Are you trying to put your whole family in a small sedan? Are your neighbors starting to frown at your beat-up truck when it’s your turn to drive the carpool? Maybe you should consider swapping out your tired family car for a bigger one. Often times when it comes to selecting a larger car, consumers find it difficult to choose between a minivan and an SUV. Either style will provide you with enough passenger and storage space, enough seating for up to 8 people, and a DVD player in the rear seat. While each vehicle has similar safety features, such as anti-lock brakes and airbags, the SUV has a greater chance, compared to the minivan, of experiencing a rollover accident. You might ask which of the two is better for you. To make the right decision, you will be asked to examine each car’s aesthetic appearance, fuel economy, interior space, towing limits, and safety features to find the one that suits your needs.

Aesthetic appearance

The aesthetic appearance of the car is not really a necessity, but is based on what you personally like best. In general, the SUV is often considered the more attractive of the two vehicles. SUVs are considered cooler and more eye-catching than the typical minivan, which will always be considered a suburban soccer mom’s car. Many guys would never want to get behind the wheel of a minivan, so if your man is going to drive the new car, you will need to discuss this choice with him first. Similarly, teens are generally embarrassed to ride minivans, which means that if a primary function of the new car will be to transport your teen from one place to another, you will need to think about their wishes as well.

Gas mileage

SUVs are known to consume a lot of gas, while minivans generally provide more fuel savings. If you want to get as many miles as possible on a tank of gas, a minivan would be a better decision financially. Additionally, other expenses related to vehicle ownership also increase for SUVs rather than minivans. Minivans are cheaper when it comes to maintenance, however you may be willing to spend more money to drive the sportier SUV.

Concerns about interior space

Each style of car has similar amounts of interior space, yet youngsters more often enjoy the spaciousness of a minivan. Additionally, children may have difficulty getting into vans due to their high access height. Kids also enjoy the minivan’s large windows that allow them to see more of what’s going on outside, which can keep them busy for long periods of time.

Towing limits

SUVs would be a more suitable option for boat owners who enjoy taking their families on boat trips on the weekends. The towing limits for SUVs are higher than those for a minivan, allowing them to tow just about anything practical in size. But, if you don’t intend to tow much of anything, and are really only concerned with hauling packages or people, the minivan should be a consideration.

Security features

SUVs are more likely to be in a rollover accident compared to minivans, even though their safety components are comparable. People who prefer SUVs explain the increased risk by stating that rollover accidents are responsible for only 3% of all collisions, and that SUVs are extremely safe for passengers in collisions involving two vehicles. Nothing has been conclusive in determining whether passenger safety cancels out the high probability of rollovers. If rollover hazards are a major concern to you, a minivan could give you the added satisfaction of knowing that your family is safer than it would be in an SUV.