2008 Minivan Buying Guide
The 2008 Chevrolet Uplander is GM's only remaining minivan.

Is the minivan a dying breed? It first became a significant part of the American automotive marketplace in the mid-1980s with the introduction of the Dodge Caravan. For years it reigned as the king of family movers, and for good reason. Most minivans can carry at least seven passengers, and if space for stuff is needed, seats can be folded flat, folded into the floor, or removed all together to open up a cargo hold of 100 cubic feet or more.

In subsequent years, however, these people and cargo movers began to fall out of favor as a negative symbol of suburban life that helped define the "soccer mom." The minivan segment has been steadily dwindling, making room for the ever-popular crossover SUVs that are sliding in to take its place.

Several minivan models got the axe after model-year 2007. Two out of three of GM's short-lived group of vans, the Buick Terraza and Saturn Relay, didn't make it to 2008. Cousin Chevrolet Uplander, however, carries on virtually unchanged as GM's only minivan. Don't expect it to stick around long. Crossovers like the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, and forthcoming Chevrolet Traverse are moving in to fill this void in GM's lineup. Ford also killed Freestar and the Mercury Monterey in light of new SUVs like Edge, Taurus X, and the upcoming Flex.

While the minivan might seem like an endangered species, there are still a handful of model-year 2008 vans that haven't yet succumbed to extinction. A few even got fresh features and updated styling for the new model year.

New For 2008

The biggest news in the minivan class for 2008 is the redesign of the Chrysler Corporations best-selling minivans: the Chrysler Town & Country and its sibling Dodge Grand Caravan. The pair grew slightly larger, got face-lifted exteriors, additional power, and more comfort and convenience features for the new model year.
Other notable new-for-2008 minivan changes includes Honda Odyssey's new exterior styling and Hyundai Entourage's loss of its mid-level SE model and gain of new option packages for the base GLS version.

People and Cargo in Many Combinations

Though the players in this class look different, are priced differently, and offer varying levels of equipment, all share several common traits. All are powered by V6 engines and automatic transmissions. Access to the second and third rows is through sliding doors on one or both sides of the vehicle. Power operation for these doors, as well as the tailgate, is commonly available.

Standard seating is for seven passengers on all minivans. This means bucket seats for the first two seating rows and a third-row, three-passenger bench. Some models, such as the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, are available with eight-passenger seating via a three-person second row.

Many also offer a third-row bench seat that splits, folds, and tumbles into a well in the cargo floor, creating a flat surface. The Nissan Quest has a third-row bench that folds in one piece, using a one-hand operation. Many, like the Toyota Sienna, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country offer a power-folding third-row bench. The Chrysler vans' bench can even somersault to become rear-facing tailgate-style seating at the push of a button. Disappointingly, Chevrolet's Uplander doesn't offer this functionality. Instead, its third-row buckets fold flat atop the cargo floor and need to be removed in order to create a level loading floor.

In terms of seating options, the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country take the cake. These vans up the ante by offering a seating system dubbed Stow 'n Go and a new-for-2008 system called Swivel 'n Go. In addition to third-row seats that fold into the cargo floor, the second-row buckets also have this capability. The floor wells double as covered storage bins when the seats are upright. Swivel 'n Go (an option instead of Stow 'n Go) includes second-row seats that rotate to face rearward and a removable table that fits between the second and third rows for an instant snack area or game room.

Safety is No Accident

Since people are among the most precious cargo a minivan can carry, these vehicles place a high priority on offering lots of safety features. Antilock brakes are available across the board, and often standard. Traction control is available on all entrants, as is stability control, also known as an antiskid system. Toyota's Sienna is the only minivan available with all-wheel drive to help improve traction on slick surfaces.

Airbags are plentiful. In addition to the standard ones for the front passengers, those traveling in the rear rows benefit from curtain side airbags. These are standard on the Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona, Nissan Quest, and Toyota Sienna and newly standard on Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan. Chevrolet's Uplander only offers curtain airbags as a separate option on its LT model.

People not even riding in a minivan can receive protection. Most models are available with a rear-obstacle-detection system that sounds an alert when the vehicle is close to an object the driver might not see. Many, like the Odyssey, Quest, Sienna, and the Chrysler vans can be outfitted with a rearview camera that shows what's behind the vehicle while it's in reverse. The images appear on the navigation system's screen.

Are We There Yet?

Few things aggravate parents more than their kids screaming at each other or shouting out the legendary question, "are we there yet?" Most minivans are equipped to help occupy antsy kids.

Nearly all vehicles in this class feature a rear DVD entertainment system. A small Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen pops out of the ceiling. The DVDs play through a mount that's also in the ceiling or in the van's center console. So as not to annoy front-seat passengers, most minivans allow audio to pipe through included sets of wireless headphones. Most of these entertainment systems have composite audio and video connections to allow youngsters to hook up their favorite video game consoles for viewing.

Helping to ease backseat rivalries and front seat headaches no matter how long the trip or how many people are in the van is Chrysler's new dual-DVD multimedia entertainment system; available on both Town & Country and Grand Caravan. New for 2008, the vans' two video screens have the capability to play independent of one another. The first row can pull down a pair of headphones from the overhead bin and watch a DVD, while the second row digs out another set of headphones from the map pockets to watch one of three Sirius satellite TV stations: Disney Channel, Nickelodeon Mobile, and Cartoon Network Mobile.

Chrysler's new vans also feature the MyGig multimedia infotainment system, a 20-gigabyte hard drive for storing digital music files and pictures.

CG Award Winners

While all the choices in this segment are competent in the minivan mission, the Consumer Guide Best Buy picks are the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Honda Odyssey. The Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona, and Toyota Sienna share our Recommended award. That seems like a lot of selections, but remember that the Chrysler/Dodge and Hyundai/Kia vans are mechanically similar.

Minivans don't have the rugged looks or off-road capability of an SUV. They don't have the athletic performance and handling of a sporty sedan. Enthusiasts may be loathe to drive them, but a minivan's combination of people and cargo hauling ability, safety features, and generally reasonable pricing are tough to beat for those in need of a veritable family room on wheels. And where else can you find a vehicle with 13 cup holders?