SUV or Minivan?

It’s often the biggest debate when it comes to families, topped only by “chicken nuggets vs. chicken strips”, or who is the “favorite” parent. Which vehicle do I purchase so I can safely and feasibly haul my family from point A to point B (and sometimes point C… but you get the point)? More often than not this boils down to either getting an SUV or a Minivan. Now before all the guys start in, no you’re not sacrificing your manhood if you happen to roll with a minivan. So what if vans are the choice vehicle of Moms everywhere? More often than not they are in fact better in comparison to SUVs, but not always… Regardless, it’s important to be objective, know the facts, and make the best decision for you and your family!

When deciding your family’s future home away from home on the road, there’s really only a few important things you need to factor: safety, efficiency, and price.

Safety First

On the safety front, with today’s technology things are virtually even between the two classes. Both can offer top-notch forward visibility, advanced driver assistance features, and robust frames that can help keep your family safe during potential accidents. That being said, SUVs typically have a higher center of gravity which can make them more prone to rollovers. Vans are often also more car-like and nimble, in terms of maneuverability. As said though, some of those advanced features like lane assistance and automatic braking can help ease some of those woes for SUV fans. What do the experts think though? Kelley Blue Book gave the top safety rated minivans of 2018 an average rating of 4.34, while the SUVs received a whopping average of 4.73. Different experts and tests factor in different elements of course, but it’s interesting to see the different perspectives on the debate.

Efficiency Matters

With today’s trends of saving money and going green, it’s always important to factor in efficiency and fuel economy. To our surprise, SUVs and Minivans are neck-in-neck at this point. Both happen to offer a wide range of fuel-efficient, hybrid, or electric options for all you eco-friendly drivers out there. So if you’re deadset on picking the most efficient option, you’ve got plenty of options here.

More Money In The Bank

Finally, Dad’s favorite decider, the price. This is where things tend to get a bit lopsided. As has typically been the case, minivans usually win out in this category. Starter prices for basic models tend to be similar between the two, but when you add additional features and perks, the prices of SUVs tend to sway significantly higher than vans. Higher-end vans can max out at around $50,000 whereas SUVs can max out at a dad-cringing $80,000. YIKES. If the price is a big factor for you, and let’s be honest it probably is, you might want to start doing some digging into auto loans and other lending features that might be able to ease your process at buying the car your family needs.

So, after all that, we may not have provided a concrete answer (the author of this doesn’t have kids or a need for either of these yet…) but hopefully, we provided you with the right mindset and thought-process you should go through when deciding your next road boat. There are many factors you should consider when deciding, but of course, some will and should definitely take priority over others. Either way, we’ll be here along the way if and when you need us. After all, we’re always here to help!