Best Mini Vans
Mini vans are not just your basic soccer mom vehicles anymore; they are equipped now with more convenient features to make any parent's life easier. Of course, every manufacturer is trying to one up each other by adding new features that make you want to trade your SUV for a newer and sleeker mini van. So which one is just right for you?
Chrysler Town and Country:This is by far the best new mini van on the market. The Town and Country is available in three trims; LX, Touring, and Limited, with the Touring and Limited being the most popular. Popular options include Stow and Go, where you can literally fold the seats into the floor base for extra cargo. What is even better is when the seats are in use, you have a huge storage area in the floor for things such as toys, diapers, games and other necessities. You can make longer car rides a breeze by opting for the Swivel-N-Go Seating. The second row captain's chairs can "swivel" to face the third row and a table can be installed so that your children can play games, color, and even eat comfortably, while still safely belted in their seats. You can also opt for Sirius Backseat Television. That's right; you can get the three most popular children's channels: Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network which is sure to make any car ride ten times more peaceful. Standard on the Touring and Limited are a power lift gate and power sliding doors and a one touch power folding third row seat. Other options available are: Navigation, leather seating, retractable sunshades, and Satellite Radio. Don't worry about emptying your wallet at the pump as the V6 Town and Country averages 17mpg/city and 24mpg/highway, not bad for a mini van of its size. MSRP varies, anywhere from $21,000 to $40,000 depending on the trim level you choose and options you include.
Honda Odyssey:The Honda mini van is another of the most desired minivans. With plenty of options and a ton of convenient features, it makes taking your kids grocery shopping a breeze. The Odyssey comes standard with common features such as power windows, cruise control, and air conditioning. You can upgrade the trim level to get more luxurious with options such as leather, sunroof, satellite radio, navigation, back up camera, power lift gate, parking sensors, and DVD entertainment system. The Odyssey also has great fuel economy with average gas mileage of 17mpg/city and 24mpg/highway. What is even better is the third row seat is a 60/40 split bench seat, meaning you can fold a portion of it and still use the other portion for seating. You can snag a base Odyssey mini van for about $25,000 and a full loaded one will cost you about $40,000.
Nissan Quest:For a nice looking mini van with all the convenience that parents need, check out the Nissan Quest. Nissan has added a ton of luxury options such as navigation, in dash 6 disc CD changer, and a panoramic roof. Safety is top priority with the Quest as it earned five stars, perfect rating, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for front and side impact crash tests. Gas mileage is average among mini vans with rates of 16mpg/city and 24mpg/highway. The Quest also boasts wide opening sliding doors, to make it easier to load and unload the kids, groceries, and their "stuff." Make sure you opt for the dual DVD monitors to keep the kids entertained on long car trips. The 2008 Nissan Quest will cost you an average of $30,000.
Toyota Sienna:If you are looking for the mini van that will provide you functionality as well as run forever, then the Toyota Sienna is for you. There are a variety of options available to fit your busy lifestyle such as power sliding rear doors, power lift gate, trizone climate control, sunroof, heated front seats, DVD entertainment system, power folding third row seat, navigation, backup camera, and so much more. Every feature available is a usable feature that is convenient to the lifestyle of parents today. The Sienna even has the middle seat of the second row positioned thirteen inches closer to the driver. That is the utmost in convenience when you have small children. The Sienna has also earned tons of safety awards and is loaded with airbags, making it an extremely safe mini van. The price tag is nearly $40,000 with all the options included, however it is worth every penny.
When shopping for a mini van, be sure to write down the features that would help your busy lifestyle and compare them with the mini vans on the market. Also make sure you test drive each vehicle and it is even wise to bring along your children's car seats to check the fit in the van.
Don't worry, mini vans are not about just transporting your children anymore; they are about transporting them in style and luxury. The mini vans on the market today have been revamped to provide parents with convenient features and still have a nice looking vehicle.
