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Absolutely. Nothing beats a van for schleping kids stuff around. The sliding doors in a crowded parking lot sure make bolting JR into their seat much easier.
I wasn't smart enough to use a van during my kid seat days. I had to be "enlightened" and use an array of Euro wagons. My back paid for it...
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I'm where you were several years ago, KTM, struggling with back pain every time I have to secure my 2yo daughter in the low seat while ducking under the low roof of my Jetta wagon and craving the more comfortable height of a crossover or minivan. With every passing week i crave the truly smart Mazda5 a little bit more. It has the right height for me or my 5' tall wife, the small footprint of a compact car, extra seats for in-laws or cousins (and plenty of cargo space most of the time when the 3rd row is not in use), the best fuel economy of any van with sliding doors and a shape and styling that i really like (pre-2012 models).
If i lived in an area that needed AWD to survive the winter, I'd be frustrated with the lack of minivan options with AWD, and would lean toward the Sienna, which I think looks great, especially when thinking back to minivans like the Previa, Uplander, Aerostar and other design disasters....