When we had our kid, we got a Mazda 5. I found that it was a nice tradeoff between a car and a larger vehicle. You can carry 6 people if you need to, or fold the back row down for some extra space. Or fold all 4 back seats down for even more space (if you don't have the kid with you). It drives like a car, which I like, but the back seats are higher so it is easier to get kids in and out. Manual transmission is a big one too, because both my wife very much prefer it. Sliding doors are great when in parking lots. I never realized how useful they'd be, to be honest. You can park in the "car guy" zone and never risk a door ding.
And regardless of what fotze says, I have been through the mountains a few times with it (with tonnes of stuff in the back), and have always been able to go as fast as I want to (let's just say: I am doing the passing more often than I am passed). Never the "rv on highway 93".
Don't let the stigma of vans get to you. Hauling kids and their crap around is what good dads do. If a minivan/wagon/whatever suits your needs, then who cares?