By Kim Gray, Canwest News Service
The family minivan: An unsexy vehicle?
Photograph by: Photos.com,
I recently blogged about the ever-sensitive issue of minivan moms. As in, you're a mom and you've chosen to embrace this style of domestic travel. Or conversely, you're a mother and the mere thought of driving a family van makes you squirm uncomfortably.
Personally, and I know I'm going to get grief for this, I find mommy-mobiles seriously unsexy. …
So, until now, I confess I've never entertained the thought of driving one.
Yet, here I am in need of more space for the likes of sports gear, a family dog with a big personality and extra kids in the car pool circuit.
Essentially, my query to blog readers went like this: Is the minivan mom metamorphosis inevitable at my stage of life? Must I succumb? Are there alternatives?
Regular contributor Julia was the first to respond: "Big gas tanks and parking hogs are just wrong," she said. "Kids grow up and can get themselves around. We don't need our own individual family buses. What's more, they’re incredibly ugly. Don't do it, Kim."
Her remarks prompted Cathy to step into the discussion with this: “Some of us do need the family bus and it can be awesome. Get over your preconceived notions of 'hipness' and embrace the functionality that a minivan can offer."
Others who commented offered up suggestions of a Mazda 5, which is "like a smaller minivan crossed with a station wagon. Still kind of a mom car, but a little bit cool, too."
Another poster said "I'm always one for comfort and convenience over style, so I say embrace the minivan... check out the VW Routan."
Further investigation confirmed my suspicion — women, wherever they sit on the issue, tend to feel strongly. …
Not long ago, I mistakenly commented to a woman that hers was a minivan I'd consider buying.
Her reaction to my attempt at flattery was cool: "I'm sorry, I don't drive a minivan," she replied.
At closer examination, I was distressed to discover that what I thought was the best-looking minivan I'd ever seen was in fact a luxury SUV number. Oops.
At this stage, I'm not convinced either way. Though I think I've found — thanks to one woman and mother of two — a temporary solution.
She says she's opted for a couple of well-established college funds for her boys over the purchase of a minivan. Though she confesses that scores of minivan-driving parents have driven and continue to drive her children to hockey and soccer.
Hmm... The minivan mom freeloader. There's an option I haven't considered.
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