There are fewer entries in the minivan segment than there are seats in the Toyota Sienna. Models including the Nissan Quest, Ford Windstar, and, more recently, the Dodge Grand Caravan are all dead. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the inevitable impact of the popularity of stylish three-row crossovers and SUVs. That isn’t to say that the newest vans aren’t trying. Minivans have evolved by becoming the Swiss cheese of charging ports, with extra space for snacks and built-in vacuums to clean up the aftermath of those snacks. When you’re in a minivan full of other people, you could be sharing something good or bad. It’s like stuffing into the corner booth at a Coney Island restaurant—most people inside it can’t move until someone else does, and it probably smells like hot dogs. No matter, their sliding doors and super-sized cargo area make minivans an easy choice for those with a lot to do. Here’s how close the competition between minivans is ranked from worst to best.
6. Dodge Grand Caravan
The Dodge Grand Caravan won’t be here much longer, as production ended in May 2020. For now, you can still buy them at dealerships, and you’ll probably be able to rent them at airports for the next century. The Grand Caravan doesn’t offer adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear collision avoidance, or really any driver-assistance features that come standard elsewhere. But hey, you can stack sheets of 4×8 drywall in the back of it like a Gypsum King. Powered by a 283-hp V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain is so old we’re surprised there isn’t a fill plug for Metamucil. Jokes aside, it still does everything a minivan needs to do. Its deep cargo tub—long a favorite hang-out spot for our staff photographers—will be missed. The Chrysler Voyager will be renamed Grand Caravan in Canada due to popularity of the name.
- Base Price: $29,025
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 20/17/25 mpg
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 31 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: not available
- Towing Capacity: 3600 lb
MORE GRAND CARAVAN SPECS
5. Kia Sedona
The Kia Sedona is a confident people mover that can seat as many as eight. A 276-hp V-6 powers the front wheels, and a recently updated eight-speed automatic transmission does the shifting for you. It’s not the most fuel efficient, with an EPA-estimated 24 mpg on the highway (the lowest among the group), but its low starting price still makes it an affordable option. As usual, the higher trim levels offer the most options, including reclining second-row lounge chairs with footrests. Every Kia Sedona comes with a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Sedona will be replaced by the newly revealed Kia Carnival that should arrive in dealerships in mid-2021. The Carnival will have more cargo space, seating for up to eight passengers, and a 290-hp V-6 engine with an eight-speed transmission.
- Base Price: $31,575
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 21/18/24 mpg
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 33 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: not available
- Towing Capacity: 3500 lb
MORE SEDONA SPECS
4. Toyota Sienna
The new Toyota Sienna is a minivan focused on fuel efficiency and substance. A 243-horsepower hybrid is the only powertrain, giving it an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, an improvement of over 14 mpg from last year’s gas-only model. It’s now the second most efficient on the list, behind the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, and its additional wheelbase over the previous generation has improved its ride. It’s also stuffed with standard driver-assistance features like automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. There’s plenty of space to seat seven (or even eight with the center seat stowed), but unfortunately the second-row seats aren’t stowable or removable.
- Base Price: $35,635
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 36/36/36 mpg (FWD)
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 34 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: optional
- Towing Capacity: 3500 lb
MORE SIENNA SPECS
3. Chrysler Voyager
Chrysler packed the Pacifica’s lowest trim levels under one roof and renamed them Voyager. It’s a practical choice, affordable yet pleasant to drive. Like the Pacifica, it’s powered by a 287-hp V-6 with a nine-speed automatic and has a respectable EPA-estimated 28-mpg highway fuel economy. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration are standard, but safety features like rear parking sensors with rear automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring are optional. The seven-passenger Voyager achieved a five-star rating—the highest possible—from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Unfortunately, Stow ‘n Go second-row seating is only available on LXi fleet trims, but third-row Stow ‘n Go is standard on all models.
- Base Price: $29,030
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 22/19/28 mpg
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 32 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: not available
- Towing Capacity: 3600 lb
MORE VOYAGER SPECS
2. Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey has been good for a long time, and we’re happy to report that it’s still good. Powered by a 280-hp V-6, the Odyssey is easily the top driver’s choice. Its driving characteristics and shifter paddles are unexpected for a minivan, and its excellent suspension tuning makes it ride like it’s meant to haul a little ass instead of the kids. The Odyssey can seat eight on all models above the base LX trim. In our real-world highway testing, the Odyssey outperformed its EPA estimate, delivering 30 mpg. We wish we could stow the second-row seats somewhere, because removing the 68-pound chairs can be a serious workout. Standard safety equipment includes automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Odyssey received much praise during our 40,000-mile long-term test.
- Base Price: $33,265
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 22/19/28 mpg
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 32 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: not available
- Towing Capacity: 3500 lb
MORE ODYSSEY SPECS
1. Chrysler Pacifica
When you’ve been doing something for 36 years, you’d either better be really good at it or in prison. The Chrysler Pacifica uses everything it has learned from the past to make it the best eight-seater minivan you can buy today. The patented Stow ‘n Go second-row seating is a blessing both while folded into the floor and when not in use for extra storage capacity. Every Pacifica is powered by a 287-hp V-6 with a nine-speed automatic. The one we tested on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test returned an impressive 31 mpg, making it the most efficient in the segment. The Pacifica hybrid adds to that efficiency with an EPA-estimated 82 MPGe combined. 2021 and newer models have optional all-wheel drive, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and updated headlights and taillights. Want to know what it’s like living with one? Check out our long-term Chrysler Pacifica and long-term Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid tests. The Pacifica offers a built-in vacuum on higher trim models.
- Base Price: $36,690
- EPA Fuel Economy combined/city/highway: 22/19/28 mpg (GAS ONLY)
- Rear Cargo Space (behind third row): 32 cubic feet
- All-Wheel Drive: optional
- Towing Capacity: 3600 lb
MORE PACIFICA SPECS
Every 3-Row Mid-Size SUV for 2021 Ranked from Worst to Best
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