Minivans serve many purposes, such as daily commuting, taxi services, road trips, work vehicles, and, more often, for camping adventures.
In addition to carrying up to eight campers, minivans, with their huge cargo areas, roof racks, and decent fuel economy, enable you to get to the campsite with more camping gear, and they do it without taking a hit at the gas pump. In addition to their excellent interior space, many of these minivans have helpful innovations for venturing out to the campground, including built-in vacuums and integrated intercom systems.
You could go further and create a motorhome-in-miniature with a minivan camper conversion, perhaps using a used vehicle such as a Dodge Grand Caravan (which went out of production in 2020). Even more adventurous van life types could DIY a full-fat van conversion based on something like a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van or a Ram ProMaster work van–for more on that, check out our guide to the best vehicles for camper conversions.
But for now, let's focus on the easier approach, with our guide to the latest crop of minivans–and how they stack up for those who love camping trips.
The Best Minivans for Camping in 2024
Chrysler Pacifica
If you want to save some money and skip the hybrid powertrain, the standard Pacifica is a great minivan for camping. The Touring trim comes equipped with three-zone climate control, push-button start, a power liftgate, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The remote start will be a welcome feature as you’re walking back to the Pacifica at the end of a long hike and want to pre-heat (or cool) the cabin. The Pacifica also features a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, which will add some comfort to those chilly fall mornings at the campsite. For 2024, Chrysler continues to offer the Road Tripper model as an available variant of the Touring L. The Road Tripper includes all-season floor mats, the trailer towing prep package, a roof rack, and unique styling touches.
A 3.6-liter V6 engine powers the Pacifica. It makes 287 horsepower, sent through a nine-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or available all-wheel drive (AWD). Unlike the hybrid variant we've mentioned elsewhere in this article, the gas-powered Pacifica is rated to tow up to 3,600 pounds, which is slightly more than the rest of the minivan segment. So if you want to bring extra gear to the campsite or a trailer for kayaks or a small powerboat, the non-hybrid Pacifica is the way to go.
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Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
Going to remote national parks or seashores for tent camping often requires a bit of planning. Where is the nearest general store? The nearest warm motel in case it rains? Nearest gas station? If you don’t want to worry about the latter, the Pacifica Hybrid is the best van you could choose. It pairs a gas V6 engine with hybrid power with plug-in capability to deliver an EPA-estimated 82 MPG equivalent. The all-electric range is 32 miles, and when the electric range is exhausted, the Pacifica Hybrid returns a combined 30 mpg. If fuel efficiency is your thing, you’ll definitely want to check out the Pacifica Hybrid. The whole system puts out a combined 260 horsepower and is generally powerful enough to move the van, especially from a standstill. Starting your trip with a full charge and a full tank of gas will provide you with an impressive manufacturer estimated range of 520 miles. The Pacifica Hybrid has a comfortable and refined ride and is great for long road trips, although note that Chrysler doesn't recommend you tow with it (if you need to tow, consider a regular Pacifica instead, as detailed above).
Many state and national parks now have Level 2 charging stations on-site. Chrysler has also partnered with Amazon to streamline the purchase and installation of a Level 2 DC fast charger for your home. The Pacifica Hybrid also qualifies for federal tax credits.
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is available with FamCam, which consists of multiple cameras pointed at the rear seats. The driver can select different views and even has a night mode, so parents aren’t squinting in the dark to check on the little ones. This should help on long trips out to those more remote state and national parks.
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Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey is widely considered one of the top minivans in the segment. Where some minivans excel in one particular area, the Odyssey is, in every regard, a capable and comfortable minivan. For some, a camper van or cargo van may be the ideal mode of roughing it, but the handsome Odyssey allows you to come back to suburbia in comfort.
The 2024 Odyssey comes standard with a 280-horsepower V6 engine. It routes power to the front wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The V6 makes plenty of power, which comes in handy when you’re fully loaded and climbing that mountain pass. This setup is rated at 19 mpg city, 28 highway, and 22 combined.
The only major downside to the Odyssey is its general approach to dash design. Where a simple column shifter would suffice, Honda insists on leveraging its proprietary shifter design. It’s a complicated design and definitely has a learning curve. If you’re headed out on a long trip to get to your destination campground and need to take turns with other drivers, you’ll likely be giving a short tutorial on how to use it.
The Odyssey provides up to 158 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats stowed or removed. The third-row seats fold seamlessly into the floor, while the second row needs to be physically removed, maximizing storage space. Compare this to the Chrysler Pacifica, which offers fold-away seating for the second- and third-row seats. If you plan on filling your van to the brim with tents and other gear, that’s something to keep in mind.
Trim levels for the 2024 Honda Odyssey are EX, EX-L, Sport, Touring, and Elite. For camping, our tip is the EX-L: It gains leather upholstery, two more USB ports, and a power liftgate, which comes in handy when loading a heavy cooler or whatever toys you plan on bringing to the campsite. The EX-L also comes with a power moonroof, good for stargazing while sitting in comfort in your minivan.
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Kia Carnival
The Carnival has brawny, SUV-inspired styling, and it’s one of the sharpest-looking minivans in the segment. It carries over into 2024 with minimal changes.
The Carnival features a 290-horsepower V6 engine. It routes power to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel-economy estimates for the Carnival are 19 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined. The 2024 Carnival also has a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds, which means you can easily tow a kayak trailer, bike trailer, or small inflatable dinghy. The Carnival provides up to 145.1 cubic feet of cargo space, but if you need more room to stow your gear, you can also tow a smaller trailer loaded up with grills, coolers, and other toys.
The Carnival has a versatile cabin with up to eight-passenger seating. The available Flex seating features a second-row bench with a fold-down middle seat. It converts the bench into two individual outboard seats with a center console. The available second-row captain's chairs are able to fully recline, offering impressive comfort. The Carnival is also available with a hands-free smart power rear liftgate, as well as hands-free power sliding doors. If you are carting around a bunch of loud kids, the Carnival offers an intercom system between the driver and rear passengers.
In addition to standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the 2024 Kia Carnival provides seven USB ports on all trims, and is available with wireless device charging and a rear-seat entertainment system with dual 12-inch screens.
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Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna features a dynamic, flowing design and comes loaded with standard safety features, but the rear seats of the new Sienna are not removable, which limits usable cargo space. The 2024 Sienna does come standard with power-sliding side doors and a power rear liftgate, which will make loading tents, coolers, cots, sleeping bags, air mattresses, and other items into the storage area a bit easier. Other standard features include push-button start, tri-zone climate control, remote keyless entry, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.
All the aforementioned features are included in the entry-level LE trim. The Sienna is offered in a number of other upscale trims, including XLE, XSE, Woodland, Limited, and Platinum. All trims are available with AWD as an option, which can come in handy when venturing up into rougher mountain roads. The XLE trim comes with fog lights, hands-free power-sliding side doors, synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. It also adds second-row captain's chairs, four-zone climate control, remote keyless entry, a power moonroof, and HD Radio. The Woodland Edition slots between the XSE and Limited. It comes equipped with standard AWD and increased ground clearance, two 120-volt wall-style power outlets, a 12-speaker premium stereo, and wireless device charging.
No matter which trim you select, the 2023 Toyota Sienna comes with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. It also comes standard with at least seven USB ports and is available with a rear-seat entertainment system, all of which are perfect for keeping the little ones occupied on that long trip out to the wilderness.
The Sienna is powered by a four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain. It combines a 2.5-liter gas engine with a pair of electric motors to produce a combined 245 horsepower. Power is sent to the front wheels or, if equipped with available all-wheel drive, all four wheels. This hybrid setup does a good job getting the Sienna around town, but shows signs of weakness at highway speeds. The four-cylinder engine drones loudly under hard acceleration, or when climbing a steep road when the van is fully loaded. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) Sienna returns fuel economy of 36 mpg across the board, while the AWD version returns fuel economy of 35 mpg city, 36 highway, and 35 combined.
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