Is Our Kia Carnival Hybrid Too Much Car for a Small Family?

By my count, I’ve got a lot more advantages than disadvantages. There’s a part of my brain that absolutely rebels against the idea that a minivan might not be too much car for a single-child family. But here’s the thing: With the hybrid Carnival, I averaged about 29 mpg over my 500-mile tank. That’s better than my wife’s CR-V and better than my Mazda 6. 

OK, sure, in our Civic Hybrid I saw 45 mpg, but the last Honda Odyssey we owned only averaged 16.6 mpg over its life with our staff. When I drive a big truck and it’s just me, all alone, on my way home from the school drop-off, I occasionally look at the trip computer and am racked with guilt — I’m using how much gas? How wasteful. But once I’m into the high 20s, it starts to feel like a wash, especially given all that extra space. 

So, is a minivan too much car for me? When I compare it to my family CR-V, I don’t think it is. Against our long-term Civic Hybrid, which is more efficient, easy to park and way more fun to drive, it’s a tougher call. Despite all the advantages of a smaller car, I’d still be tempted to take the van.