A minivan is never going to be the sexiest choice for a new ride, but they can be extremely practical – especially if you spend most of your day carting kids and their gear around. Unfortunately, new minivans can be pretty expensive, but its possible to find a great deal on a used minivan. We have compiled some of the best used minivans available to help you find a great people mover at an affordable price. Why buy a new car when bargains like these are out there?!
Keep reading to find out which are the best used minivans for you and your family.
Toyota Sienna – 2004 to 2010
These years encompass the second generation of the Sienna. While the body style may seem a bit dated compared to the newer models, these Siennas are some of the best used minivans available and the fact they are at least seven years old makes them rather affordable.
Pricing will vary depending on the mileage and condition but expect to pay between $5,000 and $20,000.
U.S. News & World Report ranked the 2009 Sienna as the best used minivan under $20,000 while the 2010 model year came in second, which means these vans have some serious chops.
The second generation Siennas have a 3.5-liter V6 under the hood which puts out 266 horsepower, making it the class leader at the time. The Sienna is also the only minivan out there that has available all-wheel drive, so if you live in a snowy area or get off road on a regular basis, this is probably the best choice for you.
A variety of trim levels let you choose what is important to you. The base CE trim has dual sliding rear doors, power windows, front and rear air-conditioning, and a six-speaker stereo with an auxiliary audio jack.
When you get to the top of the line Limited trim, standard equipment includes a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, leather and wood steering wheel, 10-speaker JBL surround-sound audio system, satellite radio, and Bluetooth connectivity.
We recommend the middle of the road Sienna XLE trim, which provides plenty of comfort and luxury while remaining affordable. The 2010 Sienna managed the highest rating of “Good” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in two of three categories tested, but only managed a “Poor” rating in the Rear Crash Protection category.
If you can afford a higher price point, consider the third generation Sienna (2012 to present) which has a more modern body style and is very well reviewed by auto critics.
Honda Odyssey – 2005 to 2010
This was the third generation of the Odyssey, and is considered one of the best used minivans out there, regardless of the year you choose. The Odyssey is known for its smooth and sporty ride (it’s still a minivan though) when compared to the Sienna.
Like the Sienna, the body style may look slightly dated compared to the completely redesigned 2011 model, but if you are comfortable cruising in a slightly older model you can save a ton of coin. Depending on the year and trim you choose, expect to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 for one of these beauties.
The 2010 Odyssey has a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 244 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. This is paired to a five-speed automatic front-wheel drive transmission.
One of the major complaints about the Odyssey was its use of cheaper interior components and its high starting price compared to its rivals. Hard plastics and a confusing tech system left the critics a bit disappointed. However, its sporty ride and abundance of safety features make it a great choice if a Sienna is not your cup of tea.
The Odyssey was offered in four trim levels, the LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. The base model LX comes with dual manual sliding rear doors, keyless entry, power accessories, cruise control, and front and rear air-conditioning as well as a four-speaker CD stereo.
The top of the line Touring trim adds leather and heated front seats, power front seats, a power liftgate, a backup camera with a rearview-mirror-mounted display, satellite radio, sunroof, foglights, rear parking sensors, a rear-seat entertainment system, navigation, and a premium audio system.
The Odyssey earned the top rating of “Good” in all categories tested by the IIHS.
Dodge Grand Caravan – 2008 to present
The Grand Caravan is one of the first minivans ever produced and is a legend in the segment. Unfortunately, it has just about run its course and while it was supposed to be retired in 2017, its death has been put off until 2019, according to rumors. These years make up the fifth generation of the Grand Caravan, although there were updates in both 2011 and 2014.
It will vary depending on trim level, but expect to pay around $15,000 for a well equipped 2014 Grand Caravan for sale.
While the Grand Caravan was once the gold standard in minivans, it now struggles to keep up with the competition. The biggest complaint is the uneven ride that is loud and a bit underwhelming. The 2014 model has a 3.6-liter V6 that cranks out 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
The Grand Caravan has a well thought out interior and the materials used are surprisingly high quality. The Grand Caravan is the only minivan to feature Stow’nGo second row seats that fold down into the floor of the vehicle, making it easy to maximize cargo space.
The 2014 Grand Caravan is available in four trims: the American Value Package (AVP), SE, SXT, and R/T. Even the base model AVP is well equipped with power front windows, dual-zone air conditioning, heated mirrors and a four-speaker audio system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack.
The top of the line R/T trim is sports-orientated with performance-tuned suspension and comes fully loaded with all of the latest goodies, such as automatic headlights, remote start, tri-zone automatic climate control, leather seats, a trip computer, a 6.5-inch touchscreen display and rearview camera.
The Grand Caravan received the top rating of “Good” by the IIHS in all categories except the small overlap front test in which it received a rating of “Poor.”
Kia Sedona – 2006 to 2014
If you are on a restricted budget, the Sedona may be one of the best used minivans on our list. This is the second generation of the Sedona and it was pretty outdated and rapidly falling behind the competition by the time 2014 came around. Pricing can vary between $4,000 for a 2006 model up to $12,000 for a 2014 model.
Some of the major complaints about the Sedona are its lack of features when compared to the competition. On the other hand, the Sedona comes with one of the best warranties available and a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 269 horsepower and 246 pound-feet of torque, which should get the job done in almost any situation.
The 2014 Sedona was only offered in two trim levels, the LX and EX. The base model LX comes with foglights, roof rack rails, rear parking sensors, air-conditioning with rear controls, cruise control, and Bluetooth, as well as a six-speaker stereo system with a CD player.
The EX trim adds heated mirrors, a power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery and heated front seats.
The Sedona is one of the safest minivans on our best used minivans list with an overall rating of “Good” (their highest rating) from the IIHS.
Mazda 5 – 2010 to Present
If your family doesn’t require a huge minivan, the Mazda Mazda5 may fit your needs perfectly. The Mazda 5 is smaller and only seats 6 compared to the 7 or 8 seats in the Sienna or Odyssey.
The smaller footprint makes it easier to maneuver in tight situations making it ideal for city dwellers and gives it a sportier feel than the larger minivans on our best used minivans list. However, the 4-cylinder 157-horsepower engine strains on the highway when fully loaded. If you haul a lot of cargo or passengers on a regular basis, you may be better served by its more powerful competition.
Despite its small size, the Mazda 5 has a decent interior. The second-row captain’s chairs recline making napping a real possibility while a fold-out center table that can be stowed away makes road trips more bearable. With all of the seats down the Mazda 5 can handle 97.7 cubic feet of cargo, which is pretty impressive.
The Mazda 5 comes in three different trims, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. The Sport trim comes with full power accessories, cruise control, automatic climate control and a six-speaker stereo system. Upgrading to the Grand Touring pushes up the luxury factor with heated mirrors, automatic xenon headlights, leather upholstery and heated seats.
The Mazda 5 is a mixed bag when it comes to safety ratings. The IIHS gave the highest rating of “Good” in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset and roof strength tests but only managed a “Poor” rating in the small-overlap front test.
A 2014 Mazda 5 can usually be found for between $9,000 and $12,000 depending on trim and condition.
Chrysler Town and Country – 1990 to 2016
There are a few Chrysler models that could well fit onto this list. There’s the obvious Chrysler Pacifica, but we prefer the older Chrysler Town and Country for those looking for the best deals on used minivans. When it first rolled onto the scene back in 1990, the Chrysler Town Country fast became the nation’s minivan of choice thanks to the spacious interior, safety features, excellent fuel economy, and easy ergonomics.
These days, the Pacifica is Chrysler’s weapon of choice, but for those looking for a real bargain, an older Town & Country will be a welcome bargain. Certified pre-owned models are plentiful and in a variety of affordable trims, with alloy wheels and steel wheels both being factory options. While it won’t be as capable as other new cars on the road, this Chrysler is a worthy addition to any family fleet.
Nissan Quest – 2006
This is another great choice on our best used minivan list if you have a limited budget to fund your minivan dreams. You can pick up a 2006 Quest for around $5,000 depending on the condition and mileage.
The Quest has a 3.5-liter V6 engine, which generates 240 horsepower with a four-speed automatic transmission coming standard on the Base and S Special Edition while the SL and SE models have a five-speed automatic.
The Quest had the widest opening doors back in its day and has flat-folding seats for the second and third rows making it easier to load plenty of cargo. However, there were complaints about the center stack that contains the audio, navigation and climate controls being too big and awkward to use.
The Quest came in four trim levels the base, 3.5 S Special Edition, 3.5 SL and the top of the line 3.5 SE. Standard equipment on the base model included front and rear air conditioning, keyless entry, power windows and locks as well as a CD stereo system.
If you upgrade to the top of the line 3.5 SE leather seats, a rearview monitor, dual power sliding doors, automatic headlights, automatic climate control and a 10-speaker Bose audio system come standard.
The Quest was giving a 5-star safety rating by the NHTSA.
Renault Espace F1 – 1995
This vehicle was never for sale and was designed as a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Espace (a minivan produced by Renault) and Renaults participation in Formula One racing.
This is the minivan every gearhead would want if it were actually for sale. It has a carbon fiber body as well as a 3.5 liter, forty valve Renault RS5 V10 engine which put out close to 800 horsepower. All of that power allowed the Espace to hit 60 mph in a mind blowing 2.8 seconds and then crank up to 124 mph in 6.9 seconds, eventually hitting a top speed of 194 mph.
Details about the interior are sparse but there is a good chance that the interior was pretty basic. This minivan was built for speed, not for hauling the family and their gear safely.
While you can never put one of these babies in the garage, its always fun to dream.
Dodge Caravan Turbo – 1989 to 1990
This sweet ride was only available for a couple of years but if you have one, you may be sitting on a collector’s item. The Caravan Turbo was an available as a manual or an automatic with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood, which cranked out 150 horsepower.
The manual transmission offered a fun ride with plenty of get up and go, something that was missing from the original Caravans. While only produced in 1989 and 1990 model years, they sold surprisingly well, but suffered from chronic turbo-lag.
The interior in these speed demons is seriously outdated at this point in time and the turbo Caravans are hard to find but if you run across one, consider putting it in the garage as a fun weekend cruiser/project. This guy managed to get his turbo Caravan to do a 12 second quarter mile.
Toyota Previa – 1990 to 1997
The final entrant on our best used minivan list is the Toyota Previa. The Previa was sold in the United States between 1990 and 1997 and is considered one of the most reliable minivans ever built. Finding one can be difficult and it will be loaded with miles but if you need a weekend hauler it may be a good choice. Expect to pay to under $4,000 and possibly much less if you can find one.
The Previa was designed to compete with the segment dominating Grand Caravan and Town and Country and it managed to get the job done. The original Previa had a mid-engine 4-cylinder that put out 135 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive was standard with all-wheel drive being optional.
The Previa’s big claim to fame was more cabin space for passengers and cargo as well as the optional all-wheel drive. The downside was lack of power so in 1994 Toyota added a Roots Supercharger that upped the horsepower to 158 horsepower and gave Previa owners the chance to brag about their all-wheel drive, midengine, supercharged minivan.
At this point, the interiors and tech features of these minivans are well out of date but a Previa with 200,000-400,000 miles is pretty common thanks to its outstanding reliability, making it a great option if you are looking for a cheap, long running people/cargo hauler.
