Suv Or Minivan: What Is The Right Vehicle For Your Family?

By Author: Nate Rodney
Total Articles: 499
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For many young families four door sedans are enough to get their families around. But as your family, and children begin to grow, your small sedan may not cut it anymore. As your family grows, you will not only need more seats to accommodate new family members, but you will also need room for luggage for family trips, groceries, etc. Often when it comes time for families to buy a new car, the debate always comes down to buying a minivan or an SUV. Each vehicle type has its own advantages and each family is different, but ultimately a choice needs to be made. That is why we have compiled three important factors that go into each vehicle purchase and applied them to SUVs and minivans. Read on to find out which vehicle type is right for you and your family:

Safety
Safety is always the most important factor that cannot be ignored when it comes time to purchase a family vehicle. Important safety features like airbags, responsive seatbelts and antilock brakes now come standard in most new vehicles, but it is still important to research the vehicles that you would like to purchase in case certain safety features ...
... are not available or need to be purchased as an extra addition to the vehicle.

When it comes down to SUVs vs. minivans in regards to safety, minivans are typically found to be safer. SUVs have a reputation for rolling over and because they are made primarily for taking the vehicle off-road, these vehicles are often less safe than minivans. SUVs can still be very safe cars, but if you’re in the market for an SUV, it is important to research the safety features of the vehicle you would like to purchase. It is more important to research SUVs than minivans because minivans are presumed to be safer. But, it is still important to conduct safety feature research regardless of what kind of vehicle you would like to purchase.

Size
The size of your vehicle can be immediately determined by the size of your family. Smaller families will be able to fit comfortably into a larger SUV, while larger families will likely need the extra seating and space that most minivans will provide. Other factors contribute to what vehicle size your family will require as well. If you have a smaller family that travels a lot then you may need a larger vehicle, or if you’re a larger family with more than one vehicle you may not require a second vehicle that is very large.

Minivans are typically larger than SUVs and therefor have more room. Some larger SUVs are comparable in size to minivans, but on the whole minivans are larger than SUVs. When deciding between an SUV and a minivan keep in mind how much seating and cargo space your family will require. These factors will mostly influence your decision to purchase a minivan or an SUV.

Fuel Economy
The fuel economy of your family car is especially important for families looking to save money on gas. Fuel economy can be especially important if your family travels a lot or if the family car doubles as a car that gets parents to and from work, appointments, etc. For families that drive more than one car, fuel economy may not be as big of a deciding factor when it comes time to purchase a vehicle as that particular car may not be driven as much. For single car families, fuel economy can be a very important factor as the car will be driven much more often.

Minivans usually have better fuel economy than SUVs. SUVs are known to use a lot of gas and need to have their tanks filled more regularly. If you are concerned about using too much gas or if you simply would like to save money on gas, then purchasing a minivan may be best for you and your family.

Buying a family car can be a difficult decision. Narrowing the decision down to purchasing a minivan or an SUV can be even more difficult. Because every family is different, several factors must be taken into consideration before making a purchasing decision. No matter what your decision is, we are sure your family will enjoy your new car.

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