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Minivans are one of the most practical vehicles of all time, yet they are often labelled to be embarrassing or uncool by some people. Anything practical and useful doesn’t necessarily have to be stylish but it is a big bonus. As a result of the many people who regard minivans as “uncool”, a lot of brands have changed their styles and looks to fit into people’s preferences a bit more. However the stigma of driving a minivan as being embarrassing still sticks.
Driving a minivan is seen as embarrassing by many people because they are family vehicles that are made for their utility and not their power or style. This stigma is unlikely to change anytime soon so using a minivan will likely still be considered embarrassing for a long time to come.
If there is any need to compromise the style and design according to people’s needs, minivans would be the least needing of all. They haul people and cargo comfortably, allowing an entire family to fit into it and enjoy a luxurious and spacious trip. Nowadays, minivans are certainly more useful than SUVs and crossovers however the latter are still more popular since they aren’t considered embarrassing.
So there’s definitely no question that they are embarrassing for many people to drive but whether they are embarrassing for you to drive is really up to you.
Why do some people think minivan’s aren’t embarrassing?
Whether it’s embarrassing to drive a specific vehicle is certainly dependent on the person and their opinion of the vehicle. If you were to ask a teenager and an older person whether a minivan was embarrassing you would likely get two different answers.
Honestly, you could likely ask two people that were the same age and you would get two different answers!
Minivans are useful for various reasons and come with some advanced features, which have made it quite convenient for people to use minivans for a variety of things. Below are a few different reasons why minivans remain one of the most in demand vehicles for families and businesses alike.
- Built in car seats for kids
A minivan is the best vehicle if your child’s safety is your primary concern. Many minivans come with 8 seats, and some also provide built-in booster seats for younger children. This helps to provide the utmost protection to kids in case of unforeseen accidents and also makes it much easier to do since the seats are built into the normal seats in the vehicle.
- Automatic door closing and opening never goes out of fashion
What many people love about minivans besides their practicality are the sliding doors. They are enough to draw the attention of the public towards you. Instead of swing opening, the doors slide open and close and on many models also do so at the touch of a button!
This feature makes minivans stand out from the majority of other vehicles available in today’s market and it makes putting groceries or children in or out of the minivan much easier as well. If you are always worried about hitting the car next to you when your children swing open the rear doors then the power sliders will be a breath of fresh air for sure!
- No one steals a minivan
To most people, minivans are sort of embarrassing. Hence, there are much lower chances of a minivan getting stolen. Just like no one would want to steal a mom-mobile, no one would want to steal an uncool, embarrassing, and boring vehicle like a minivan (though it hardly matters).
- Minivans are the best vehicles for families
Probably the most important reason why people have embraced minivans is that they are extremely family-friendly. Besides letting your entire family come together, it provides ample space to carry your luggage as well. If you are looking forward to enjoying spacious, comfortable, and luxurious rides with your family at affordable prices, minivans are what you need.
What are the features that make minivans “cool”?
The word cool is in quotations because to some people nothing will ever make a minivan cool. However, over the years minivans have changed quite a bit as earlier minivans weren’t very advanced and offered minimal features.
A few brands have come out with better models of minivans which have enhanced the experience of travelers beyond their wildest imagination. With the advancement of minivans, buyers’ expectations have also increased. To live up to their expectations and requirements, most minivans come with all sorts of features keeping in mind the convenience of the passengers.
To some people, they might not be cool, but in reality, with the right solutions and technology, they are the most affordable and practical solutions available on today’s market.
Below are some of the cool features that are only found in modern minivans:
- Deep cargo-carrying space
Minivans provide greater cargo-carrying space and capacity than SUVs. Anything from groceries to luggage would fit into the space behind the third row and some minivans have space under the floor in front of the second row for additional storage as well!
All of this storage space makes taking your family on a cross country trip a lot easier and allows for you to bring just about everything you might ever need.
- USB Connection
Bluetooth and USB connectivity are of great help to minivan passengers. With these systems, passengers can connect their tablets, smartphones, gaming devices, and laptops easily while travelling. Some of the minivan models come with the Uconnect theater system, allowing people to enjoy a variety of entertainment options.
- Second-Row sliding windows
Back in the days when vehicles didn’t have adequate cooling and heating systems, passengers often felt uncomfortable travelling in minivans. Nowadays, minivans come with great second-row windows which lower into the doors just like the front windows do. Similar to cars, minivan windows also slide down at the press of a button, enabling second and third-row passengers to enjoy abundant air supply.
- Automatic opening and closing of doors
Probably the most luxurious feature of minivans, the power sliding doors have changed the entire minivan industry for the better. Experiencing the thrill and pleasure of power-operated, remote-controlled sliding doors is beyond expressible. It’s a great innovative feature found in the best models of minivans.
They mostly contain a button in the front seat near the rearview mirror, which opens the doors automatically. The sliding doors can also be opened by pressing the buttons on the key fob, pressing the button inside by the door handle, or by lightly pulling the handle on the outside of the van.
While sliding doors used to be incredibly difficult to open and close that’s no longer the case because of the power door option.
- Wide Second-Row Seating
The second row of seats in minivans is now wider and more spacious. Now, kids and adults don’t have to sit close to each other. Minivans like the Kia Sedona and Honda Odyssey come with horizontal shifting seating row seats, allowing adults to enjoy a comfortable seating position.
It also allows people to clean in between seats a lot easier and also adjust between wider and normal seating positions.
- Cooler in the Console
Initially, only SUVs were equipped with a cooling system in the center console. Now, a lot of advanced minivans come with this feature as well. In a lot of minivans, the center console has a cooler, which uses cool air from the vehicle’s air conditioning system which allows passengers to keep drinks cool on their trip.
You should remember that it would take longer for the vehicle to keep drinks cool if it’s fully packed.
Which are the coolest models of minivans?
Minivans don’t get hyped very much as they don’t really need to be. They are practical, useful, and affordable and people know that. However, it would be wrong to call out people who consider minivans embarrassing as it’s not their fault completely. It’s the way minivans have been marketed for years.
They have been portrayed as family-friendly vehicles, which are driven by utility.
If you are a smart buyer, willing to put utility before style, a minivan is what you need. Listed below the best models of minivans that are currently available, which are luxurious, comfortable, and practical.
Toyota Sienna
The Sienna is the best-rated, most reliable, luxurious minivan currently on the market. Of course, its price is the highest of all minivans, ranging from $33,640 – $49,415. It’s famous for its AWD and spacious interiors as well as the reliability that Toyota is well known for.
Kia Sedona
The Kia Sedona is the second most preferred vehicle according to many people. It has an overall 21 miles per gallon and is available at a price range of $27,600 to $41,500. It’s spacious plush interiors are praiseworthy.
Dodge Caravan
This vehicle is the third most preferred minivan. It comes at a price range of $27,530 – $35,535. It’s equipped with a spacious and comfortable cabin and cargo space as well as a low price compared to other models.
Conclusion
As you can see, minivans provide unparalleled travelling experience with their luxuriously decorated interiors and superior comfort for drivers and passengers alike.
Minivans are relatively safer compared to SUVs and they also typically provide built in car seats for children, ensuring their maximum safety.
Many people label it as an awkward, embarrassing vehicle to own or drive but to families there really isn’t a better option if you can get past that feeling.