I’m in the market for a new vehicle. My family does quite a lot of travelling within New England with lots of winter gear, bikes, and outdoor gear. I currently have a mid size 3 row SUV, but I’m considering going the minivan route. If a minivan, it would be the Toyota Sienna AWD version. I also like the fact that the Sienna is a hybrid and the gas mileage would be more than 50% better than I currently get.
A few holdbacks for me are the lack of ground clearance for winter driving - around 2 inches less in the minivan. It sounds like the AWD system works pretty well in the Sienna, but it’s electric only for the rear wheels. Can anyone speak to the Sienna with AWD in the snow? Of course, the minivan isn’t as cool as some sporty or more powerful SUV’s, but I’m more for practicality in my middle age, and the Sienna trumps almost any SUV (other than those in the Suburban size range) for cargo volume. There is a Woodlands version of the Sienna, but it seems to be in very short supply - it has slightly higher ground clearance. I have a 3-bike rear hitch mount, so I’d need to add a 2" tow hitch receiver. The standard Toyota hitch mount for the Sienna is not 2", so I would need to get an after market one.
The real thing I want is a 4x4 Sprinter camper van, especially after seeing so many on recent trips to Arizona and Utah, but I’ll settle for something a bit more practical and much more economical.
Am I crazy to go this route, or should I just stick with a mid size SUV?
What about towing something like an airstream base camp with your current SUV? Saves room in your main vehicle and they are super light
How many bodies total and what’s the break down of small and large humans?
All leading to see if a sport wagon would be a possibility. You’ll pry my allroad from my cold dead hands and is a great 4-season New England car.
I had a minivan for the past 16 years and have only recently switched to a Jeep now that both of my kids are now driving. I didn’t have the AWD version but both minivans were Toyota Sienna’s and I have absolutely no regrets. I kept the third row seats down 99.9% of the time and was able to fit two bikes in standing up and front wheels on with room for gear in between. Take the front wheels off and you can easily fit three bikes in the back with 4 passengers. I live in New England as well and never had a problem with driving in the snow even without AWD. Not much beats the Sienna for the amount of space for the money. Comfortable to drive and good gas mileage too.
For minivans I always go Odyssey and never look back.
Nobody ever was a minivan guy…until they got a minivan.
Minivans are awesome. You can carry so much on a whim. When I go to races I can carry my bike without taking the wheels off, and I have room for my gear box, plus my thermarest and pillow next to it. I park, lift the tailgate up and there’s my lounge. Not so much a thing for tris, but it’s nice for TTs when the course recon closes at 9 and masters don’t go until noon.
I have three boys and I build foldable double bunk beds for it, so that with the middle row in the floor is can seat four AND sleep four!
I’m up above New England. AWD is nice, sure, but I’ve been managing just fine with FWD. The key is solid winter tires. I really like Nokians. I can manage up to 8 inches on unplowed rolling hills, it gets tricky after that.
I switched to a minivan years ago, haven’t looked back. TONS more space than a SUV, and much easier to drive than a Expedition/Suburban.
Don’t have a Sienna, but that would be my number one choice
I have the ford transit connect and it is awesome. The wife and I have no kids but have had the van for 5 years. Please don’t get a sprinter van. I live out west and they are a nuisance and not welcomed in a lot of places. I live in a small western town but if you are in boulder or salt lake they are very popular. It is interesting to see you talk about the hybrid van and a 3/4 ton truck(which is what cargo vans are).
Toyota Highlander hybrid.
can’t speak exactly to your situation but more generally:
-i think ground clearance is probably more important that 4wd when it comes to tough conditions, so it’s true that minivans are a compromise there.
-buuuut, minivans are totally superior tri vehicles in my opinion. raced (and and occasionally slept!) out of one for years. the much lower floor means far, far more storage space, and slotting in bikes without taking the wheels off is amazing.
i’d say that unless you’re consistently driving in really messy/off-road situations, you’ll be more comfortable with the minivans.
Get the van and a set of snows. It’ll be a tank.
Your other option is likely a Honda Pilot, which is on Odyssey bones.
If I didn’t need the bed of my truck as frequently as I do, I’d be having the same debate.
I just made the switch from a Grand Cherokee to an Minivan (Nissan Elgrand). It’s great, having the extra space is superb… and this is in a land (UK) where petrol is currently $8/gallon.
SUVs aren’t cool either, so don’t worry about that.
We’ve got a 21 Sienna XLE FWD. Made it through last winter in the Worcester hills without a single issue on the OEM all seasons, but probably going winter tires this year, and we’ve put 21k on it over the last 350 days. Mid 30s mpg. The Curt or Draw-Tite hitch is 2".
Cons: The center row doesn’t come out nor fold.
Only 3500 lbs towing, but Draw-Tite says you can pull 4500 lbs with their hitch.
My brother in law has a minivan, and it’s the most versatile, utilitarian vehicle out there. Automatically opening and closing doors, cavernous interior, decent fuel mileage, and very space efficient for its length due to the short hood. It has all the function of a Sprinter van for day to day usage without the huge price tag.
Life is short. Do you really want to drive a minivan?
I drove a Dodge Grand Caravan for a short while in college. That thing was amazing for bike races and moving dorm rooms. I hated it for everyday driving but would trade my wife’s Subaru Forester for a minivan without thinking twice about it.
My minivan is amazing. I agree about the snow although I have winter tires and live in toronto and Canada and have never had a problem. If you live in a more rural and snowy area maybe it is a consideration.
As for the sienna I have heard the engine is loud and check the middle row seats for versatility.
I am replacing my odyssey right now. I looked at the four minivan options and all reviews say the carnival or the odyssey are the way to go.
Echoing everyone else. The minivan is one of the most perfectly designed vehicles on the road. There is nothing more comfortable for a family, and it has incredible storage. We can fit four bikes inside an Odyssey for family adventures. The 2nd row comfort has no peer. And the 3rd row in most minivans is actually useable for an adult. When you experience the automatic doors and other minivan advantages, you will never look back.
We just sold our minivan for a nice mid-sized SUV. The SUV is nice, and it is pretty comfortable. But it has a fraction of the minivan’s storage capacity. If you have a family, get a minivan.
Life is short. Do you really want to drive a minivan?
Depends on the minivan, surely…
I’m in the market for a new vehicle. My family does quite a lot of travelling within New England with lots of winter gear, bikes, and outdoor gear. I currently have a mid size 3 row SUV, but I’m considering going the minivan route. If a minivan, it would be the Toyota Sienna AWD version. I also like the fact that the Sienna is a hybrid and the gas mileage would be more than 50% better than I currently get.
A few holdbacks for me are the lack of ground clearance for winter driving - around 2 inches less in the minivan. It sounds like the AWD system works pretty well in the Sienna, but it’s electric only for the rear wheels. Can anyone speak to the Sienna with AWD in the snow? Of course, the minivan isn’t as cool as some sporty or more powerful SUV’s, but I’m more for practicality in my middle age, and the Sienna trumps almost any SUV (other than those in the Suburban size range) for cargo volume. There is a Woodlands version of the Sienna, but it seems to be in very short supply - it has slightly higher ground clearance. I have a 3-bike rear hitch mount, so I’d need to add a 2" tow hitch receiver. The standard Toyota hitch mount for the Sienna is not 2", so I would need to get an after market one.
The real thing I want is a 4x4 Sprinter camper van, especially after seeing so many on recent trips to Arizona and Utah, but I’ll settle for something a bit more practical and much more economical.
Am I crazy to go this route, or should I just stick with a mid size SUV?
I traded in my Jeep Grand Cherokee for a Sienna AWD (gas not electric)
The Sienna AWD system was markedly better in the snow than the Jeep. I put Bridgestone Blizzaks on the Sienna and was completely confident in Michigan winters. It was easy to load. Easy to get in and out of. My bike can fit in upright in the back. You can lay down the seats and sleep/camp in the Sienna. Easily the best car I have ever owned. If I had to pick only one car to own for the rest of my life, it would be the Toyota Sienna AWD (and I’m a car guy with a long history of sports cars in my past). I think the utility is totally cool.
The only reason that I don’t drive the Sienna any longer is my wife and daughter got in to horses and I needed a truck to pull horses around the country. The big truck is cool but I would trade it for a Sienna mini van in a second if I didn’t need the tow capacity.