Why I traded in my minivan for a Chevy Cruze (with three kids still in car seats)

A few years ago, I made the decision with my wife to trade in our four wheel drive Chevy Trailblazer for a minivan.  To be more specific, my new daily ride became a white 2009 Chrysler Town and Country minivan.  There were many reasons driving this decision, but the primary reason was that we had just had our third child, and the Trailblazer was just miserable to travel in when all three kids were still in car seats.  Conventional wisdom led me to believe that a minivan would be much easier.  After all, they’re built for families, right?  

Well, it definitely was easier than the Trailblazer, but the thing drove like a boat.  It had the Stow & Go features, so the extra storage space was very welcomed.  I figured that the Town and Country would be our main staple for at least the next foreseeable decade.  One year later, I changed my mind.  I just couldn’t stand driving that gas guzzler everywhere.  There HAD to be a better option.  My wife, who wasn’t thrilled about the minivan idea in the first place, found a few options that could hold 3 car seats.  A few were other SUVs, but there was one car that we found worth looking into:  the Chevy Cruze.  And the sucker had a turbo!  A couple of months later, we swapped the minivan (and the crappy stereotype that goes with it) for a much sportier red 2012 Chevy Cruze LTZ with a 1.4L turbo engine.  That car was light, fast, and sharp.  Most importantly, however, is that it fit three car seats with ease.  Here are a few of the main reasons that I traded in my minivan for a much more sporty Chevy Cruze.

Gas Mileage

The differences in gas mileage between these two vehicles is simply astounding.  I nearly cut my gas bill in half!  I used the website fueleconomy.gov to get a snapshot of the two vehicles compared side by side.

Now, in the real world, I averaged about 18 miles per gallon during daily driving with the Town and Country, and got a meager 21 miles per gallon on long interstate trips.  Fast forward to my current Chevy Cruze, and those numbers skyrocket up to 30 MPG daily, and 38 MPG consistently on any interstate trip.  The difference was night and day. 

Three Car Seats

True, both vehicles accommodate three car seats.  Surprisingly, the car has all of the car seat brackets necessary to do this the right way:  Three upper latches across the top of the back seat, and the appropriate corresponding lower car seat latches in the back seat on the bottom.   Most noticeably, though, was how fast it was to get everyone buckled in and out of the car compared to the minivan.  There was no need to climb in and reach back to unbuckle the third kid who was often left in their own little world in the back of the minivan.  Snacks and drinks became a much easier affair, too!  My wife could simply pass snacks to the back seat, and everyone got their snack without having to stop the vehicle or hope that the last kid could catch while going down the highway.  

Performance

There will be obvious differences here, since it’s like comparing apples to oranges.  However, going from a sluggish, heavy minivan to a turbo-charged, lightweight street demon was the best part of the switch for me.  No more of the “minivan dad” complex, and no more of the horrible body roll going through turns.  Just point and go.  No need to slow down to 20 MPH just to turn left.  The thing is a blast to drive.  Even better, I can drive like a mad man and still, STILL, get gas mileage that is head and shoulders above the minivan.  Amazing.  Now, it’s not a Corvette, but compared to the minivan, it damn near feels like it.  I dropped off that minivan and never looked back.  Still the best car decision I’ve ever made.

So, there you have it.  If you have three kids in car seats, don’t panic!  Your fate isn’t doomed to fall into the minivan crowd just yet.  Fortunately, the folks at Chevy put the option out there for a three car seat car to be your saving grace.  And did I mention the trunk space?  I was surprised to see that our tandem dual stroller fit into the trunk better than it did into the minivan!  

Have you had a similar experience or are you still trying to rock the minivan look?  I’d love to hear your comments below!