Finding a vehicle that is right for you (and your family) can sometimes be a challenging task. There are a bewildering array of choices and options, and finding a vehicle that fits your needs can take some research.
In this article we’ll take a look at why a minivan may be a better vehicle choice than a traditional passenger car.
1. More Cargo Room
This is one of the reasons why most people buy a minivan, and it’s a significant one. Full-size minivans – like the Chrysler Town & Country, Nissan Quest and Hyundai Entourage – simply offer more interior cargo capacity than you’ll find in any other class of vehicle in their price range. Some cars (mainly wagons and large sedans) offer substantial amounts of room as well, but can’t compete when it comes to moving large objects and lots of cargo, in addition to still having room for passengers.2. More Space for Passengers
I’d wager that most people also choose a minivan for the ability to carry large numbers of people. Even the largest of sedans and wagons are sorely pressed to carry 6 adults, but most minivans do that with ease. For larger families, the minivan is simply the best option for carrying the whole crew along with you. This ability to carry so many people in comfort also contributes to the next feature that minivans do better than cars: save resources.3. More Fuel Efficient?
The ability for minivans to carry 6+ people has a huge benefit – it cuts down on the number of vehicles on the road, therefore reducing carbon emissions and lowering fuel costs. A Honda Odyssey EX-L with 7 passengers gets around 25-27 mpg on the highway. Move those people to two Prius hybrids, and you’ll get about 45mpg per vehicle – and will be consuming more fuel overall, paying more for upkeep on two vehicles and taking up two spots on the clogged freeway system. Now which solution makes more sense?4. Ease of Entry and Exit
Most cars are much easier to get into and out of than full-size SUVs, but I'd argue the minivan is tops when it comes to ease of entry and exit. A low step-in height and the ubiquitous sliding door make getting into and out of the vehicle a snap, and also faciliates the installation of child car seats. Here's a test you can try yourself: head to an auto dealer, then try installing and removing a child car seat from the second row of both a minivan and a car. Now imagine doing that with one arm holding a small child or bag of groceries. Sliding doors and extra room come in handy!- Category: Minivan Accessibility
5. Sliding Doors
I mentioned this feature in my SUVs vs Minivans comparison, but I'll restate my argument here. In my opinion, the sliding door makes entry into and exiting the vehicle a snap, can be employed in tight parking spaces that would trap people in vehicle equipped with conventional swing doors, and they help make minivans the vehicle of choice for those who need wheelchair access and other accessibility options. It's a superior idea for vehicle accessibility, and a feature cars simply don't offer.6. More Interior flexibility
Minivans are fast becoming family rooms on wheels -- just take a look at the swivel chairs and table of the new 2008 Chrysler and Dodge minivans. Sure, some cars and wagons have split-fold rear seats, but how many allow you to remove some (or all) of the seats in the second row? The Stow 'n Go feature in Dodge and Chrysler minivans is the best example yet of the superior seating flexibility of the minivan, and helps underscore how much more flexible minivans are in this department.- Article: Inside the Stow ‘n Go Seating System
7. More Entertainment Options
When it comes to keeping your passengers entertained, few cars can come close to matching the options most minivans have. Nearly all minivans feature a an optional rear-seat DVD entertainment system, while many full-size cars (or wagons) don’t yet offer that as option. And even more entertaining features are on the way: the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country will offer a dual-screen, two-source DVD system, as well as a satellite TV option.8. Safety First
With their strong resistance to rollovers and more agile handling, cars – as a class – have several advantages over minivans when it comes to active safety features. That said, most minivans – on average – tend to have more standard passive safety features than comparably-priced passenger cars. Here’s an example: The 2007 Kia Sedona EX has standard traction control and stability control, while the 2007 Kia Optima and 2007 Kia Amanti sedans only offer those features as extra-cost options.- Review: 2006 Kia Sedona EX
9. Low Operating Costs
As a general rule, minivans benefit from extremely low operating costs. These expenses run the gamut, from costs for fuel and insurance to vehicle maintenance and replacement parts. Many cars also have impressively low operating costs, but I’d challenge anyone to find a car that has the same interior volume and passenger capacity as a minivan and can also match their low operating costs.10. Minivan Choices
Minivans have evolved substantially over the years, with exterior designs that have gone from slab-sided boxes to the plethora of choices we see today. Minivans now come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from long-wheelbase (LWB) models such as the Chrysler Town & Country (with room for 8 passengers and plenty of cargo), short wheelbase (SWB) variants like the Kia Sedona SWB that feature a bit less room and improved fuel economy, and compact minivans like the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo that provide minivan flexibility in a smaller form factor.- Blog: Kia Rondo Makes North American Debut
- Review: 2006 Mazda5 Touring