Why Do people Hate Minivans So Much?

[Wadecool]

Mini vans are safe and efficient and serve their purpose well. I have no idea how large SUVs gained a reputation as cool vehicles. Real car people laugh at things like Escalades and Navigators. You're driving something based on a pickup truck. Me, I have a station wagon that goes 190 MPH.

The CTS-V is a sweet ride. Did you see the episode of Top Gear recently with the CTS-V wagon. Very cool!

 

[AverageDiser]

Personally, I just don't like the way minivans look. I had to laugh at the whole suburban thing though, as a pp mentioned, around here suburbans & the like are the "yuppie" minivans. Luckily with just my daughter and me, I can choose pretty much whatever I like.

 

[thehowells]

i am in the anti "loser cruiser" crowd

we have a ford flex, 7 passenger, all wheel drive, way more space than a mini-van, but actually has luxury feature

 

[NikitaZee]

Nope, no mini vans for us, ever. Ugly, ugly, totally uncool, ugly. (IMHO). Just because I have kids doesn't mean I want to look like my life revolves around carting them and their stuff everywhere (which it doesn't) - and I don't necessarily want to have extra seats to cart their friends around either. 5 seater SUV is perfect for us, and doesn't have middle-aged soccer mom written all over it.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I have a Toyota Sienna and while I don't love the way minivans look, it was the practical choice for our family. Previously we had a Dodge Grand Caravan. We drove to Alaska and back twice in that thing and it was incredibly comfortable and convenient. DH is 6'6, DS15 is 6'5, DD12 is 5'6 and I'm 5'6. The only other option for us is a huge SUV which I can't see paying for it OR the gas to put in it. The crossovers are super cute, but still not enough room for us.

 

[kacaju]

I have a mini van because it is what works for me. We show dogs. A few weekends ago we drove up to MA for shows. I had 3 dog crates in the van. I have a Town and Country with the stow and go seating. We were going out to dinner with friends..I was able to take the crates out...flip the seats up. Take 5 people to dinner and come back and flip the seats down and throw the crates back in the van. This is why I love my van

 

[java]

I am a middle aged soccer mom- who am I trying to fool. So yes I drive a mini van.

I don't love it. But with our family of 6 is the affordable option we have. I wouldn't switch to a gas guzzling SUV just for the cool factor, but I would like one for the winters. The minivan has front wheel drive which is ok. But I would like 4wheel drive options.

But for now it's what works for us.

 

[Iott Family]

Wow! I am loving reading this thread

We are a family of 6. Have owned a suburban, loved it! Have owned a pacifica, very little storage room with the third row. Currently we own a Honda Odyssey
and a small SUV with 4 wheel drive. I love my odyssey for skirting kids across town. Its fully loaded with leather, nav, heated seats, dvd, etc. Our suv is currently up in Wisconsin with DH while he is working on a project at Ft McCoy and he is loving the 4 wheel drive But in the summer we will be using the suv to haul our kids, gear and camper and the mini van will be left at home.

P.S. I dont feel ashamed to be in my "momhood" years and driving a minivan
makes these short years convenient to haul all of us on a daily basis. However, I refuse to wear those high waisted, butt flattening mom jeans Because I am way too cool!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

We had a minivan for a bit and ended up trading it in for our SUV. I do like the Town and Countrys I think if I had a nice mini van we might of kept it.

 

[Pikester]

It's always nice to hear others opinions on different subjects. I think what gets people upset is when the terms "Ugly", "Uncool", etc are used to describe something that someone really likes. That could be said for anything. Hearing that someone doesn't like a mini van because they don't like how it rides or that they feel it's sluggish is ok because it has to do with the way the vehicle is made not the "taste" of the buyer.

My first car was a 2dr Plymouth Turismo. Great for someone just starting out. When we decided to start a family we traded in my car for a 4dr Chevy Corsica. Plenty of room to fit a kid and one more if we went in that direction (We did) but soon realized that while we could fit the people there wasn't much space for the "stuff"so we decided to buy a mini van. We went with a used Dodge Grand Caravan. Loved the space! We could fit 4 people with plenty of room in the third row and in the back to haul stuff plus we had the room to fit more people in it when just traveling around our area. It wasn't long before the Caravan started to break down (DH does not like the Dodge) and was costing more to repair then a monthly payment so we bought a Toyota Sienna. We looked at the Honda Odyssey but the price point was more then we could afford. We've driven to FL from NH 3 times with the Sienna and will be doing so again at the end of Feb. We fit four people and all of our luggage without being crammed in there. We are adding a 5th person for this next trip so we'll have to see how it all works with that many people and that much stuff(enough stuff for 8 nights). Last Summer I had 6 people and 4 suitcase fitting comfortably from NH to Long Island.

I guess what I like the most about the minivan is that I can fit both people and stuff. I looked at SUVs and while I could fit plenty of people and I could fit plenty of stuff it felt like I couldn't do both at the same time. Maybe I was just looking at the wrong ones.

 

[luvmy3]

We're on our second Subaru Forester and adore it. The minivans we looked at way back were all noticeably underpowered and sluggish, and many had some bad handling characteristics. We've got nearly the room of a minivan, all-wheel drive (which has been a great comfort on more than one occasion), good mileage, and the darned thing looks cool, too.

We don't hate minivans, but Mrs. Tex and I have just never really seen ourselves as minivan people, and with only one child (who's in his own Scion now) we haven't had to destroy our self-image.

Interesting thought. I guess if you a person who tied your self image to the kind of car you drive a mini van would definetly be out, but then I see the words Subaru Forester in your post, and think that you must not really care about your self image all that much. Where I come from, the Forester is just as common with soccer moms as mini-vans are. Maybe where you are its different, but around here if you aren't going for the suburban SAHM or SAHD image you don't drive a mini-van or a Subaru Forester.

 

[violetrose]

I couldn't care less about "cool" and I love minivans. Very versatile. Take the seats out and have almost a cargo van. Seats in, transport 7 people. I can see all around me. When it dies, I will prob get a small car as my kids are grown. I will miss it, would like to always have one!

Same here. My youngest is 17 and my older two are grown but I'm driving my mini van until the wheels fall off!

When it dies I will probably go smaller to save on gas, but I won't be happy about it. I've has 2 mini vans that have lasted me a combined total of 22 years and counting (one Toyota, one Town and Country - the Toyota far and away the better of the two). Although mostly used for hauling kids, their friends and their sporting equipment, we've also used it a lot to move furniture or other large items that we would otherwise have to hire a moving truck for.

 

[PeterPan09]

As someone who has never had a need for one, I have a different reason for disliking them. The head of the driver turned around towards the back seat dealing with the kids and the DVD player or the games they're playing or the behavior problem means said mini-van is going to end up in my lane. Of course, that could happen in any vehicle with children in the back seat, but when I see a mini-van, I can guarantee it's going to happen.

I still have to wonder why people with one or two kids actually needs a small bus to travel around-you used to be able to do that in a sedan and it took 3 or 4 kids before you even bought a station wagon.

 

[SC Minnie]

No mini van here. Couldn't do it. We only had 1 child but if we had had more than 2 we would probably have bitten the bullet begrudgingly. We have a crossover SUV with 3rd row seats now and I have my convertible.

 

[Acklander]

I still have to wonder why people with one or two kids actually needs a small bus to travel around-you used to be able to do that in a sedan and it took 3 or 4 kids before you even bought a station wagon.

When I was growing up we would just pile kids on top of more kids. Plus the front seat was a bench seat so you could squeeze one (or 2, if tiny)more in there.
Now, with each kid needing a booster seat until they're a tween and no kids in the front seat, you would need to move to something larger, sooner.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

We've had our minivan for 10 years and LOVE it! I could care less about the "cool" factor or wether it looks "nice". We even had a station wagon before so I don't care what people think.
It is so big and has come in so handy, I can't imagine being without it these past years.
We've loaned it out to friends who's SUV weren't big enough when they needed to haul big stuff.
We brought our DD to college with all her belongings- and believe me she took everytrhing with her!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I think Minivans are ugly. Plain and simple even the Mercedes one! I will always drive Jeep. We are a Jeep family, even my parents. if you can't fit it tin a jeep you have too much stuff.

I also find most Mini van drivers to be the most reckless on the roads. They are too occupied with attending to the crew in the car or you have guy who has given up everything cool and is now driving it like a tank 90 MPH on the highway.

Cheaper or not I'm not about to get a mom mobile just because I am one. I can still have a good looking car and be a mom.

 

[luvmy3]

When I was growing up we would just pile kids on top of more kids. Plus the front seat was a bench seat so you could squeeze one (or 2, if tiny)more in there.
Now, with each kid needing a booster seat until they're a tween and no kids in the front seat, you would need to move to something larger, sooner.

Exactly, we used to all pile in the backseat, sit in eachother's lap or even on the floor. The good ole days when you could fit 10 people in a car meant for 5.

 

[mjkacmom]

As someone who has never had a need for one, I have a different reason for disliking them. The head of the driver turned around towards the back seat dealing with the kids and the DVD player or the games they're playing or the behavior problem means said mini-van is going to end up in my lane. Of course, that could happen in any vehicle with children in the back seat, but when I see a mini-van, I can guarantee it's going to happen.

I still have to wonder why people with one or two kids actually needs a small bus to travel around-you used to be able to do that in a sedan and it took 3 or 4 kids before you even bought a station wagon.

One of my friends traded in her jeep for a vehicle to seat 8, and she has an only child. In order to participate in carpools, you need to have the seating. Now, if your child's activities tend to revolve around gaming, you're okay with your speck. However, most people are schlepping to practices, games, and classes, and it makes life much easier to carpool. We are driving kids here and there on a daily basis, and usually my 7 passenger van has every seat filled.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't like minivans because they are big and bulky and hard to manuvuer and guzzle gas.

Same goes for large SUVs. A crossover I wouldn't mind, but when I've driven a full minivan it felt like driving a U-Haul. No thanks.