See Also
For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.
by Editors of Consumer Reports
While other excellent reviewers may test minivans' safety or reliability or fuel economy, Consumer Reports covers everything. Editors subject almost every minivan on the market to a battery of unbiased… tests (the Volkswagen Routan had not been tested when we checked). A chart ranks the minivans from best to worst, based on the results. Each model gets a detailed road test report describing how comfortable and drivable it is. Editors also rate the minivans' reliability, based on annual subscriber surveys. This publication covers the less exciting minivan category better than publications like Car and Driver and Motor Trend.
by Editors of IIHS.gov
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-tests cars and trucks, mimicking front, side and rear-end collisions. Cars are rated based on how well they withstand each crash. In order to merit… recognition as a top safety pick, a car must earn the highest rating of "good" in all three crash tests, plus offer electronic stability control. The Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona and Honda Odyssey are awarded the Top Safety Pick rating for the second straight year.
by Editors of SaferCar.gov
NHTSA crash-test ratings for most 2009 vans and minivans are included here in a simple chart format. Vehicles are assigned a rating of one to five stars based on performance in front-impact, side-impact and… rollover tests. Of the minivans featured in our report, only two -- the Toyota Sienna and Mazda5 -- do not achieve five-star impact and four-star rollover ratings, although their ratings are almost that high.
by Environmental Protection Agency
by Editors of Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com reviews pretty much every car on the market, including minivans. Although editors don't test vehicles head-to-head, they often make brief comparisons to competing minivans within reviews.… Editors choose two top minivans -- the Honda Odyssey and Mazda5 -- based on their own testing, consumer feedback and safety ratings. The Mazda5 also wins in the Consumers Top Rated and Lowest True Cost to Own categories.
by Editors of CanadianDriver
Young parents who say they are "not minivan people" conducted this six-month experiment for CanadianDriver. They parked their own Kia Sportage and lived with seven different minivans, evaluating each one's… comfort and drivability, as well as how well it fits their lifestyle. Although they like all of the minivans, the testers agree they would probably buy the Hyundai Entourage. The narratives the couple writes for each minivan and for the experiment's conclusion are a rich source of real-life information for buyers who are considering a minivan. CanadianDriver is also a reliable source for thorough, test-based, professional car reviews, but editors do not rate or rank models.
by Editors of Consumer Guide
Consumer Guide's editors have written a fine buyer's guide, which we found useful for its detailed pricing and options information. However, no head-to-head tests are conducted, and Consumer Guide… recommends all but two of the minivans on the market. The 2009 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Honda Odyssey all receive Best Buy ratings. Recommended status is granted to the Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona and Toyota Sienna. The Mazda5, which most reviews classify as a minivan, is listed as a car; it earns a Recommended rating.
by Staff of GreenerCars.org
GreenerCars.org is part of the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. It awards vehicles a "green score" based on emissions and fuel efficiency. The site lists four minivans as… "top-rated": the Toyota Sienna gets a "superior" ranking, followed by the "above average" Chrysler Town & Country and Honda Odyssey (the recommended short-wheelbase Dodge Caravan has been discontinued; only the bigger Grand Caravan is offered now). The Mazda5, which most reviews classify as a minivan because of its sliding rear doors, is listed here as a midsize wagon; it earns an "above average" ranking.
by Staff of MotherProof.com
MotherProof.com's "mom-testers" evaluate vehicles by living with them for a couple of weeks. Reviews are entertaining and packed with useful tidbits they discover about the vehicles while shuttling kids,… cramming in luggage, etc. MotherProof.com has reviewed only one 2009 minivan, the Mazda5; other reviews date back to 2008 or 2007. Minivans are not directly compared against one another, but the Chrysler Town & Country wins the site's Best Minivan award. MotherProof.com is affiliated with Cars.com.
by Staff of The Truth About Cars
This car enthusiasts' website prides itself on its "no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners automotive reviews." Testers have reviewed only three minivans recently: the Volkswagen Routan, Toyota Sienna and a… head-to-head comparison of the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo wagon. The cars aren't ranked or uniformly rated, but the testers' blunt observations are useful, particularly in the Volkswagen and Mazda reviews. Readers will find the smart-mouth tone either annoying or laugh-out-loud funny, if user comments are any indication.
by Mike Hanley and Joe Wiesenfelder
Cars.com tests and compares three minivans -- the bestselling Dodge Grand Caravan, the Honda Odyssey and Nissan Quest -- in nine categories based on drivability, comfort, safety and value. Testers pick a… winner in each category, with the Odyssey earning the overall Editor's Pick. The 2008 models are tested here, but the results are still valid, because manufacturers haven't changed their minivans much for 2009.
by Editors of Car and Driver
Car and Driver doesn't cover minivans as extensively as other types of cars, but it does a better job than other car-enthusiast magazines. Five 2009 minivans are covered, plus the 2008 Mazda5. The… narratives are brief, but testers give clear advice, evaluating practical matters such as gas mileage and seating -- as well as digging for any power and driving fun they can find in this segment. Although most models aren't compared to each other, editors say they prefer the Honda Odyssey.
by Editors of Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book offers a list of five recommended minivan models; however, only the Honda Odyssey's review has been updated for 2009. Still, the available reviews may be useful to many buyers, as none of… the minivans have seen a major overhaul for this model year. The editors here don't name a favorite or rate the minivans comparatively, but the reviews are thorough and easy-to-read. The Honda Odyssey wins the Best Resale Value award for vans.
by Mark Solheim and Jessica Anderson
Kiplinger's Personal Finance makes annual picks in several car categories -- including minivans -- based on long-term reliability and costs, along with third-party crash-test results. Write-ups are just a… few sentences, but we appreciate the focus on practicality. Awards are given for best overall, most fuel efficient, best for safety, etc. Although this article covers only 2008 models, it is still useful because most minivans haven't changed much for 2009.
by Editors of IntelliChoice.com
IntelliChoice.com uses an analysis of relevant data -- but no actual testing -- to predict, recognize and award vehicles that promise low long-term costs and high resale value. For 2008, the Toyota Sienna… wins the title of Best Minivan Value. The 2009 model year hasn't changed much for most minivans, so this article is still helpful. IntelliChoice's careful analysis allows the consumer to see how earlier models stack up for retained value and actual operating costs.
by Editors of Motor Trend
by Kelsey Mays
by Editors at JDPower.com
J.D. Power and Associates says it bases its ratings on feedback from product owners. The most recent ratings are for the 2008 model year, and they don't include the new Volkswagen Routan, but they are still… useful because most van and minivan models have not changed much for 2009. The Honda Odyssey wins the award for Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL), with the highest scores in all subcategories; a chart shows ratings for each model. However, J.D. Power awards the Initial Quality prize to the full-size Ford E-Series van even though the Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna minivans score higher, with no explanation why.
by Editors of U.S. News and World Report
U.S. News and World Report does not conduct its own testing. Instead, it collects other publications' reviews of minivans and translates them into numeric scores for eight 2008 and 2009 models. The Honda… Odyssey takes first place, followed by the Toyota Sienna and Dodge Grand Caravan. Each minivan gets an individual write-up, but it is not always clear why one minivan receives a better score than another. Still, this site is an excellent place to find other reviews (much like the list you're reading now).
by Aaron Gold
The Mazda5 makes three of About.com's Top 10 lists: top 10 cars to give as gifts, top cars for moms and top SUV alternatives. The articles link to a full review by Aaron Gold, About.com's guide to cars. The… review is short, but it is based on road testing, with a helpful list of pros and cons. However, Gold doesn't compare the Mazda5 with any other minivans and the site's layout makes it difficult to see which other minivans he has tested. Gold doesn't often reveal which model year he is discussing, but some of his Top 10 lists have been on the site for at least a year.
by Editors of Automobile.com
by Editors of The Car Family
The National Motorist Association is an organization that attempts to represent the North American driving public by debating traffic legislation and the like. Its website is home to a number of automotive… columns. "The Car Family" -- a mom, a dad, a young working woman and a working teenage male -- test five minivans. Each family member chooses the best models and writes about them from his or her own perspective, and then the group chooses an overall winner. The Kia Sedona wins; testers like its long warranty and say it performs just as well as more expensive minivans. This article is not dated, so it is impossible to tell which model years were tested. However, the article does refer to discontinued vans, including the Chevy Uplander and Ford Freestar, which leads us to believe it is at least a couple of years old.
by Editors of MSN Autos
This site would be incredibly helpful, if only it were more up-to-date. MSN Autos gathers user ratings and Consumer Reports' scores for minivans, easily accessible from this landing page. There is also a… useful comparison tool that clearly shows how minivans stack up in several departments (price, fuel economy, cargo space, etc). The scores are averaged together with MSN Autos' own in-depth expert reviews, with the Chrysler Town & Country achieving the top overall score. However, MSN Auto experts have tested only one 2009 minivan, the Volkswagen Routan. Others haven't been tested in a couple of years, and MSN Autos hasn't tested the Toyota Sienna since 2004.
by Editors of Auto123.com
Auto123.com, a Canadian site, ranks 2007 and 2008 minivan models based on consumer ratings and its own tests (some of which date back to 2006), although some 2009 reviews can be found elsewhere on the site.… The "Our Writers" page gives each tester's qualifications, and you can see how the testers scored each minivan by clicking on its individual review. However, although test scores vary, the written reviews are uniformly complimentary.
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