Are minivans still the best kid vehicles?

[Klutch9]

Something I've began to ponder recently, as my wife and I are expecting our first child any day now. Currently she drives the Fusion in my sig, which technically is a mid-size vehicle but is on the small side by current standards. I use the van in my sig strictly for work, so that's a no go for family use. Her car is big enough for one child, but because her car has been troublesome since new, and many dealers are offering deals on 2016 models, we're considering another minivan for family use. We really like crossovers, but honestly most of them offer no practical upgrade to what we have now, as many don't have a larger back seat (which helps when you have a carseat... those things are huge). Minivans typically have captain's chairs and a back row, so it seems like a no brainer. Just curious what you use for family transportation. Something like a late-model Tahoe maybe?

 

[CT8]

We had an 88 Camry and a 92 Toyota x cab 4x4 with our 2 children.

 

[440Magnum]

We never had a minivan, our daughter was grown and moved out before we had anything but sedans in the family. Minivans have a lot of practical perks- the sliding doors allow for easy access to the back "kid seating" area in any parking lot, for starters.

But they're actually HUGE vehicles these days ("mini" in the name is a leftover) which makes them fairly cumbersome in urban areas, and they have way more space and are a lot heavier than you need for just one kid. But, similar to most crossovers, they're still moderately efficient so its not like you're doubling your fuel bill over a midsize or fullsize sedan. If I had it to do again, I'd probably still do a sedan or SUV just because I loathe, despise, and detest front-wheel drive in any vehicle, but if I had had more than one kid I'd have probably gone with a van in spite of FWD.

 

[AIRJAC3]

4 months before my daughter was born I bought a 2010 Camaro SS and have had it ever since. I had her rear facing car seat in the back and now her forward facing. I've been on trips to the beach, aquarium, and zoo with her and when I was still married to my ex wife both fitting. And her jogging stroller in the trunk.

I'm not saying get a Camaro but I think pretty much any sedan or SUV in your case will be more than enough room.

Never understood why 1 baby = minivan. I could see if you had like 3 or 4 kids. But 1? Nope.

But to each his own I guess.

 

[edyvw]

Dad had Zastava 101 (predecessor of Yugo). All four fit in it, always vacationed in Croatia several times a year, car saw pretty much whole Europe with all of us.
So, basically, you can fit two kids COMFORTABLY in the fusion if needed. So your question is first world problem, so let's address it in that way (I know, got BMW for same reason since wife said my VW CC is TOO SMALL for a baby (had first in August) although I gave her same story of Zastava 101. Realized it is not worth of arguing).
So, I got BMW as compromise because I still wanted something that drives good, close to the car. You might change vehicle to some crossover like Edge. I heard new Explorers are not bad on the road to. DO you absolutely need bigger car? NO. But why not, right?

 

[Olas]

Most of the rest of the world are happy with a Ford Focus or VW Golf size car for a family of two adults and two kids.
The minivan size vehicles you mention are known as minibus over here with seating for 10/12 adults.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: AIRJAC3
4 months before my daughter was born I bought a 2010 Camaro SS and have had it ever since. I had her rear facing car seat in the back and now her forward facing. I've been on trips to the beach, aquarium, and zoo with her and when I was still married to my ex wife both fitting. And her jogging stroller in the trunk.

I'm not saying get a Camaro but I think pretty much any sedan or SUV in your case will be more than enough room.

Never understood why 1 baby = minivan. I could see if you had like 3 or 4 kids. But 1? Nope.

But to each his own I guess.


You are absolutely on point! Argument is: they are safe. [removed] They drive like POS, they brake like POS, and they handle like POS. Which of these is safe?

 

[WobblyElvis]

I've owned 3 full size GM passenger vans and 4 Dodge Mini vans. Served me well for, family and friends, vacation travel and construction projects. The question is all about your needs. Are you the type of person to need to move any lumber? A bigger family if your future?

With only one child there is no reason for a minivan, but family life has a way of growing.
Minivans are a very well thought out design and nothing can compete with them if you need the room. Rather comfortable as well. My kids have moved out but I still have one.

 

[weebl]

Depends on what your needs are. Both vehicles in our family fleet have taken our whole family places (wife and I, plus 3 kids), both in town and on road trips. One is a minivan, the other a midsize car.

The advantages of the minivan: kids aren't cramped close together, which equals less fighting, and therefore help keep mom and dad more sane. Room for the dogs to come along too, and lots of luggage room for longer vacations. Also useful when the kids and their cousins or friends are being shuttled somewhere.

The downsides are the obvious ones: more cumbersome to drive, and burns more fuel.

The advantages of the midsize car: much more fuel efficient, and nicer to drive. Worked even for a weekend getaway with a good sized trunk. Dogs aren't coming along on these trips, though.

The downsides of the car: may induce fighting if one or more of the kids are in a mood, and kids are cramped together, which can also start fights.

Positive or downside of the car, depending on your perspective: less junk can come along on trips, and no one else will be joining us in the car.

Of course, you also then have a bunch of other vehicle types to consider, again with their own sets of pros and cons.

How will you use the vehicle, and your personal preferences will be the top factors in choosing something that works for you.

 

[OneEyeJack]

When I was younger it was VW bus's. Can't afford one, anymore. Collectors have taken them away by paying outrageous prices for them.

 

[blupupher]

For 1 child, no, but if your planning on more, then think about it.

We bought a '05 Grand Caravan after we had our 2nd child. It is amazing how much junk you bring around when you travel with kids. We had a 2 year old and a new born. When we went to visit the in-laws 8 hours away the first time, we had a Trailblazer. Pretty big vehicle, but with 2 strollers, portable crib, all the clothing, other baby/kid stuff, our luggage, etc, the Trailblazer was packed full. We had to find a sitter for our dog (a small Boston Terrier) since we could not fit her and her stuff in.

I never wanted a mini-van. My wife did not either.
When we got it, we both loved it. Very practical, can haul a ton of stuff in it, not too bad on gas mileage on highway, and being able to bring 7 people in one vehicle was nice. It is super easy getting the kids in and out with the sliding doors. They sit at a nice height and are easy to get in and out of.
When we made road trips, we all fit comfortably (as well as the dog and her kennel), kids were separated so less fighting, trip was not as tiring since I had more room for the drive and most of all wife was happy.
Only reason we got rid of it was had some major repairs needed on it (steering rack needed replacement, engine tick that was turning into a knock and a few other things) and was not worth repairing IMO.

With the kids being older (8 and 10 at the time), we thought we did not need a van anymore (plus we had a 4 door truck), so we got the Scion.
4 years later and my wife is wanting a van again.

 

[901Memphis]

Sedan unless you have more than 2

 

[KrisZ]

For one child IMO pretty much any vehicle in the compact segment and above will do it, unless you have a huge child seat. In that case a mid-size sedan would be a minimum. We had no problems fitting in our Mazda 3 when we had two children.

Having said that, now that we do have a minivan, the difference is huge. The sliding doors are very nice, the opening is big and the raised up seats make it much easier strapping the kids in and out.
When compared to the new car based SUVs and CUVs, minivans still hold superior when it comes to hauling family and all the stuff that comes with it IMO with no gas mileage penalty.

 

[Bgallagher]

My wife and I have always traditionally driven SUVs but a minivan is a great thing if you have multiple kids and all the "stuff" that usually comes with them. If you can get over the stigma or driving one haha.

 

[Quattro Pete]

We have one smaller SUV and one sedan which has a smaller interior than your Fusion. With one kid, we get around just fine. No need for a minivan.

Congrats on the baby!

 

[WishIhadatruck]

I have 3 kids and have never had a minivan. Just make sure whatever rear-facing child seat you plan to use will fit behind the drivers seat, that is the big limitation in a car. Driver stays comfortable and the child is in the door right behind you for convenience. By the time you have 2 (if you do) the other kid will be facing forward on the other side of the car and the new infant will be behind the driver again. I used a Grand Prix and it worked well. The '01 fit the rear facing seat better however. When our 3rd child came along, I switched to Sunshine (now Diono?) Radian car seats as they are more narrow and rated to 80 lbs (not sure about current models). They made fitting 3 across much easier. Since the 3rd child we've also had the Roadmaster wagon which while a wide vehicle, the rear seat really isn't shaped to fit 3 across much better than the Grand Prix was although there is more room between the doors. I like having them 3 across as it leaves the entire rear of the vehicle for cargo. With a minivan you are often forced to use the 3rd row although some do have a smaller jump seat to go between the 2nd row captain chairs.

I now have a Suburban also but they still end up 3 across often as I have the rear full of bikes. If we take a 2-4,000 mile trip, they split up between the 3 rows and we don't bring the bikes.

I recently had to rent a Dodge Grand Caravan and really didn't like driving it. It was blown around in the wind more (worse than my Suburban) and had more side to side rocking over uneven roads than my cars. Of course that is kind of the bottom of the barrel in minivan technology. Unless you want a minivan for other reasons, I'd skip it personally. Many people love them however.

 

[sir1900]

First of all, congratulations are in order. My daughter was born in August 2015 and I cannot think of a title more rewarding than "Dad" so congratulations to you and your wife.

As for the minivan discussion, I wish we have a minivan. When our daughter was two months old, we hit the road in the Murano and drove 3500 miles round trip to visit my sister. The stuff we brought along was difficult to cram into the limited cargo space these vehicles offer. Had we owned a minivan, it would've been no problem. Plus, a minivan would've been more spacious overall than a crossover.

If you and your wife plan to do a lot of road trips, definitely consider a minivan. They aren't the most attractive vehicles, but the practicality can't be beat.

 

[bubbatime]

I have a 2 and a 3 year old. I bought a Town & Country when the 2 year old was born. The sliding doors are GREAT. Much easier to get the kids in and strap them in. Don't have to worry about door dinging the car next to it, dont have to bend over and hurt your back.

Most family folks that refuse to own a minivan are more worried about the image of the vehicle than the practicality of it. Wife and I both said we would never own one, but after driving one for a few years now, we will NEVER go back to an SUV or sedan. We have made several 3000 mile round trips. The extra room in the back just flat out beats anything else. Cribs, pack and plays, 4 or 5 suitcases, bags of toys and food. All that stuff would never fit in a sedan or SUV. They also get 30-50% better gas mileage than most comparably sized SUV's.

And about all the people commenting that they never owned one or needed one because they strapped all 7 of their kids into a Fiesta, sure you can do that. Same as a Chinese guy that straps his 4 kids, wife, and goat to his scooter. But if you can afford it, the minivan makes life a lot easier.

 

[supton]

The older minivans weren't so huge, and were more practical. I mean, kids beat stuff up, so why spend gobs of money?

With 2 kids we decided to skip--3 and we'd have the minivan. Sedan works for us, although we always sweat when they open their doors. Although ours are out of diapers, playpens, strollers, etc--those first couple of years are ridiculous, the amount of stuff that gets toted around.

 

[Andrew1972]

Yes and way better then a Tahoe.

If I could do it over I would have gotten a minivan on kid no 2. With 3 it's hard in midsize SUV if we have to carry cargo. They fight 3 across. My wife jambs three across in a 2005 Legacy wagon turbo she won't give up. It's same width maybe as current Civic with a hump for middle.