5) 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan
Base Price: $26,790
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 7.0/10): The Grand Caravan is an OK minivan – but when the competition is as tough as it is, OK isn’t good enough. Although this minivan boasts a few user-friendly features (like Stow ‘n Go seating), it hasn’t been redesigned in 10 years, which badly hurts it in our minivan rankings.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 8.4/10 (2018)): The 2019 Grand Caravan hasn’t been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, the almost-identical 2018 model received a Poor rating in the IIHS’ tough small overlap crash test and a four out of five in the NHTSA’s front crash and rollover tests.
Predicted Reliability (U.S. News Score: 2.5/5): The Grand Caravan’s predicted reliability rating of 2.5 out of five is below average. It is covered by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
2019 Dodge Grand Caravan
Passenger Space: The Grand Caravan has the least second- and third-row legroom in the class. It also has the least second-row headroom. Its second-row shoulder room is about average.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 140.3 cu ft): The Grand Caravan’s total cargo volume is the smallest in the class. With all the seats up, it has 31.1 cubic feet of space, which is also the lowest number in the class.
Family-Friendly Features: Unlike some of the higher-ranking minivans, the Grand Caravan doesn’t have many family-friendly features. However, like its Chrysler cousins, the Grand Caravan has Stow ‘n Go second-row seats, which fold flat into the floor. In other minivans, you have the lift the second row out to maximize cargo space. It also boasts an infotainment system with 6.5-inch touch screen. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system, USB ports, and Bluetooth are optional features.
4) 2019 Toyota Sienna
Base Price: $31,315
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.0/10): The Toyota Sienna ranks near the middle of our minivan rankings. It hasn’t been redesigned in about eight years, which hurts its standing in our rankings. However, it has a decent amount of standard features and a slew of standard safety features. It is the only minivan in our rankings that is available with all-wheel drive.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 8.9/10): The minivan class is extremely competitive when it comes to safety. The Sienna’s score of 8.9 out of 10 places it near the bottom. However, it still comes equipped with a long list of standard safety features, including a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control.
Predicted Reliability (U.S. News Score: 4.5/5): The Sienna has an above-average reliability score of 4.5 out of five. It comes with an industry average warranty, which consists of three-year/36,000-mile basic coverage and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage.
2019 Toyota Sienna
Passenger Space: The Sienna has among the lease amounts of second-row legroom. Its third-row legroom ranks third worst. It has average second-row head and shoulder room.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 150 cu ft): With all of the Sienna’s seats down or removed, it has 150 cubic feet for cargo – the second most in the class. With all seats in use, it claims 39.1 cubic feet of space in the trunk, which is the most in the class.
Family-Friendly Features: The Sienna offers many of the same features as others in the class, like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a touch-screen infotainment system. It also offers Wi-Fi, so passengers can keep connected on the ride. Additionally, it offers unique features like all-wheel drive and Driver Easy Speak, a system that amplifies the driver’s voice using the speakers in the vehicle (so parents can yell to the back of the minivan without actually having to yell).
3) 2019 Kia Sedona
Base Price: $27,200
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 8.3/10): The Sedona ranks near the middle of our minivan rankings, but it’s an all-around good vehicle. It’s comfortable, boasts a refined interior, and is a decent performer. Unfortunately, it falls behind the pack because it doesn’t offer quite as many features as other minivans, and some competitors have more passenger room.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.8/10): The Sedona’s near-perfect safety score is one of the best in the class. It also comes with a decent list of safety features. A rearview camera comes standard, and adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert are among the available features.
Predicted Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.5/5): The Sedona’s reliability rating is slightly above-average for the class. It has a class-leading warranty: a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
2019 Kia Sedona
Passenger Space: The Sedona’s second-row legroom is the largest in the class. Unfortunately, the third row is lacking a bit (it’s the second tightest on this list). Shoulder- and headroom in the second row clocks in at about average for the class.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 142 cu ft): The Sedona’s cargo space is also about average for the class. Both the max cargo space and the minimum space (with all seats up) sit in the middle of our rankings.
Family-Friendly Features: Like many other minivans on this list, the Sedona comes standard with a user-friendly infotainment system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. But it also is available with standout features like a cooled glove box and a built-in flashlight.
2) 2019 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid
Base Price: $26,985
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score (for non-hybrid): 8.7/10): The Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid both sit in the top tier of our minivan rankings (the Pacifica Hybrid ranks just above the regular Pacifica). Both vehicles were all-new for 2017, bursting onto the scene with a ton of modern tech and safety features. The standard Pacifica has Stow ‘n Go seating for added convenience. In the hybrid variant, you trade Stow ‘n Go for better fuel efficiency. Both boast higher-end, comfortable interiors.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.6/10): The Hybrid hasn’t been rated by the IIHS yet, but the standard version earned an above-average score. Both vehicles come standard with a rearview camera, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and blind spot monitoring.
Predicted Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.5/5): Both vehicles earned similar reliability ratings from J.D. Power. Their score of 3.5 out of five means they rank slightly above average for the class.
2019 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid
Passenger Space: Both Pacifica variants have third-place second- and third-row legroom. They both sit right in the middle of this list in terms of second-row head and shoulder room.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 140.5 cu ft): The Pacificas fall a bit behind in cargo space. They have the second least amount of total cargo space and the second smallest cargo area with all seats in use. However, the Stow ‘n Go seating does make carrying large loads a bit more convenient.
Family-Friendly Features: These minivans come loaded with modern infotainment features, like an easy-to-use touch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. They also come with family-friendly features like a rear-seat entertainment system that includes app-based entertainment. For example, the “Are You There Yet?” app keeps the kiddos in the back up to date on your estimated time of arrival.
1) 2019 Honda Odyssey
Base Price: $30,190
Overview (U.S. News Overall Score: 9.0/10): The Odyssey is ranked No. 1 among all minivans. This top-ranked family hauler is a fan favorite because it offers the best combination of features, performance chops, interior space, and interior comfort. It also has a near-perfect safety score and top reliability score.
Safety (U.S. News Score: 9.8/10): The Odyssey earned a top safety score from the IIHS and is tied for the best safety score on this list. It comes packed with standard and available safety features. A multi-angle rearview camera comes standard, and blind spot monitoring, park assist, and cross traffic alert are available.
Predicted Reliability (U.S. News Score: 3.0/5): The Odyssey’s J.D. Power reliability rating of three out of five is average for the class. It also has an average warranty for the class: a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
2019 Honda Odyssey
Passenger Space: The Odyssey offers the best all-around passenger space in the class. It has the most third-row legroom, the second-most second-row legroom, and above-average rear shoulder and headroom.
Cargo Volume (Max Cargo Volume: 158 cu ft): The Odyssey offers the most total cargo volume – and by a long shot. It has the second-most cargo space with every seat in use, so you’ll have plenty of room for kids and cargo.
Family-Friendly Features: Along with a long list of standard infotainment and tech features (like Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a touch-screen infotainment system), the Odyssey is available with plenty of unique features. Among those are a built-in vacuum, a cooler, CabinWatch (which allows the driver to view the second and third rows on the infotainment screen), CabinControl (which allows the driver to control the rear seat entertainment system), and CabinTalk (which allows the driver to communicate with the rear passengers).
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To learn more about these minivans, check out our full minivan rankings. You can also see the full list of 2019 Best Cars for Families by reading this slideshow.
When it comes time to buy, be sure to view our best car lease and purchase deals. You can also save money by using our Best Price Program. On average, buyers have saved more than $3,000 off the sticker price by using the Best Price Program.
Best Minivans for Families in 2019
- 2019 Honda Odyssey l Winner
- 2019 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid l Finalist
- 2019 Kia Sedona
- 2019 Toyota Sienna
- 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan
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Here Is Our Full Ranking for the U.S. News Best Minivans for Families Award
“Minivan” and “family vehicle” seem to go hand-in-hand. However, not all minivans are created equal.
If you’re looking for a minivan that will fit your family’s needs, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of the best minivans for families, ranked from worst to best. The top minivans have the best combination of passenger and cargo space, predicted reliability, safety ratings, and family-friendly features. They also have excellent scores in our rankings and reviews, which are based on the assessments of top automotive journalists.
Keep in mind that our rankings are regularly updated, so the scores in this slideshow might not reflect what is currently in our reviews.
Read on to learn more about the family-friendly features offered in today’s minivans and see which vehicle is right for you.