Thinking About Buying a Minivan? We Drove Them All to Find Out Which One Reigns Supreme

Minivans are the most practical and spacious family vehicles you can buy…if you’re willing to go there.

a red sports car parked on the side of a street

Published February 5, 2024

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Buying a minivan presents one of the great automotive conundrums. Parents are looking for three rows of seating and ample cargo space. Minivans do a better job providing both of those things than any three-row crossover. AWD capability? Efficient hybrid powertrains? It’s hard to argue against them as the car parents need on paper.

But emotions and experiences — not just cold reason — factor into car buying. Minivans carry a stigma with buyers who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. Even today’s mad penchant for peculiar Rad-era vehicles from that era hasn’t revived them. A lot of buyers will feel something like a Toyota Grand Highlander (while functionally similar) is not quite as much of a submission to parenthood.

For those adventurous folks willing to go all-in on parent life (or dealing with an oppressive number of hockey bags), we sampled the four primary minivan options on the market: the Kia Carnival, the Toyota Sienna, the Chrysler Pacifica and the Honda Odyssey. Here’s what you need to know.

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Sienna

The Sienna is Toyota’s American-market minivan. It distinguishes itself with its standard hybrid powertrain and available all-wheel drive and seats up to eight occupants.

Specs

Powertrain	2.5-liter inline-four hybrid
Horsepower	245
Torque	176 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy	Up to 36 mpg city, 36 mpg highway
Seats	7–8

Pros

Only minivan to offer AWD with a hybrid
Excellent fuel economy

Cons

Not particularly engaging to drive
Competitors have substantially more total cargo space

Starts at $37,685

Current Generation: 4th generation (new for 2021)

What’s New: The Sienna added a new XSE Premium package for 2024 with luxury features like leather seats, orange contrast stitching and heated/ventilated front seats.

What’s Unique: The Sienna comes with a hybrid engine standard, which can be paired with all-wheel-drive. It also offers a Woodland Special Edition with a lift kit.

What’s the Fancy Trim: Platinum ($53,145)

Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey

The Odyssey is Honda’s minivan for the American market. It’s truly the “Honda” of minivans, renowned for its durability, surprisingly on point driving dynamics and versatile cabin

Specs

Powertrain	3.5-liter V6
Horsepower	280
Torque	262 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy	19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway
Seats	7–8

Pros

Surprisingly well-handling on road
Versatile cabin with Magic Slide seat and fold away third row

Cons

Not available with all-wheel-drive
No hybrid option available either

Starts at $38,240

Current Generation: 5th generation (new for 2018)

What’s New: Honda added a trendy, blacked-out Sport trim for 2023. There are no changes for the 2024 model year.

What’s Unique: The Odyssey handles nimbly in corners. It also has a flexible “Magic Slide” second row of seats offering different configurations.

What’s the Fancy Trim: Elite ($50,370)

Chrysler Pacifica

Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica is Chrysler’s minivan, a modern descendent of the Dodge Caravan that sparked the 1980s minivan craze. It’s one of the most versatile options in the segment with multiple powertrain options and stowable seating.

Specs

Powertrain	3.6-liter V6 / 3.6-liter V6 hybrid
Horsepower	287 / 260
Torque	262 lb-ft / 262 lb-ft
EPA Gas Mileage (Gas)	Up to 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway
EV Range (Hybrid)	32 miles
Seats	7–8

Pros

Only minivan with plug-in hybrid powertrain
Available all-wheel-drive
Stow-and-go-seating

Cons

Fuel economy disappointing in city driving with gas engine
All trims now start above $40,000

Starts at $39,090

Current Generation: 1st generation (new for 2017)

What’s New: The Pacifica receives a few stylistic updates for 2024: new colors and a refreshed Pinnacle trim. A major update came in 2021 with Chrysler’s Stow N’Go seats being able to be paired with all-wheel-drive.

What’s Unique: The Pacifica has the only plug-in hybrid in the minivan segment. And unlike almost every EV on the market, the Pacifica is eligible for a full $7,500 federal tax credit in 2024.

What’s the Fancy Trim: Pinnacle ($55,875)

Kia Carnival

Kia Carnival

The Carnival, formerly known in America as the Sedona, is Kia’s entrant to the minivan lineup. One might call it the “Telluride” of minivans, with a high-style exterior reminiscent of an SUV and luxurious options inside.

Specs

Powertrain	3.5-liter V6
Horsepower	290
Torque	262 lb-ft
EPA Gas Mileage	19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway
Seats	7–8

Pros

Luxurious VIP lounge seats inside
Premium interior and exterior styling
Most cargo space in the segment

Cons

No hybrid option available
No option for all-wheel-drive

Starts at $33,600

Current Generation: 4th generation (new for 2022)

What’s New: Kia replaced the Sedona with the Carnival name used abroad. It received a major styling upgrade, inside and out to fit in better with the SUV lineup. 2024 is a carryover from the 2023 model.

What’s Unique: The Carnival has a Sport Mode and a V6. It’s also the only minivan on sale in America that starts under $35,000 and tops out under $50,000.

What’s the Fancy Trim: SX Prestige ($46,300)

Best-Looking Minivan: the Toyota Sienna

a car parked on a dirt road surrounded by trees

Best-looking minivan came down to two contenders: the Toyota Sienna and the Kia Carnival. We give the Sienna the edge on sex appeal for leaning hard into that #vanlife dorkiness with its large, quasi-JDM-style grille.

The Carnival looks premium; we had an adult chase us down on foot outside of an ice cream shop to ask about it. But it’s trying to pose as anything but a minivan; Kia calls it an MPV. And we like a vehicle that’s comfortable in its own skin.

The Pacifica has never been a looker (and we kind of liked the pre-facelift version better). And the dated Honda Odyssey still looks like someone trying to twist it counterclockwise.

Best Minivan to Drive: Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival noses out the Honda Odyssey for the best-driving minivan. The Odyssey feels relatively light and nimble in corners, but the Carnival delivers a poised, well-balanced ride — more than a bit reminiscent of the Telluride — with a robust V6 engine and a legitimate drive mode selector that includes a Sport mode.

The Pacifica is pleasant to drive as well. But it’s a bit on the beefy side, checking in at nearly 5,000 lbs in either AWD or hybrid form. The Sienna delivers a comfy ride, but the power from its Prius-like 243-hp hybrid is only adequate, you have to live with that annoying CVT drone, and it doesn’t deliver the same road feedback as the others.

Best Luxury Minivan: Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

the new top of the line 2021 chrysler pacifica pinnacle model offers the most luxurious interior in its class, with a new integrated ultra console that seamlessly blends into the instrument panel, armrests relocated from the seats to the console, three rows of caramel nappa leather seats and the all new uconnect 5 system with a 101 inch touchscreen, the largest touchscreen in its class

The Chrysler Pacifica’s Pinnacle trim brings the minivan to full-on luxury territory. You get an elegant design, quilted caramel Nappa leather and a suede headliner. The second-row seats come with matching lumbar pillows. Of course, the Pinnacle Pacifica starts at nearly $56,000 after the destination charge, so you pay for every bit of it.

The Kia Carnival, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey each have a well-appointed top-tier trim with leather or leather-trimmed seats and tech starting a little below $50,000. But none of them levels up to the Pacifica in terms of material quality or price point.

Minivan with the Most Space: Kia Carnival

Every minivan offers a spacious, super-practical cabin — that’s why you buy one. But the Kia Carnival has the most space. The 40 cubic feet of trunk space behind the third row is massive. You can also fold the third row flat and remove the second row for a massive potential 145.1 cubic feet.

The Pacifica and Odyssey deliver similar total cargo space, but they have smaller space behind the third row. The Toyota Sienna loses out on overall volume, with just 101 cubic feet. But it will be comparably sized for most owners most of the time. unless you’re clearing out all the seats and cramming as many items as possible. And it also offers a smart storage solution with a two-level center console.

Most Efficient Minivan: the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

the new top of the line 2021 chrysler pacifica pinnacle hybrid model is a luxurious “living room on wheels,” delivering premium materials and class exclusive features

How efficient a minivan is will depend on how you drive it. The Pacifica’s PHEV option offers around 32 miles of electric range. So, in theory, buyers can do their school runs and grocery store trips with EV mode, plug in when they get home, and repeat ad infinitum without draining the tank.

But if you’re doing a lot of road trips, the Toyota Sienna may end up being the more efficient bet. It delivers up to 36 mpg city and 36 mpg in highway driving. And the AWD version is only 1 mpg less efficient than the FWD version. It’s also just easier to not have to remember to plug in.

The Carnival, non-hybrid Pacifica and Odyssey don’t match up on efficiency, earning fewer than 20 mpg in city driving with combustion engines.

Most Affordable Minivan: Kia Carnival

The Sienna, Odyssey and Pacifica start out in the high-$30,000s and top out in the low to mid $50,000s. The Carnival undercuts them on price. It starts at just $33,200 with the LX trim. The top-tier SX Prestige trim tops out at $46,300.

And as with the Telluride, the Carnival manages to come in at a relatively affordable price point without making you feel like you sacrificed.

Best Overall Minivan to Buy: Toyota Sienna

toyota sienna with surfboards and a trailer

None of the four minivans are a bad option. But the Sienna remains the clear choice by our measure. Its hybrid motor provides outstanding fuel economy — nearly twice as efficient as some competitors in city driving. Unlike in other vans, you can pair it with all-wheel-drive (and even get a lift kit). And it’s really damn hard to come up with an argument that outweighs that combination.