A few days ago we talked about that moment when the birth of a baby affects our lives to the point of thinking about changing cars to get us a more spacious one.
The cars that are most often taken into account by fathers and moms are minivans, as they are taller and more versatile than family members of a lifetime.
For this reason today I want to talk about some of these vehicles. The intention is not to make an exhaustive analysis, since neither I am an expert, nor this is the best place for it, but to point out four things of each model for those who want to know what minivans are available and what they can offer in broad strokes. We go there with the MPV comparison (The scores are an average of those offered by users in Vozavi):
• Citroën Grand Picasso: 9.5 / 10
This is one of the most successful minivans that came to renew in 2006 to the Xsara Picasso, which had had a great commercial result. It is one of those that has a better quality / price ratio since Citroën usually makes various offers that end up lowering its price.
It has panoramic windshield series that extends up to 30 cm. This makes it one of the cars with more light and visibility in the market. The three rear seats are the same and all three have the Isofix system.
The car measures 4.59 meters and has a trunk between 576 and 1,951 liters.
Highlight: Habitability in the second and third rows of seats, spaciousness and space, trunk, various active and passive safety elements (ABS, traction control, ESP, curtain airbags, front, side and knee, etc.)
It could get better: This is very subjective, but in my view the seats are not very padded and the car in general has too much of a van interior look. The steering wheel turns but the controls do not. This causes you to lose the position of the horn and other controls if you are turning. The spare wheel is optional.
EuroNCAP Security: 4/5 (Adults: 81%, Children: 76%, Pedestrians: 43%) Adults 5/5, Children 3/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
• Opel Zafira: 7.7 / 10
This is another of the best-known minivans, as it has 7 standard seats (2 + 3 + 2) and has been renewed over time to the model we all know now.
It is shorter than the Citroën, since it measures 4.46 meters, but it is wide and its trunk has even more capacity (between 645 and 1,820 liters). There is nothing concrete that makes it special with respect to the other models, but it complies in almost all facets (good performance and consumption, correct behavior, ...)
Highlight: Good habitability in the third row of seats, trunk, technically well equipped and with the most common safety elements today (ESP, traction control, curtain airbags, front and side, etc.)
It could get better: It has little interior modularity, as the central bench moves completely to allow the entry and exit of the third row. This means that they have to leave all of the second row to make any movement in the third. The habitability in the second row is also improvable. It has no spare wheel.
EuroNCAP Security: Adults 5/5, Children 4/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
• Ford S-Max: 8.9 / 10
It is one of the most "sport" minivans aesthetically and that usually pleases (at least I like it a lot), however the price is higher than the rest.
It is longer than most but somewhat lower (it is no less than 4.77 m long). The trunk has a capacity of between 285 and 2,000 l.
ABS is standard, but ESP is optional. Given the price, I think it should come standard. It has side, knee, front and curtain airbags.
Highlight: The five rear seats fold down without too much difficulty leaving a flat cargo floor and without the need to disassemble them. The second row seats are all equal and independent. Good braking Aesthetically sporty (the "S" of S-Max is "Sport" according to Ford).
It could get better: Being lower than the rest the occupants of the third row are practically squatting, because the seats are low and the ground clearance is short. It has no spare wheel. With the third row seats deployed there is no place to store the roller blind. The shift lever is in a plane too inclined and at first it may be strange. The behavior of the car is not too much Sport, despite the "S".
EuroNCAP Security: Adults 5/5, Children 4/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
• Mazda 5: 8.8 / 10
This is one of the best known minivans and in my way of seeing one of the best (if not the best) in most aspects. It was one of the options I considered because it is a very successful model.
It is one of the shortest models with 4.50 meters. It is not too high and that gives it a rather sporty air.
It has 7 seats whose seats are easily foldable. The trunk is 426 liters and can reach 1,566 l if the seats in the second row are lowered.
Highlight: The habitability of the passengers, good behavior (seems smaller than it is), sliding back door, fabulous for those of us who have children and we have to be sitting and tying belts for a little while.
It could get better: The central square of the second row is smaller than the other two, rear doors without gaps. It does have a spare wheel, but it is an emergency.
EuroNCAP Security: Adults 5/5, Children 3/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
• Renault Grand Scénic: 8.4 / 10
The Renault Scénic range is one of the brand's flagship vessels. They have been commercialized for years and their versions are so many that it is impossible not to take them into account when choosing a minivan. The problem (or not) is that the aesthetic is usually something different from the usual and that makes, or you like them a lot, or they seem horrible.
The Scénic have been renewed this year with a new version. The Grand Scénic has grown a little and now measures 4.56 m. The trunk has also noticed this growth and stands at 645 l for the 5-seater version and 564 l for the 7-seater version.
The interior modularity was already one of the great assets of the previous model, so in this case, it was not going to be less. The seats are all independent and equal and easily fold down to access the third row.
Highlight: Interior modularity, habitability in the second line of seats, visibility by the driver, various holes with a lid for storing objects.
It could get better: Habitability in the third line. It does not have a spare wheel although there is an emergency wheel option.
EuroNCAP Security(2003 model): Adults 5/5, Children 3/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
• Toyota Verso: 9.4 / 10
Another that this year has been renewed. Formerly Corolla Verse, now leaves behind the "Corolla" to simply be called Verse.
This new model offers new engines with Toyota technologies that they say improves power by reducing consumption.
Inside 7 independent seats that can be folded according to needs and have been carefully studied to offer maximum comfort in both the second and third rows.
It is one of the smallest, with 4.44 meters long and carries several safety elements as ABS, traction control, EBD (similar to ESP), ...
Being a very new model, I cannot offer a summary of its strengths or weaknesses.
EuroNCAP Security (Corolla Verso model): Adults 5/5, Children 4/5, Pedestrians 2/4.
There are other models on the market such as the Volkswagen Touran, the Peugeot 807 (or Citroën C8, which are brothers), the Renault Espace, the Kia Carnival and others that I have not commented on being somewhat larger and / or expensive minivans, but obviously They are very valid options.
There are also other cars such as the Peugeot 308 SW that is halfway between the concept of family car and minivan, since it is lower and shorter than a minivan, but it has an enviable internal modularity with independent and equal seats and a trunk more than big (do you notice that I have a 307 SW?).
As you can see the comparison is very basic. Ideally, approach dealers and start assessing what the real needs are and what the budget is.
Some cars are larger, others smaller, some offer 7 seats and another five, some are more powerful and others less, some are already a few years old and therefore are more reliable (problems have been resolved) and others are models Very new with some interesting news but without references as to result.
In any case, most have the latest security advances and luckily all current minivans are very comfortable to drive for the average user.
The choice, therefore, will depend on each family, since the best minivan is one that suits the needs of its occupants.
