With three kids, a big dog, and a tendency to take long road trips to visit family, my husband and I decided we needed a vehicle with third row seating. I wanted an SUV with a full-size cargo space and four wheel drive (especially since we live in South Dakota, and the 2009 Christmas with nearly 20 inches of snow is still relatively fresh in our minds). He wanted a minivan with traction control (it is just as good as four wheel drive, he insisted), the same amount of cargo space, and a softer blow to our bank account. In the end, I relented to buying a minivan; here is why we decided to go with it instead of the SUV.
It seems that minivans tend to get better gas mileage than large SUVs. On average, the newer minivans get 20-some miles per gallon, and the larger SUVs usually get somewhere in the teens.
Better Price
Minivans are priced significantly lower than SUVs with third row seating. Looking at 2012 models, the cheapest SUV with third row seating and full-sized cargo space is in the $36,000 range (MSRP), and most of them are actually prices much higher than that. The most expensive of them is priced near $80,000. In contrast, the most expensive minivans have an MSRP of about $28,000. Even if one is buying a used vehicle, this price difference is reflected; used minivans with fewer miles usually cost less than the same year’s large SUVs with more miles.
More Cargo Space
In general, minivans have more cargo space than SUVs with third rows. A large majority of SUVs with third row have very small cargo areas when the third row is in use. There are only about seven of them with full-sized cargo spaces. Of course, luggage racks can help to ease this problem, but they are not very feasible with groceries and other items that one may want to put in the cargo area. In addition, a vehicle with the full-sized cargo area and a luggage rack can hold that much more stuff on a long road trip, when moving, or at other times when one would want to transport a large number (or size) of items.
With options like two or three seats in the middle row and one or two sliding doors, minivans can make it easier to access the third row of seats. Like some minivans, some of the full-size SUVs have an option for captains chairs in the middle row; however, having to go between the seats in the middle row is not as easy as being able to reach the rear seats from the side (as in minivans with a two-seated bench seat in the middle row). This is especially true for families with children who are still in car seats in the third row. Buckling children in without having to climb around or over the middle seats is much more convenient.
Sources
Fuel Economy Guide: Model Year 2012
Best 3rd Row SUVs with Most Cargo Room
