SUV Or Minivan?

We love our Sienna. Minivans are a lot cheaper than SUV's. A friend of mine once drove our minivan, and had had an SUV, and he couldn't believe how much smoother the van was. And it's much better on gas mileage.

We have the smaller Lexus SUV and have used it with our first two kids. We recently bought a Toyota Sienna minivan right before our third child was born. And boy do I wish we invested in this minivan way back instead of the SUV (although I did love our SUV too)! For a family with young children, the minivan wins hands down. Good luck!

Hi JF, in my line of work I am very familiar with all three vehicles! I think you'd likely be happiest with the Sienna. The 2011 Sienna will be coming out next month so you could possibly get a deal on a 2010 model, if you are looking to save some money.

The Highlander is also nice but smaller and more car-like . . .I would consider it maybe a little crowded with two kids. The Hybrid would have the best gas mileage of the three, however.

The Sequoia is HUGE and built essentially on a Tundra frame, and is very manly and sturdy inside, and has a stiffer ride . . .great for families but would probably appeal to a family that does a lot of camping or has to haul around a lot of equipment or a big dog, etc. Gas mileage the lowest of the three.

Toyota.com has a comparison tool you could use to see the differences in the three vehicles.

I drive a SUV. Im not in love with it by any means, but with four kids, a travel trailer and alot of time spent in the mountians...its a must for this family. Several of my other mom friends all have mini vans...I am so jealous! The gas mileage is alot better and so is the ride, it seems that the passangers are more comfortable also and gettin the kids in and out of a van is easier then a SUV. But test them all out and see what works best for you and yours. Good luck.

I have the Sienna and I LOVE it! A good friend of ours is a master mechanic for Toyota and the Sienna is one of the only minivans that can fit 6 car seats (I have a small daycare so this was important for me). I chose it by default for these reasons and I have not been disappointed. It's very easy to drive, roomy inside both for passengers and cargo in the back. I'm not sure exactly what the gas mileage is but I think it's got to be as good, but probably better, than any SUV. Even if you only have two kids, as they get older, it's nice to have the option of seating other children as well for carpooling or little trips when they want to bring a friend.

Good luck with the car and your growing family!
B. :)

Hi-

I had to laugh when I read your question because we used to have a Camry and the reason we got rid of it is because we went camping and it was packed so full that we couldn't see our kid's!! We did a lot of research and bought the Sienna. I LOVE it and NEVER thought I would drive a minivan!!! It's roomy, has a very comfortable ride. We have the 8 seater and that back rowis not comfortable for adults for long distances, but it works for the kid's and for the most part that is who is in that back row. My only complaint is that it feels wide, so parking in those little parking spaces can be tricky. That said, I love it and would buy another one.

Have you looked at the Ford Flex? It is ugly as heck, but it was a REALLY smooth, fun ride (we test drove one last year but it was out of our ultimate price range). It has some really cool vista windows as well, great for road trips. It was a really nice compromise between minivan and SUV, lots of seating, trunk space and neat features.

We have a Sequoia and love it! This is actually our 3rd Sequoia and while we have kids I problably won't get anything else. That being said the Sequoia and the 4 Runner are built on the same chasis (truck) vs. the Highlander which is built on the car chasis (I am not sure about the Sienna). Obviously the car chasis is going to make for a smoother ride. I don't really notice the ride in our Sequoia, unless I get into another car. The space is awesome, even the 3rd row has enough room for grown men. We usually don't have the 3rd row seats in because we have a large dog that travels with us a lot (don't want his hair on the seats). Gas mileage sucks, about 16 mpg but I love having a big car that I feel safe in. We actually have had 2 fairly serious accidents in the Sequoias and no serious injuries (I have some residual back neck problems but our kids were completely protected). I am sure a lot of this credit goes to Toyota for making a safe product so the Sienna/Highlander should be similiar. We looked at the Highlander and just found it too small in comparison to the Sequoia. Good luck

Just a tidbit of information on the cars you selected themselves. The Highlander is built on the camry frame... it's a heavier car, but sits lower like the camry and drives like it. This being said... get the 6 cyl or you will be dragging. The 4Runner (knocked off your list) is built on the truck frame of the prerunner. Hence why it has a bumpy ride. The Sequoia doesn't get great gas mileage compared to the camry so be prepared for the shock when you fill up at the station, but you would be able to transport more. I would recommend this one if you are planning on doing long trips or having more kids. The Highlander isn't all that much bigger than what you are even though structurally it is larger.
I can't stand minivans so I will refrain on that one! lol
I've heard bad things about the Honda Pilot from people who own them so they have been knocked off of our list (not on yours either, but just an FYI!)

I have the Honda minivan (very comparable to the Sienna) for my two kids (almost 4 and 20 months) and it's terrific. The feature I love is the sliding doors. It just makes loading kids, esp in parking lots, so much easier. I also love that it's relatively low to the ground. My three year old can climb in by himself. There's plenty of space and multiple seat configurations. Does the Highlander have a third row? This feature is great for the times that you want to go places with additional adults (although crawling into the third row does take some dexterity.) Very comfortable and smooth, too. Minivans are just made for families with small children.

I used to have a smaller SUV (BMW X5), but recently bought the Honda Odyssey. It was a great decision. It has tons of space, and rides more solidly than the Sienna, which was my only other option. Both the Odyssey and Sienna were at the top of Consumer Reports best buys because of the safety, fuel economy and space. My only beef with Honda is the road noise in the third row, but it wasn't enough to change my mind.

We upgraded to an SUV (chevy trailblazer ext) when our 3rd was born. We had a lot of the same needs you do. We are now trying to downsize a little. An SUV can be hard for the little ones to climb up into. When you're holding the baby and your older child can't get in and needs your help it gets a little frustrating. I also have to fold down a seat for everyone to fit which gets really old. It is good to have the 4 wheel drive on the SUV though. We're actually looking into a Mazda 5. I had one when my SUV was getting work done. It fits everyone and everything nicely and still have some room, but gets better gas mileage and the kids can get in by themselves. I'd recommend going for a minivan. Good luck on the hunt!

If you want more luggage and passenger room, I'd suggest buying a mini van. I have a Sienna and LOVE all the space I have and when people visit, I have enough room for everybody, it's so nice.

Gas isn't too bad. I don't drive around a lot but still do some driving and I have to put gas in the car about every 2-3 weeks, I think that's pretty good mileage!

We have a Nissan murano. One of the more interior spacious minivans (without being a gas guzzler). we Love love the suv. However we also have twin almost 14 month olds. For Christmas my husband traded our other car (Acura tl) in for a Toyota sienna. The suv is NOT practical for two babies. Two car seats, double stroller. Fine for going to park, but try doing week of grocery shopping and youre already out of room. Plus much harder to get them in and out of suv than minivan. Plus we like to easily be able to being along a grandparent or friend on occasion and suv wouldn't cut it. Do t get me wrong I love the suv, but love my mommy van more when I have the kids with me.

2 of my friends have the Sienna and love it - one has 2 kids, one has 3 kids. My sister-in-law has the Honda Pilot. I'm not an SUV fan but the Pilot rides like a car and there is plenty of room for 2 kids - plus great safety ratings.

Good luck!

I have another suggestion for your list... the Honda Odyssey. I never thought I would say that I love a minivan, but I LOVE THIS MINIVAN!!!

We were like you... looking to upgrade to a larger vehicle when child #2 came along. The Odyssey gives us plenty of space for us and all our luggage or equipment. And it seats 7 without even tapping into the storage space in the hatch! If you need more storage capacity, the last row folds down flat into the floor of the car. But the best thing of all is that when you drive it, you feel like you're driving a car! It is so easy to handle and maneuver. It has lots of awesome features too... I highly recommend getting the built in Navigation system. We use it all the time, and for much more than just getting from A to B. It is wonderful! So go check out the Odyssey... you won't be sorry!

Find a car rental agency that carries your top contenders. Rent each for a day - you'll get a better feel than just a test drive can give you. It may sound like a waste of money, but a new car is a big investment and you want to make the right choice.

I drive a honda Odyssey. I love the sliding doors on the mini van. plus it can easily fit 6 adults. or 8....but that works better w/ small kid bottoms. I think it is easier to get into the 3rd row in a mini van. plus it is super easy to fold and remove seats in my car. My van is 2 yrs old, and at the time the Toyota and the Honda were pretty similar in features. the reason i didn't get the Toyota, the rear view mirror was too low. sounds lame, but, i knew it would bug me driving w/ it in my face everyday.
those doors rock!

We really love our Honda Pilot. That said, if I were to go with a different car, the Toyota Highlander is high on the list.

Two words, Honda Odyssey. I was one of those people who swore she would never drive a mini-van but I LOVE this van. I don't know what I would do without it. It is low to the ground and the automatic sliding doors are AWESOME. My parents got us the DVD player for it and now road trips are a breeze. Definitely worth checking out. Good luck to you!

We've got both an SUV and a minivan. The SUV (Honda Pilot) is mine and it's what we took on trips for years, since my husband had a Lexus sedan. Even with one child, it didn't really suit us for long trips, but the SUV was great. Well, we had twins last Feb., so hubby sold his Lexus and bought himself a Honda Odyssey. I wish it was mine! We just got back from Las Vegas and I love driving that thing! We can fit all three kids in the SUV, and still have plenty of room for luggage in the back...BUT, the minivan just seems more comfortable for a long trip now. Either one would fit your criteria, but if I could, I'd just have two minivans!

Just to throw it out there, don't forget that the Highlander also comes as a hybrid. I believe they list the mpg as 20, but we all know that it will be lower. That said, it's still going to be higher than both the Sequoia and the Sienna. However, the Highlander is going to be smaller than both of these cars. If you don't care about the looking like a mom factor, than I would definitely get the Sienna. It's very roomy, easy to get the babies in and out, and more importantly, you can grow into it. Thinking that you'll be hanging on to your car for a while, besides all the things that are important to you now, remember that you may want to carpool, take multiple kids on playdates, cart your kids around to their various activities with all their gear, etc. If you ever think that one day, you'll be embarrassed to be driving a minivan, than get the Sequoia and just get used to the way it drives. You will eventually. Honestly, I wish someone had told me when I was first starting out to get the biggest car you can with the best gas mileage you can, because you will need it! My two cents.

We have a Toyota Siena 2006 LE. LOVE IT! Bought just a few months before #2 was born when hubby's car died. Planned to buy it in April, but bought it in Jan a few months early. We did all the research and it came down to the Honda Odyssey and the Siena. In the end we picked the Siena because it had a longer safety track record for the braking system. Honda had some issues with their braking system a few years back. Plus all of our other cars are Toyotas, so I guess we are kind of biased.

I use the Siena as my everyday car to tote the kids around. We have a 4.5 yo son and a 2.5 yo daughter. This past May we took our first major road trip from San Diego to S. Dakota. 3 days of driving each way. The kids LOVED IT! We fit everything into the rear of the van with no problems. Didn't even have to put anything up top on the luggage rack. We just folded down half of the rear seat. We had 2 weeks of Winter clothes, 2 weeks of food (we have food allergies), toys for the kids, our Bob stroller, etc. This year we plan to make the same trip again and will bring the kids bikes and scooters. We were all comfortable in the van during the 8 to 10 hrs of driving each day.

My parents have a Highlander. It's a great car for them. And my kids car seats fit nicely into the rear seat when we are visiting. But it can only fit 2 car seats and the 2 front seats. So only 4 people can ride in it. With the Siena we can safely fit 2 car seats, and 5 adults. The Sequoia just felt too big and bulky for us. The Siena fits us just perfect. We can take the long road trips, can drive the grandparents around, can haul furniture, and still be safe and comfortable.

My hubby gets carsick whenever he sits in the back seat of cars. Although he rarely sits back there in our van since he is usually driving or sitting in the front passenger seat, when he has had to sit back there he hasn't gotten sick. My Dad sits back there the most and he also gets carsick a lot and has not gotten sick back there. So I'd say the Siena has a pretty smooth ride.

If you buy in Jan like we did, you can get last years model at close out prices. We got an awesome deal on our 2006 model in Jan of 2007.

I have a sienna. I LOVE it! It's very smooth and easy to drive. Right now in the back of the van I have a double jogger stroller, an umbrella stroller, a raidio flyer bike and a 16 inch bike with training wheels and a costco size toilet paper package and I still have room for groceries if I need to. That is all with the 3rd row down. It's great for gas too. I drive 15 minutes 3 times a week twice a day to my daughters preschool, work about 15 minutes away 4 days a week and still take the kids to the mall or just out and about and I fill up about once a week and it usually costs me about $45-$50 to fill up from empty. So, I love my van!

I LOVE my minivan. It's not a Toyota though (it starts with an H and ends with an A) (-:

Seriously, I always wanted a van, so when hubby surprised me with this (he really wanted to get me an Acura MDX) I was thrilled! I love love love my van!!

Nuff said! (-:

I went from a minivan to an suv. I miss my minivan!

Definitely minivan! Forget SUVs until your kids are out of diapers. Teens love SUVs, so you have a ways to go before worrying about that. Nobody appreciates a minivan more that a parent with small children. If it is rainy, you do not have to leave the vehicle to change a diaper or really anything else. A minivan is the only way to go.

I have the sienna and love, love, love it! It's roomy and drives great. I like that as my girls have gotten older it gives us more then enough room for them to bring friends along.

Hi

I have had all the cars that you listed at one point of my life or another (my husband works for a car company), and Sienna would satisfy #2,3 & 4 of your criteria. A big no on Sequoia - too big, bumpy, and not cheap. I don't recall the gas mileage of the Highlander. Sienna, which was my last car, ran at about 11 to 12 miles per gallon, which isn't great (forget about the sticker MPG, 11.5 MPG was what I actually got, on average). I currently drive a Lexus RX hybrid, and I love it. It has less space than Sienna, but you get a lot better MPG and the truck space is adequate. It is also smoother and a much easier drive than Sienna. The RX fits 4 of us only, with 2 car seats in the back, so if being able to accomodate family and friends is a constant need of yours then I wouldn't recommend the RX. All in all, I think Sienna is probably your best bet. good luck.

I drove a 2001 GMC Safari van until this summer and loved it. It seats eight with lots of storage in the back. The rear seats fold down. The only thing I would change would be to have rear passenger doors on each side. Mine just had a sliding door on the right side. I don't know what changes have been made since 2001. I also loved riding up high, although no matter what, there was always a bigger vehicle in front of me. lol

I have a Toyota Highlander and LOVE IT! It has a very smooth ride and plenty of room to even allow our two dogs in the back. It also has a luggage rack on the top for some extra storage. Hope this helps a little.

Have a blessed New Year!

Loved my minivan. Drove a Mercury Villiager and got better mileage than my new SUV. Minivans will have more room, easier to get things in and out and will be perfect for you for several years at which then you can decide if you still want a van or switch to the suv.

Minivan.
LOVE our Minivan Toyota Sienna.
Even my husband... who at first thought it was not cool.
He now LOVES our minivan and would not get a SUV again.
It meets all the features you want.
SUPER fun to ride in, and lots of room for other gear and luggage and other people riding with you, and great for errands and getting the kids in and out of.

My friends, had SUV's, it was cramped in the backseats, less legroom, and harder to put the kids into and out of. THEY switched to vans too, after using one on vacation. THEY had luxury model type SUV's, the high-end models. They, like their vans far better, and more practical.

Also, I believe SUV's and mini-vans have different insurance rates. Something to think about.

good luck,
Susan