Trying to decide on the type of vehicle to buy can be a tough call, especially if you’re looking into the best routes to exit the country after the election. You’re ultimately trying to decide on something that you’re not just happy with and find useful on test driving day, but also several years (or even sometimes decades) down the road. If you need a bit of extra space, you’ve got a lot of options. Sometimes all those choices seem more like to confuse you rather than help you though. Keep this short guide in mind before you start your search or plan that road trip.
Truck, Minivan, or SUV?
Kids or Not
It’s not that you need to have kids to get a minivan, but it’s certainly one factor to consider out of many. Even if you’re planning to use a vehicle primarily for loading, it’s likely you’ll end up using it for an emergency or two at some point down the line. If you have kids, you may want to contemplate various Halloween costumes for your car and you’ll like want to go with the minivan or the SUV over the truck just for safety reasons. Even the trucks with a backseat won’t provide the same safety benefits as these family-friendly cars that were designed to deal with kids of all ages.
Space to Move
If you’re planning to haul a lot of stuff and you need lots of space, you may want to get a truck and lots of bungee cords. Despite rain, snow and wind, trucks are still the best way to get everything you need piled up quickly so you can move it out. It’s especially good for when you don’t want to do the extra maneuvering that comes with having higher sides and a ceiling. If you want that extra protection up top though or you’re only planning to haul the smaller stuff, then SUVs are useful for both of those things. Plus, they’re still capable of lugging around trailers or boats just like a truck can. Plus, the larger, full-size SUVs are often slightly more powerful than the larger trucks. The extra size gives you a lot of ways to configure the interior space which can also be rather handy. Plus with an SUV, you can still accelerate on the road when carrying heavier loads, unlike trucks which may feel a bit sluggish when you’re trying to merge on the freeway. So, that’s a decent amount of pluses.
Gas Problems
Trucks will be better on gas than SUVs and minivans due to their lighter weight, with both of the latter two having built up terrible reputations for making drivers of all kinds wince as they fill up (for good reason.) However, technology is making everything a lot more efficient these days, and you can find hybrid options in all of these categories. The Pacifica from Chevy can go up to 80 MPGe, and considering minivans typically don’t get any more than 30 miles per gallon on gas, this is a pretty good choice if you’re looking for a minivan.
Fun and Practicality
Trucks and SUVs both allow you to go off road while staying relatively safe with 4-wheel drive a big selling point for the manufacturers. Who doesn’t want to get a little down and dirty when they can? This can make for fun outings than you will ever see with your minivan. If cost is a factor, trucks will likely cost the least amount of cash out of the three options, with SUVs costing the most. They’re seen as a luxury choice by many after all (read: they’re more stylish than vans.) If you’re shopping around, let the salesman know exactly what you plan to use the vehicle for, and then start measuring cargo beds and interior space.
Which kind of vehicle do YOU think is best?