The humble minivan remains a superior way to cart a family around with space to spare
Family comfort with space to spare The humble minivan remains a superior way to cart a family around in comfort with space to spare. By Mark Toljagic ▲
Unrivaled all-round family conveyance Minivans have been blamed for everything from lowering testosterone levels to promoting childhood obesity. It’s hard to get excited about a minivan – until you consider that it is unrivaled as an all-round family conveyance, thanks to its combination of comfort, security, space and versatility. ▲
Masculinity intact Stereotypes of a soccer-mom ride aside, one can drive a minivan with masculinity intact as well. Witness this “R-Tuned” Toyota Sienna that raced in last year’s One Lap of America, thoroughly spanking a bunch of hairy-chested cars, including a V-10-powered Dodge Viper, a Nissan GTR and a Porsche 911 GTS, over the course of the seven-day race. True, the winner in the truck/SUV category was gutted, caged and outfitted with an adjustable race suspension, but its 266-hp V-6 engine remained stock, except for an aftermarket intake/exhaust setup. ▲
Reliability to the fore Back to everyday reality, here are all the late-model used minivans on the market, ranked from worst to best in terms of minivan function and – what else? – reliability. ▲
#7 – Nissan Quest The fourth-generation Nissan Quest, introduced for 2011, represents an abomination of the sleek Forum concept vehicle that had been well received by autoshow crowds. Let’s just say the van’s breadbox styling has not been a big hit in North America. It used Nissan’s familiar 260-hp VQ-series 3.5-L V-6 engine, working through a smooth, continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that allows the engine to lope along at highways speeds. Despite that, it swills fuel at a rate no better than 11 litres/100 km (25 mpg) just like a big SUV. The similarities don’t end there: it’s big and weighty, with a tall seating position that many drivers prefer. The Quest isolates occupants from road noise marvelously, but the cabin is oddly cramped, yielding the least useable passenger and cargo space in its class. ▲
#7 – Nissan Quest In terms of reliability, there are not many complaints posted on the Internet, likely because so few Japanese-built Quests have found homes here. The most troubling is the CVT transmission, which has been failing in significant numbers (as it has in the Altima sedan and Pathfinder sport-ute). Nissan has extended the warranty on the component. Another reoccurring problem involves engine stalling when the fuel level drops below the quarter-tank mark (dealers advise owners to keep the tank topped up). Despite its good build quality, we can’t recommend the Quest because of the transmission and stalling issues, as well as the fact it meets too few of the objectives Canadians expect of their family van. ▲
#6 – Dodge Grand Caravan (Chrysler Town & Country, Volkswagen Routan) Thanks to its low entry price and family-friendly design, the Ontario-built Dodge Grand Caravan is a popular Canadian hero. For its fifth-generation minivan, released in 2008, Chrysler made it larger and blockier outside, which yielded a bigger interior – a great strategy, since families tend to shop minivans from the inside out. The Grand Caravan was thoroughly refreshed for 2011, featuring Fiat Chrysler’s new Pentastar 3.6-L V-6, which made a class-leading 283 hp. Tied to a six-speed automatic transmission, it’s proven to be a refined and muscular powertrain, transforming the Dodge into a nice-driving minivan that no longer has to compete on price alone. The engine is a little too fond of gasoline, however. ▲
#6 – Dodge Grand Caravan (Chrysler Town & Country, Volkswagen Routan) Fiat Chrysler’s van is the quietest of the bunch, with the engine seemingly humming away in a different postal code. The seating is comfortable up front, but some found the collapsible Stow’n Go chairs in back thin and uncomfortable. Where the Grand Caravan really falls down is in overall dependability. Despite better assembly quality, there are numerous complaints about the van’s voracious appetite for brakes, faulty air conditioners, bad rattles and that old Chrysler lament: transmission woes. The Pentastar engine has been afflicted by some bad cylinder heads. Most disconcerting, TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) failures can introduce numerous electrical faults, including no-start conditions, dead instruments, engine overheating and stalling at random. These same deficiencies mar the mechanically similar Chrysler Town & Country and Volkswagen Routan, which for our rankings we consider the same vehicles. ▲
#5 – Mazda5 We’d be remiss if we didn’t include Mazda’s half-pint 5 in our minivan mix because, well, it’s got sliding doors. Built on Ford’s C1 global platform and introduced for 2006, the front-drive Mazda 5 had much in common with the Mazda3 sedan, including the same Macpherson struts up front and multi-link suspension in back. Groomed to replace the MPV, the 5 was smaller than a regular minivan – and almost a half-tonne lighter – while offering seating for six in three rows of two. None of the chairs was removable, although they did offer some under-seat stowage. With all six seats occupied, there was little cargo room available, making a rooftop carrier almost mandatory. But for most families, the fifth and sixth chairs are only used for short jaunts to the soccer field and other errands. ▲
#5 – Mazda5 The 2012 Mazda5 received updated styling, a new instrument panel and a (slightly) larger engine: the 2.5-L DOHC four-cylinder produced just four more horsepower (157 total) over the previous 2.3-L four, while torque rose 15 lb-ft to 163 in total. Mazda preserved the 5’s manual gearbox and enhanced it with six forward gears, while the five-speed automatic transmission remained the popular alternative. Owners of early models have complained of frequently blown and leaking shock absorbers, worn antiroll-bar bushings and spring seats. The newer 5 has stouter suspension components; however, tires still wear rather quickly and brake rotors are prone to warping. Other complaints identified failed engine mounts, fast-wearing clutches and flimsy underbody engine shrouds. ▲
#4 – Kia Rondo The Kia Rondo is more of a tallboy wagon than a minivan, but given that consumers may cross-shop the compact Rondo with the Mazda5, it made some sense to include it here. Introduced for 2007 and built on the front-drive Kia Magentis platform, it’s essentially a station wagon with four conventional doors. The high roof allowed for chair-like seating, which in turn improved legroom in all positions. An optional 60/40 split-folding, third-row bench increased capacity to seven skinny folk. The Rondo offered a 2.4-L four-cylinder engine, good for 162 hp, as well as a 2.7-L V-6 making an underwhelming 182 hp (surprisingly, the four-pot motor appeared to work better). ▲
#4 – Kia Rondo The Rondo returned thoroughly redesigned for 2014 with an improved interior and some clever touches, including under-floor storage, a cooled glovebox and a rechargeable flashlight in the cargo hold. The new-generation Rondo has only one engine on offer: a direct-injected, 164-hp 2.0-L four-cylinder that’s reasonably adept at moving the Rondo smartly since it went on a diet of high-strength steel. Base models can be had with a six-speed manual transmission (like the Mazda5), but most buyers opt for the smooth-shifting six-speed automatic. Problems? There are few to recount, beyond a defective air-conditioning compressor clutch assembly and excessive brake service seen in the pre-2014 models. Newer models may exhibit a problem with the power steering system, and owners have not been happy with the small wagon’s high fuel consumption in town. ▲
#3 – Kia Sedona After years of watching other minivans eat its lunch in the segment, Kia upped its game with a reconstituted Sedona minivan for 2015. Last redesigned in 2006, the new Sedona is sleeker than its predecessor, so much so that it just might be the best-looking vehicle with sliding doors. Kia used high-strength steel, structural adhesives and large-diameter welds to boost torsional stiffness 36% higher than any competing van. It’s quieter than the Sienna and Odyssey, but Chrysler’s Town & Country still may be the librarian’s choice. Its long wheelbase yields lots of legroom for middle-row occupants, but the third row and cargo hold appear to be a little pinched. Blame the van’s tapered profile. ▲
#3 – Kia Sedona The Sedona’s powerplant is a direct-injected 3.3-L V-6 that puts out a robust 276 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque, working through a conventional six-speed automatic transmission. The serene engine makes for decent fuel economy on the highway, averaging 10.2 L/100 km (28 mpg). City driving proves to be a lot less frugal; expect around 14.5 L/100 km (20 mpg) thanks to the Sedona’s heavy construction. In terms of mechanical problems, there are relatively few to speak of, mostly due to the fact the third-generation Sedona hasn’t been around very long. Reported faults, in small numbers, include stalling engines, leaky sunroofs and short-lived batteries. The standard Kumho tires were criticized for their noisy character and relatively short life. ▲
#2 – Honda Odyssey Like some other vans here, the Honda Odyssey was completely reworked for 2011, gaining a wider and lower stance, as well as a “lightning-bolt” beltline to break up its slab-sided profile. Long condemned for noisy interiors, Honda’s engineers got this one right with a church-quiet cabin thanks to the stereo’s active noise cancellation system. Honda also prioritized fuel efficiency, demonstrated by the raked windshield and slick bodywork. Gone is the standard roof rack, replaced by a dealer-install option. The 248-hp 3.5-L V-6’s variable cylinder management (VCM) system, which deactivates two or three cylinders during steady-state cruising, turned the big kahuna into a genuine gas-saver: we scored 8.8 litres/100 km (32 mpg) during a supra-legal 120 km/h road trip. ▲
#2 – Honda Odyssey The Odyssey’s upscale interior offers spacious and flexible seating; it’s technically an eight-seater with its foldaway centre perch in the middle row. The cargo hold is deep and big; Honda invented the disappearing third-row bench in 1994 by moving the spare tire to the centre of the floorpan. Unfortunately, the well-liked Odyssey has not been immune to mechanical setbacks. Frequently warped brake rotors tops the list of complaints (the consensus is they are undersized for the job), followed by significant oil consumption linked to worn piston rings. Drivetrain vibration may be exhibited by the trick V-6, and jerky transmissions have frustrated owners. Other issues include short-lived batteries and power-steering pumps, as well as fussy power sliding doors. ▲
#1 – Toyota Sienna The redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna was no bigger than the outgoing model on the outside, but the cabin space was positively cavernous. The middle-row seats slide a full metre fore and aft, and the expansive windows provide good visibility all around. Road noise is muted, but the van doesn’t seem as well insulated or furnished as the pre-2011 models. Interior plastics feel hard to the touch, the upholstery is less plush and the carpeting resembles trunk liner material, although upgrades were made for 2015. The V-6-powered Sienna (there was a capable 187-hp 2.7-L four cylinder offered briefly, too) benefited from communicative steering and a tuned suspension that no longer wallowed in the corners. Fuel consumption was a little disappointing at 10.4 litres/100 km (27 mpg) on our road trip. ▲
#1 – Toyota Sienna The Sienna is the only minivan left on the market that offers optional all-wheel-drive – a boon to consumers living in the snowbelt. Perhaps more importantly, dependability is very good as the engine/transmission duo appears to be bulletproof (the Sienna does taxi duty in many cities). The most common complaint involves the power sliding doors, whose thin cables can snap, and replacement is costly. The power-assisted rear hatch has also been known to malfunction. Other issues include rapid tire wear and illuminated VSC, ABS and traction control warning lamps. Still, Toyota appears to deliver a good van for the money and for that reason the Sienna is our winner. You don’t have to race it to discover its qualities. ▲
Keyword: We rank the top seven used minivans