Urgent! New car-suv vs minivan

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi there, we are about to purchase a car and are struggling with this question. The only thing we care about is safety. We are deciding between a new Honda odyssey or a 2013 yukon xl. I love all the airbags on the van has to offer but I'm conflicted because of the big size/weight the yukon xl would offer as protection. I'll take any insight/opinions. We have two kiddos (3, 1, one on the way). I can't get out of my mind that I love the van, but if I were in an accident would I be wishing I were in the big giant Yukon xl 😁 thanks! Purchasing in 4 days!
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jordansmom

New member
Sorry I can't link from my phone but take a look at the iihs safety reviews and you can compare better. I agree with the above poster that the Ody comes out ahead. And in my opinion much easier to load three little ones into!
 

allmyboyz

New member
Agree on the ody. The big SUVs look like they would offer more protection due to size but minivans are the perfect combo of size and weight for safe driving. I find cars too light and SUVs too big to take those sharp turns and handle skids.
 

Caroline162

New member
I finally was able to get rid of my awful Ford Expedition for a Honda Odyssey, and I am so so much happier. Big SUVs are the worst with a bunch of kids - there isn't enough cargo space for strollers, large grocery runs, etc. The giant swinging doors are like deathtraps and endanger nearby cars when the kids open them. The sliding van doors with remote are a dream. Climbing up to buckle babies into car seats is a pain the SUV and so easy in the van. The gas mileage was the worst in the SUV. And safety wise, I feel much safer in the van (1) because of safety ratings and (2) because I don't feel nearly as likely to flip the vehicle.
 

Keeanh

Well-known member
Yes, get the van. So much more convenient and usable for a family. The Ody has excellent safety ratings. And you will feel more in control of it when you're driving, which means you will probably be better able to avoid collisions altogether.
 

seb3244

New member
Sorry this is off topic

What if you can afford the newest car. I have a 2003 suburban and since I can't afford the minivan with all the airbags I went for the bigger vehicle. Would all of you have done the same?

To the original poster one thing that would make me lean towards the SUV is the amount of room between the back of the head of the 3rd row and the outside of the vehicle. With the minivan there is not much crumple factor maybe 1.5-2 feet and with an SUV there is a lot of room between the back of the 3rd row passenger's head and he outside of the vehicle- probably 3-4 feet so more crumple factor.
But on the other hand the people on this forum are super safety oriented and they really do their research so I would probably go with their recommendations over my silly reasons lol

Good luck and congrats on the upcoming purchase of your new car! So exciting!!
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
Another vote for the van! As well as being safer, as previously mentioned. The sliding doors are wonderful when you have kids to get in and out, no worries about open doors smacking the cars next to you and they are more out of your way when reaching car seats. They also feel more like a car to drive and are easier to park.
 

katymyers

Active member
Sorry this is off topic

What if you can afford the newest car. I have a 2003 suburban and since I can't afford the minivan with all the airbags I went for the bigger vehicle. Would all of you have done the same?

To the original poster one thing that would make me lean towards the SUV is the amount of room between the back of the head of the 3rd row and the outside of the vehicle. With the minivan there is not much crumple factor maybe 1.5-2 feet and with an SUV there is a lot of room between the back of the 3rd row passenger's head and he outside of the vehicle- probably 3-4 feet so more crumple factor.
But on the other hand the people on this forum are super safety oriented and they really do their research so I would probably go with their recommendations over my silly reasons lol

Good luck and congrats on the upcoming purchase of your new car! So exciting!!


If you look at the Informed for Life archives the Suburban/Tahoe and its twins have ALWAYS been among the bottom performers for their model years. I wouldn't buy one thinking it's safe, if you need four wheel drive or high towing capacity and still need to sit a family then it's your best bet but minivans always have a safety advantage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jjordan

Moderator
Sorry this is off topic

What if you can afford the newest car. I have a 2003 suburban and since I can't afford the minivan with all the airbags I went for the bigger vehicle. Would all of you have done the same?

To the original poster one thing that would make me lean towards the SUV is the amount of room between the back of the head of the 3rd row and the outside of the vehicle. With the minivan there is not much crumple factor maybe 1.5-2 feet and with an SUV there is a lot of room between the back of the 3rd row passenger's head and he outside of the vehicle- probably 3-4 feet so more crumple factor.
But on the other hand the people on this forum are super safety oriented and they really do their research so I would probably go with their recommendations over my silly reasons lol

Good luck and congrats on the upcoming purchase of your new car! So exciting!!

As far as affordability, minivans are typically a much better buy. If you can afford a certain year SUV with space comparable to a minivan, then it is highly likely that the same price range will get you a minivan that is several years newer, and is therefore likely to benefit from more safety features.
 

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