Thanks for owning up, Kurt! I’m a 22 year old guy, and I proudly drive an 07 Dodge Grand Caravan. It gets 27 mpg on the highway, loaded with luggage. What’s wrong with that? I also mow lawns on the side, and I have a trailer hitch that I haul a 5×10 trailer with no trouble at all. It’s comfy, spacious, and overall the best bang for the buck. I’m also a musician, and I can haul all of my gear and 4-7 people in addition. It’s a fine product, and I will buy another in a heartbeat when this one dies. I heard the “Hey there soccer mom” jokes from my co-workers and such, but I still think it’s a great choice. When I go somewhere with my friends, I get “we all riding in your van right?” You got to get over that stigma of “being cool” sometime in life. I think Minivans will make a BIG comeback when they become hybrids/alternative energy. Why not? (Unless you need a truck of course …..)

Kurt - You are, evidently, much too young to remember the original and coolest ever minivan, the VW bus. It was the essence of cool and no one would demean anyone who drove one as being less manly. I remember a bumper sticker that was often on the back of brightly hand-painted VW vans, “Don’t laugh, your daughter could be in here!” Many of your generation were conceived in a VW van. Of course, modern minivans have been suburbanized and conventionalized and, sadly, have lost their edge but that doesn’t mean it has to be that way. Individualize your ride! Make it special!

Beenthere: I’m only a smidgen too young. One of my uncles and his wife (my aunt, of course) had a VW van and yes, it was wicked cool. I’m not prepared to discuss whether any of my cousins were conceived there.

I can also say that my aunt was super cool because she saw the Beatles at Shea Stadium…but that’s something for another talk of the day.

1. You can’t see through them or around them when you are driving behind them.

2. They take up too much room in parking spaces which leaves little room on either side for people to get out of their cars if you park next to one.

3. I have almost been sideswiped by more minivans than any other type of vehicle. Bad blind spots? Who knows?

Other than that they are just peachy. To each his own…..

Gina: I get it…but I think you’re missing the point of my question: How is that any different from SUVs? I have the same experience with them. Why, for so many years, did SUVs get all the luv and all the cool — but minivans never did?

I think the source of the minivan’s “uncool” reputation has to do with it’s being primarily favored by people who have children.

Some people (if you can believe it) think it is the height of “uncool” to buy a vehicle based on the needs of a growing family, hence the “soccer mom” snipes.

Also, Dodge Caravans like the one I owned years ago (a ‘91) were mechanical nightmares, and Chrysler had a hard time overcoming that reputation.

Minivans, especially Dodge minivans, are the worst made cars that a person can find, from electrical to engine to body, you’ll have major issues.

Car companies actually care about how their SUVs reputations are, but they just slap minivans together while half asleep it seems.

CP - Two phrases - Ford Explorer……Firestone/Bridgestone tires. People get over that perception eventually. Today I turned over 30k miles in barely a year…..no mechanical issues (and bridgestone tires to boot), but all things manufactured are subject to the human equation. I’m pretty sure Dodge/Chrysler products are not the worst thing running on four wheels. It all boils down to preference.

Thanks!

the other day I saw a minivan driven by a man and there was a stylish tribal decal across both sides. I just thought “it is still a minivan, no matter what you try to do with it”

They are always mommy wagons to me.

You crack me up, Kurt! I did see that scene, and was impressed at the maneuvering you can apparently do in a minivan.

There’s nothing wrong with minivans! Mom and pop still have one. I learned how to drive in one (the venerable Dodge Caravan “Extended Cab”) and was able to cart my buddies back and forth from the movies in it! How cool is that? Okay, so I wasn’t the captain of the cheerleading squad in high school, but I wasn’t stuffed into lockers either, and for me and my tastes, mom’s minivan held a dorky appeal. I embraced that! I kind of like the Odyssey ads with the psychedelic colors and music hearkening back to the 70s that poke fun at the evolution of the minivan from hippie bus to mom-mobile. To me, today’s minivan is a more honest version of the SUV. The minivan and the SUV are both going to pick up the kids from soccer (softball, play, speech and debate club) practice, but at least we know the minivan isn’t going to pretend it’s doing some off-roading on the way there.

Unfortunately for both the minivan - and its hipper, maybe even more macho, cousin, the SUV, they are gas guzzlers. As long as prices hover around 4 smackers a gallon or more, they will both be on the endangered vehicle species list, while mom and pop learn how to load all the peewee t-ball team gear into the Prius.

I have had 3 and my ‘03 is the best one yet. It was going to be our “last one” but it seems maybe next year I will do it again. My friend has a Toyota van and the new Chrylser/Dodge seems to compare. Now if somehow either one can come up with a gas answer (even though my van gets gets great gas mileage in comparision)

p.s…..My dodge minivan takes up less parking space than your nomal SUV.
Escalades/larger SUV’s etc. its just the person parking it. I have noticed that most malls that have parking lots as an “after thought” the spots are smaller. A friend of mine has a toyota prius and complains about whomever parks because of the re-sizing of parking spots.

I had a Dodge minivan in the late 1980s and early 1990s and I loved it! The purchase price was reasonable, the gas mileage was good, and you got to sit “up high” so that you could look over and around the trucks and cars trying to pass you at 80 mph! Best of all, it had enough seats for our entire family of 7! We once took a trip all the way to California and back (a 19 day trip) with all seven of us in the car, and it worked out great (well, okay, I wanted to pull my hair out several times a day, but that was not the fault of the minivan!)

But, all good things come to an end. Just as the station wagon was eventually replaced by the minivan, so too, the minivan was ultimately replaced by the SUV. I think that part of the reason was that most men did not like driving “mini” vans at all (even the name sounded wimpy!) They liked driving SUVs because those vehicles were built on truck chassis — so male drivers of SUVs could rationalize that they were “really” driving a truck, not a wimpy van made for women and kids. Also, some women liked it because it was sturdy — there were fewer “roll-overs”, and if you did get hit, you were less likely to be seriously injured than with the thin-walled minivans.

So that’s the story of how the SUV surpassed and chased the minivan off the road. But that was before today’s high gas prices. So who knows — with any luck, the minivan may make a strong comeback — here’s hoping!

for many years the chrysler minivan has been the # 1 minivan all others tried to copy ford plant in hazelwood had one they took apart by far the best for many years it replaced the old station wagon and was easy to see out of so it got the nickname catholic sports car ( kid hauler ) gm and ford wish they had it they did they copied it horray chrysler

I drive a mini-van because i choose to,,,,,Good ride, look’s good,,,Don’t really give a darn what people think, i like it,,,

Kurt, you have outdone yourself with this topic. I like it.

I vacationed in Hawaii for many years after I finished my construction season. I am cheap. Rather than pay for a U drive. I bought a 1967 Volkswagen van for $500. The previous owner gave me a manual. The manual said, “If the red light for oil comes on. coat to stop. I was driving up Haleakala Mountain and the sun was shining on the instrument panel The engine seized.

The Volkswagen dealership wanted $1200 to repair it. I said, “NO”. I went in a parts house and inquired about buying a new engine. The salesman laughed, and asked, “Can you read?” I assured him that I could.

He walked me over to a rack of manuals and picked up, “The Idiot’s guide to a Volkswagen” He carried it around with him while pulled the parts off the shelves, He even pulled the tools I would need. It all came to less than $200.00. The book said “Don’t think. If you won’t agree to that, take the parts back to whoever you bought them from. We have done the thinking for you” The book continued, “If you don’t think, you can have the engine completely rebuilt in 6 hours.”

It was true, I didn’t think, and the van was running great in 5 hours…rebuilt like new. IT IS STILL RUNNING TODAY, 20 YEARS LATER. tHE FAMILY THAT USES IT ONLY CHANGE SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG WIRING AND BATTERIES AS NEEDED. It still has the original paint. No rust anywhere!

One, many an SUV is simply a minivan with a nose job - they just look more macho, so they sell better.

Two, rationally, a minivan is the better choice - it gets better gas mileage, holds more and is easier to load and get in and out of. It’s just a matter of percepation and image - see point one.

And three, minivans ain’t mini anymore. They’ve become bloated, cost a lot and don’t get that great fuel mileage. Compared to the three ’70’s VW vans I once owned (and loved), the only things that come close these days are the Mazda 5, the Kia Rondo and maybe the new Scion xB. Not all of us want or need the “grand” vans, and with their latest versions, Chrysler walked away from a viable market (and shot themselves in the foot?).

Buy an Odyssey, they go forever with just changing the oil. They come with loads of standard features, which are pricey options on the American-made mini vans. And, on the highway you’ll get almost 30 mpg. The assembly and engineering is superb. Also they are revered by their owners, almost all of which are satisfied.

Love my Chrysler Town and Country minivan. It is our vacation mobile, and fun around town car! Kids pile in, kids pile out. We play games, watch TV, eat. It is an amazingly versatile tool for our family.

It is an American success story despite the rap. Those I know that turned up their noses now own one.

The SUV is a whole different set of hormones. Mostly a work vehicle and a class distinction.

I am on my 3 Chrysler Mini Van. I have never felt ashamed to drive a mini van. Our kids are grown, and gone, and we still have a Town and Country van. It rides as well as a Linclon, gets 26+ mpg on the highway, and has room for people and cargo. You can add any number of blings, and sound systems that are available. Maybe some of these people have a problem with their identity if they are concerned about their vehicle reflecting who they are. The mini van is very much a part of our America. If it goes, so does our “America”. Bill Crews-Panama City, Florida.

There’s not a danged thing wrong with driving a minivan. It tells the world you’re so cool you’ve got nothing to prove. Only people who are not cool or secure in their coolness factor need to prop up their image with a flashier vehicle.

I bought a Dodge minivan last year, mostly to haul stuff. Yeah, a truck might have sufficed, but then without a camper shell your load would be exposed to the elements during transport. Could have bought an SUV. I looked at some of the Jeep vehicles and they were swell, handled nicely, had all the bells and whistles. But the basic minivan was one hell of a lot cheaper. It does the job I want it to do and I don’t really care what image I project to the rest of the world. And the mileage really isn’t all that bad with the low-end cylinder engine. Hey. I’ll be laughing at the cool people all the way to the bank with the money I saved.

What’s wrong? Really is it that hard for oil dependent, fast-junk food crazy, lazy Americans to understand? Convenience over intelligence has become the American way as exhibited by their preferences for SUVs, pickup trucks, highways, vans and cheap beer. Self destructive habits rule!

Minivans are a bit too “frumpy” for me. SUV’s, though, are cool–but not “green” enough! So I’ll stick with my Toyota, and I’ll continue to admire those SUVs along the roadside, which I notice are frequently parked adjacent to gas pumps!

My wife drives a minivan that we bought so she could carry her work supplies. I prefer a small car. My parents bought their first van in 1965, because my mother, who was only about 5 feet tall, didn’t like driving a station wagon with a big front end. I think it was a Ford, with 3 on the tree. They had to order back seats and seat belts extra. To take a seat out, we had to remove 8 bolts. Eventhough it was made long before Chrysler introduced the minivan, it wasn’t much bigger than the ones built today. There was only enough seating for 8 and we had 10, so my brother and I would sit on the motor cover that extended between the front seats. I guess my parents would go to jail if they let us do that today. Anyway, I have good memories of that van and the ones that followed.
I have a much different idea of the minivan today. I have two images. One is of a rushed soccer mom, talking on the phone in the McDonald’s drive-thru while detached kids watch DVD’s in the back. The other image is of a domesticated man, sadly watching Corvette’s pass him by.

I have driven several Dodge Grand Caravans as rentals – and thoroughly enjoyed them! The “Stow and Go” seating especially caught my eye, it’s a very cool feature. I seriously thought about getting one as my next vehicle (that purchase is still over a year away) but gas prices have made me reconsider. Now I am leaning toward something more fuel efficient – like a plug in hybrid.

I always said when I started to have children I will never drive a minivan.
However after the 3rd one and onto the fourth I had to let go of my Jeep
Cherokee. I got a minivan and loved it. I had it for 5yrs and then my son
totalled it on his 16th b-day. Of course with gas prices who can afford a new one. My daughter that is four tells me everyday lets go get our van. She even misses it.

I had a 1974 Bronco that would turn on a dime. No carpet, crank windows, vinyl seats, but upgraded with power assist steering, automatic trans and add on air conditioning. It was great for fishing, hunting, camping, and utility hauling or towing. When I finally wore it out and tried to replace it in 1998 I discovered that SUVs had been radically changed to accommodate soccer moms replacing their minivans. Standard equipment included power windows and seats, carpet, cloth seats, soft suspension and a drastically reduced turning radius to avoid rollovers by idiots trying to do an 80 degree curve at 70mph. Now the minivan style SUVs are suffering in the marketplace along with their precursor. Good riddance.

The “mini-vans are for weenies” mindset is nothing more than a contrivance. You are absolutely right - there is NOTHING more inherently geeky about a minivan than an SUV — other than marketing.

I LOVE my minivan! It handles like a car, gets decent gas milage and I can hold my kids, their stuff, our pets and all the crud that accumulates. We’re off to our farm with my kids’ ATV in the back today. Bottom line: it makes my life easier. Oh, and my self image is based on things other than marketing and someone else’s idea of “cool.” If it wasn’t, I’d still be out behind the high school smoking!!

I’m 32 and dreaming of a mini-van. With one toddler and another child on the way in a few months I covet all the cargo space (strollers are HUGE!). Plus the sliding doors make it SO EASY to load the kids into car-seats, which it seams we have to do now until they’re 16!

We borrowed my parents last winter for a trip to Michigan, and can’t imagine what we’d have done without it . . . and that was with just one kid. Hopefully within the year I’ll have my own minivan.

Kurt we got a minivan a couple of years ago, and it is great. We looked at the crossovers, but no matter what the salesman said there just wasn’t the same room in them as in a minivan. It makes it a lot easier to pass the airport and their $15 luggage fees and drive to vacation now too. Our Sienna is spacious, reliable, and drives well. It’s hard to believe there is not a market anymore for a vehicle like that!

I have come across far too many minivan drivers that drive S-L-O-W. Under the speed limit for no reason. I could understand if the weather was bad and they were to adjust their speed for less than stellar conditions, but it can be a bright, sunny day and they are always out for a Sunday drive it seems.

I know that’s a broad generalization to make. Every once in a while I’ll see a minivan haulin you-know-what down the road and I will think “right on!”

Y’all ever hear that song by the Oak Ridge Boys? “It’s Hard To Be Cool (In A Minivan)” It’s worth a listen to for a chuckle or two.

Aw Kurt, the only reason why I went off on the minivan is because you asked what we didn’t like about them. Don’t be confused, I have just as little praise for the SUV’s and giant trucks and anything else that is on the road larger than a nice sedan.
As far as why I think minivans have such a bad rap is because they came into vogue in the 70’s and we all know how anything that came out in the 70’s is perceived these days. I always just thought they looked like staion wagons on steroids. Never did appreciate the beauty. I’m just one small person who’s opinion should not sway the minivan lovers out there.

How about a 2 liter turbo diesel stick shift Minivan? Slow absolutely,but 50+mpg and would run forever,yhen you could say the rules have changed!

We proudly drive a reliable, good gas mileage Honda Odyssey minivan. It has all of the benefits of an SUV (and more) with better gas mileage. The newer models are actually even better looking and we’d by another Odyssey in a heartbeat. You must have bought the only two good Chrysler minivans they ever made (we had a ‘96 lemon and all of our friends dumped their Chrysler minivans too). Poor products have put Chrysler in its current position, not lack of “sexiness”.

I’m 28 and learned how to drive on a minivan when I was 16. I could fit all my friends in the car-it was great! My parents got rid of the minivan shortly after and for years I drove small cars. But now I have my Jeep Liberty. Although I’ve dreamed of the day that I can be a soccer mom, fill a minivan with plenty of kids. But I guess that won’t be happening. Crazy to think that I’ve dreamed of driving a minvan again!

Hey baby, you look darned cute in that mini-van I bet! Since they don’t make vans like the Vee-Dub bus anymore (and we KNOW how guys and gals scored who drove one of those), mini vans take up the nubile, cool partying slack. Dissing mini vans is simply another ploy by neanderthals to marginalize and diminish women’s roles in society. Witness all the soccer mom bad driver in mini van jokes. Nothing to it, and the competent, worthwhile humans don’t resort to mini van jokes. Like jokes about bald men (baldness is caused by an excess of testosterone) it is all about jealousy man…all about jealousy.

I drove a mini van or two as rentals, and they are actually quite peppy, cool little vehicles. You can just about do anything with them. They look a lot better than all the look alike silver turd vehicles we have nowadays. Drive that van proudly and know that most of the dissers are viagra-dependent creatures of woe! Smile wickedly at them and mini-van on.

It is my opinion that the reason SUV’s take a higher mark over the nminivan is the options of four wheel drive and better hauling capacity. For outdoor people like myself I would have a two wheel drive minivan burried up to the axles in no time. I dont think the minivan is uncool in fact I envy those who can use them they are spacious and great for trips. The fact is my boat, camper and the places we go along with the missouri snow requirew four wheel drive.

I proudly owned a Ford Aerostar for 13 years and replaced it with a Pontiac Montana which I LOVED. Unfortunately, GM’s faulty intake gasket took it’s toll on my Montana and the engine blew a month ago. I replaced it with a 2008 Equinox. ANYWAY….my decision to buy my equinox was because we enjoyed the room that the minivan had, but was ready for something different. Most of the people who laughed at my minivan, secretly asked me to pick up something big for them at least once. That’s what I find most amusing. The same people making the jokes are the ones that needed help hauling something from time to time!

I have been driving a Chrysler Mini-Van for several years now. I love it. I enjoy the fact that I sit up high enough to be comfortable. Plus the ride is one of the smoothest I have ever encountered in any vehicle. I feel safe when I am in one. I have to tell you, I too enjoy cool vehicles. My mini van is loaded with options that some people don’t have in there “cool” cars. I feel that unless you have actually driven one, you shouldn’t comment. I know I was amazed the first time I drove one. As far as any mechanical problems, I can’t say I have ever had any. We have taken this van on many cross country trips, and that in itself was worth the comfort.

I bought my Plymouth Grand Voyager new in 1994. It has been a fantastic vehicle with four very comfortable captain chairs, seats 7 and has loads of cargo room. I know the earlier model years had some problems which Chrysler seemed to have corrected by 1994. Plenty of people have made fun of me but when it comes to functionally, nothing beats the minivan. I have been on road trips where the owners of Expeditions and Explorers have had to put some of their stuff in my minivan because their SUV’s don’t hold as much cargo. These crossovers don’t even hold as much cargo as the SUV’s they replace. The new Chrysler’s don’t even look like a ‘minivan’ anymore.

I miss my Ford minivans; a ‘92 Aerostar driven to the Grand Canyon, “totaled” in 2000 (but very driveable) was replaced by a used ‘98 Windstar w/quad captn chairs & rear air served us on numerous road trips, camping, picnics, weekend outings … I used it to move appliances, lumber, compost & mulch not to mention kids packed to the legal limit!
I only retired it because the cost to rebuild the transmission exceeded its Kelly bluebook value. I loved “my wife’s minivan”!

Look, the minivan is not about being cool or looking good. It’s about complete practicality and the perfect vehicle for a family with children.
1) It gets better mileage than an SUV that will comfortably seat 6.
2) Access to the rear seat is much easier than in an SUV where you are climbing over armrests and seatbacks.
3) Power sliding doors allow parents to open the doors for everyone at once and get thed kids out of the parking lot quicker.
4)Power sliding doors also decrease the likelyhood of banging doors of cars next to you both in a parking lot as well as in these tight suburban garages.
5)Power rear lifts allow you to open the door while having your hands full.
6)Parking an SUV that seats 6 is way more of an issue than parking a minivan that seats six.
7)The ride is much smother in a minivan than an equivalent seated SUV.

It’s not for everybody. But whether you like it or not, it is the most practical vehicle on the market for a family with children.

“many an SUV is simply a minivan with a nose job”. It’s my understanding that most SUVs are built on truck platforms, and minivans on car platforms. That’s why minivans get better mileage and handle better.

SUVs killed the minivan a long time ago. Now it’s “crossovers” SUVs, which people are flocking to for alleged MPG gains. I don’t think 24 MPG is anything to write home about. If Chrysler had a 30+ MPG minivan they could build them in both Fenton plants and still not make enough!

Me, I’ll stick with my 1994 Volvo wagon. That’s my mule!

I’ve always perceived the minivan as looking like a giant jellybean with wheels. If the Teletubbies drove a car, I would expect it would probably be a minivan. I’m sure minivans are practical….but yuckkkk!

They probably lost favor to the SUV because in many ways an SUV can hold a lot of stuff and passengers too, and SUV’s project a strong tough image (as a substitute for those who cannot do that by themselves? hmmmmm?).

I have always driven small four-door sedans and hate both SUV’s and minivans, mostly for the reason that I can’t see around either of them.

If there is any good to come from these gas prices, it would be the demise of them both. I hope that the car factories can get ramped up quick to make lots of affordable economical smaller cars and trucks, so that these layed off workers can get called back to work.

I have driven a mini van, since the 2nd year Dodge came out with one in 1985, I believe.
I also go to dog shows and cannot imagine a more economical way to travel distance with a full load of dogs, crates, grooming equipment, people etc.
I currently drive an 2001 Olds Silhouette GLS and even with 147,000+ miles I average 24 mpg on highway and 22 around town.
Not too bad, huh?.
and if you check out many upscale shopping centers parking lots, you will also see a large number of mini vans.
I personally think GM and Ford should have stayed the course with the van, and Chrysler should have produced a more economical, stylish one. however the stow and go seating has become a big selling feature for people like me.
When the American companies fold under ecomonic pressure, the Toyotas, Hondas and other foreign auto makers will step in and reap the benefits/profits.
The even bigger danger here, as I see it,are short sighted Ameican companies being taken over by foreign companies who will soon own the pursestrings for all of America.

The Toyota mini-van is the safest,better built van on the road then the Honda comes in second,safety wise everything.We decided not to buy a mini-van due to we had already owned 4 big GM vans and we were tired of all of them.So we bought a Veracruz Hyundai.It has all the bells and whistles heated seats cruise control,leather,moon roof,more safety features then most cars plus 100,ooo warranty.Road side service ,satellite radio.The list is too long 27 miles to gallon.We have another Hyundai and loved these cars.Hugh inside.

Like the Honda Odyssey ad says, “Respect the Van.”

Our Odyssey rocks, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

i didn’t want a minivan. I needed a minivan. My first Town & Country minivan is now 3 years old and I plan to trade it in on a 2008. The back seat windows roll down on the 2008, which was just about the only problem with the 2005. I average 21 mpg commuting on 270 and 28 mpg on highway trips. In order to make SUVs cool, they took away the sliding doors. Sliding doors are the best! Mine are power sliding doors, which is really cool. Oh. and Stow & Go seats! Whoevever came up with those is a genius. My brother has driven a series of used Dodge Caravans, most with more than 200,000 miles on them with minimal repairs.
It’s fun on the highway because everyone thinks they need to pass the minivan. I can go 80 mph and some bozo has to pass me. I think the cops should use them as decoys.

You folks likely have never heard “Hey, Little Minivan” by the Austin Lounge Lizards, a spoof of the Beach Boys’ “Fun Fun Fun”.
http://www.lyricsmania.com/lyrics/austin_lounge_lizards_lyrics_18379/

The major complaint seems to be that minivans are ‘ugly’. Only when you don’t compare them to cargo vans. Or Hummers. Or most SUVs. In fact, other than actual sports cars, most American cars, including hybrids, are plug ugly look-alike boxes on wheels– they even make the Rambler and Pacer look stylish, because they at least had personality, which was the VW bug and bus’ sales point. The Toyota Scion takes the box look to an extreme.

If Detroit could make cars with the high-tech, great mileage of the 2000s hybrids, with the sharp styling of about 1957-75, auto plants wouldn’t be going on layoff. Europe and Asia have proven that small can be beautiful. But we just don’t get it.

I’ve had four Chrysler Corp. minivans (2nd and 3rd generation versions) over the past 14 years, and I love them. Plus, it is my opinion that they look pretty “cool” in Sport trim (with the alloy wheels, monochrome paint, and rear spoiler - though nobody will mistake you for Kyle Petty…)

Chrysler Corp. minivans get a bad rap for quality that I think is not completely deserved. Yes, they have some particular issues (transmission and window motors), but they are not alone in that regard.

Decent looks, good fuel economy, fantastic people/payload carrying options. That’s cool in my book.

nothing wrong with minivans. my only bitch is the honda odyssey. seems only obnoxious people drive them. women talking on the cellphone to their neigbor trying to decide whether to put mustard or catsup on thier kid’s weiners, cutting in and out of traffic. i would like crunch each one of them with my big gas guzzling suv.

right on waldo

“They probably lost favor to the SUV because in many ways an SUV can hold a lot of stuff and passengers”.

Our Sienna is much roomier than SUVs I’ve seen. The Explorer only has two rows of seating. With the Sienna set up for two rows of seating (the third row stored), the cargo area on the Sienna is much larger. With the third row up it’s not much smaller, and you can carry extra passengers. Perhaps a gigantic SUV would be bigger, but why spend all that extra money (up front and long-term in gas), just to have a behemoth that most of the time isn’t being fully utilized? Most people could get by with cars. With the money you save you can rent a pickup from Lowe’s or Home Depot for 50 bucks the once every 3 months you need it.

Hate ‘em. They’re just station wagons with more head room to me. Probably a lot of a mini-van’s uncoolness comes from it’s name. It’s a MINI van. Like a Mini Cooper. Only chicks should be driving cars that are labeled MINI-anything. They could have come up with a better name. I mean come on. The SUV existed long before the term “SUV” did(Ford Bronco, Toyota Land Cruiser, Chevy Blazer, etc), but once they got a cool name like “SUV” in the early to mid 90’s, their popularity exploded.

Also, there are certain vehicles that just scream “STEREOTYPE”. Camaros belong to mullet haired rednecks. PT Cruisers and Convertible Sebrings belong to middle aged women whose children have finally moved out of the house. Hummers belong to egotistical jerks. Minivans with soccer ball stickers on the back window go to mommies. That’s just the way it is.

That being said SUV’s coolness is long gone, and won’t return unless gas dips back below $2 a gallon (read never). You can’t give them away, because the average Joe can’t afford to put gas in them any more. My neighbor was just out car shopping, wanted to trade in his F150 truck. They wouldn’t give him hardly anything on the trade in. It’s a two year old $25,000 truck and they told him they’d give him $8,000 for it. Also, he told me that the Ford dealer had a deal going on at the time that cracked me up. If you bought an Excursion, you got a free Ford Focus with it!

I love my minivan! I think part of the problem with the current Chrysler minivans is the last redesign a year or two ago — UGLY!

Yeah, the stereotype is uncool, but that stereotype and the people who believe them make me laugh.

You usually hear the negative comments coming from either:
a) a holier-than-thou hipster into indie music and expensive coffee (you minivan days are coming, son); or
b) a big pickup-truck driving dissing soccer moms (no further comment required); or
c) a MILFy Escalade, Denali or Armada driver who says she “needs the extra space” and “would never drive a *minivan*” (whatever. Define yourself by your possessions much?)

Like most things, it’s a personal choice and I’m happy with mine!

We bought a toyota previa in ‘92 to get room for two car seats and a booster seat. AWD and 20-21 highway mpg at 75+ with full load. Today, 350,000+ miles later (and with no major drivetrain work), the kids drive it with no fear of dinging it or messing up the carpet. Even better, we still use it for the long family road trips, particularly when our older kids are home from college. Last week, we drove a 1500 mile loop with all the “kids” and luggage. Still getting decent mileage. Goes great in snow.

Granted, nowhere near as much fun to drive as our old Toyota Supra Turbo or the Z4, but difficult to conceive of a more utilitarian purchase. Not the type of car for everyone, but nicely fills a substantial niche in the market.

forgot about one more stereotype…. Corvettes scream MID LIFE CRISIS! Nothing irks me more than a 60 year old man driving a Corvette 10 mph under the speed limit.

Oh for goodness sakes, Kurt! A minivan? All it is is a miniature school bus. They ride like trucks, offer nothing in the way of driving excitement, and you can get a real nice, practical ride for the family for about the same amount of money. Have you ever tried a Volvo V70 wagon or their XC90 SUV? They offer an incredible value, safety for the family, and most importantly, driving pleasure. The American family has gotten smart. They’ve gotten away from the Wal-Mart quality Caravans for real cars. Try one, you’ll never go back.

I’ve owned 3 minivans — 2 Dodge Caravans — a stubby ‘65 4-cyl and an ‘89 6-cyl — and my current ‘02 Honda Odyssey. They’ve been workhorses and I really don’t care what anyone thinks about their coolness.
Quality-wise, the Dodges don’t compare to the Honda and therein lies one big reason for Chrysler’s faiure in that catagory — something that nobody seems to want to talk about, including the Post. My ‘65 Caravan died when the head cracked at 90,000 miles on its 4-cylinder engine, ironically made in Japan. My ’89s tranmission went out at 90,000 and when I sold it with 130,000 on the odometer, the engine was burning old like gas and leaking oil from every place it could.
The Odyssey? I bought it used at 78,000 because I know it will probably get to 200,000 without major problems. Why do I believe that? Because my son’s 1990 Accord — assembled in Marysville, Ohio — just hit 230,000, and my 1996 Acura RL just turned 150,000, both with no major repairs. It’s not the fault of the guys and gals on the assembly lines. Chrysler’s ownership, management, and engineering have been asleep for years. Example: when it became known that buyers were drifting toward the Odyssey because its 3rd row seats could be stowed into the floor — a feature that the Chrysler products didn’t have at the time — Chrysler management responded with, “Yea, but our gas tank is therefore 2 gallons larger.” Now, Chryslers 3rd row seats stow in the floor — on a vehicle that will soon be lost to automotive history — while Honda and Toyota continue to crank out minivans. Good minivans.
Carlos
P.S. True, the Volkswagen Microbus was the first true minivan. The second? It was a Chevrolet Corvair Van.

Just posted comment with major error. It wasn’t a ‘64 Caravan, of course. It was an ‘85.
Carlos

“They ride like trucks” Huh? No driving excitement, maybe, but I dispute that, at least with our Sienna. A crappy Caravan, maybe.

I disagree about the quality of the Dodge/Chrysler products. My original minivan (Plymouth Grand Voyager) was over 10 years old and was pushing 150,000 miles. I would probably still be driving it if I hadn’t been rear-ended and the van totaled. I now have a Dodge Grand Caravan, and I love it. It gets 21 mpg in the city. I don’t consider that a gas hog. The only downside that I can see is we ALWAYS have to drive when a large group of friends want to go somewhere because we can hold the most people.

OK. I’m jumping back in here. One objection is that the minivan rides like a truck? Honey, I used to have one of those roller-skate cars that rode like a truck…with bad shocks…on a very bad stretch of road. Damn thing gave me a headache and backache combined. My minivan rides just swell, thank you. Of course, it isn’t my 1973 Ford LTD. Same color as the old blue Bi-State bus, and almost as big. You could be driving that LTD over a washboard and not feel a thing. Peppy? That thing was a born-again state highway patrol interceptor. Tromp on the pedal and you could overtake anything on the road. Cargo space? The trunk of that LTD had about the same floor space as a van with the seats down (or out) and almost the heighth. SIGH! Can you tell that I loved that car??? Of course, it only got about 12 MPG, which would be somewhat of a negative these days.

Another observation. If the minivan replaced the station wagon, and then the SUV replaced the van, why are we going back to station wagons? Oh yes, I know some SUV owners become upset when you refer to their SUVs as station wagons. But I’m sorry. Call the vehicle what you want, whatever makes you feel good about yourself. I grew up in the era of station wagons and I know what a station wagon looks like. That ain’t an SUV, sweetie. It’s a gussied up station wagon.

Our 2002 dodge minivan is the best all around family vehicle we’ve ever had. We’ve got 3 kids. We’ve also driven import vans, SUV’s, and sedans. The minivan is better all around to us. I guess we are in the minority.

My minivan is much more practical than my wife’s cross over. It is a mistake to discontinue the van. If you have more than 2 kids the crossover is not very useful and the gas milage is nothing to be proud of. I do think the Chrysler design could get back to smoother lines. This new look is too boxy.

I have an ‘05 Dodge Grand Caravan and dearly love it. I’m 57, which is too old to care what people think of what I drive. My minivan averages about 23 mpg (highway and town driving) with the big engine (if the trip computer is to be believed). I like that I can haul 6 other people if I want, or put the seats down and carry a sheet of plywood without having to rent a truck.

Sure as other bloggers say, you can’t see around them too well and they take up a lot of room in a parking lot, but that’s true with school buses, dump trucks, big SUVs, and pickup trucks with camper shells. Nobody disses THOSE vehicles!

It’s comfortable, roomy, and sits up high enough to reduce fears of getting squashed by a semi.

I love driving my wife’s minivan. We paid much less for it than for a comparable SUV, get better gas mileage, and it drives just like a luxury car.

I haven’t seen too many mentions of the Mazda MPV, which is what we have. It’s one of the smaller mini-vans, but still seats 7 fairly comfortably. We can fold the back seat down and remove the second row seats too if needed for cargo room, so it fits our lifestyle.

I think too many people with SUVs don’t really need all of that cargo room, etc; so they’re just buying it for the image. Real men don’t care what people think of their cars - they drive them because they like them or because they’re practical. A minivan is usually a more practical car than an SUV for most families.

I bought a 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan SE as I thought it would be a good choice over a mid-sized station wagon. The wife and kids were the main reason for the purchase.

I had problems with it after the first 12K miles! I had been talked into the 7/70 warranty when I bought it with only 6 miles on the clock. What a big waste of money that was! Everything that failed was either not covered or was only covered under “Fleet Service” only!

Well after the third transmission died, I hauled it off to the junk yard and good riddance! The warranty issues and the problems with the van have turned me off of Chrysler products made after 1972! I am still a firm believer that Chrysler built some very dependable engines way back then but have gone down hill ever since. The only redeeming engine they have now is the Cummins diesel and Chrysler did not design it.

We have moved back to a station wagon that gets quite a bit better fuel economy than the van! We went from 18/24 city/hwy to 36/42 city/hwy back in Sept. 2002 when we bought a 2003 VW Jetta TDI wagon. The wife has stated that she will never drive another gas car/van again. At first she thought that diesels were all noisy and smelly but the Jetta changed her mind.

Of all the vehicles I have owned it is the only one that I would not recommend to anyone. I still own the following vehicles and I don’t need any more:

70 Olds Ralley 350 (auto, for car shows)
71 Olds 442 W-30 (auto, Drag racing only)
78 Dodge D200 (auto, tow vehicle)
81 504 Peugeot Diesel wagon (auto, good hauler)
86 505 Peugeot sti (5sp, way too much fun driving on winding roads)
86 505 Peugeot Turbo wagon (auto, best long distance driver)
03 VW Jetta TDI wagon (auto, wife’s everyday car)
03 VW Jetta TDI sedan (5sp, my everyday driver)

bill mabie: “How about a 2 liter turbo diesel stick shift Minivan? Slow absolutely, but 50+mpg and would run forever, then you could say the rules have changed!”

Bill, you will have to leave North America for one of those as the rest of the world has them and we don’t. They are not as slow as one might think. Check the UK automotive web sites for more information. You will find that Ford & GM both have small Turbo diesels that have respectable performance and fuel economy.

Bring back the family station wagon!

The minivan has a bad image because so many people feel their car defines them and their success. My wife and I and four kids have enjoyed our minivans for many years. Fords, Chryslers, Dodges, you name it. Only problems were after many miles and years of service. Just bought a “micro van” from Mazda and love it too. Same people who want the SUV are probably living in their McMansions that are just about ready to be foreclosed on!! Good thing they have the SUV so they can live in it down by the river!!

Never owned one but my mom has been a loyal Caravan-ist since 88. She likes it for the space as most do.
Yes,they have the potential to have a transmission problem at 70,000 as all Dodge’s do. But through all of the vans she has owned( I believe 8)only one,a 1996,had the problem. As far as engine,electrical,and body problems….no. As someone who works on automobiles for a living though I will say this…they treat you the way you treat them.Take care of a car(or anything)and it will last you.
I really like the design of the new Chrysler/Dodge mini van. I hope that it makes a comeback,and I’m sure that it will. When it does will be determined by gas prices or the availability of alternative fuels.The vehicle makes too much sense to too many families for it to become a thing of the past.

And by the way,TooFunny…..how dare you bash Americans while sitting in America,reading an American website,probably spending American money given to you by the American government.Go back to where you came from

Why would you buy a Mazda? And then question what happened to Chrysler and Ford

Minivans got a bad rap and SUVs gained favor because most people are shallow posers. Once there was a type called “drug store cowboy”, who wore the hat and the boots but never rode the range - he just wanted to look like he did. Enter the SUV, which evoked the image of being a rugged outdoors-type person. Even soccer moms want to be taken for something else. This is nothing new; once people were happy to drive expensive big cars to seem rich and successful. The SUV allowed the the extra dimension of looking tough as well. Hey, this is the USA, where we like everything big, including our egos. The SUV promises ego enlargement. All the minivan promises is more space, more comfort, better gas mileage, and a lower price to buy. But it totally lacks pretentiousness. How can it be anything but despised?

Our family purchased its first minivan (brand new Ford Windstar) in September, 1995. We had two young children at the time (ages (4) and (2)) with one on the way - and we loved the vehicle. After driving the Windstar until 2005, we purchased a used Honda Odyssey that same year.

The answer to your query is simple:

The people who don’t like minivans don’t have children. From their perspective, ‘children aren’t cool’…maybe, it’s just ‘families aren’t cool.’

It’s a shame that people have to appeal to ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ as a ‘cool movie’ to justify their use of a minivan. My wife and I walked out on that wretched movie because we simply got tired of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolies beating each other up. When Pitt kicked his wife in that movie repeatedly, that was it for us…

Minivans are practical.

Minivans are fun.

Families are fun…a lot of work - and a lot of love - but a lot of fun.

I love my 2005 Town & County. The 2008 body style change was a tragedy. I would have bought a new one if Chrysler hadn’t changed it to look like a shoe box. The T&C gives a smooth, comfortable ride with a lot of pep and it’s easy to get in and out of. I hate climbing up out of small compact car (I’m 6′1″). And, I can haul almost anything I could with my Ford F-150, but with a lot better gas mileage. To sum it up, at least for my 2005 T&C, it’s styling, comfort and performance that I love.

I think one of the main reasons why the SUV got more love than the minivan was that the SUV, I do believe, orginated out of California, and everyone seems to want to do whatever the movie stars or people in Cali are doing. Back in the 80’s when the SUV came out, it was the “hottest” thing since sliced bread, but now everyone is seeing them for what they really are. I should know, I used to drive a SUV, and it was the biggest gas guzzling vehicle I have ever owned. Yes…I too was a victim, but never again…

Now I have driven a rental minivan and it was nice. It was a Chevy Uplander. It had a lot of space for my wife and kids and the luggage. It was a good vehicle.

It all boils down to that everyone wants to be “cool” and at that time, they thought the SUV made them, or at least projected, that image.

Stop trying to be “cool” people and just be yourself…if people don’t like you for who you are, then they aren’t really your friends….

I am on my 3rd Dodge mini-van since 1992. My kids are all grown now but we just purchased another extended van a couple of years ago. I love the Dodge mini-vans! I like sitting up higher. I like being able to move things in it. We just moved recently and it is amazing what we can haul in it. My next mini-van will be the Dodge with the seats the hide in the floorboard. I honestly don’t care what people think about it. Those same people wouldn’t think anything about asking me to pick something up for them and haul it.

I learned to drive in a 95 Ford Windstar, but when I recently became a mom, could not bear the thought of owning a van, so I drive a 2008 Scion XB which is considered more a wagon than a car or van. Just large enough to haul me, my child and our stuff around, but not overbearing. I hear that the redesigned box is now called the “soccer mom XB”, but I think it’s just a neat little ride. And, I’m averaging 30-32 mpg. Cross-over vehicles will never fully replace minivans, but are definitely becoming more and more appealing.

My 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager (a Chrysler product) was in the shop 25 times in 5 years for non-recall work. Tack on another 5 or 6 recalls and I was without the van for about 3 months of use. 3 van payments right down the drain. Chrysler did NOTHING about it and they KNEW they were putting out an inferior product. This happened to ALL of the other Chrysler minivan owners we knew. Ford? Oh yeah, as Dave Sinclair says…”Follow the money trail”. What he doesn’t say is follow the money all the way into the pockets of the big-wigs who move American jobs to Mexico and Canada. At least Toyota and Honda put money INTO the American economy by building US plants and employing US workers. Ask a Ford or GM executive about all the plants they close and move to other countries — now that’s patriotism (NOT!). And even the US built “American” cars are approx. 50% foreign made parts, so what is an “American” car now anyway? When my Odyssey is still running at 250K+ miles and you’re ready to buy your third “American” minivan in the same time period, you’ll understand the difference in quality and reliability over time.

To SLRebel:
AMEN TO YOU BROTHER, AMEN! I am 100% with you.

89 caravan, blew the head around 70K miles, was in the shop about 2 times a year for a week at a time, at around 150K miles, the radiator gave out, and it would randomly overheat the engine until it blew up some hoses. Oh, and the sliding door froze in the locked position, so it was useless.

94 caravan, major electrical problems since about 20K miles. Every time you make at least a 30 degree turn, the wipers come on. Brakes were horrible, have been replaced several times, and major problems with the suspension.

99 caravan, other than about 6 times where it wouldn’t turn over and needed to go in the shop, has been the best of the bunch so far with no major structural or engine faults, outside of fixable things breaking.

06 caravan, already been in the shop three times due to breaks, suspension, and engine troubles.

Go dodge.

Get one to drive, and one for the shop, and just switch them out.

I drove three Plymouth/dodge mini vans between 1984(when they first came out) and 2000. I loved the space and flexibility. the gas mileage was good. The repairs were not so good. Each one needed and engine or transmission at between 80 and 100 k miles.

I had three small daughters when I bought the first one and it was great with the kids. I put the two oldest in the back separated from each other and the youngest in the middle so I could reach around with one hand while I was driving(pre Cell phones)
I loved the sliding door and the last one had two sliding doors.

My daughters are now grown and have their own kids, if I bring up to them buying a minivan they throw things at me. I don’t know why they hate them so but they do.

If I had young people in my life again I’d surely get one ( though never a Chrysler again).

Hey Harbl - Just curious, why did you keep buying Dodges after you had so many problems? Here’s a funny one for you. The service manager at the Chrysler dealership said the “Zone Manager” (roaming regional service director) for Chrysler would not speak with any members of the public about problems with their vehicles (what a joke that was). Then the customer “care” person in Detroit claimed that they don’t get regular service history reports from their dealers (another joke) and he would only have incomplete records about all of my van problems. This all happened before hitting 75K on the odometer. I told them that if they offered to trade me a brand new minivan for my lemon one-for-one, I would tell them to “stick it” because I wouldn’t want to have a whole new bunch of problems with another Grand Lemon. I’ll NEVER own another Chrysler product (and my daughter won’t either - since she saw firsthand all of the problems we had).

Two of my big SUV drivin’ outdoorsmen buds asked me to go camping with them in Tennessee for 4 day. Who’s car did we take? The only one that had a prayer of carrying all the gear, with 4 reclining bucket seats to boot. My Dodge AWD minivan. Their two trucks sat in the driveway, empty and dumb. The SUV is a masterpiece of consumer marketing, an absolute bullseye that made a lot of people rich while the sham lasted.

Oh, and the van has had NO major mechanical issues. It is 8 years’ old, 112k, tows a camper at 70 mph no sweat. In fact, recent versions have tested alongside Honda in reliability ratings.

I miss my Dodge grand caravan someone ganked her if you have seen her she”s a sky-blue 95,I’m sure she misses her family!

I didn’t keep buying them, they were all owned by my immediate family, and we all got burned on them.

I wouldn’t buy another dodge product if it was 1/10th the price of every other competitor, and the whole experience has soured me on minivans in general.

I’ve been driving GM minivans since graduate school (mid-1990’s), and in fact, I’m on my third one right now. My first was a 1994 Pontiac Trans Sport, my second was a 1997 Chevy Venture, and my current van is a 2003 Chevy Venture.

Before the Pontiac, I was driving a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88. However, at the time I traded that in, I was playing bass fiddle in a bluegrass group — and you can’t fit those things in a REAL car. LOL

Even after the group broke up at the end of 1995, I’ve still stuck with them, because I’ve moved quite a few times since then, and minivans are a GODSEND when moving. In fact, my most recent move was to here in Ballwin from Lexington, Kentucky in May of 2006. Besides, if I should get another job as an upright bass player in a bluegrass group, I’d like to stick with minivans if possible, I don’t care how uncool some may perceive them to be.

I’m so sorry to see GM drop minivans altogether. Looks like when I trade in Vinny II (my nickname for my current minivan LOL), I’ll have to go with one of the imports, depending on who’s still making them whenever that time comes. Reading some of the other comments on here, Chrysler is out of the question due to problems others mentioned about them, which may have been the main reason minivans got such a bad rap, deserved or not.

Also, when I’m out on the freeways around St. Louis, it seems like even when I’m doing faster than the posted speed limit, quite a few people ALWAYS pass me like I’m standing still. In fact, I limit myself to no more than five over the speed limit, and to me, 65 would make more sense for a speed limit on most of I-270, but that’s another story entirely. Even so, I get passed all the time, and that’s OK with me — I’ll be more than happy to let all the hot-rodders and other maniac drivers have all the speeding tickets. :-p

Around 10 years ago, I was out looking for a mini-van at Leta Honda on Rock Rd. There was a woman in her mid 40’s looking at the New Odyssey van that Leta had on display at the time. We struck up a conversation and she told me that she was 6th on a list for an Odyssey. I asked her what she was currently driving, and she said a 6 month old Chrysler Town and Country, that was fully loaded and stickered for over 30K. I then asked why she was looking at an Odyssey. With a frustrated look on her face, she told me that in the 6 months that she owned the T&C, it was in the shop all the time. She was quite angry since she had spent so much money on a lemon. We did not buy a Honda nor did I buy a Chrysler van either.

My family has owned 5 mini vans. An 89, a 90, 91, 94, and an 03 which we currently still have. 2 of those vans saw over 200,000 miles, and all of them saw over 150,000 (03 has about 80,000. Dodge Caravans are simple to work on, parts are reddily available, and I can haul just about anything in one. 4×8 sheets fit and it has 1/2 ton rated springs.

As far as performance, go to youtube and type in worlds fastest minivan and just see what a minivan is capable of.

The minivan is the modern Beetle.

I have to admit I was against buying a mini van when we bought our in 1998. I wanted the new Durango. My wife wanted the mini van. I’m glad we got the van. The Durango looked cool but the gas hand looked like the second hand on a clock. The van gave us great mileage and comfort. It was the best purchase we ever made apart from our home. Finger prints don’t look as good on a Durango as they do on a mini van!

1. Cheaper than a SUV.
2. Better gas mileage than a SUV
3. Can haul more with sto-n=go
4. Not as big and easier to get around.

My parents had a Caravan years ago and it was a piece of junk, but that’s not the reason I hate mini-vans. I drive a SUV and my previous cars have always been sports cars. There is nothing I hate more than getting stuck behind some soccer parent in their mini-van. I’ve found over the years most of these drivers are poor drivers in general. They go the rate of speed they want to go on the highway and if they want to take up two lanes, they’ll do that too. God forbid you honk your horn because they’re going to slow, sitting at a green light or any other reasonable driving offense. I’ve had some of these people flip me off, roll their window down and scream profanities, or just stop dead in the road. Can anyone guess why? Because they allegedly had their kids in the van and they were trying to be safe. With model behavior like that, who needs TV to teach a child how to be less than an upstanding citizen? I don’t care if you have your kids in the car and no one else does either. If they’re so fragile that you have to drive 15 mph under the posted speed limit, and sit 10 seconds longer at a green light then you should leave them at home.

Anyone that wouldn’t own a minivan has never owned one to know the versatility.

I love my Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. I’ve had it for 10 years and it has 150000 plus miles and is still going strong. It’s very comfortable on long trips and it doesn’t take any more parking space than the big SUV’s! I would get another one in a heart beat. The only thing I don’t like is filling it with gas! My minivan gets marginally less gas mileage than some smaller vehicles.

The Olds Silhouette mini-van was featured in the movie ‘Get Shorty’ and was labled the ‘Cadillac of mini-vans’. Since I owned one at the time, I thought that was pretty cool.

I’ve always wondered why there were no sporty mini-vans. I sent a letter to GM in the late 90’s about making a sport version of the Silhouette and got a ‘thanks for your interest’ return letter. They had the supercharged 3.8L motor in a sedan, which would have dropped right in. That along with a larger wheel, tire and brakes package, one-inch lowered and stiffened suspension, some sport seats and gages and some go fast stripes on the outside with a rear spoiler would have, I think, sold a lot of vehicles to families where the guy was interested in more than a plain vanilla mini-van.

Mini-vans, or something comparable will be around a long time, but will not be as popular with the fickle new car buying consumer. Now if Chrysler would only make an SRT8 Hemi version of their Town & Country, I’d be interested, even with high fuel prices. That would get the the little league games on time. A muscle car mini-van - what a concept!!

I don’t have one myself but I have driven my niece’s and I enjoyed driving it. She has a Chrysler. It was easy to handle and I had no trouble seeing out the windows for oncoming traffic. I could move it in and out of places very well. I liked it but I am single and don’t see a need for me to have one.

Minivans are always the ones driving to SLOW in the wrong lane and screwing up traffic. When traffic is screwed up it’s ALWAYS a Minivan. Or it’s in the way somehow. They are driven my people who apparently can’t figure out how to drive them due to there size??? They need to go back to a car. Minivan drivers apparently all have the same screwed up way of driving in common since all the drivers do the same dumb thing over and over and over again. It’s a minivan, hate them on the road!!

I remember when there were no minivans and vans were cool. Especially short-wheel base vans. When the minivans came out everyone thought they were cool.

Then the manufacturers forgot that these are trucks and they tried to make them look more like cars. The styling became mushy really quick and only a mother could love them after that. If they start giving them edgier styling and revive some of the custom features from the old days - like the porthole on each side, we might see a renaissance in interest.

I spent 8 years in the automotive industry and have driven every vehicle on the market. Tell me this America:
1) What vehicle gets 25 miles per gallon on the interstate, seats 7 adults comfortably (not seating for 4 and 3 cramped jumped seats or someone having to sit on a seatbelt), sits up high so you can see, has a five star crash rating, and rides as smoothly as any luxury car on the road?
Answer:
1) A Chrysler Town and Country Minivan
Chrysler invented the minivan and theirs is still the best today.
With the options that can be added, it more enjoyable to spend time in the van than in most homes.
If cool means not getting any mileage, being cramped in the back with no room for gear, and riding down the highway in a vehicle that rides like a city buss, go ahead and but that big SUV. Consider me smart, not cool.
I’ll see you at the gas station while I drive by getting better mileage with my passengers riding comfortably

I’m on my 3rd minivan over the last 15 years or so. I currently drive a 2005 Grand Caravan. Over the years the features have gotten better. Things like doors that open on both sides and the addition of stow-n-go seating. The vehicle drives wells, has good power, can haul lots of stuff or lots of people, in some cases both. Yes, I am a family man, and this is a great family vehicle. I hope they don’t stop making them.

I have owned both a SUV and now a mini-van. While the visual appeal of the SUV was much higher, you get a whole lot more car with a mini-van. I have a Chevy Uplander which they tried to make look more-SUV like on the outside, but the inside is ALL minivan and I love it. I can easily carry 7 passenger. The cost of a SUV that can handle the same capacity would have been at least $10K more. I’m a Gen-Xer and yes this is the SUV generation. I do take some grief from friends, but who cares. I got a car that is actually better than a SUV for a lot less money.

Mini vans are great. uncool…right it is really uncool to get married and have children. wow i wish i could be cool like the folks who never marry, never have children (thankfully), and never have an adult like relationship with anyone…another point…if you need a certian type of car to attract a mate you never had “it” anyway. Boy i really want a wife who “likes” me because i have the right kind of car…sounds like she is 30 going on 12… Guys if one won’t get in your car take the one who will and you will be happy…17 years married