I used to be a holdout, then decided I looked far less cool trying to fight the inevitable. The MV rocks! No, I never thought I would say this.

Most importantly, it takes THE LOWEST OCTANE = CHEAPEST GAS= *NOT* A GAS GUZZLER. For you Einsteins that have no argument. Snicker.

I have a luxury, beautifully driving SUV as well, and hate to say it: I drive the MV 90% of the time. BY CHOICE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I suppose I mean an SUV that does not LOOK like a minivan that still has sliding doors.

This is funny because I think a lot of SUVs are starting to look like minivans except they don't have sliding doors. Add the sliding doors and there isn't much to differentiate them.

Well, sure, but that's because 90% of SUV purchasers want and need a mini-van. But they have this kind of neurotic, misguided (and kind of tragic) misconception that by getting an SUV, they'll signal to everyone (including themselves) that they're really rugged, individualists who "go their own road". It's the modern equivalent of the sad, balding dude with the paunch who buys the Corvette and leaves his wife for the secretary.

Pure victims of 20+ years of saturation marketing.

I disagree completely, as someone who is (reluctantly) considering an SUV b/c my family is sizing out of our tiny compact. There are plenty of SUV's that aren't nearly as heinous looking as a minivan. I couldn't care less what it signals to anyone else - I just want to be happy driving the damn thing.

Anonymous wrote:SUV == looks like a big gas guzzler driven by a person who really doesn't care about the environment, hogs the road, blocks other drivers' views, takes up too much parking room, etc. etc.

Minivan = mom

So exactly what is someone with more than 2 kids supposed to do? Or even someone with two kids who has to travel a lot to see family? Flying is not any less harmful to environment. BTW, minivans and SUV's generally have similar MPGs.

I came across this article because I want the functionality of a SUV but with sliding doors of a minivan for ease of access.

Yes, some suvs with sliding doors would = minivan. But if you're on this message board, you're probably like me, the big different between minivan and suv is ground clearance and towing capability. A minivan does not have the same ground clearance as a 3rd row SUV, and a toyota/honda minivan can't tow a boat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An "SUV with sliding doors" is a minivan.

Heh. Exactly. Also, I always find it amusing that there are a few out-of-touch holdouts who think SUVs are "cool" and minivans "uncool". I wonder if they still wear power suits with white tennis shoes, listen to Michael McDonald, and think cigar smoking is the height of transgressive cool.

Shoot. I was going to write this, but it turns out you already did.

XOXO

Anonymous wrote:Minivans have three rows of seats.

SUVS have only two.

That's a huge difference.

Most SUVs have a 3rd row folding row of seats... duh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I suppose I mean an SUV that does not LOOK like a minivan that still has sliding doors.

This is funny because I think a lot of SUVs are starting to look like minivans except they don't have sliding doors. Add the sliding doors and there isn't much to differentiate them.

Well, sure, but that's because 90% of SUV purchasers want and need a mini-van. But they have this kind of neurotic, misguided (and kind of tragic) misconception that by getting an SUV, they'll signal to everyone (including themselves) that they're really rugged, individualists who "go their own road". It's the modern equivalent of the sad, balding dude with the paunch who buys the Corvette and leaves his wife for the secretary.

Pure victims of 20+ years of saturation marketing.

SUV with sliding doors = minivan!

There is an SUV with AWD, I am sure. PPs may have mentioned it.

This thread is hysterical to me. I fought the MV tooth and nail. Kicking and screaming into MV world...no, no, no!

Fast forward to today. We have four newish cars (don't ask). My favorite to drive by far is the MV. Sometimes I get stuck with something to haul that is large, and I have the MV to bail me out. If the children have friends, the MV bails me out. The sliding doors ARE ALL THAT and a bag of chips! I agree with PP. I park far away near empty spaces. If someone parks near me and dings me, it is clear they went way out of their way to do so. I write down their plate number and report them. I also have a way of looking up their insurance (not hard, you can do it too). So, you just report it to their insurance company. If the dollar amount of your repairs is over a certain amount, they get points on their insurance! If they are not insured, you send them the bill (or your attorney does, either way). Easy.

If you never move anything large (doubtful) and you have no friends, you don't really need a MV.

MV haters make me laugh. I used to be one of them. I think it is funny that anyone would buy a new SUV and pay the extra hefty tax. I think when I see them that they must not be very good with money!

A mini van can't pull a boat. DOnt see a lot with 4 wheel drive mini vans that can go down an old road to go camping. But I would like to see the sliding doors on and SUV to make it easier to get the kids in and out of.

There are no SUVs currently with sliding doors, the Ford Explorer prototype that was designed by Stuart Jamieson had sliding doors but was dropped by ford on the production version. I too would buy this type of SUV as it is practical for the many parents that seek a minivan alternative. The other must have is captain seats leading into the third row so these seats can be accessed without having to move child seats in the second row.

Then get the Toyota Sienna-- it has the configuration you describe and comes w/ AWD

There are no SUVs currently with sliding doors, the Ford Explorer prototype that was designed by Stuart Jamieson had sliding doors but was dropped by ford on the production version. I too would buy this type of SUV as it is practical for the many parents that seek a minivan alternative. The other must have is captain seats leading into the third row so these seats can be accessed without having to move child seats in the second row.

Anonymous wrote:
What is the big deal about sliding doors?

Oh honey...you have not truly lived until you've experienced the joy of sliding doors. No more worries about tight parking spaces, no more worries about the door not staying open and closing on you while you're trying to get a kid in a car seat...and the best part is, with a minivan, I've been in such tight spots that I've opened the back sliding door, gotten in, and climbed easily into the driver's seat. There is no way I could have opened my regular door wide enough to have gotten in. Oh, and when it rains? You can slide that door closed behind you and still have room to strap your kid in the carseat!

It is my favorite minivan feature. Seriously, the sliding door is awesome. Yes, I'm a sliding door dork, and I'm proud of it!

If you are parked in that tight of a spot, how do you think the person you parked next to can get in and out of their vehicle?

Well, that's their problem now, isn't it? They should have gotten a vehicle with a sliding door.

You do realize your vehicle is going to get very, very dinged up doing this, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What is the big deal about sliding doors?

Oh honey...you have not truly lived until you've experienced the joy of sliding doors. No more worries about tight parking spaces, no more worries about the door not staying open and closing on you while you're trying to get a kid in a car seat...and the best part is, with a minivan, I've been in such tight spots that I've opened the back sliding door, gotten in, and climbed easily into the driver's seat. There is no way I could have opened my regular door wide enough to have gotten in. Oh, and when it rains? You can slide that door closed behind you and still have room to strap your kid in the carseat!

It is my favorite minivan feature. Seriously, the sliding door is awesome. Yes, I'm a sliding door dork, and I'm proud of it!

If you are parked in that tight of a spot, how do you think the person you parked next to can get in and out of their vehicle?

Not my problem. But since you asked, whenever possible, I park with empty spots on both sides. So whoever parked next to me is the jerk who parked too close.

And some spots are just small, and they are small regardless of your car. I had the same issue when I drove a regular sedan, only I didn't have sliding doors to bail me out when someone decided to park right on top of my car.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
NP here. I find the same is true of minivan drivers. There are many of them that don't NEED a minivan. I know lots of families that have one or two children with a minivan. They don't carpool regularly. They really COULD buy a small sedan, but they choose a gas hogging minivan (which is not much better, if at all, than a small SUV gas wise). It cracks me up when the minivan drivers get so judgy.

So where do you suggest we fit our two kids plus our two dogs? Should we tie the dogs to the roof of a Toyota Camry?

Station wagon. Rav4. Subaru outback. Hatchback Sedan. Or . . . . leave the dogs at home. Boarding them a few times a year is less expensive than a higher monthly car payment for 5 years.

We go hiking and camping with our dogs. Why would I want to board them?

And we traded in our station wagon to get a minivan. We get much better gas mileage now.