Used mini van. Real construction workers know it’s the only way to roll. More cargo space than a truck, better fuel exactly l economy, you can live out of it if you need to, they can tow, low deck height makes it easy to get stuff in and out, they’re comfy and can seat 7-9 if you need to.

I use my car for long distance travel some times.

Toyota Corolla Cross, if you can find one near MSRP, is a fantastic value especially with a few trim packages added.

Hybrid drivetrain, leather seats, decent ride height, nice cargo capacity, all built on a sedan frame. $10k-$15k cheaper than similar models like Mazda CX30.

Plus they hold value incredibly well, aren’t packed with a ridiculous amount of tech, and looks great.

I know the “buy used” army comes out in force but I genuinely believe for some drivers and vehicles, buying new makes more financial sense especially if you can afford to buy in cash.

If you are a genuinely good driver, you will put less wear on a vehicle in 3 years than the average American driver does in one year, despite driving the same yearly miles. If you buy a 3 year old vehicle driven like shit (like 99% of Americans do), at a 40% discount, when that same car would have lasted you three times longer bought new….

Idk call it boy math or whatever but with used car prices being 75% or more of new in the post-clunker and post-Covid market,it’s pretty compelling if you can buy in cash.

Volvo still makes long cars, you can put down the seats and it’ll have lots of space and power.

It won’t have a third row of seats but I’ve always had enough space with a hatchback where the back seats fold down. Also great for sleeping in with an air mattress.

If you want the third row you pretty much have to go mini van or suv these days. Idk maybe my peers aren’t too old yet but I usually have a volunteer to sit in the trunk if too many people need a ride. Not safe to be sure but neither are cars in general…

I went from an inherited 99 Buick park Ave to a 5 door Prius hatchback (2019), and I’ve been super happy with it. The thing I most hear from people is “that’s not going to fit in there” followed by “huh holy shit” as I’m driving away with it loaded. Examples include: electric organ; furniture; stone/mulch/dirt; lumber (assuming it’s under 10’); tandem bicycle. In my experience it hauls better than the f150 I had to drive for work, but obviously doesn’t have the frame for trailering (I don’t have any welder friends).

I also put a rack on top and can easily haul a canoe and bike up there; and have the back loaded with other gear. Very comfortable to sleep in, I’ll use it for trips where I don’t feel like setting up a tent, and it’s nice to watch the stars through the big hatch. Plus it’s been so fucking funny making people mad by complaining about gas prices these days; I swear I go through like $20 of gas a month!!

But yeah I think anyone in this thread is right; what’s the deal? Do you people work for a living or something? :p

The modern ultimate practical large vehicle is the minivan. It’s a vehicle form factor that is designed for maximum comfort and utility, with no compromises. If you have multiple kids getting in and out on the regular, or if you need to be able to transport lots of cargo, then there is no vehicle type that will make your life easier than a minivan.

SUVs are for people who want a minivan but are misogynistic. Crossovers are for people who consider themselves better than the SUV people but haven’t fully purged their misogynistic priors. Hatchbacks are for people who would get a minivan if they needed one but can’t justify owning a vehicle of that size.

Full size vans and trucks are also an option if your needs truly justify the increased size. If you’re in true “bang for buck” practicality mode, look for former fleet vehicles being sold off. They’ll have a lot of use but they were probably well taken care of.

Everything is crossover

If the frame rails aren’t Swiss cheese, the engine is in good mechanical condition, and it isn’t such an oddball model that parts are all but impossible to procure I’d be inclined to keep it running. Maintenance isn’t a guaranteed monthly requirement, but a car payment is.

Do manufacturers even make station wagons anymore? I’m not talking about Subaru crossover wagons or the offerings from VW, I mean Family Truckster wagons. I’ve owned two, a 1967 Fairlane wagon and a 93 Caprice wagon. I love station wagons. If I didn’t do so much weekend work that requires hauling pipe and odd shaped largeish stuff, I’d be looking for one to restore and drive daily.

You’ll soon find out modern station wagons are more expensive than Porsche 911s. Unfortunately, everyone thinks (justifiably so) they’re cool now

Look into the Honda Fit/Jazz. It’s the spiritual successor to station wagons and does the job beautifully with 40mpg fuel efficiency and the handling of a sporty subcompact. With the seats down it hauls as much as a 1990s Ford Ranger.

minivan

Toyota Venza. If you scrounge up one of the 2010s models with the 2GR-FE V6, that thing is fucking indestructible and you have a car that is easily capable of making it about 500,000 miles with just routine maintenance, assuming it has had all its oil changes on time and the VVT system doesn’t have a startup death rattle. And if the rustproofing is intact, anyway.

The interior is basically the same as the Lexus RX, but it sits lower like a wagon, and is otherwise like a slightly shorter minivan.

I can’t speak to the current generation; I think they brought it back recently with some turbocharged monstrosity under the hood that may or may not grenade itself. 2020s Toyota is not so great for reliability compared to their older models (with the exception of the current-gen Corolla hybrid).

I have a mazda5 mini-minivan. It’s primo

A deeply cursed answer, but if you don’t need much range the Opel Ampera-e is a perfect dumb EV with no tracking or smart bullshit. Plug in android auto/Carplay on the dashboard. If you’re hauling a lot of shit, you could do a rear seat delete. A bike does fit, but you can only bring one friend.

nothing too flash, just for transportation