Choosing the right vehicle for larger families
Raising 4 kids has been a challenge. They’ve always lead a busy life with many activities after school and on weekends. Taking them to these activities shouldn’t be a challenge. Nor should deciding which vehicle to use to do this. At first thought a minivan seemed to be the logical choice. However, there have been other options for larger families to move toward when it comes to transporting your large family.
With typical passenger vehicles seating up to 5 people, what about those of us who have more than 5 family members? There are alternatives to becoming part of the minivan family – large crossovers or SUV’s are available to carry 8 passengers easily and comfortably. Before you buy or lease, take a good look to see what your needs and wants are when it comes to your family vehicle.
A minivan has a lot of cargo space as well as seating. This is especially true when the kids are young and you have a lot of items to take with you. A larger SUV or crossover has similar space that you may not have thought of. After the years pass and the kids get older, your kids may not need to be traveling to all those places with the family. They may have other plans, part-time jobs, etc. With that in mind, do you still want a minivan?
I drove a minivan for many years once our family grew to 6 people. It served a purpose at the time. We also thought we would always be a minivan family. We liked them, but really wanted away from that type of vehicle. Not everyone wants to have a minivan. When we came across the SUV that would serve the same purpose, we went with that. This especially interested us as a family once we knew our eldest child was less likely to be involved with family trips. We didn’t want the full sized minivan any longer but still wanted cargo space. That’s when we decided to move to the SUV. We like the styling of the vehicle, along with the handling and all of the current safety features and options.
Many of the larger full-size SUV’s and crossovers have the back row available for seating when the need arises. Once you have 5 or less occupants, that back row can stay down and be used for cargo space for vacation or groceries. Although these vehicles appear large, they often handle like a smaller vehicle. Easy to maneuver through tight spaces and parking is a breeze. After a few test drives, it was an easy choice for me and my family.
Whichever vehicle you decide to go with, do your research. Look at the pros and cons of each. Know there are many choices and look beyond the immediate. Vehicles tend to last longer now than ever before. Find the vehicle that will serve your immediate needs, but also your needs for the future.