Minivans Buying Guide

Minivans come well-equipped with the features you need to feel confident on the road and keep an eye on your rear seat passengers. From third-row cameras and intercoms in the cabin to exterior front and rearview cameras, you're aware of everything around you. Most minivans also come with navigation systems, parking sensors, traction control, side airbags, blindspot monitoring, and more.

• Elevated driving position for better visibility

• Automated cruise control maintains speed against the flow of traffic

• Lane departure warnings make it easier to drive a larger vehicle

• Automatic emergency braking creates peace of mind

If you need room for... everything, a minivan has the space. With seating upright, you can easily fit a large family of seven to nine people, including child car seats. If you're planning a couples getaway camping trip, fold the seats down, and load up the cargo area with supplies. A minivan goes from family hauler to small business delivery vehicle and weekend adventurer easily.

• Expandable cargo space when folding or removing second- and third-row seating

• Variety of seating options (bench seat, captain's chairs, etc)

• Spacious cabins with plenty of legroom and headroom

• Some minivans offer towing capabilities

• Rear power hatches, rear barn doors, and sliding doors make minivans simple to load and unload

From sunny days and rainy evenings to snowy weekends, a minivan is up for all travel challenges. You can get to your destination easily thanks to the front seat heaters to keep you warm, traction control and lane-keeping assist to smooth out your ride, rear defrosters to boost outward visibility, and a rear sunshade to reduce bright, glaring sun spots.

• Higher ground clearance than many cars

• Smartphone connectivity to stream weather reports

• All-wheel-drive options

• Powerful V6 engine choices

• Optional collision warning adds confidence in tricky conditions

As you shop, consider your driving needs. Do you need a spacious family hauler to get to school activities, a weekend vehicle to carry recreation equipment easily, or a versatile ride that can manage extra cargo occasionally? Then, a van might just fit your active lifestyle and diverse automotive needs.

• Great for daily driving and weekend fun

• Carries passengers, or cargo, or some of both

It's easy to find a minivan that looks great and works well for your needs, but does it also fit into your budget? As you shop, consider the purchase price, costs for financing (if needed), as well as insurance premiums, fuel, maintenance costs, and annual licensing/permits in your area. Minivans can use more fuel than a compact car, so keep that in mind if you're upsizing your ride.

• Buying a minivan comes with more than a monthly auto loan payment; consider the total cost of ownership.

• As you shop, keep fuel expenses in mind. A higher-priced electric or hybrid minivan might trim your fuel costs overall, making it a better buy over time.

Think about what matters most to you when shopping for a minivan, and review the facts. Some key specifications to consider are seating capabilities, driver-assist features, fuel efficiency, and engine performance (and related abilities, such as towing capabilities). Look closely at technology, too. Does your ideal minivan have an integration for your smartphone, a third-row entertainment screen for your children to enjoy, and exterior cameras to make parking simpler?

• Price isn't the only buying factor. Review convenience and assist features too.

• Ask questions about technical specifications, such as engine choices (horsepower, turbo, etc.), transmission options (manual vs automatic), and drivetrains (four-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive).

Sitting at the top of the most reliable minivans list, both the Honda Odyssey (ranked #5) and the Toyota Sierra (ranked #3), according to RepairPal

Honda Odyssey Advantages

• Gets an EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined

• Seating for eight passengers, heated steering wheel

• Tow hitch and power-sliding door(s)

Toyota Sienna Advantages

• Fuel-sipping hybrid with an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined

• Seating for seven passengers, folding third-row seats

• Traction control, front seat heaters, and blindspot monitor

These two minivans both offer versatility as daily drivers and as weekend adventure vehicles. Both the Kia Carnival and the Toyota Sienna offer front-wheel drive, rearview cameras, and folding third-row seats.

Kia Carnival Advantages

• Seating for eight passengers, heated steering wheel

• Gas-powered minivan gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined

  ^†

• Cozy leather seats and a head-up display

Toyota Sienna Advantages

• Seating for seven passengers, front seat heaters

• Hybrid minivan with EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined

  ^†

• Rear air conditioning, automatic cruise control

These two gas-powered minivans have a lot to offer shoppers who want a front-wheel drive vehicle with power-sliding doors and rearview cameras. The Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey also offer folding third-row seats.

Chrysler Pacifica Advantages

• Seating for seven passengers, leatherette seats

• Rear seat heaters and panoramic sunroof

• Gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg combined

Honda Odyssey Advantages

• Seating for eight passengers, leather seats

• Memory seats and standard sunroof

• Better fuel use, EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined

Ranking in the top two spots on our most reliable minivans list according to RepairPal

Chrysler Pacifica Advantages

• Hybrid option available

• Automated cruise control, power-sliding doors

• Blindspot monitor, rearview camera

Chrysler Voyager Advantages

• Folding third-row seats

• Adaptive cruise control, three-zone climate control

• Budget version of the Pacifica

Curious about other minivans? You can easily compare up to three of your favorite used minivans, or three trims of the same make and model, with our comparison tool.