Marvelous minivans

The minivan gets a bad rap. I routinely hear from women wanting car advice, and I get the inevitable nose wrinkle when I mention that, considering the three kids, the soccer practices, the Cub Scout meetings, perhaps a minivan might make sense.

"I’m not a soccer mom," they often say. Of course, objectively they are soccer moms — and what’s wrong with that? Getting kids together with their friends for play dates, taking them to athletic events and music lessons, is some stigma attached to this? It’s how our kids get socialized, a process that’s in retreat in America as we obsess on video games, the Internet and TV.

For many families, minivans are simply the best bet. They offer more space (especially more useable space) than SUVs, easier loading and a more comfortable ride, and get much better fuel economy. You can even get them with all-wheel drive, if that’s a concern (and it probably shouldn’t be).

I’ve recently been through back-to-back tests of two minivans, and have a sense of the state of the art. Both the Mazda MPV and the all-new Toyota Sienna offer many high-tech enhancements, and the Sienna is amazing.

I’m in awe of all the new features on the all-wheel-drive Sienna. My kids are able to lounge in the second seats (a third row folds into the floor) watching Finding Nemo on the DVD player that folds out of the roof. They can enjoy the audio on wireless headphones while their parents groove to the new Moby CD up front. A rear camera offers a full scan of the backwards view, and a sonar system warns of a parking collision. The very able navigation system makes sure everyone arrives at the right destination.

Frosting the donut are such features as a tire pressure monitor, power tailgate, three-zone air conditioning, laser cruise control, traction control and skid control. Safety concerns have you looking at SUVs? Well, consider that the Sienna has side-curtain air bags for all three rows of seats.

It takes a big vehicle to accommodate all this, and the Sienna is 6 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the model it replaces. Of course that means more cargo room, but it also means trickier parking maneuvers. While the Sienna is a great highway cruiser, its bulk can be challenging when dodging shopping carts at the local Safeway. The rear camera helps, but there’s a period of adjustment with the visual information it provides.

Both the Sienna and the Mazda MPV feature electrically sliding rear doors that I found irritating to use. While helpful if you’re struggling with recalcitrant kids or a full load of groceries, they seemed to have a mind of their own. I came down to breakfast this morning and found the Sienna’s right passenger door wide open. Oops. Again, it’s an adjustment.

The current front-drive MPV dates to 2000, but it was updated in 2004. Incremental changes in recent years have added a 200-horsepower V-6 engine from Ford and a five-speed automatic. The trim and upholstery were refreshed this year, giving the MPV a modern chrome and carbon fiber spin.

Like the Sienna, the MPV is loaded with available options, including a headphone-friendly DVD player similar to the Toyota’s. Its third row of seats folds similarly. In the parking lot wars, the MPV is slightly ahead, but it’s still a pretty big vehicle.

The MPV starts at $23,260 and the Sienna at $22,955. The Sienna needs premium fuel, and with AWD it gets 18 mpg city, 24 highway. The MPV should do better with just front-wheel drive, but it gets a very similar 18/25. All in all, two very good restyled minivans to take on the myth of SUV superiority.