Safety (larger size and heavier weight), higher up seating position (also means better safety since you can see farther out), better ground clearance in general

Safety (larger size and heavier weight), higher up seating position (also means better safety since you can see farther out), better ground clearance in general (good for places with snow for example), good cargo capacity and/or 3 row seating (though the latter are available in mini-vans, but they're not "cool" and are not generally as capable - e.g. most don't come with AWD).