Originally Posted by AutoSlash

A Minivan has far more room for both passengers and luggage than a Standard Elite SUV. The important thing to keep in mind is that while a vehicle like a Ford Exploer can accommodate 7 people:

a) The 3rd seating row comes at the expense of luggage space in back since the rear seats fold up/down to accommodate the extra seats

b) The 3rd row would be quite uncomfortable for an adult over say 5'2" tall. Those two back seats are really meant more for children than for adults. It's fine for short trips, but after a few hours, an adult sitting back there is going to be very uncomfortable.

A Fullsize SUV (FFAR) like a Chevy Tahoe or a Ford Expedition is much closer in size/capacity to a Minivan, but even then, the Minivan is the better choice purely from a capacity standpoint.

In short, based on your needs, the Standard Elite SUV is just not gonna cut it for you. Spend the extra money and upgrade to the MVAR or FFAR.