Among all the vans available on the market, the team at Car guide has compiled a list of models that represent the best purchases in this category.
Although sales have declined in recent years in favor of SUVs, these practical and roomy vehicles highlight their versatility to appeal to large families.
Photo: Toyota
The years go by and the same for the Toyota Sienna, which remains at the top of our list. The Japanese minivan continues to offer the best compromise in the category.
Its main advantage is the possibility of benefiting from all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain in the same vehicle. An arrangement that is unique in the category. Regardless of the version chosen, all Siennas come with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid with a combined power of 245 horsepower.
Particularly fuel efficient, this engine consumes only 6.6 L/100 km on average in front-wheel drive models. That’s almost half as much as a gas van with a V6 engine!
And even when adding all-wheel drive to the Sienna, fuel economy remains excellent since consumption only increases by 0.1 L/100 km!
Sufficiently efficient, roomy, practical and economical, the Sienna is also very reliable. Qualities that make it the best choice in the category for 2024.
Photo: Julien Amado
The Kia Carnival remains in second place in our ranking, at least for now. Indeed, we have long criticized it for the lack of a hybrid version and all-wheel drive. If four-wheel drive is still not on the agenda, hybridization is arriving for the 2025 model year. A change that could shake up our ranking next year.
In the meantime, the 2024 Carnival remains a practical and well-designed minivan. Its well-positioned price is also an advantage, as well as its long basic warranty of 5 years/100,000 km, better than Toyota.
Until the electrified version arrives in 2025, the Carnival retains its 3.5-liter V6 developing 290 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. More efficient than Toyota, it offers more convincing acceleration and recovery. The other side of the coin is that you have to deal with a significantly higher average consumption (10.7 L/100 km)
Very spacious, more than the Sienna, the Carnival is practical and well suited to family use. Finally, the comfort of the suspensions and seats are also a strong point. It is for all these reasons that the Korean minivan comes in second position in our ranking.
Photo: Dominic Boucher
As in 2023, the Chrysler Pacifica climbs to the third step of the podium. Like the Toyota Sienna, the American pickup truck offers a hybrid engine and all-wheel drive. The problem is that it’s impossible to enjoy both at the same time.
The advantage compared to Toyota is that the hybrid powertrain is also plug-in. Thanks to a 16 kWh battery, the Pacifica can drive for 51 km without consuming a single drop of gasoline. Ample autonomy for short daily journeys.
With 260 combined horsepower, this engine offers convincing performance. On the other hand, the habitability of the vehicle is reduced by the presence of the battery in the floor. In fact, this prevents you from taking advantage of the stow’nGo system which makes the second row seats fit into the floor.
The Pacifica also offers the possibility of opting for all-wheel drive, but not with the hybrid version which remains front-wheel drive. If you want four-wheel drive, you must select the gasoline V6 in the configurator. The problem is that combined consumption rises to 12 L/100 km, or 1.4 L/100 km more than a front-wheel drive Pacifica V6.
Finally, the high price of the vehicle and reliability that was not on the side of the hybrid version encourage us to be cautious with the Pacifica. It is for all these reasons that we placed the Chrysler minivan in third position.