| Has your family started to cram into the old sedan | | | | squeeze more miles out of the gasoline tank, then a |
| like a pack of sardines? Have members of the | | | | minivan would make a more economic choice than an |
| neighborhood car pool begun to look suspiciously at | | | | SUV. Other ownership costs, such as maintenance |
| your battered station wagon? Perhaps it's time to | | | | and insurance, also tend to be higher for SUVs than |
| retire the old family car and move up to a bigger | | | | minivans. Unless you're willing to pay the price for |
| vehicle. Often, the choice for a more spacious family | | | | being cool and stylish, the practical minivan is the way |
| vehicle is a toss-up between a sport utility vehicle | | | | to go. |
| (SUV) and a minivan. Both offer flexible passenger | | | | Passenger and cargo space |
| and cargo areas, comfortable seating for five to | | | | Sport utility vehicles and minivans have comparable |
| eight persons, and rear-seat entertainment systems. | | | | passenger and cargo space, but the roomy interiors |
| Although the SUV has a slightly higher risk for | | | | of a minivan can be a delight to young kids. Unlike |
| rollovers than minivans do, both are equipped with | | | | SUVs, minivans also have a low step-in height, so |
| similar safety features, such as air bags and anti-lock | | | | they're easier for kids to climb into. Minivans' large |
| brake systems. So, which one deserves to park in | | | | picture windows afford young passengers a better |
| your family garage? To come up with the right | | | | view of the passing scenery, therefore keeping your |
| choice, you need to look at how the vehicle's styling, | | | | impatient young ones amused for a good part of the |
| fuel economy, passenger and cargo space, towing | | | | ride. |
| capacity, and safety will suit your family's needs and | | | | Towing capacity |
| lifestyle. | | | | If you own a boat and like to take the entire brood |
| Styling | | | | for weekend sailing retreats, then an SUV would |
| More than a matter of need, a vehicle's styling is a | | | | make an appropriate choice. SUVs have superior |
| matter of personal preference. The SUV usually wins | | | | towing capacities, enabling them to pull practically |
| out over the minivan when it comes to appearance. | | | | anything between a trailer and a small boat. |
| With its rugged, sporty styling, an SUV oozes urban | | | | Otherwise, if you're only schlepping groceries and |
| cool, unlike the minivan, which is perpetually | | | | your kid's soccer team, then there's no reason to |
| associated with soccer moms and suburban | | | | overlook the minivan. |
| neighborhood carpools. Most men would recoil at the | | | | Safety |
| thought of driving a minivan, so if your husband | | | | Although both have comparable safety features, |
| would be sharing driving duties, you might have to | | | | SUVs have a higher rollover risk than minivans. SUV |
| talk it out with him. Likewise, many teenagers | | | | devotees counter this by pointing out that rollovers |
| wouldn't be caught dead stepping out of a minivan, | | | | account for only three percent of all traffic accidents |
| so if you'd be using the vehicle mainly to drop off | | | | and claiming that SUVs offer excellent passenger |
| and pick up your adolescent children from school, | | | | protection in two-car collisions. It remains to be seen |
| you'd have to consider their preferences, too. | | | | whether this supposed collision safety factor |
| Fuel economy | | | | outweighs the risk of rollovers. If the threat of |
| Minivans give better mileage than SUVs, which have a | | | | rollover accidents keeps you awake at night, then a |
| reputation for being gas guzzlers. If you want to | | | | minivan could give you a little peace of mind. |