What is the difference between a minivan and a crossover

Even the Ford Flex , which with its low floor and high ceiling is one of the most minivan-ish crossovers on the market, manages only 22 mpg of highway travel in the EPA's tests. You could also look into one of the hybrid SUVs, which deliver better fuel economy than the standard models, but be sure to do the math to check whether their higher price can be offset with fuel savings.

The only hybrid minivan is the Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. This point goes to the vans. Minivans have lost almost all of the social cachet they enjoyed in the s, so automakers haven't devoted much time or energy to them in recent years. There are precisely five minivans for sale in the United States today, and only the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey have seen recent styling and mechanical overhauls. The fall of the minivan has tracked closely with the rise of the SUV, and there are now dozens of two- and three-row SUVs on sale, in a wide variety of sizes, from budget and luxury brands alike.

Call it a trend, a long-running fashion, or a seismic market shift, but the SUV has gained must-have status over not just the minivan, but over passenger cars as well. New Cars. Buyer's Guide. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Subaru Forester Wilderness Conquers the Outback. Some of this stems from the fact that the original SUVs were based on truck chassis, so the use of straightforward truck-like interiors was natural.

Minivan designers, on the other hand, do not feel nearly as restrained. Further, the short hood of the minivan means intrusion of the engine and ancillaries into the passenger space, and that requires some creative interior designs.

Because of this, we see things like shift levers protruding from the dash and oddly inaccessible cubbies near the floor. Both SUVs and minivans are created to haul people and things, and both do a good job of it. How good is simply a matter of degrees, and a lot of it revolves around the flexibility of the seating.

That opens up a giant amount of unobstructed floorspace for bulky cargo. Third-row accessibility also is at least slightly easier in a minivan than in an SUV, if for no other reason than the step-in height usually is lower.

Interior space is the place where minivans really shine. For their length, they will tote an amazing amount of cargo, at least in terms of cubic feet. For example, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan offers Total interior volume is a staggering The Honda Pilot , one of the most commodious midsize suvs and a vehicle often compared to a minivan, has When it comes to minivan powertrains, your choices are extremely limited.

Do you want a V6 or do you want a V6? All-wheel-drive AWD also used to be scarce on minivans, but for the Chrysler Pacifica made it an option on gasoline-powered Pacificas and standard on high-end models. For , all-wheel-drive Siennas get a third electric motor to power the rear wheels when more grip is needed. Honda and Kia's minivans are still front-wheel-drive only, and most three-row SUVs are also front-wheel-drive before adding optional all-wheel-drive.

The story around towing, however, varies. Minivans typically have a maximum towing capacity of 3, pounds when properly equipped. SUVs run from as little as 2, pounds on some low-end versions of the Ascent and Atlas, to around 6, pounds on the Grand Cherokee L and Nissan Pathfinder, and as much as 8, pounds on some Dodge Durango models. Like all vehicles, all SUVs and minivans receive the required set of safety features like airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and a backup camera.

And like cars, they have various levels of standard driver assistance technology such as automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring that nets different scores in safety tests. These models performed well in every crash test, for roof strength in the event of a rollover, and come with good performing headlights on every version, and have driver assistance systems that perform well in automatic emergency braking tests and have pedestrian detection.

SUVs used to be significantly more prone to rollover crashes because of the increased center of gravity. Like cars, plug-in hybrid and electric minivans and SUVs can be eligible for certain federal and local incentives. When it comes to SUVs vs. SUVs offer more choice when it comes to towing and the additional ground clearance and a wider availability of all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive might be important to those who are outdoorsy, have boats or trailers and travel on unpaved roads, or live in remote areas that are difficult to get to in the rain or snow.

Wikipedia says that a van is a large covered wagon… or the front of an army. In reality, when we talk about vans, we usually mean either a cargo van or a wagon. That means that the vehicle is made with light truck parts chassis and drive-train and is rear wheel drive.

This makes it ideal for delivery companies, pedophiles, and just about no one else. If you need an actual van for your family and personal use, you either live in a hotel or a compound. If you have a normal family 2. A minivan is a smaller, typically front-wheel drive, version of a full size van. While they typically have less power and cargo space, they offer more seating and better fuel economy.

Now most minivans are abhorrent affronts to the name of the automobile. They drive like small township on wheels and make you feel like an emasculated has-been, but some of them are not quite so suicide-inducing:. SUV is short for sport utility vehicle. The SUV is confused about its identity.