These days, everyone talks about SUVs and crossovers, vehicles that have overflowed the market. Simply, those vehicles offer a perfect blend of practicality and visual appeal. On the other hand, many drivers still appreciate ultimate practicality and functionality and in these aspects, minivans are still absolute winners. Compared to mid-size SUVs, they are more spacious, more functional and often more fuel efficient. In most cases, they are also more affordable.
Therefore, it’s not hard to conclude that minivans are a perfect choice for family-oriented drivers. They are strong in many ways, including very good fuel economy. These days, there is even a couple of hybrid minivans on the market, which are as efficient as a typical gasoline-powered compact hatchback or sedan. On the other hand, some minivans still rely on classic V6 gasoline engines and offer a smoother ride and better driving dynamics. Passenger vans could also be a good choice, especially if you need additional hauling capability at a reasonable price.
Therefore, we decided to make a short list of minivans with the best MPG for 2023 and 2024:
Toyota Sienna
The current generation of Toyota’s familiar nameplate has been around since 2021 and one of the biggest changes we saw in that redesign was the new powertrain. The capable and quite thirsty V6 was replaced with a hybrid powertrain. Toyota decided to go for a less powerful setup, but with significantly higher mpg ratings and for that occasion, the hybrid powertrain from Highlander Hybrid seemed like a perfect choice.
Eventually, this solution proved itself as great. The current Sienna may not be as dynamic as the previous generation but on the other hand, 36 miles per gallon in a combined ride is something you can come even close with any other minivan on the market.
The Sienna uses a system that pairs electric motors with a 2.5-liter inline-four Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine, and the combined output goes around 245, which is enough to ensure 0-60 sprint in about 8 seconds. Although that doesn’t sound spectacular, let’s not forget that most minivan buyers care way more about fuel economy. The hybrid system has enough torque to move a fully loaded Sienna with ease, while the average fuel economy is spectacular. It goes around 36 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.
The Toyota Sienna is also available with an additional electric motor on the rear axle, with an AWD setup. In that case, fuel economy drops, but just marginally, and goes around 35 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.
Besides excellent fuel economy, we also like Sienna’s composed ride and a long list of standard safety features. Base models come standard with goodies like a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keeps assist, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams etc.
The 2023 Toyota Sienna starts at around 38.000 dollars.
Chrysler Pacifica PHEV
When Chrysler’s minivan was heavily refreshed in 2021, it instantly became one of the best-looking models in the class. Still, aesthetics aren’t the only selling point of this model, it is also the only minivan available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. That model comes with a system that combines a 3.6-liter V6 engine with two electric motors, for a total output of 260 horsepower.
That’s plenty enough for good driving dynamics but, on the other hand, it’s a shame that Pacifica Hybrid isn’t offered with all-wheel drive. FWD layout is the only available and besides decent performance, it also offers impressive fuel economy, at least on paper. You may count on 82 mpg-e, which sounds spectacular. However, keep in mind that minivans are mostly used on longer journeys, on open roads, so a big part of the trim would probably require a gasoline engine engaged as well. In that case, the average fuel economy drops to 30 miles per gallon, which is still good for a minivan but lower than Toyota Sienna offers.
On the other hand, the Pacifica is unmatchable when it comes to city driving. It comes with a massive battery pack that ensures 32 miles of range, so you have plenty of time to run this minivan solely on electric power.
Besides an advanced powertrain, the Pacifica PHEV has a few more good things to offer. We already talked about the look, while the interior looks quite nice as well. The build quality is good, while the infotainment system is super-easy to use.
The amount of passenger and cargo space is pretty generous. However, the battery limits a bit of Pacifica’s typical flexibility. Namely, in this version, the second-row seats don’t fold flat, which means that you would have to remove them completely if you want to use maximum space.
Still, that’s not the Pacifica’s biggest issue. Our main problem with this minivan is the price, which starts at over 50.000 dollars. In other words, it will take a lot of time before all that fuel saving pays off.
Chrysler Pacifica
Besides PHEV, Chrysler’s minivan is also available in a more traditional variant, with a good-old 3.6-liter V6 engine. That unit puts out around 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Moreover, it comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission, which is also a more inspiring solution than the hybrid’s CVT. Finally, this variant is available with all-wheel drive.
However, all these advantages cost, and you would have to pay for them in much lower fuel efficiency. Equipped with this engine, the Pacifica is good for about 19 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city, which is significantly lower compared to a hybrid but average for a gasoline-powered minivan. Models with all-wheel drive are even thirstier and return around 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.
One of the advantages of this version we would like to point out is the presence of well-known Stow ’n Go seats. This means that you can use the maximum space much easier, as these seats need just a couple of moves to fold down flat completely.
The gasoline version is also significantly cheaper than the hybrid, with a starting price of around 38.000 dollars. For that price, you get a long list of standard equipment, which includes goodies like a 10.1-inch touch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, four USB ports, satellite radio, HD Radio and a six-speaker stereo, tri-zone automatic climate control, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, remote start and ambient lighting.
Honda Odyssey
The Odyssey has been a household name in the class for a long time and the current generation also has so many great things to offer. This minivan is super smooth and refined, with a filigree powertrain and composed handling. Furthermore, it features probably the nicest cabin in the class, with fine materials and very good overall build quality. The cabin is also equipped very well, while the amount of passenger and cargo space is very generous.
Under the hood, the Odyssey features a refined 3.5-liter V6, which puts out around 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. That’s plenty enough for strong driving dynamics, while the 9-speed automatic transmission does a pretty good job too. However, the average fuel economy is no better than average. You may count on about 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, which is typical for a V6-powered minivan.
The 2023 Honda Odyssey carries on without more important updates, which means that a few familiar issues are still there. This particularly refers to the second-row seats, which have to be removed completely to use maximum cargo space. Also, base models would use a little bit more standard equipment.
The Honda Odyssey currently starts at around 38.000 dollars.
Kia Carnival
The current generation of Kia minivan has been around for a couple of years and it still impresses us with its refined and comfortable cabin. It features one of the most excellent interiors in the class, with super-fine materials and probably the best seats in the segments. This refers to all rows, as there is excellent side support, along with a pretty high level of overall comfort, which makes this minivan perfect for long journeys.
However, things aren’t all that special when it comes to fuel economy. In this aspect, the Carnival is barely average, with 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The van is powered by a familiar 3.5-liter V6, with direct fuel injection, which puts out around 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The engine comes in paired with a pretty refined 8-speed automatic transmission, which sends power to the front wheels in every configuration.
One of Carnival’s biggest advantages over the competition is the price. Even though it is imported from South Korea, this minivan is significantly cheaper than competitors, at least when it comes to base models. The price starts at around 33.000 dollars and for that price, you get a pretty long list of standard equipment. Some of the highlights are goodies like an 8-inch touch screen, a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, seven USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, push-button start and remote start.
Of course, the price can climb up pretty easily if you want more advanced tech features, such as a 12.3-inch touch screen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, navigation, an eight-speaker audio system, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, satellite radio, additional USB ports, wireless device charging and a rear-seat entertainment system.
Large Passenger Vans
A large passenger van can be a good alternative to classic minivans. Although these vehicles are less luxurious and usually feature lower mpg ratings, they have a few advantages. For example, they have better towing and hauling capacity, while some models can accommodate up to 15 passengers. Let’s take a look at some that also offer decent fuel economy:
Ford Transit Passenger Van
The passenger version of Ford Transit has a lot of good things to offer, starting from two very capable powertrain options. There are two V6 engines on offer, with max outputs of 275 and 310 horsepower. Both offer good overall performance, while we also like the fact that you can get models with all-wheel drive. Fuel economy goes around 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway, which isn’t great but feels adequate considering the model’s size and performance.
We also like the fact that there are various configurations on offer, with a capacity of 12 or 15 passengers, low or high roof etc. The starting price goes around 50.000 dollars.
Mercedes-Benz Metris Passenger Van
If you’re looking for something smaller and lighter, the Mercedes-Benz Metris Passenger Van might be a good alternative to classic minivans. This van feels more rugged and comes in three configurations, accommodating 5, 7 or 8 passengers.
When it comes to powertrain, this van comes with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine with 208 horsepower, which comes in pair with a 9-speed automatic transmission. It can tow up to 5.000 pounds and offers a pretty decent combined fuel economy of around 19 miles per gallon. The starting price goes around 38.000 dollars.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger Van
The legendary Sprinter has been around for a very long time and it proved itself as an excellent hauler, which combines interior quality and interior space in such a nice way. It can be configured in different ways, to carry 12 or 15 people, while we particularly like its quality cabin and a good amount of standard equipment.
This van is available in various powertrain options. The offer starts with a 2.0-liter turbo-four, which puts out 188 horsepower and comes coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission. There is also a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with 161 horsepower, as well as a bigger 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel with 188 horsepower.
Of course, the base turbodiesel is the most fuel-efficient choice, with an average fuel economy of 21 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
