Cargo in vans/station wagons/SUVs

[Piglet]

Okay, car shopping question #2 for you all :)

How does everyone stow their cargo in these types of vehicles? I am concerned that if we buy a minivan that we would have all the strollers, toys, groceries, etc. in the uncovered trunk, and there would be the potential of injury in a collision. I keep hearing of the dangers of even having a travel mug in the car, but what about the bigger items in these types of vehicles? I currently drive an SUV and try to bungee items down in the trunk, but there seems to be less places to strap things down in a minivan. Do people just accept the risk?

Thanks,

[jeanum]

The vans with the capability to have the third row stowed into the floor have pretty deeply recessed cargo areas when the third row is upright, and the third row itself comes up fairly high above the cargo area to potentially block larger items from entering the passenger area. In my Sienna, I added a cargo net that can be used with some built-in hooks to hold down some items in the hope that nothing goes flying in the worst case scenario. I do feel safer with the lower cargo floor behind the third row in the Sienna than I ever did in a Saturn Vue SUV that I used to own.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

There are more tie-down points in our Toyota Sienna than there were in our Dodge Durago SUV. We have no problem tying things down back there.

Since no one rides in the 3rd row, we recline that seat all the way as far as it will go and that creates a little cargo cave back there with the seatback acting almost as a roof. That makes me feel safer.

[seeks1]

My Volvo wagon came with a net that I put right behind the rear seat. It serves two purposes, Dog Containment and Storage containment!

[khalloc]

I have one of those metal grate separators in the back of my Subaru Outback. It separates the cargo area from the back seat.