The Best Minivans of 2022

Unlike other segments, where Brand A offers basically the same gear as Brand B, the minivan class still has some variety.

Beth Nichols | 

Jun 17, 2022 | 6 min read

Photos by Multiple Manufacturers

Pretty much everyone and their mom thinks minivans are uncool. But pragmatists know what’s up. If you need a vehicle that can haul loads of people and stuff, tow a reasonable amount of weight, stretch a gallon of gas, and keep the whole clan happy on a road trip, nothing beats a minivan.

They’re also just nice to drive, with cushy seats and suspensions tuned for comfort. Vans ride low, which is great for handling, but their drivers sit high, which is great for seeing around all the tall vehicles that occupy roads these days. Remote- or sensor-controlled liftgates and sliding doors make loading a cinch, and your aging knees will thank you one day for choosing a vehicle with low door sills. Automakers package minivans with all the goodies, too, from advanced driver-assistance tech to large-screen entertainment systems for the back. While some brands have left the minivan game, the ones that remain try to outdo the others with segment-exclusive features. Here’s a look at what 2022’s best minivans have to offer.

Honda

Best for the Driver Who Wants to Forget They’re in a Minivan

Honda Odyssey

Base price: $34,335

The front-drive-only Honda van has the best handling of the bunch, and its 280-hp V6 provides enough oomph so you can merge onto the freeway and pass slower traffic effortlessly. With the Odyssey’s Magic Slide second row (available on all but the base LX trim), owners can remove the middle seat and push one of the outer seats toward the center of the van, creating an easier path near the door for people to get into the third row. You can also move the seat forward, so that it’s closer to the front passenger—a nice feature for those who’d like to be within reach of a child. Adaptive cruise control and road-departure mitigation come standard. Moving up the lineup unlocks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a single-screen rear-seat entertainment system, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, heated and ventilated front seats, and a system to monitor and talk to those in the back seat without having to turn around.
Toyota

Best for the Eco-Conscious Driver

Toyota Sienna

Base price: $36,500

If you want a fuel-efficient minivan that offers superior traction to handle icy winters, the Sienna may be your best option. It’s the only vehicle here that allows buyers to pair a hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive. Configured that way, the Sienna sees 35 mpg on the EPA’s combined cycle. Front-drivers return 36 mpg, which betters everything else in the class save for a Pacifica plug-in hybrid with a charged battery. When it comes to meshing an internal-combustion four-cylinder with two electric motors, Toyota knows what it’s doing. Its expertise in this area is one of the reasons why it can fit the Sienna with a standard 245-hp hybrid powertrain for less than $37,000. (For reference, the other electrified powertrain in this segment starts close to $49,000.) It’s perhaps not the most attractive of vans, with its dolphin-nose hood, but it looks better than the frumpy last generation. And who doesn’t like dolphins?
Kia

Best for Parents Who Spoil Their Kids and Themselves

Kia Carnival

Base price: $33,935

The old Kia Sedona minivan went away to college and came back as the Carnival multipurpose vehicle, with a whole new look and attitude. We understand Kia’s desire to rebrand here; everyone should have a chance to put their embarrassing teen years behind them and start fresh. The transformation isn’t just skin-deep. Kia equips the Carnival with the most stuff for the lowest price. Base models have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, remote start, forward and rear collision mitigation, driver attention monitoring, lane keeping, a blind-spot warning feature, and automatic high-beams. What’s more, the Carnival’s V6 offers a class-leading 290 hp, and with the third row stowed and second row removed, the back will fit 145 cubic feet-worth of stuff—the most of the best minivans of 2022.

Kia
Designers had some fun with the rear seating arrangements. The sliding center seat can be part of the second or third row and acts as a table when folded. Buyers can also spec the VIP Lounge Seating that replaces the captain’s chairs with loungers, complete with full recline, power-rising footrests, heating, and ventilation. As for other fun options, Kia has a monitoring system that projects a live feed of the van’s blind spots in the instrument cluster when you hit the turn signal. Parents can check on their sleeping kids via the infotainment system with the night-vision passenger viewer. Certain trims have a two-way intercom, so front- and back-seat passengers can easily talk to and hear one another. The available dual-screen entertainment system allows for device mirroring, and you can spec up to nine USB ports (many of which come standard) and a wireless smartphone charging bed, so no device will go uncharged.
Chrysler

Best for the Buyer Who Really Wants a Pickup

Chrysler Pacifica

Base price: $38,690
Hybrid base price: $48,573

Chrysler has specialized in minivans for nearly 40 years, and it has seemingly thought of everything to produce one of the best minivans of 2022. Eco-conscious consumers can opt for a 260-hp, plug-in-hybrid powertrain, while those interested in towing can tug 3,600 pounds from the hitch of the standard Pacifica, which uses a 287-hp V6. The latter’s patented, second-row, Stow 'n Go seating is a thing of beauty. The captain’s chairs fold into little bundles that fit into bins beneath the floor. As in other minivans, the third row also flips backward to store within the cargo hold. In a matter of seconds, you have a hauling van that can even accommodate 4-by-8-foot sheets of drywall or plywood. Hybrid models use the underfloor space for the battery, so second-row Stow 'n Go isn’t an option, but you can remove those seats, if you wish. Moreover, seeing as Honda discontinued its vacuum option on the Odyssey due to supplier issues, the Pacifica is the only minivan on the market with a built-in vac. Some trims even come with throw pillows.

Chrysler
Adaptive cruise control comes standard, along with many other driver-assistance features, like blind-spot monitoring and rear parking sensors. On certain models, the front row has a center-console passthrough—a convenient place to set your bag. The available rear-seat entertainment system resembles what you’d find on a newish plane: The seatback-integrated, 10.1-inch screens sit at eye level and allow you to watch something different from your neighbor. Buyers can spec all-wheel drive, but not with the hybrid, and doing so will kick your combined fuel economy down from 22 mpg to 20. Plug-in models see 82 MPGe and 32 miles of electric range before switching to gas-primary operation, where the Pacifica returns 30 mpg combined.

Beth Nichols

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Beth Nichols stumbled into automotive journalism and found her footing, jumping between a few car magazines before going freelance. Her head, once full of useless facts about literature and art history, now holds useless facts about vehicles. She edits, checks, and occasionally creates content for Capital One, and though she understands it’s customary to write a bio in the third person, I don’t like it.