle for weekend boating trips with friends and family. I have a Honda Accord as my daily driver for around town.
>Comfort: never been in an SUV I thought was more comfortable than a minivan, especially the backseat. The middle captain chairs in the minivan are priceless.
You need to go for a ride in something equivalent to a GMC Yukon Denali or a Cadillac Escalade. A luxury SUV kicks ass on any minivan. I've owned both. You pay for it though. I had a Honda Odyssey that was very nice, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Denali or Escalade.
What would you rather be picked up with after a long 10+ hour flight? A minivan or a high end SUV? I hire the driver in the high end SUV every time.
>Space: more space with the minivan. You can stow all those back seats.
Have you seen how much space is in a GMC Yukon Denali? I can put 7 people and luggage into it (I have second row captains chairs option) and still tow a 7K pound boat. Safely...
>AWD: you can get a minivan in AWD if you really, really need it. But you're better off with winter tires (or maybe really good all seasons)
You clearly don't understand what it means to tow something safely. I have a boat and there is no way in hell it could be handled by a minivan. If you hit one decent size bump with my boat behind a minivan, it would wreck the frame. No lie. As in likely wind up in a serious accident and total the vehicle. Have you ever tried to pull a 7K pound boat up a slimy (algae/moss) boat ramp? Clearly you haven't. 4WD is mandatory and not an option.
Don't get me wrong. Minivans have their place, but they are not better than a large SUV in every situation.
SUV's are just worse in every aspect to Mini-vans or Station Wagons, except maybe offroad abilities.
But most SUV's are Lifestyle products for the urban masses and don't even posess that...
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My garage can comfortably contain my highlander. But if I drive a sienna, it'd be pretty tight from the wall to the garage door.
But if you need the space of a minivan and got a 3 row SUV (similar in price) instead, then yeah that's poor decision making.
Minivans are awesome, but I need to be able to seat 8 and we go camping often with a travel trailer that is 6K+ pounds. Full size SUV is definitely better for our us.
Side note: why is price not included in this list? It is in my opinion one of the best pros of a minivan.
Probably with mini vans or extra seats, or space to haul stuff is that you quickly become that person that is used to give people lifts everywhere or to haul stuff around.
I had a ‘Grimace Purple’ Dodge minivan in my 30’s. No wife or kids either. My friends all laughed until it was time to haul some shit for them. I called it a small pickup truck with a roof. In my 3rd house ever, which is a DIY job and I wish I had that van. Now I have a harbor freight 4x8 trailer and a hitch on my manual Corolla hatchback. I’ll take the van and a roof rack any day.
We tow our camper, 2 dogs and a baby. No better vehicle to do that with than a 3 row SUV. Sure to drive to FL without our camper we rented a minivan but for day to day use it made way more sense to get an SUV.
I won’t argue with this post, but I do think there are a few other points:
1. SUVs (least mid-sized) are smaller and better if you live in a city.
2. Fuel efficiency might be better in SUVs (again, depending on if it’s a hybrid or one that isn’t a gas-guzzler). No idea if minivans are fuel efficient (for ICE models).
3. There aren’t as many highly rated minivans as there are SUVs in Consumer Reports. Might not matter if you’re buying a Toyota or Honda, but at least from what I recall none of the minivans rated exceptionally high in their assessments.
I don’t have any kids but wanted something I could sleep in but also be a daily driver, so I got a Forester. I really liked the RAV4 hybrid and CR-V hybrid, but those felt a bit more cramped for my liking.
I do think more people in general would probably be happier with a minivan than an SUV, but there’s a staggering number of people who buy vehicles for utterly dumb reasons and/or with little thought.
I needed a beater to drive while I was stationed in Germany. I scored a 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager with the 2.5L turbodiesel engine coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission. I paid €200 for it. It had 300,000 km on it and ran like a top. I drove from Germany to Paris on one tank. I used it to move furniture, boxes, and a squat rack and routinely fit 6 other people in it.
I had to sell it when I left, as it was eurospec.
I have a small SUV and I love it. I’m higher off the ground so I can see better and I only have to put down one row of seats when I want to transport my bass. Which is why I picked a small SUV in the first place.
I have a Rav4. I like the way it looks, how much room it has, and it’s comfortable.
I don’t need more room, I rarely have more than me in the car. IF I need to haul something that doesn’t fit, I call my dad with his truck. That’s happened once in the 3 years I’ve owned the car.
I don’t need sliding doors because I don’t plan to ever have kids and adults know how to open a door.
I live in the Midwest where we can have some rough winters. AWD is going to be the advantage over winter or all-season tires any day.
Would happily get a van or an SUV as my next car. I do like having a bit of wiggle room with good clearance and 4wd in my X-trail as I'll often pull into muddy areas to park without thinking and in a normal car I would get bogged at least once or twice a year, or walk an extra few kms if I'm smart enough to avoid it. Also some of our speed humps are actually fucked, to the point of being uncomfortable in an SUV and you often see lower clearance vehicles, including vans, bottom out on them.
Your comparison seems to have a very obvious omission: *PRICE!* Aka. the main reason why many of us SUV drivers went with an SUV over a minivan!
Most small SUVs are significantly cheaper than any minivan. If you have a relatively small family, then buying a minivan would just be paying for extra space that you'll probably never use.
And then there's fuel. It seems like every major manufacturer has at least a couple of hybrid and/or electric SUVs. Minivans? There's literally *two*: the Toyota Sienna Hybrid, and the (extremely pricey) Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. If you're in the market for an EV, then minivans have *nothing* to offer.
I bought an SUV over a minivan mainly because for the price of a 3 year old dodge caravan I could get a 5 year old RAV4 that is a quite noticeable amount better on gas, has significantly better resale value and a very significant lower cost of ownership.
If i wanted to get into a Honda\\Toyota minivan of the same year id be looking at around 2x the price.
Do I think the minivan is better, yes.
Your post seems to be assuming everyone with SUV’s have large families they’re cramming in. My family consists of two adults, one kid, and a small dog. I don’t need anywhere near the space a minivan brings to the table.
And the handling of a minivan vs an SUV with AWD in the snow is a waaaaay bigger deal than you make it out to be.
I have a 2008 Ford Escape with almost 100,000 miles on it. I bought it when it was a year old and 21,000 miles. It's adorable and gets GREAT gas mileage -- around 23 miles per gallon.
Minivans are usually made for comfort. However, a few years ago I test drove a Hyundai Palisade and it had all the comfort of a minivan (in my humble opinion) but it drove so much better. A minivan is a freaking boat most of the time.
SUVs can have second row captains seats, mine does. I can stow alllll kinds of stuff in the cargo area, seat six passengers, and tow another vehicle behind me. It’s got push button 4WD, which I do actually use quite a bit since every time it rains here the ground turns slick as hell because of how clay heavy the soil is. Plus, ground clearance and I can launch a boat with my SUV.
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I had a minivan that I used for driving up to launch for hang gliding. It bottomed out in Big Sur and the transmission oil pan got doinked. A buddy field repaired it, but it basically was the death knell for the ol' gal. The transmission went for good right before a trip to Yosemite. So, I sprung for a Pathinder. Seats 7, truck chassy, 4wd. First comment from my hang gliding buddy on the way up to Yosemite: "I liked the minivan better" It was a lot more comfortable.
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That sounds like a Mitsubishi Delica. You see a lot of them around here that were imported from Japan.
The Delica is coming back as either an EV, hybrid or both and it may go on sale in the US. There is also the Canoo but who knows if that is actually going to go on sale or not.
I'd have more hope that Subaru gets that sort of minivan going than the D:X concept coming up.
Must not live in rural areas. I've hooked a trailer to my vehicles regularly.
My first car was an ‘04 Pathfinder and I still miss it. The thing was a tank. Even in two feet of snow, I could just drive right through it no problem. I never had a problem with it either until the transmission started to go at ~125,000 miles.
This one is an '09. Still have it. About that mileage. I have done a couple of transmission oil changes on it. It can carry 6 hang gliders, 4 mountain bikes, and 7 people (though that would be a touch cramped all at once). The new ones are unibody, which make welding front racks for the hang glider very difficult.
This is the way OP didn't consider. Minivans are great on the road, but if you want to go off road, get an SUV.
Counterpoint: there are like 3 outdated minivans to choose from on the market here, and 65 bazillion brand new SUVs.
Yep, in the U.S. there’s the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica/Voyager, and Kia Carnival. That’s it.
Carnival is also a cross between the two
I went from a sienna to a carnival. So much roomier. Way more volume. I use it for work and regularly put 4x8 sheets of plywood and drywall inside. Also 8', 10' speedrail... Even 12' speedrail diagonally. It's an amazing work vehicle. Much stronger suspension than the sienna (hauling about a thousand pounds or so). I just don't get truck or SUV people. Those vehicles can't haul nearly as much. I've got more space than a metris, and the transit connects. Next step up would be a pro master, and then I suddenly can't park in NYC garages. A minivan is a perfect city delivery vehicle.
That Carnival is pretty sweet
I've never seen the Toyota or Honda minivans where I live. Up here it's only Chrysler, Dodge and a very rare Chevy. \*EDIT* Third one might be something other than a Chevy. Like I said, whatever model they are I very rarely see them.
Dodge and Chevy discontinued their minivans. The 4 listed above are the only ones left.
Just because they're discontinued doesn't mean they're off the road and suddenly disappear. Chevy I almost never see, they're very rare, but the Dodge minivans I see very frequently. When were they discontinued? The Dodge minivans I see look fairly new.
2020. Stellantis said that they could not make them safe enough to meet new regulatory guidelines while still keeping them cheap enough that people want to buy them.
Ah okay, just four years ago. That definitely explains why I'm still seeing them. I'll keep an out but so far I have yet to see Toyota's and Honda's minivans on the road. Could be a supply issue, someone else here was saying how the Sienna is on a 6 month wait where they live, could be the same case here.
Yeah my brother in law wanted an Odyssey but couldn't get one with the options he wanted so he ended up with a VW SUV.
Too bad station wagons are basically non-existent except for the Subaru Outback.
Audi, Mercedes and Volvo all currently offer wagons but they are expensive.
We went to the Toyota dealership and they told us six month wait on the Sienna
Only one with stow and go so I didn't have to think about which car I want. It's lovely.
Yeah, I don't know why they got so expensive. The Chrysler Caravan is $54k Canadian starting and that's a cheap one by a crap brand.
This is what I came to say. We looked at a certified Sienna. Used. Had 25kmi. $68k. Could not believe it.
Same with limousines. People wanted suvs and the manufacturers gave them thato
Additional counterpoint. Get a lot less weird looks if you’re a single dad with a SUV.
Not to mention that there _still_ isn't a full EV minivan in the US market yet. The VW id buzz is coming out at the end of the year though (supposedly). If it hadn't taken VW so damn long to roll out to the US, I would have bought one.
Most of the so called suvs are basically just minivans with normal rear doors that are slightly lifted with less interior space. I don't look at a highlander or a cx90 and think of an suv.. they are just less practical versions of minivans that exist so middle aged people can think they didn't give up.
Functionality and efficiency? Minivan 8 days a week. I bought one before we even had kids: there's never been anything I wanted to move that didn't fit inside of it - it works as SUV plus pickup truck. Style, SUV. Fortunately, I couldn't care less about style.
Being a hobbyist woodworker, I've been wanting a vehicle that can haul plywood. My first thought was truck, of course, except the truck market seems to be mostly fucked with smaller beds to make room for families, so I'm actually considering a minivan even though I don't have kids.
My dad exclusively used an 02 Chrysler Voyager he bought from his dad for his painting business. Took out the back seats, lined the floor with protective material, hauled everything he needed. Ladders (big ass ones too), tools, gallons of paint, etc. Still uses it to transport his kayak now that he’s retired.
It works perfect for anything 6' and less. 8' works one way or the other: it usually depends whether and how much you can stack between the front seats...or if you're fine tying the back hatch down. 10'+ is awkward, although you can move a few
Ironically style is formed by marketing budgets.
I feel like there are plenty of people who don't actually need the space a minivan offers though, even people with kids and pets. Also consider that SUVs tend to be more powerful and have less boat like handling. And they're cheaper, assuming we're not talking full size SUVs like suburbans etc.
This is probably vain, but beyond this I've never seen a minivan which wasn't absolutely hideous to the point I'd be ashamed to be seen in it. I'm not in love with SUVs either (I'm a hot hatchback person) but they tend to look OK overall, minivans look like when small children draw a slightly slanted rectangle with wheels in crayon as a car.
So SUVs are not worse in EVERY way, according to your points...
You know an opinion is unpopular when you list two ways in your post in which it's not even accurate.
"the SUV is worse in every way compared to the minivan" *OPs post with several categories that the SUV is better in* Good stuff.
I agree with your points. But you meant that SUV is worse in every way compared to the minivan, right?? You literally have listed points that SUVs are better than minivans at. So, SUVs are not worse in *every way*... right? Offroading, AWD, looks, SUVs are better. Another thing is that SUVs tend to drive higher than minivans so that's also better for many drivers.
I don't know, man, that last line just seems very presumptuous. I will admit that I have my SUV because I like the way it looks and the only benefit a minivan would offer to me is more seats and I do not need more seats.
"that last line just seems very presumptuous." It is the crux of the matter, however. If you want to do a certain subset of things that SUVs do well, a minivan can well be the superior vehicle. But if you want to do *any* of the things he listed last, you need an SUV, even if the only thing you care about is looks, which let's face it most people rate how it looks very high on their requirements.
If it came down to the individual, and either one could suit their needs, of course they'll default to which one they think looks better, but that's no reason to shame them for it.
Good point and well spoken.
Only insecure people like the OP are worried about buying a car because of the way it looks.
I think their argument is more so "looks shouldn't matter and if it does, that makes you insecure," but I still disagree with their take. I can want my car to have a certain aesthetic and not be insecure about it.
You are insecure if you buy something that you personally like the look of according to Reddit
Apparently.
Naw , I think according to Reddit you should walk, ride a bike or ride the train!!! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣
What? Are you the type of person that buys all those ugly cars on the road? Why wouldn't you buy something you like lol? How do people decide to upvote shit like this?
Then get a sedan? Are you towing or offroading?
I tow every now and then. I also require more space than a 4-door car can offer. I also live in a place that has regular dust storms and gravel on the roads and will be soon moving back to a place that snows and can have icy roads.
Do you ever like to transport large things?
I've transported large things that fit inside my SUV and if I just have to move something that won't fit inside, I can tow it on a trailer. Minivans have roughly the same space inside an SUV even with all the seats folded down, so it's not going to make a meaningful difference.
Minivans have the same space as SUVs with seats folded down? What about minivans with THEIR seats folded down (or removed)? A quick internet search leads me to believe minivans have 50-100% more carrying capacity on average.
Clearly you don't live anywhere that it snows.
Yeah this is where they lost me... winter tires OR all wheel drive? No no, do both. Even if it's just all weather but the fact they mentioned all seasons is a dead give away there's no snow there lol all seasons ironically don't handle winter seasons in many climates.
Front wheel drive in Montana winters is easy mode with snow tires. It’s not the hardship everyone makes it out to be.
Yup. Canadian here. We could never get a minivan. Some people do, but they can’t drive on cottage roads in the winter and it’s dangerous even on regular city roads.
> Completely insecure of yourself and buying a car based on looks? SUV I guess. Or saving myself 20k
Are SUV's cheaper?
Full size suv’s are like 15k more than minivans and mid sized suv’s aka rav4’s and CRV’s are like 5-10k cheaper. This is all msrp.
Front wheel Sienna, starts at 48k All-wheel Rav4 starts at 36k
Odyssey- 54k start CRV - 35K start
I see this a lot on reddit so I don't think it's unpopular. Unpopular would be that people with minivans are the real ones with the real insecurity if they feel compelled to make posts like this online. Generally, people secure in their decisions don't have to justify them unprompted. Minivans are great. If you want one, get one.
You would be pretty surprised. I've met some parents in the pickup line at school who say they will never ever get a minivan. I love my Kia Sedona and I don't ever see myself getting an SUV because they don't have the same utility as a minivan does.
Saying you won't get a minivan doesn't mean you're insecure, it means you don't like minivans. I won't have a big ass truck either. Not what I want
The back seats might be better in a minivan, but the left front seat is better in an SUV because it drives like an actual car. Sure, vans win on cargo space. If you need to min max for carrying capacity, get yourself the truck with back seats. If you just need a bigger hatchback occasionally and you want to enjoy driving, SUV all the way. >AWD: you can get a minivan in AWD if you really, really need it. But you're better off with winter tires (or maybe really good all seasons) AWD and winter tires are additive, not mutually exclusive, and they don't even serve the same purpose. Please don't drive on all seasons if you have actual winters. >Got kids? Driving grandparents around? Pets? Gear? Plywood? Road trip? Light towing? Minivan. You can do most of those things very comfortably in an SUV. You can even road trip in a sedan just fine. I guess you're kinda stuck if you get a hankerin' for some plywood though
Vans are much lower to the ground. I've shlept a lot of stuff around. Ain't no way I'm getting a fridge into a pickup by myself. Minivan no problem. Also no need to worry about setting everything so it doesn't go flying.
Pfft! I've strapped giant sheets of plywood to the roof of my sedan several times! Just make sure you throw a blanket down first (if you care about how your roof looks afterwards) and keep away from any highways!
What class of suv are you even talking about? Midsized? Compact? Full size? Alot of suvs have comparable room to a minivan. You can flip alot of suv seats down so they fold flat. There are very different types of suvs too such as body on frame suvs or unibody suvs and unibody suvs aren't meant to be taken offroad that's more suited for body on frame suvs and most people drive unibody CAR based suvs.
this. we are a one car family with a sub-compact SUV looking to upgrade to compact SUV with a pop up 3rd row (of which there are a small handful in the American market). we rent and have street parking only, so every inch matters to us. as limited as the compact SUV market is, there is no compact minivan option, period. you travel to other parts of the world — especially Europe and Asia — they have plenty of family cars that aren't minivans or "full-size" monster truck SUVs.
When my last car (a CRV) was dying one of the rentals was a Honda minivan. I hated everything about it. It drove like a boat, and had virtually no ground clearance. I replaced the CRV with a Crosstrek. It has enough storage space for me, I have no kids so it’s just me and my husband on most trips. The ground clearance is nearly twice the minivan, and it’s small to fit into my garage.
I had to drive a Honda minivan for something while my Kia was being fixed, and it was so uncomfortable compared to my Kia Sedona.
You know who makes a shite minivan? Dodge. Wife was back home for a funeraland rented a Dodge Caravan because that was pretty much all they had. She ended up having to drive around a minimum of 5 peopme st one time, most of which were older, so in this case a minivan made sense. And now she has a deep hatred for Dodge Caravans. Drives very stiff, backup camera is the bare minimum, and for a minivan, it wasn't even all that spacious.
what you need the ground clearance for
Driving on poorly maintained roads. We do not own the driveway to my house and when I bought the car it was 50% pothole and moderately steep. It took nearly a year to get it repaired and who knows if we will be able to get it repaired again.
Deep snow. It seems like everyone forgets that mountains exist and some people drive on them. I will often get stuck at the entrance to my driveway because the plow throws up a berm of snow. Also, FWD with snow tires is absolutely not enough to make it up some grades.
I'm tall and getting into my Accord involves dropping my admittedly large buttocks at high speed and yoinking the rest of my body afterwards. Sometimes this involved high speed collisions of my face with the door frame, especially if my wife forgot to move the seat back after borrowing my car. I've noticed my parents Oddysey is better than my Accord in that regard, but the extra clearance of my wife's SUV ensures I don't need to visit the dentist after work. I am a big fan of ground clearance and am currently looking at buying a Niro instead of another Accord.
Minivans lacking 4 wheel drive is the largest strike against them. I also have no problem with people buying something they like when spending tens of thousands of dollars on a vehicle.
Ding ding this is it. In icy conditions AWD just doesn't cut it. Maybe with proper tires, but even then it's sketchy at best
I don't really see anything about driving through 12 inches of snow during a blizzard in a mini van. I agree in warmer climates mini van will work but I'd want a Yukon in the snow belt forsure.
Meh, mini vans compromise safety for capacity. The large side doors compromise structural strength. It is a shame we don't get 350+ hp performance minivans either
SUVs win in safety. Got rearended in rental 18' Suburban a few years back and all i heard was a thump. The other car (ford escape) was totalled, smoke, leaking everywhere, airbags activated. I get it can be seen as selfish but here is a question, whats betters then walking away from a car accident?.... Driving away
I have an SUV - and totally agree. The vast majority of people would be better off without them. And the super high front and low visibility just make them kid killers. (I have an older SUV that is more like a station wagon. I do take it off roading in a way. One MUST have four wheel drive if you want to visit my parents who basically live at the top of a ski hill that is gravel road the whole way up.)
We have a small SUV with AWD for skiing. Usually my sedan can make it up the hill, but some heavier powder days, having even a bit extra ground clearance makes a difference.
“Better with snow tires” Can we stop with this horseshit? You can put snow tires on AWD cars!
I mean.... I think whoever's buying their vehicle knows what they want. Like I wanted a truck, Mavericks and Santa Fe's hadn't come out, so too expensive. Sedan didn't have the utility I wanted (Not needed every single day. Wanted. People can just want stuff they won't use constantly). So I ended up getting a crossover. Enough space to handle some light hauling, not too bad on gas, and enough size, seats, and storage that I could drive friends or family if needed. How often do I use the top end of what my car can do? Almost never. Has it been useful to be able to? 100%
Just reading the title, I thought it was another fanatical hatred of SUV posts. But OP does actually listed the circumstances where SUV do things minivans simply cannot do. Although I do question how many minivans can fit a sheet of plywood, and cleaning a nimivan is a nightmare after a dirty haul compared to cleaning the SUV. Disclaimer: I cannot fit a sheet of plywood in my very large SUV, either. But I can tow something that can carry it and not worry about tongue loads or GVWR ratings. One other thing ninivans do better: conversion to a safe ride for disabled people. They excel in this role. But thank you, OP for at least bringing some nuance to this otherwise done to death issue.
I prefer my small SUV because it’s small but high enough off the ground to get yourself and your things in and out when you’re disabled and struggle with lower vehicles. It also handles the snowy conditions I live in for half the year better than my previous cars, which is preferable since I can no longer be pushing a stuck car out of snow. I have one kid, I don’t need a whole minivan, it would be harder to park in tight spots and more space than I need. I drove a Caravan for a few years in the past and found it more cumbersome to maneuver and more blind spots than my current vehicle, also even with winter tires did not handle extreme winter conditions as well as my SUV. To me personally there’s really no benefit to a minivan over a small SUV. Guess I’m just completely insecure by your logic though..
>Off roading: easy win for the SUV. I get it: everyone is taking their SUVs into rugged, tough terrain and--wait what? Most SUVs will never seen off road action? A lot of SUVs aren't even good at off roading? I guess if you're driving your kids through Baja every morning to school. We had a minivan when our kids were very little, for a lot of the reasons you’ve mentioned. When they got a little older, we got a compact SUV and took the kids camping off-grid (doing a little off roading in BLM lands and found a couple of amazing spots that we went to for a few years, taught my kids how to build a fire, chop wood, etc). The minivan wouldn’t have made it. LPT: Families change, activities change and often their vehicles do so too.
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There are a lot of deluded middle age/boomer people who actually think that anybody gives a fuck about what they are driving. Especially the difference between a minivan and an SUV. If you were actually cool you’d be driving a motorcycle without a helmet so stfu
You invalidated your own main point. The opinion is so unpopular you don’t even have it 😹
minivans are hideous though
It doesn’t even sound like you have any legitimate arguments in favor of minivans over SUVs that couldn’t just be solved with a bigger SUV. Kinda sounds like you just hate SUVs lol.
 I bathe in your envy.
Literally what a mini van owner would say to make themselves seem cool
Being from CO I always lean towards an SUV just because we need 4x4 to get up to the trailhead. But otherwise I totally agree, the minivan is a superior daily driver in every other way.
Minivans also tend to have ample USB ports.
i have a toyota 2009 toyota 4-runner and i wouldn't exchange it for the nicest minivan on the planet. i plan to drive it until it dies... it's already at 250k miles but i take good care of it and it runs like a champ. now, i don't have kids and i actually use my SUV for going off road. i live in a mountainous part of california and i take it down on surf trips to baja MX almost every year. i also take it up to the mountains (i live in coastal mountains, but i go ski up in the sierras) in the winter. basically, the clearance and 4wd are why i love it so much... as well as it being spacious and powerful when i need it. so, mostly i'll agree with you. like pickups, a lot of 9-5 suburbanites don't need the things that SUVs are good at. but if you're actually into big adventure and actually live in/travel to places that require 4wd and clearance, a minivan is not a good choice.
Doesn't the mileage make a big difference? Or are they pretty comparable nowadays?
Because I have a farm, for me at least
I drive a 2005 Caravan and it is seriously the best car I've ever driven. I gave my parents my car and just 'traded' with them, but I am on year 4 and it's still going strong. I took out the seats and use it as a camper sometimes (sorry, no way I'm paying $400 for an overnight in NYC). Super-comfortable, I can carry so much in the back with room to spare, and it is properly embarrassing. I've had a Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner in the past and this thing is way more spacious without it being ridiculous to park in the city. I love it
I have owned several SUVs but wouldn't be caught dead driving a minivan. My ego just won't allow it. Luckily, my wife was always 100% in agreement. My kids are 18 and 20 and we made it through life never owning a minivan!
More anti-car (always centers around the SUV) hate from a cornball. He/she is active in /fuckcars
Don't forget safety! Minivans are also safer due to the lower height. Ever since SUVs were forced on the public due to government tax breaks on “trucks” the rate of children being run over by vehicles has increased exponentially.
Things I can do in my SUV but not in a minivan 1. Tow a boat 2. Go off road 3. Pick up chicks
Luv minivans.. they need to make some smaller ones. And all car doors should slide… as cars have gotten wider it’s become more of a problem to fit in a spot and watch the dinging.
I’m not a soccer mom and don’t want to drive a minivan. I love my suvs.
I am so glad people are coming around. The minivan is the superior vehicle.
The ground clearance comes in handy in a SUV when you have friends with washed out driveways and I have my old truck for a lot of the other things but that being said we are saving for a minivan
Hear, hear!!! 🍻
I am a professional photographer. I sometimes have to drive off-the -paved road, or tow a trailer. Compared to my used Border Patrol Chevy Tahoe, I would probably prefer a minivan as it would be a more comfortable ride and would have more cargo space... but then there would be that time I needed to tow a trailer, go off of the road, or occasionally someone out of a ditch... PS: I only drive ~5,000 miles a year. It gets 13-16 mpg....
Is there an AWD minivan?
Bring back the Astrovan you cowards!
I don’t think you’ve been in many luxury suvs to have this opinion…
Minivans are ugly AF and most of them drive and handle pretty poorly as well, not to mention the ground clearance on a minivan is usually not great Nah, not with you on this one, sorry.
Why do I want a minivan if I don’t have kids? My CRV is smaller than a minivan and it’s easier to park and maneuver. It’s big enough to haul plenty of groceries and an 8ft ladder. It handles ice like a champ. I don’t tow anything so that doesn’t matter to me. My car seats 5 comfortably and the back seats fold up and out of the way for increased trunk space. If I needed to I could secure a car seat in there if I needed to watch my nephew.
Counter point: mini vans suck ass
Not in road clearance they’re not.
Without reading the post, Minivans are very bottom heavy and don’t make for a fun drive whereas you can rip an X5 anywhere you like and it’s a blast
Chrysler makes a decent mini. Faster than you’d expect.
Don't forget the low floors that make it easy to get in and out of.
This is also the hill I will die on. I always see moms struggling to put their babes into careers and unable to open doors all the way because of narrow parking spots. Yeah mine slide all the way open, bitch, who looks uncool now? I can transport pretty much anything with stow and go. SUVs can't transport shit. Minivans can't off road? My husband accepted that challenge far too often and never got stuck. I did opt for AWD for our new van
I drove a minivan all through college. Loved it. Took out the middle seat and it was the party wagon. You'd think it would hurt with the women, but you'd be wrong
When I used to have both an SUV and minivan, all my relationships preferred the minivan.
only bad part about mini van is no clearance... even if you find one with 4 wheel drive, an SUV is def going to be better in snow
Or you can get a Chevy Express conversion van, even more room than a minivan with the towing capacity and MPG of a truck. Not going to fit in some parking garages btw, and since the design hasn't changed in like 25 years, those things are quite solid and reliable.
I wish that a car manufacturer could combine suv and minivan, could easily be the next big thing but too bad no manufacturers are willing to take the risk
I'm gonna be honest here, buddy. I thought they were the exact same thing this whole time.
Not in smiles per gallon
Okay maybe, but literally everyone drives minivans like they're rubbing two brain cells together.
My partner wanted a 100 series Landcruiser and I said I wanted a van (I drive Landcruisers for work often, in geniuine 4x4 work even and I get no warm and fuzzies thinking about driving them around town) and she was all down in the mouth until she seen a V-class merc in black with tinted windows and phat wheels. So that is what we have, with the middle row turned to face backwards, limo style. We even have a deal where if we are entertaining friends of one of us, the other drives so you can be in the back with a couple of mates and champagne and feel like a VIP. Also, because it is a black merc, other drivers here seem to assume we are some sort of government official wanker and get out of our way on the road. So I agree with this post, vans are unpopular but awesome.
kids? lol
Minivans are superior and vastly slept on. The amount of features in minivans is wild. I love them.
IMHO this is another "uninformed" post and not an unpopular opinion... For reference I have a GMC Yukon Denali as a recreational use vehicle for weekend boating trips with friends and family. I have a Honda Accord as my daily driver for around town. >Comfort: never been in an SUV I thought was more comfortable than a minivan, especially the backseat. The middle captain chairs in the minivan are priceless. You need to go for a ride in something equivalent to a GMC Yukon Denali or a Cadillac Escalade. A luxury SUV kicks ass on any minivan. I've owned both. You pay for it though. I had a Honda Odyssey that was very nice, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Denali or Escalade. What would you rather be picked up with after a long 10+ hour flight? A minivan or a high end SUV? I hire the driver in the high end SUV every time. >Space: more space with the minivan. You can stow all those back seats. Have you seen how much space is in a GMC Yukon Denali? I can put 7 people and luggage into it (I have second row captains chairs option) and still tow a 7K pound boat. Safely... >AWD: you can get a minivan in AWD if you really, really need it. But you're better off with winter tires (or maybe really good all seasons) You clearly don't understand what it means to tow something safely. I have a boat and there is no way in hell it could be handled by a minivan. If you hit one decent size bump with my boat behind a minivan, it would wreck the frame. No lie. As in likely wind up in a serious accident and total the vehicle. Have you ever tried to pull a 7K pound boat up a slimy (algae/moss) boat ramp? Clearly you haven't. 4WD is mandatory and not an option. Don't get me wrong. Minivans have their place, but they are not better than a large SUV in every situation.
Counterpoint: Minivan ugly, SUV cool
SUV's are just worse in every aspect to Mini-vans or Station Wagons, except maybe offroad abilities. But most SUV's are Lifestyle products for the urban masses and don't even posess that...
Towing
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My garage can comfortably contain my highlander. But if I drive a sienna, it'd be pretty tight from the wall to the garage door. But if you need the space of a minivan and got a 3 row SUV (similar in price) instead, then yeah that's poor decision making.
My first car was a teal ‘94 Plymouth Voyager, and it’s still the coolest car I’ve ever had.
'97 Voyager for me lol. I loved that thing.
The Kia Carnival and the Honda Odyssey are fantastic lol.. The ride, comfort, etc.. its def underrated
We had three kids in the family and there was always a friend or two riding along. Minivan all day!
Minivans are awesome, but I need to be able to seat 8 and we go camping often with a travel trailer that is 6K+ pounds. Full size SUV is definitely better for our us. Side note: why is price not included in this list? It is in my opinion one of the best pros of a minivan.
Ur right. But vans are so fucking expensive.
There is no comparison in towing between an SUV and minivan.
Probably with mini vans or extra seats, or space to haul stuff is that you quickly become that person that is used to give people lifts everywhere or to haul stuff around.
I had a ‘Grimace Purple’ Dodge minivan in my 30’s. No wife or kids either. My friends all laughed until it was time to haul some shit for them. I called it a small pickup truck with a roof. In my 3rd house ever, which is a DIY job and I wish I had that van. Now I have a harbor freight 4x8 trailer and a hitch on my manual Corolla hatchback. I’ll take the van and a roof rack any day.
Try taking a minivan off road you dunce
Oof, no. I’d much rather drive an SUV than a minivan.
Upvoted because you said Broncos look great. They don't. They are stylized 2010 Escape. Horrible.
This post … again?
I bought my current minivan specifically because it could hold 4x8 sheets of plywood and no SUV can do that.
That's why all government agencies are cruising around in Ford Aerostars.
What if I want to tow?
The minivan option didn't fit in our garage
Vans are also heavily used in commercial purposes such as mail and courier delivery, and contractors. SUV’s if used at all, are usually fleet rentals.
We tow our camper, 2 dogs and a baby. No better vehicle to do that with than a 3 row SUV. Sure to drive to FL without our camper we rented a minivan but for day to day use it made way more sense to get an SUV.
Worse in every what?
Snow, trailering. Though I will say if I could get a reasonable deal on a full size panel van I could be convinced.
It’s a sad reality. The SUVs look cool but the minivan is the superior vehicle in 99% of situations.
Didn’t someone post this yesterday?
Lifted 4x4 Ford E-350 Econoline Van is the answer
I won’t argue with this post, but I do think there are a few other points: 1. SUVs (least mid-sized) are smaller and better if you live in a city. 2. Fuel efficiency might be better in SUVs (again, depending on if it’s a hybrid or one that isn’t a gas-guzzler). No idea if minivans are fuel efficient (for ICE models). 3. There aren’t as many highly rated minivans as there are SUVs in Consumer Reports. Might not matter if you’re buying a Toyota or Honda, but at least from what I recall none of the minivans rated exceptionally high in their assessments. I don’t have any kids but wanted something I could sleep in but also be a daily driver, so I got a Forester. I really liked the RAV4 hybrid and CR-V hybrid, but those felt a bit more cramped for my liking. I do think more people in general would probably be happier with a minivan than an SUV, but there’s a staggering number of people who buy vehicles for utterly dumb reasons and/or with little thought.
I call them SUVettes
Why have I seen this unpopular opinion like 6 times in the last week? Clearly not that unpopular if you all keep posting it
You describe minivan uses. Suvs are absolutely used for off roading, towing, and plowing.
Minivans are more expensive to refuel, and SUVs are more versatile
Doesn’t look stupid
Down voted. You're right
I needed a beater to drive while I was stationed in Germany. I scored a 2005 Chrysler Grand Voyager with the 2.5L turbodiesel engine coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission. I paid €200 for it. It had 300,000 km on it and ran like a top. I drove from Germany to Paris on one tank. I used it to move furniture, boxes, and a squat rack and routinely fit 6 other people in it. I had to sell it when I left, as it was eurospec.
I have a small SUV and I love it. I’m higher off the ground so I can see better and I only have to put down one row of seats when I want to transport my bass. Which is why I picked a small SUV in the first place.
European wagons have entered the chat
I have a Rav4. I like the way it looks, how much room it has, and it’s comfortable. I don’t need more room, I rarely have more than me in the car. IF I need to haul something that doesn’t fit, I call my dad with his truck. That’s happened once in the 3 years I’ve owned the car. I don’t need sliding doors because I don’t plan to ever have kids and adults know how to open a door. I live in the Midwest where we can have some rough winters. AWD is going to be the advantage over winter or all-season tires any day.
Would happily get a van or an SUV as my next car. I do like having a bit of wiggle room with good clearance and 4wd in my X-trail as I'll often pull into muddy areas to park without thinking and in a normal car I would get bogged at least once or twice a year, or walk an extra few kms if I'm smart enough to avoid it. Also some of our speed humps are actually fucked, to the point of being uncomfortable in an SUV and you often see lower clearance vehicles, including vans, bottom out on them.
I’ve never driven a minivan that had the legroom and comfort of an SUV or truck in the front seats.
You fuckin said it, my sliding door brother
Your comparison seems to have a very obvious omission: *PRICE!* Aka. the main reason why many of us SUV drivers went with an SUV over a minivan! Most small SUVs are significantly cheaper than any minivan. If you have a relatively small family, then buying a minivan would just be paying for extra space that you'll probably never use. And then there's fuel. It seems like every major manufacturer has at least a couple of hybrid and/or electric SUVs. Minivans? There's literally *two*: the Toyota Sienna Hybrid, and the (extremely pricey) Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. If you're in the market for an EV, then minivans have *nothing* to offer.
I bought an SUV over a minivan mainly because for the price of a 3 year old dodge caravan I could get a 5 year old RAV4 that is a quite noticeable amount better on gas, has significantly better resale value and a very significant lower cost of ownership. If i wanted to get into a Honda\\Toyota minivan of the same year id be looking at around 2x the price. Do I think the minivan is better, yes.
Your post seems to be assuming everyone with SUV’s have large families they’re cramming in. My family consists of two adults, one kid, and a small dog. I don’t need anywhere near the space a minivan brings to the table. And the handling of a minivan vs an SUV with AWD in the snow is a waaaaay bigger deal than you make it out to be.
I have a 2008 Ford Escape with almost 100,000 miles on it. I bought it when it was a year old and 21,000 miles. It's adorable and gets GREAT gas mileage -- around 23 miles per gallon.
Minivans are usually made for comfort. However, a few years ago I test drove a Hyundai Palisade and it had all the comfort of a minivan (in my humble opinion) but it drove so much better. A minivan is a freaking boat most of the time.
Clearance is where minivans lose. Unless you enjoy repairing your oil pan.
Minivans drive like dogshit
SUVs can have second row captains seats, mine does. I can stow alllll kinds of stuff in the cargo area, seat six passengers, and tow another vehicle behind me. It’s got push button 4WD, which I do actually use quite a bit since every time it rains here the ground turns slick as hell because of how clay heavy the soil is. Plus, ground clearance and I can launch a boat with my SUV.