Unless you go off-road (and the Wolf Trap parking lot doesn't count), it's all about hauling cargo: kids, building materials, groceries, etc. Minivans totally kick butt on that score and they are plenty comfortable. And if you're worried about cool, it all depends on what you have blasting out of the speakers. Rammstein goes well with a Honda Odyssey (and the 2003 has almost 300 hp to get you on your way).

Best of all, you can separate quarrelsome kids in different rows. Works great when Johnny and Hadji are tired and cranky.

I pine for one on days where it's pouring rain. Shove 'em in, shut the door, and sort it out after climbing aboard.

It's all about how you use the minivan.

My kids are in awe of the fact that our minivan has in fact gone off road and I use it to haul our lawn tractor. I take pride in the fact that I fully use the capabilities of our minivan and I blast music that is far from stodgy.

I gleefully point out to my children our van has done far more SUV things than the average SUV.

So minivans are not inherently cool, but the can kick the average SUVs butt in carrying capacity and practicality.

And then there are those of us who call the mini-van our little car. Granted the car of my youthful desire was a Volvo 240 wagon, so I was never cool, but any car with good hauling capacity is a good thing. I've carried 4 kids and 10' pieces of lumber in my mini-van without strapping anything to the roof (though I did consider putting the kids out there).

Everytime I bring up 'Minivan' to my wife, she carries on like I was trying to push her into the burqa...

My first was a new '87 Astro. Since then we've owned a Quest and a Transport. With four kids and lots of places to go, it's the only way to travel. Anyone who insists on shoehorning kids into a car for the sake of "cool" probably shouldn't be trusted to give good advice.

Before Husband slipped the ring on my finger he had to promise we'd never own a minivan. Hence La Tahoe. Quite frankly, no minivan would be be able to get up our driveway. If you think you can, you're welcome to try.

Crew-served weapon mount, real-time sat nav, secure comms, jammers, digitial camo paint job, swiveling captains chairs, and DVD player will be in next year's Odyssey "LMC special edition."

@LMC: I think Eddie Bauer just wet himself.