wheel_of_steel

The difference between a minivan and an SUV is only ride height and a (usually) pretend 4WD system. These are not features that are relevant to moving a family and their stuff.



Get these instead, they are all of them practical, safe, good on juice, and cheap to buy.















I don't know if you americlaps even have an equivalent, I know the crown vic doesn't come in a wagon. Here in aus, the perfect family car is the ford falcon wagon. You can get ex fleet models for pitifully cheap, they all have a big, lazy 4.0 DOHC straight six, most are on LPG or dual fuel from factory, you can tow 3.5 tonnes, and they will easily do over a million kilometres. It just doesn't get any better.























straya

Tibbi

Nissan Stagea Autech (RS260)





/thread

Stocker

There, I fixed it for you.

wheel_of_steel

Yeah, but what does 4WD/ride height have to do with any of that? There is no need to jack up a wagon or minivan for family use.

Tibbi

I have to agree on this one. A proper wagon has as much, if not more (in some cases), space than an SUV. In the sole/exclusive event that there are more than 2 children present then a minivan is warranted, but at no point is there a need for an SUV. Now, out where I live I have a lot of neighbors that do have proper SUVs with both right and reason. In fact, in one neighborhood we were looking to buy, even the Accent couldn't clear the obstacles in the road and to just get in/out of the area you have to pass over a concrete lake spillway. In that case a good 4x4 is the ONLY option. Buy a truck if you need a truck, but buying some shitty, trendy, useless crossover that hold no purpose aside from pretending to rugged, is just a waste of damn money and time. The cargo, passenger and above all else safety gains in those as I have pointed out MANY times here, are simply perceived and false. Facts and number do not lie. You people have been brainwashed; lied to.





Now, you came at the situation from an entertainment/recreation perspective I would have a lot more respect for the decision.

tibbytib

I drove a Mazda cx-5. Really nice. Lots of room. The AWD version was averaging 30 MPG over the week I drove it. Looked to have plenty of room for a large family. I was impressed.

pas1216

Question for Wheels and Tibbi.......



Do either of you have kids of your own?

WytchDctr

I have a big family and there are few cars.. if any now.. that could hold us all when I go somewhere so I went with a minivan, why.. because I like having some space in the back. Many of the SUVs with the third row have zero trunk. Unless its a Tahoe, but I don't hate polar bears that much.



On the crawling through a tunnel to get sleeping kids with a wagon or car.. gotta agree with Stocker; the minivan/SUV has an edge when it comes to moving babies and their stuff around. That was coming from having a Mazda5 for a bit and that is a pretty tall carwagonvanthing.





I have owned the Sienna and the Odyssey (still have that one)



The Honda has big a big pile of crap. In addition to being a better built vehicle I preferred the way the Toyota felt.. it might not be to big of a difference, but the Sienna felt more nimble and the brakes inspired a lot more confidence than the Honda's do.



Between those two minivans I would say go Sienna.

i8acobra

I would suggest a Quest. Not just because I work for Nissan, but because I've driven all 3 (and also newer Caravans as well as the original 4-banger K-Car Caravan).

WytchDctr

Ill be looking for a new one very soon. My wife actually likes the NV... but Ill take a look at the quest. Not going back to honda after that thing in the driveway right now.