One minivan or two small cars
For a group of five to seven, one minivan is normally cheaper than two economy cars once fuel, two deposits and two sets of insurance are counted — and it keeps the group together.
Two cars win only when the group splits up regularly during the day, or when parking at the accommodation cannot take a long vehicle.
Seats are not the same as luggage
A seven-seat minivan rarely carries seven people and seven suitcases at once. With the rearmost row upright, the boot behind it is often small.
If you need all the seats and all the luggage, check the boot capacity with the third row in use — not the headline figure measured with it folded.
What changes when you drive it
Parking
Length and height are the constraints. Multi-storey car parks with height barriers and short bays in resort streets are where minivans struggle.
Manoeuvring
Reversing and tight turns need more room. Parking sensors or a camera are worth having and are usually standard on this class.
Fuel and tolls
Consumption is higher than an SUV in town, and some toll systems classify larger vehicles in a costlier band.
What to check before booking
- Boot capacity with every seat in use.
- Whether child seats are needed and how many can be fitted.
- Vehicle height against any car park you plan to use.
- Whether all drivers are named on the contract.