Minivans just never have a cool look to them.
My point is that at some point you have to realize there are more important things than looking cool.
Yeah, I've gotten over the 'looking cool while driving' phase of my life. I've been married for 7 years and have two kids... I really don't care if the 20-something year old girl driving next to me thinks I look cool, or the guy I'm driving next to is jealous because he wishes he could be driving the sports car I own. Now it's more about ease of getting the kids to and from daycare, having a reliable vehicle to get me to and from work, and feeling comfortable on long trips.
I don't consider them particularly safe though either. I drove them for delivery jobs and they just never felt safe to me either, so that's probably part of my stigma towards them.
As far as safety is concerned, I'm pretty satisfied with the crash test ratings on the Odyssey as well as how many airbags it has. But I've also driven the stripped down fleet versions of minivans in the past and I would agree with you that those never seems particularly sturdy to me.
Ultimately, it's going to come down to a person's preferences and needs. Someone who is vehemently opposed to owning a minivan will never be convinced otherwise. My family has owned vans and minivans my entire life, so I was never opposed to them at any time.