Minivan or SUV?

Shelley-Bean · April 2010

Reading a previous post, someone posted that a minivan was better than getting an SUV. Right now, we have an SUV and a 2 seater pick up (which we're going to have to sell so DH will be able to bring the kids around, too.) What are your thoughts on minivan vs SUV?

ashleywebber · April 2010

A lot of people say they won't be caught dead driving a minivan and then when they get one they can't imagine life without it.

When we wanted to get a new vehicle, I thought about it a lot and thought power sliding doors would be safer and easier. Plus it drives smoother (more like a car where a SUV drives like a truck). Little kids (my son was 3 when we got it) can get in really easy. I am even happier I got it now that I am having twins and an almost 5 year old. The twins will go in the middle Captain's chairs and my son will slip in and sit in the third row. It has stow and go seats so I can make the van anyway I want it including putting all the seats down when we have big purchases. There are also crossovers that my husband is probably going to get when we upgrade to be able to drive the kids around in also. SUVS are nice but there are more pros IMO for vans.

RobynK · April 2010

I have an SUV which I LOVE (Expedition) -- but those automatic sliding doors on a minivan would be so, so, so nice!

I've never had any problems getting the kids in/out and I leave the 3rd row down 90% of the time so I have an insane amount of room in the back. I do just wish I had those sliding doors, otherwise I have no complaints about the SUV.

mbjmaybebaby · April 2010

We just bought a Hyundai Santa Fe last summer and now we are looking to sell it to buy an Odyssey (don't think we can fit 3 car seats in back). I've heard nothing but raves about the Odyssey but I do love my Santa Fe.

jcthomas1281 · April 2010

I am not ready for a van. I just can't do it. My friend who has twins had a van and I hated even riding in it, though she swore by it. I just got a giant SUV, Lincoln navigator (used). Its a gas guzzler like you wouldnt believe but everything I need is within like 10-15 miles so I rarely fill it up. It seats 8 and has a dvd player and rear climate controls. Its a little harder than a van to get in and out of the back seats, but not by much. I will eventually prob get a van, but until then I will fight the good fight!

Mrs.OL · April 2010

I am that person that said I'd "never" get a minivan! Well, we're shopping for one now! We bought a SUV last year. It is so much work getting DS in and out of the SUV, I can't imagine getting DS and twins in and out! No way...sign me up for automatic doors, lower seating and more room.

Temp159135562506975 · April 2010

with just 2 kids- sure you can do an SUV - but it's SOOOO much easier with a minivan and automatic doors - and having much more room than an SUV.

I was one who said "i will never drive a minivan" and then i had kids and I also happen to get a free company car - and the biggest choice avail was the minivan - so i picked it- and now i love it. I wouldn't ever deal with 2+ babies in an SUV - maybe when they are alll older, getting into the car on their own, etc - but not as babies needing car seats buckled, etc.

WaitingOnTwoPinkLines · April 2010

RobynK:
I have an SUV which I LOVE (Expedition) -- but those automatic sliding doors on a minivan would be so, so, so nice!

I've never had any problems getting the kids in/out and I leave the 3rd row down 90% of the time so I have an insane amount of room in the back. I do just wish I had those sliding doors, otherwise I have no complaints about the SUV.

Not a MoM, just lurking, but I had to say that I second the Expedition. We just got one this month (though we had one several years ago) and I love it. I have a 4 year old stepdaughter, and we have a large Britax seat (Frontier) for her, but I am more than confident that I can fit two more Britax seats in the second row. We had the older Expy when she was little, and it was still great I also leave the third row down, unless I need someone to ride back there. We also have 3 dogs, two medium sized and one large, and so they ride in the back with the seat folded down.

Also, I got the Expy with the King Ranch package. The seats are made out of saddle leather instead of regular seat leather, which means they hold up much better to rowdy kids and dogs

I have no problem with minivans, in fact, I drove one in HS. But for our family, the Expy was a better choice.

keg · April 2010

Huge, huge, huge fan of my minivan! The automatic sliding doors are fabulous and it makes getting kids in and out a breeze. Not to mention that even with our third row up, we still could fit three double strollers in the back. Particularly when DDs were little, it was helpful to be able to get from the front seat to the back seat without getting out of the vehicle. There were several times I pulled over in parking lots to feed fussy babies or the like. We also were able to pack up for a week at the beach for our girls when they were 6 months old, plus the inlaws, with only a soft top roof carrier. Yup, 6 in the van plus tons of stuff and it worked great. Go for the minivan!!! We got our used, but if you can get a newer model, the windows in the back seat even go down. How cool is that?

thiswillbe · April 2010

We just bought a used (2007) Odyssey and I think it is going to be a great vehicle for us. Being able to get from the front passenger's seat to the back seats to tend to the kids in an emergency was important to us (the twins are on apnea monitors and have issues that require immediate attention when they arise)-- there wouldn't be any way to do that in a SUV. Plus, the middle "plus one" seat between the captain's chairs is large enough for me to sit in when the twins need to be tended to on a long car ride (not sure if you could sit in between the 2 carseats in an SUV).

Rangergal9 · April 2010

We looked at bigger SUVs but there just wouldn't be enough room for 3 car seats going across and you can't access the third row with two infant seats in the middle seats. So we are going with a minivan. We'll probably get one before July because we have some stuff my family is giving us so we need room to bring stuff back. Plus I can't wait to have all that space!! We also have a dog, so it just makes sense, 3 kids and a dog, plus we travel from MA to NJ many times a year to visit family.

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