Originally posted by funkywhat2
Ahem...
Pardon me, but you seem not to see that most (i.e not the Hummer) SUVs can serve a purpose. For example: My family.
Two parents, five kids, dog. Car is out. The few wagons that will hold seven people that were in our price range (35-45K) had rear facing jumpseats in the back, causing mommy to eliminate them. So off Minivan shopping we (Mommy, Daddy, son) go. First to Ford. The Windstar looked good, so I get in. My seat is in the third row. Get in seat, adjust to sit comfortably and, *ouch* my head hits the plastic edging along the headliner. So I get out. Next, we go to Dodge. Same routine, same result. Honda - six month wait. Sorry, no go. Daddy avoids GM products like the plague, so no Chevy/Pontiac/Oldsmobile. Finally, Toyota. Get in Sienna. I fit. Mom gets in, dad gets in. They fit, they like it. Then comes the final test. Mom whips out the double stroller, and opens the hatch, inserts stroller, and slams hatch shut. A loud thud is heard. Not only does it not fit, but the stroller is deformed. So, as we head back into the dealership, a Jade metallic Toyota Sequoia Limited catches Mom's eye. We stroll over, and get in. I fit, with two or so inches of room in the back, the most I'd have delt with in all the autos tested. Mom gets in, dad gets in, they love it. Mom puts the now repaired stroller in the hatch, and closes it. The hatch closes, no banging heard. In fact, over three inches of clearence between stroller and door.
Needless to say, we bought that Sequoia. And we all fit. I'm now in the second row, my two school ages sisters in the third row, and two baby seats next to me in the second row. We've orad tripped at least six times in the thing, with a small carrier thing on the top. We could never have done that in a minivan.