While the "soccer mom" image is not completely gone, it definitely has gotten a face lift.  Larger  family sizes force many to look outside of the sedan for more accomodating vehicle options.Sure many people think that driving a minivan is not as "cool" as driving an SUV.   But when considering an SUV what is cool about lower fuel economy and fewer safety features?  

Today's minivans are a combination of superior options, style and safety.  Minivans, like their SUV cousins usually seat seven or eight, but tend to have more cargo space.   They can be very luxurious, with power tailgates, power doors, underfloor storage, adjustable and rotating seats, and just as many options for tv's, dvd's and video game consoles, making it a pretty nice vehicle to drive.   

Believe it or not, Minivans have a lower rollover risk than SUVs, and if you can get past the "image factor",  is considered one of the most practical and safest vehicles to drive.  The safety ratings are ranked by IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) by crashworthiness in four categories: good, acceptable, marginal, and poor.  To earn a top pick by IIHS the vehcile must score at least good in each IIHS test and  have electronic stability control.  According to IIHS here are the top safety picks in minivans.   

 IIHS - Top  Safety Picks