Putting AWD on a station wagon and calling it an SUV was a stroke of genius. It transformed a vehicle that few wanted to be associated with into one that few can live without. Compared to a van the SUV usually cost more, gets worse mileage, has less interior room and cargo capacity, cost more to insure, maintain and operate, doesn't handle as well and is not as comfortable. Many of the people that claim to hate minivans have never owned or driven one and are simply mouthing what they have heard others say. Like good lemmings they go along with a popular misconception. It doesn't take a Phi Beta Kappa candidate to realize that a minivan is a far more useful family vehicle around town than an SUV. And for a road trip it is no contest, the van offers a far more commodious space for kids, dogs, stuff, with better mileage.
For years I have longed for a "Man Van" with AWD, a lift, no third row seat, instead a locker to stow cameras, fly rods and reels or shotguns, all terrain tires and off road shocks and a removable center seat that could quickly be removed to reveal a perfectly flat floor. It will never happen of course but what a sweet fishing rig that would be with a 4,000 # towing capacity that could haul and launch a drift boat or tow a small camp trailer.
Instead we will continue to get thousands of cookie cutter SUV's until the fad runs out and some other must-have configuration appears.
For the record, I have owned several SUV's and loved every one of them but I have also owned a luxury minivan and know the difference.
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