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> Lucia Barbato, from West Sussex, says her second-hand Lexus RX450 SUV - a hybrid model - is vital for transporting her large family in an area with limited pu

> Lucia Barbato, from West Sussex, says her second-hand Lexus RX450 SUV - a hybrid model - is vital for transporting her large family in an area with limited public transport. If she needs a car, it is what it is. But her situation specifically is one where a minivan would solve her problems. She says the SUV gets cramped with 3 kids and their sports equipment. This is exactly the problem minivans solved. I think the problem being faced here is more about societal trends and cars as status symbols and expressions of self. SUVs are cool and trendy, minivans are lame and boring. Another person said they need a Land Rover Defender. Also, minivan solves their specific problems of shuttling people and needing to fit a door on occasion. Minivans aren't small by any means, but they are much more functional and useable than what most people are buying.

bryanlarsen 11mo ago
Microvans still exist in Europe too. I can carry driver + 3 + a lot of luggage or driver + 5 with little luggage. Or driver + 2 if the luggage includes a tuba, euphonium and trombone. They're fabulously space efficient. I'm annoyed that you can't buy them in North America ever since the Mazda 5 was discontinued in 2015.
stronglikedan 11mo ago
Minivans are a terrible driving experience compared to SUVs. I wouldn't even wish them on my enemies.
- milkytron 11mo ago
  How so? I've driven many SUVs and minivans. Minivans usually offer better visibility and have lower center of gravity. Even still, are people buying an SUV or minivan for the driving experience?
  - EvanAnderson 11mo ago
    Yeah-- I'm thinking the same thing. I have a Honda Pilot (full-size SUV) and CR-V (crossover SUV) and I've driven my brother-in-law's Odyssey (minivan) a fair amount. The Pilot feels like a lumbering beast that begs to roll over. It also has less visibility than the CR-V and the Odyssey. I don't feel a ton of difference between the CR-V and the Odyssey. I also never worry about the CG in either one. They have a very similar feel. I can definitely see around both of them better than the Pilot (though I think the CR-V has a little bit of an advantage).
  - deleted 11mo ago
    [deleted]
  - tstrimple 11mo ago
    The visibility and comfort on road trips is why I'll probably continue to own a minivan even after I don't need it to haul kids around. I can throw 8'x4' sheet goods onto the roof rack and anything smaller fits inside with the seats down.
jemmyw 11mo ago
> they need a Land Rover Defender This is an English thing and I don't really get it, despite being English originally. Our English neighbour imported their Land Rover when they moved here from the UK, all the way to NZ. As far as I can tell their appeal is just for talking about it in-between trips to the mechanic, which is where they'll spend a lot of their time. Said neighbour's one is currently unroadworthy. They're ugly (subjective), inefficient, rattly, unreliable, not super fun to drive. I could understand if it was a nationalistic thing, but LR is owned by Tata motors.
rk38 11mo ago
I think many people don't appreciate that large MPVs/minivans are almost exactly the same size as mid-size SUVs like the Lexus RX450h mentioned in the article. The dimensions tell the story: Ford Galaxy (large MPV, 2015): 4,853mm × 1,916mm × 1,811mm Ford S-Max (mid-size MPV, 2015): 4,796mm × 1,916mm × 1,655mm Renault Espace (2015): 4,878mm × 1,888mm × 1,675mm Lexus RX (2015): 4,890mm × 1,895mm × 1,685mm The Galaxy and S-Max are actually wider than the Lexus, while the Espace is only 7mm narrower. Length differences are minimal, the S-Max is 94mm shorter, the Galaxy 37mm shorter, and the Espace 12mm shorter than the RX. Beside both the Galaxy and S-Max have been discontinued, and the Renault Espace, the vehicle that essentially created the MPV segment has rebranded itself as a "mid-size crossover SUV" for its sixth generation and follow on generation. The distinction between MPVs and crossover SUVs has largely collapsed.

bryanlarsen 11mo ago

Microvans still exist in Europe too. I can carry driver + 3 + a lot of luggage or driver + 5 with little luggage. Or driver + 2 if the luggage includes a tuba, euphonium and trombone. They're fabulously space efficient. I'm annoyed that you can't buy them in North America ever since the Mazda 5 was discontinued in 2015.

stronglikedan 11mo ago

Minivans are a terrible driving experience compared to SUVs. I wouldn't even wish them on my enemies.

milkytron 11mo ago
How so? I've driven many SUVs and minivans. Minivans usually offer better visibility and have lower center of gravity. Even still, are people buying an SUV or minivan for the driving experience?
- EvanAnderson 11mo ago
  Yeah-- I'm thinking the same thing. I have a Honda Pilot (full-size SUV) and CR-V (crossover SUV) and I've driven my brother-in-law's Odyssey (minivan) a fair amount. The Pilot feels like a lumbering beast that begs to roll over. It also has less visibility than the CR-V and the Odyssey. I don't feel a ton of difference between the CR-V and the Odyssey. I also never worry about the CG in either one. They have a very similar feel. I can definitely see around both of them better than the Pilot (though I think the CR-V has a little bit of an advantage).
- deleted 11mo ago
  [deleted]
- tstrimple 11mo ago
  The visibility and comfort on road trips is why I'll probably continue to own a minivan even after I don't need it to haul kids around. I can throw 8'x4' sheet goods onto the roof rack and anything smaller fits inside with the seats down.

jemmyw 11mo ago

> they need a Land Rover Defender This is an English thing and I don't really get it, despite being English originally. Our English neighbour imported their Land Rover when they moved here from the UK, all the way to NZ. As far as I can tell their appeal is just for talking about it in-between trips to the mechanic, which is where they'll spend a lot of their time. Said neighbour's one is currently unroadworthy. They're ugly (subjective), inefficient, rattly, unreliable, not super fun to drive. I could understand if it was a nationalistic thing, but LR is owned by Tata motors.

rk38 11mo ago

I think many people don't appreciate that large MPVs/minivans are almost exactly the same size as mid-size SUVs like the Lexus RX450h mentioned in the article. The dimensions tell the story: Ford Galaxy (large MPV, 2015): 4,853mm × 1,916mm × 1,811mm Ford S-Max (mid-size MPV, 2015): 4,796mm × 1,916mm × 1,655mm Renault Espace (2015): 4,878mm × 1,888mm × 1,675mm Lexus RX (2015): 4,890mm × 1,895mm × 1,685mm The Galaxy and S-Max are actually wider than the Lexus, while the Espace is only 7mm narrower. Length differences are minimal, the S-Max is 94mm shorter, the Galaxy 37mm shorter, and the Espace 12mm shorter than the RX. Beside both the Galaxy and S-Max have been discontinued, and the Renault Espace, the vehicle that essentially created the MPV segment has rebranded itself as a "mid-size crossover SUV" for its sixth generation and follow on generation. The distinction between MPVs and crossover SUVs has largely collapsed.