When it comes to choosing a vehicle that can hold plenty of cargo or passengers, shoppers are faced with buying a crossover or a minivan. We put the minivan and the SUV in a head-to-head matchup to see which body style fits specific needs best.
Like Having Choice? Buy an SUV
Want a hybrid? Prefer a luxury ride over a value buy? Need seating for five instead of seven, eight, or nine? If you’re shopping for a used SUV, you have plenty of options. There’s the BMW X4 if you prefer luxury, the Acura MDX for those who want sportiness, and the Chevy Tahoe if you need seating for nine. If you want to learn more about specific SUVs and crossovers, check out our Test Drive Review playlist.
Minivans, by contrast, offer fewer options. If you check for used cars by body style on CarGurus, you’ll find options like the Honda Odyssey, the Nissan Quest, the Toyota Sienna, the Dodge Grand Caravan, and the Chrysler Town & Country, to name just a few. If you’re shopping for new minivans, the list gets much shorter. Check out our playlist of minivan Test Drive Reviews to see what our reviewers thought.
Want a Maximum-Value Ride? Buy a Minivan
While you may have fewer choices for minivans, you also face a smaller overall price tag if you’re shopping used. According to CarGurus’ data, from 2012 to 2019, the average price of a used minivan has increased by 11%. The average prices of medium and large SUVs have gone up 17% and 15% respectively during the same time.
Looking to Maximize Fuel Economy? Buy an SUV
From 2012 to 2019, some SUVs have become more fuel efficient. The Toyota RAV4 with front-wheel drive (FWD) saw a 24% increase in mileage from the 2012 model to the 2019. However, some minivans have smaller increases in fuel efficiency, like the Chrysler Pacifica, which has seen a 10% boost from 2012 to 2019.
Want Plenty of Space and Ease of Access? Buy a Minivan
Minivans offer automatic sliding doors and plenty of cargo room. For instance, the Toyota Sienna features 150 cubic feet of cargo space. Compare that to the cargo space of a three-row SUV like the Ford Explorer, which offers 87.8 cubic feet.
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