Yeaaaah, CUVs/SUVs look nothing like Minivans. They look more like hatchback that are raised up. Take the lifted suspension out and it basically just is a hatchback, same frame and everything. I can see the resemblance of a wagon in the CX-9, but I also find the CX-9 way to long and large looking, so that would explain it. Hahaha. Good functionally for large families though.
Take a Mazda 5 and compare the silhouette to some common CUV's/SUVs of similar size. Doesn't look the same. Take a Dodge Caravan and compare silhouettes to some common CIVs/SUVs of similar size. Also doesn't look the same. The X3 could be the only arguable one for a CUV that looks like a raised minivan, but that's mostly because BMW has styled their current CUVs/SUVs kind of blech.
Saying a CUV is like a minivan because of seating position is like saying a 6" - 8" lifted F-250 looks like a semi-truck because of seating position. It just doesn't (also these people should be shot for breaking all of the rules of aesthetics and thinking it looks "good"). Similarly, CUV/lifted trucks elevated seating position are due to suspension lifts, as opposed to direct seat rail on frame placement in a minivan/semi-truck.
Take a Mazda 5 and compare the silhouette to some common CUV's/SUVs of similar size. Doesn't look the same. Take a Dodge Caravan and compare silhouettes to some common CIVs/SUVs of similar size. Also doesn't look the same. The X3 could be the only arguable one for a CUV that looks like a raised minivan, but that's mostly because BMW has styled their current CUVs/SUVs kind of blech.
Saying a CUV is like a minivan because of seating position is like saying a 6" - 8" lifted F-250 looks like a semi-truck because of seating position. It just doesn't (also these people should be shot for breaking all of the rules of aesthetics and thinking it looks "good"). Similarly, CUV/lifted trucks elevated seating position are due to suspension lifts, as opposed to direct seat rail on frame placement in a minivan/semi-truck.
