Debunking the "Minivan Stigma"
Or maybe you've caught some news bits that say the dowdy minivan is being pushed out of the garage by cooler, hipper offerings that dump sliding doors and the minivan moniker in exchange for a fridge, a giant sunroof and a lack of stigma.
I tend to not care much what people think about the minivan (or those nifty sliding doors, for that matter) as I've found it to be a practical (and useful) vehicle for me and my family. It also appears that I'm not alone, as the auto site Autobytel found some interesting info from a recent survey of their site visitors.
According to the Autobytel poll, 79% of poll respondents say that minivans “Get a bad rap and remain appealing and useful.” They also see minivans as an attractive purchase option, with 73% believing that large SUVs are a less appealing family vehicle purchase. I'll be speaking with an Autobytel analyst in the near future to discuss their findings in more detail, but it's clear that the minivan as a category isn't going to vanish overnight.
Another interesting read is a recent op-ed column by Dave Smalley over at the The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, VA. Dubbed "Manly Men and the Minivan Paradigm," Smalley's article argues that "...a minivan signifies, in essence, that a man has put others in front of himself. For minivans are the most practical family vehicles ever invented. They are are designed, first and foremost, to haul kids, and to make their comfort and ease of access a priority."
Smalley's full article is definitely worth a read.
So what is your story? If you've chosen to thumb your nose at the so-called "minivan stigma" we all hear about, what are your thoughts about popular culture telling us what vehicles are appropriate to drive? Click on the comments link below and let us know what you think.