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Family car shopping Mother sitting in drivers seat child standing in minivans passenger door father opening door

Vans and minivans

Today’s minivans are utility kings, with more cargo and passenger space than full-size SUVs, but with a more car-like driving feel. They're not a penalty box either, with features and options that wouldn’t be out of place on a luxury brand.

Minivan too small? Full size vans come in different heights and lengths, with some offering a dozen or more seats and roofs tall enough for a six-footer to stand upright.

Children smiling getting out of silver minivan
2023 Honda Odyssey Elite

1. Honda Odyssey

CarMax owner rating

4.6

Price range*$14,599$44,998
Estimated combined MPG22 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

3.5 out of 5

Pros

  • Sliding side doors
  • Rear seat passenger check system
  • Tons of cargo room

Cons

  • Third-row seats manually fold
  • Outdated navigation system graphics
  • Third-row legroom is tight for tall adults
2024 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L

2. Chrysler Pacifica

CarMax owner rating

4.4

Price range*$16,998$49,998
Estimated combined MPG20 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

4.5 out of 5

Pros

  • Versatile seating
  • Available all-wheel drive
  • Plug-in hybrid model

Cons

  • Starting to feel its age
  • Mediocre mileage with standard V6
  • Occasionally balky shifts from nine-speed automatic
2022 Toyota Sienna XSE AWD 7 Passenger

3. Toyota Sienna

CarMax owner rating

4.7

Price range*$15,998$42,998
Estimated combined MPG20 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

4 out of 5

Pros

  • Confident ride experience
  • Fast-accelerating V6 engine
  • All-wheel-drive option

Cons

  • Fewer features than competitor vans
  • Bulky second-row seating is cumbersome to move
  • Exterior noise travels into the cabin
Young boy jumping out of parked minivan as luggage is unloaded
2024 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L

1. Chrysler Pacifica

CarMax owner rating

4.4

Price range*$16,998$49,998
Estimated combined MPG20 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

4.5 out of 5

Pros

  • Versatile seating
  • Available all-wheel drive
  • Plug-in hybrid model

Cons

  • Starting to feel its age
  • Mediocre mileage with standard V6
  • Occasionally balky shifts from nine-speed automatic
2021 Chrysler Voyager L

2. Chrysler Voyager

CarMax owner rating

4.4

Price range*$20,998$28,998
Estimated combined MPG22 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

4 out of 5

Pros

  • Solid value
  • Intuitive infotainment system
  • Versatile interior

Cons

  • All-wheel drive isn’t available
  • Fleet sales only
  • No hybrid option
2022 Toyota Sienna XSE AWD 7 Passenger

3. Toyota Sienna

CarMax owner rating

4.7

Price range*$15,998$42,998
Estimated combined MPG20 MPG
RepairPal reliability rating 

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. These ratings are based on RepairPal Reliability data as of August 2023. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings

4 out of 5

Pros

  • Confident ride experience
  • Fast-accelerating V6 engine
  • All-wheel-drive option

Cons

  • Fewer features than competitor vans
  • Bulky second-row seating is cumbersome to move
  • Exterior noise travels into the cabin

FAQs about vans and minivans

The biggest differences between vans and minivans is are that vans tend to be more utilitarian and larger in size.

Vans typically have either an open-back cargo area behind the front seats, or multiple rows of seats, and are primarily used for transporting cargo or passengers.

Minivans are more family-focused, with most all having three rows of seats, and better size for everyday use.

Ready to find your van?

How we ranked these vehicles

Our "Best of" lists represent the most popular vehicles with CarMax customers. To create the Best lists, our analysts look at CarMax vehicle and sales data over a recent 6-month period and rank the top selling vehicles in order. Looking back over a 6-month period allows for the highest sample size possible while also providing up-to-date pricing information. Each list includes the specific dates used when it was generated. Some articles may include data points with lower sample sizes.

To create our "Most Reliable" lists, our analysts pull the top most reliable vehicles—in order—according to RepairPal rankings. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2006-2020 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features. RepairPal Reliability Ratings are provided by RepairPal and CarMax is not responsible for their accuracy. Learn more about RepairPal reliability ratings.

* Price excludes taxes, title, registration, and fees. Applicable transfer fees are due in advance of vehicle delivery and are separate from sales transactions.

We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to provide legal, financial or investment advice. We make every effort to provide accurate information, but please verify before transacting and consider talking to a qualified professional about your unique circumstances.​

Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.

Unless otherwise noted, information related to featured vehicles comes from third-party sources, including manufacturer information. Product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of third-party entities. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by these entities.