Should I Buy a Minivan or a Passenger Van?
Which family-hauler is better for your transportation needs?
Photo: Nissan
If your convoy involves a lot of family members, you need more than just two rows of seats in your vehicle — you need all the seating you can get. When a full-size SUV won’t cut it, it’s time to consider a van. But which is a better people-mover for you: a minivan or a passenger van?
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Minivan or passenger van: What’s better for your family’s needs?
The noteworthy differences between minivans and passenger vans that you should assess for your preferred people-mover are the seating, comfort, and amenities.
Minivans like the Chrysler Pacifica offer three rows of seating, which can accommodate seven or eight passengers, depending on if the second row is bench seating or captain’s chairs. They don’t offer more than that.
So, if you need to fit more people, you’ll have to opt for a passenger van like the Nissan NV Passenger, which can seat up to 12 people across four rows. While some smaller models like the Ford Transit Passenger Wagon offer seven seats, most passenger vans offer seating capacities of 10-15, depending on the model.
To fit this many people, passenger vans use flat bench seats, and they squeeze as many bodies as possible into a tight space, so leg and shoulder room are minimal.
Photo: Nissan
Minivans like the Toyota Sienna are more comfortable and more luxurious than commercial vans. They make great road trip vehicles because they give riders more personal space and make the back row easier to access.
Because of their larger seating capacities, transit vans are a couple of feet longer than a minivan would be. Keep that in mind if you plan to park your van in your garage or short driveway.
Because most high-capacity vans are deemed commercial vehicles, they’re designed to be more utilitarian than normal passenger market minivans. So, they tend to be very bare-bones unless you pay extra for upgrades — features which often come included on lower-trim minivans. If you care about having the latest infotainment, comfort, and active safety systems, choose a minivan instead of a commercial people-mover.
When it comes to price, minivans and passenger vans are pretty comparable. So, picking the type and model for your gang of travelers really comes down to knowing what’s essential to you and what you can compromise on.
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Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.