When style-conscious millennial mom Tiffany Herr realized she and her three children had outgrown her swanky Mercedes-Benz GL550 in 2021, she did something that surprised those who knew her: She got a van.
But not just any old family car. Herr, whose children range in age from 2 to 8, was one of the first moms from her community of Avon, Indiana to snag the ultra-modern 2022 Kia Carnival SX Prestige last spring. The pimped minivan, which placed the online style influencer back around $48,000, offers heated power reclining seats with footrests and comes with a plush leather interior, two built-in TVs, self-driving features, Wi-Fi, charging ports phones and indoor and outdoor cameras.
“I wanted something sleek and cool, but also comfortable and roomy for my kids,” Herr, 31, told The Post. “My Kia is so badass and so practical at the same time. I don’t even miss my Benz.
Long maligned and set aside for large SUVs, the minivan has a stylish back. Automakers such as Kia, Toyota and Chrysler are offering new versions with luxurious details, advanced technologies and cool styling, draw comparisons with hipper cars like the Land Cruiser.
Volkswagen teased a modern electric version of its classic minibus called ID Buzz, which will finally hit the US market in 2024 after years of breathless anticipation.
Meanwhile, popular automotive YouTuber Freddy Hernandez, better known as Tavarish, is currently rebuilding and supercharging a Chrysler Pacifica at the Classic Car Club in Manhattan.
And, a surer sign of the return of the minivan, Kim Kardashian has just opted for one for her last wheels. Not just a tot-hauler and Cheerio-collector, it’s a Maybach with a $400,000 price tag.
“It took us about six months to build this van for her,” luxury car dealer RD Whittington, 38, told The Post of Kardashian’s new car, the only one of its kind in the United States.
Whittington and his team at Wires Only in Beverly Hills, Calif., collaborated with Kardashian to create a ride with a black interior furnished with a specialized partition, a built-in flat-screen TV that moves up and down, hidden seats that slide fold out with the press of a button, two reclining Maybach-style seats with massage capabilities, a mini-fridge, wireless phone charging stations and Wi-Fi. And his fashionable vehicle made its premiere world in the Discovery + series “Million Dollar Wheels” on Monday.
“Kim is a amazing mother who loves to drive her kids where they need to go,” Whittington said of the toddlers the reality star shares with her ex-husband Kanye West. “She wanted a cool car – not a regular Sprinter or minivan – that was customized for the specific needs of her busy family.”
The auto beautifier – who has also decorated vehicles for celebrities such as musician J Balvin, 36, and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx, 54 – says parents from all tax brackets are now on the market for chic yet practical minivans.
“Moms and dads want to ride their kids to school, games and events in something cool and comfortable,” he said. “And they want that same car to show off their personal style after dropping off their kids.”
