s/o on car or minivan

I know we have lots of minivan drivers here. DH and I will be looking to get something bigger in the Fall (we just have two mid-size cars now). We have been anti-minivan, but we're trying to keep an open mind. Here's our concern: winter driving. We always have lots of snow to deal with around town, but we also make a trip back to visit family at Christmas that involves driving over 5 mountain passes that are almost always snowy. Last year we borrowed my parents' SUV so we could have the extra space and 4WD. So for those of you with minivans, how do they handle in winter weather? Would you drive it over snowy mountain passes in the winter with your kiddos in back?

 

No minivan experience here, but this was actually one of the reasons DH really pushed for the Explorer, 4WD.

I had trouble with my Accord in our driveway/road but with decent snowtires on, it was okay. DH just really didn't want to worry about me getting stuck anywhere with the girls. So I got it and love it...minus the gas mileage (coming from a Honda, the thing really is a pig, but what can you do??)

 

QUOTE(Chillers @ Mar 28 2008, 11:13 AM) [snapback]692300[/snapback]
So I got it and love it...minus the gas mileage (coming from a Honda, the thing really is a pig, but what can you do??)


I have an Accord too, so I'm used to pretty good mileage. We were actually looking into a Toyota Highlander, which now comes in Hybrid. I think with the Hybrid, it comes out to about the same or even a little better than my Accord. Of course it costs a bunch more upfront!!

 

My minivan is AWD, love it!

 

With our first Honda Odyssey we lived in the Arctic - actually north of the Arctic Circle in the North West Territories. So yes, we drove in extreme winter and yes it handled beautifully. We drove to the Yukon and Alaska without trouble many a time. Great winter vehicle.

 

There was just a discussion about this on our local moms' mailing list, and a huge number of people said they bought the Toyota Sienna because they needed a minivan and it was the only one that has AWD. (I'm taking their word for that; I haven't researched it myself.) AWD is pretty much a necessity where we live.

 

My Chevy Venture has 2 HUGE pluses in my option
One is there are 3 seats in the middle so all of my kiddos fit there and then we can lay the back seat down for lots of extra room!
Second is it has a traction control system--so i never have any issue slidding or getting around in the winter!

 

I didn't know the Sienna was AWD.....uh oh, we may have to actually consider a minivan after all. :icon_eek:

Our other car (Charger) does have traction control and snow tires which help around town, but I think we really need the 4WD for the mountain passes.

 

I have a friend with the AWD Sienna. The tires are pretty expensive from what I hear. We just have the FWD model and don't take it in the mountains much. If I did I'd probably just get tire chains and snow tires rather than deal with the extra maintenance cost of the AWD. In my mind its all about frequency of use vs. cost. As an around the town vehicle the Sienna is nice.

If you are going to be driving through serious depth of snow frequently the extra ground clearance of an SUV would be an asset. I think the Pathfinder comes in a 7 seater model.

 

QUOTE(BridgePort @ Mar 28 2008, 02:48 PM) [snapback]692099[/snapback]
I know we have lots of minivan drivers here. DH and I will be looking to get something bigger in the Fall (we just have two mid-size cars now). We have been anti-minivan, but we're trying to keep an open mind. Here's our concern: winter driving. We always have lots of snow to deal with around town, but we also make a trip back to visit family at Christmas that involves driving over 5 mountain passes that are almost always snowy. Last year we borrowed my parents' SUV so we could have the extra space and 4WD. So for those of you with minivans, how do they handle in winter weather? Would you drive it over snowy mountain passes in the winter with your kiddos in back?


Okay I HATED the idea of driving a "minivan" Then I got pregnant after the twins and knew my options were limited. I LOVE the minivan we got. It drives fine in snowy weather. Now I am a careful driver as well, so I take it easy on turns and such. But I LOVE it! I can't imagine how we did the twins in a car now. LOL So we too were soooooooo anti mini van and always said we'll NEVER drive one. But I'll never drive anything else until my kids are all grown. I LOVE it and the gas mileage!!!!!! Oh the gas mileage is amazing!

 

QUOTE(LaRae81 @ Mar 28 2008, 03:01 PM) [snapback]692806[/snapback]
Okay I HATED the idea of driving a "minivan" Then I got pregnant after the twins and knew my options were limited. I LOVE the minivan we got. It drives fine in snowy weather. Now I am a careful driver as well, so I take it easy on turns and such. But I LOVE it! I can't imagine how we did the twins in a car now. LOL So we too were soooooooo anti mini van and always said we'll NEVER drive one. But I'll never drive anything else until my kids are all grown. I LOVE it and the gas mileage!!!!!! Oh the gas mileage is amazing!


Too funny! DH and I have always been the same way, but I admitted to him last night that I'm starting to wonder if we shouldn't consider a minivan. I told him I know it's not glamorous, but if it's functional then maybe it's worth it. He responded that it was easy for me to say that when I'd be driving the Charger to work every day! (Right now we have the kids in his Charger but when we get something new we'll trade my Accord in, and since he stays home with the kids, I'll get the Charger)

 

We have the Saturn Outlook, and I love it. I was anti-minivan, too. Inside it looks exactly like a minivan, and has 2nd row captains chairs, which I wanted. It still seats 7 (but would seat 8, if you did two benches). It gets about 17mpg and is an AWD. It was way cheaper than the SUV's we looked at, and better on the gas mileage. It's basically a minivan in a SUV's body.