Is a minivan really "uncool"????

I have a crew max Tundra that seats six and a sienna. I love my Tundra, but 8 out of 10 times when I’m running somewhere I grab the sienna keys. Those sliding doors are so darn convenient with kids. If someone would just put sliding doors on a nice big SUV I’d sell my van and buy one in a heartbeat.

 

Got a 2012 Honda Odyssey as our second vehicle. I call it our mobile command center. It drives like the accord too.

 

Really? From the pics I'm seeing online looks like 7 people are going to be cramped and you won't have any room left over for "cargo". The minivan has more room for the 7 people while still leaving a decent amount of cargo room. That and I've never ridden in the back of any SUV that wasn't uncomfortable as hell (both space wise and ride quality) but maybe your Volvo is the unicorn in that regard?

First off, we've already discussed that I'm talking about how the "average" family would use this vehicle and you keep going back to your one off or at least fairly unusual situation.

But that said, no, we are not the far off. Your Volvo is only better in 2 of the functions you mentioned... towing and off-roading and those are 2 things that most family's don't give a rat's ass about. There is a lot more room for people, pets and cargo in a minivan. You can get 4x8 sheets of plywood or drywall into the average minivan (with the rear hatch closed). Can you do that with your Volvo?

Sorry but this is where you are basically talking out of your ass because you have no real first hand knowledge. Even if you borrowed one once or twice, that's not the same as living with one for years.

Over the course of 23 years (from the time my first child was born until the time my last one turned 18 and shipped off to boot camp) my family used ever type of vehicle you can image to get the family around. From sedans and coupes (including a Mustang) to SUV's, minivans and full size trucks and nothing was better overall then the minivan.

You keep talking about power and off road ability, shit that means nothing to the average family. The '04 Odyssey has 230HP V6 (new ones have 280HP) which was more then enough power for a car I'm driving my family around in. I don't play indy driver with the kids in the car but I easily kept up with and merged into traffic and could pass people when needed easily without issue or drama. Even loaded up on vacation trips with the AC on, there was never a lack of power

Don't care about the wheeling and your XC-90 can only tow up to 5000lbs which isn't that impressive either and SUV's suck for towing anyway due to the interior hitch noise. I don't know what gave you the idea the minvans can't handle speedbumps unless the person is driving like an idiot (but that would be a shortcoming of the driver, not the vehicle).

Either way, I'm sure we've beat this subject to death. Neither one of use is going to change the other one's mind so lets just agree to disagree

 

Responses in red above.

In the end, I think that @Jengel451 summed it up well - the question was are minivans really "uncool"? The answer to that is yes, they are very uncool, IMO. I don't like them at all. I don't care how functional you might think that they are, or how much better they carry your family around. Maybe I can even concede that they are more "functional" for a family. But, they don't look good at all, they aren't powerful (for the most part), they suck offroad, I don't like how the majority of them ride, etc. They aren't cool, and the offroad aspect kills it for me - that is the biggest functional defect for me. Maybe not for "most" families according to you. Actually, the XC90 isn't the greatest offroad, niether. But, previously we had a 4Runner and it was great offroad. The wife wanted the XC90, though since she couldn't get around how gutless the new 4Runners are (yes, it was "fine", and a responsible person would just be happy with it, but I guess we just aren't those people - we like stuff to happen when you mash the skinny pedal).

Agree to disagree. Sounds like a plan.

 

Either way, you can still name it the “shagging wagon”

Just don’t tell the kids.

 

Not big enough, I tried. I want a Voodoo Blue Pro.

 

https://www.npr.org/2014/01/30/2688...d-i-cannot-lie-cars-trucks-and-the-lady-brain

Between UPS trucks and Mail trucks. Mic drop.

 

We had an 87-88 Chevy Astro, was like a deep blue metallic, roof rack, ladder in back, 4 captains chairs, last row was a bench, I liked it when we had it

 

I pulled up to a stop sign behind an F250 today that had an array of bumper stickers that made me laugh.

One of them was this:




Another was this and made me think of this thread:



Anyway, as I was sitting I look up and catch the eye of the driver and it turns out it is a pretty good friend of mine. I knew what kind of truck he drove, but never sat behind it, apparently. Gave him a wave, smiled and went on my way.

 

I needed that read this morning!

 

All hope is not lost... www.journeysoffroad.com Get back in the game for under $800.

 

Even soccer moms can get dirty!

 

I love my 99 Honda odyssey has 156k miles I got it 8 years ago for 800 with a bad trans it had 86k miles on it I rebuilt the trans in 8 years ago my self. All I have done to it is struts and shocks, 1 brake job, timing belt water pump, 1 set of spark plugs, lower ball joints and stabilizer links, other than that it’s been a BEAST and I’m a single guy no kids I took off the seats and I carry everything in it I even towed my chopper countless sheets of drywall, cement bags, several GM engines, 1 Hemi engine, several GM transmissions, 1 scooter and it’s still going it’s show signs of getting old but still drives super smooth it’s my work vehicle

 

Good for road trips and/or big families. Borrowed my parents 2004 Toyota Sienna to use on a road trip down to Key West, years ago for my bachelor party.... My dad still drives it to this day.... Still only has 163k miles.

 

Still not a cool rig. Functional as hell though. Just ain't a panty dropper.

 

This is a cool minivan

https://youtu.be/3JVdrpW2lvM