The minivan has been a steadfast family hauler ever since it first appeared on the automotive scene in 1984. It's never quite earned a reputation for being cool, which is a big reason crossovers and SUVs have surged in popularity. That said, minivans share plenty of DNA with their SUV counterparts — a Honda Odyssey and a Honda Pilot, for instance, are built on essentially the same platform — and the minivan consistently proves to be the more practical choice.
That shared DNA comes with another benefit: towing capability. We're not suggesting you hook up a massive 38-foot travel trailer, but many minivans offer a respectable towing capacity that handles lighter loads with ease — think a small pop-up camper or a couple of personal watercraft. And when it comes to hauling a third row of passengers in genuine comfort, minivans routinely outshine their crossover rivals.
The challenge with today's minivan market is cost and limited selection. Brands like Chevrolet exited the segment years ago, and smaller options continue to disappear. New models are few and far between, and the ones that remain don't come cheap.
Rather than focusing exclusively on new vehicles, we're breaking things down by price range — from under $10,000 all the way to $40,000 and beyond. Here's a look at the best minivans for towing at every budget.
The Best Minivans for Towing in 2026
- Under $10,000: 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan
- $10,000–$20,000: 2014–2021 Kia Sedona
- $20,000–$30,000: 2018–2022 Honda Odyssey
- $30,000–$40,000: 2023 Toyota Sienna
- $40,000 and up: 2024 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV
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2016 Dodge Grand Caravan
Price Range: Under $10,000 Max. towing capacity: 3,600 pounds
It should come as no surprise that the Dodge Grand Caravan — along with its platform siblings, the Chrysler Town & Country and the Ram C/V Tradesman — earns a spot on this list. It's the undisputed heavyweight of the minivan world. Even during years when minivan sales were routinely described as "flat," "declining," or "dying," Dodge consistently moved around 125,000 Grand Caravans annually. What works in your favor as a used-car shopper is that roughly two-thirds of those units went straight to rental fleets. When Budget and Enterprise retired their vans, they flooded the used market, driving prices down on well-maintained examples. Consider it an indirect subsidy for your next summer road trip.
The result is that you can find a fifth-generation (2008–2020) Dodge Grand Caravan on the used market for remarkably little money. Under $10,000 can land you a 2016 Grand Caravan with fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock. Keep an eye out for the American Value Package, or AVP trim. It was essentially an SE with a few extras — including a touchscreen navigation panel not available on the base SE — and it was a bargain when new. It's an even better deal on the used market.
Starting in 2011, the Grand Caravan — even in base AVP trim — came standard with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing 283 horsepower, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. That's a solid powertrain for towing. Despite the capable engine, the Grand Caravan is rated to tow 3,600 pounds, which is more than enough for a tent trailer, a sizable utility trailer, a small boat, or a pair of personal watercraft. Earlier model years in this generation may not include a reversing camera as standard equipment — it's a genuinely useful feature when hitching up a trailer. Fortunately, aftermarket options are plentiful and affordable, and we strongly recommend adding one.
2014–2021 Kia Sedona
Price Range: $10,000–$20,000 Max. towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
Kia's minivan has had its share of highs and lows over the years, but the 2014 to 2021 generation sold in the United States as the Sedona was genuinely impressive. Interior quality stepped up noticeably compared to Chrysler's offerings, and later models featured the Hyundai Lambda II GDi V6 engine, delivering 280 hp through a smooth eight-speed automatic transmission.
Your $10,000 to $20,000 budget goes a long way in the Sedona market. At the upper end of that range, you're looking at a 2020 Sedona LX with around 45,000 miles. If you can stretch your mileage tolerance to around 80,000 miles, a 2016 Sedona SX Limited comes into reach — a trim level that brings considerably more in the way of comfort and features. One important caveat: while Kia is known for its industry-leading 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, that coverage doesn't fully transfer to subsequent owners. Once the vehicle changes hands, the warranty drops to five years/60,000 miles. That's still a meaningful benefit if you're within those thresholds, but it's worth factoring into your decision.
The good news is that virtually any Sedona from this era will come equipped with a reversing camera — by 2014, they were nearly universal.
Towing capacity matches the Grand Caravan at 3,500 pounds. You'll need a Class III receiver hitch and a trailer wiring harness; the hitch runs about $220 in the aftermarket.
If you're after something more current, the Kia Carnival Hybrid is worth a look — one of the few minivans still on sale today, it occupies an interesting space between traditional minivan and three-row SUV.
2018–2022 Honda Odyssey
Price Range: $20,000–$30,000 Max. towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
The Odyssey has always carried one significant drawback: its price tag. A fully loaded 2026 Honda Odyssey Elite can push past $51,000 — steep for a vehicle aimed squarely at family budgets.
What works in your favor, though, is that unlike most Honda models, the Odyssey depreciates quickly after purchase. A three-year-old example with a typical 30,000 miles often lands on the used market at roughly half its original MSRP. A CarGurus search turns up plenty of inventory in the $25,000 range with average mileage and solid condition. Push toward the top of the $30,000 ceiling and you can find a fully loaded 2019 Odyssey Touring EX with just over 25,000 miles for around $29,600 — a trim that brings along advanced safety tech including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.
Shopping in this price range also means you're almost certain to get a reversing camera as standard equipment, which makes hitching up a trailer significantly less stressful. Towing capacity sits right in the minivan sweet spot at 3,500 pounds.
2023 Toyota Sienna
Price Range: $30,000–$40,000 Max. towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
Browsing CarGurus listings, it's easy to find a lightly used 2023 Sienna for around $35,000 — roughly $4,000 less than the base price of a new FWD 2026 Sienna LE. AWD versions also pop up in this price range if all-weather capability is on your checklist.
I once spent a week behind the wheel of a new Sienna on a family vacation to Maine. My usual road-trip vehicle was a 1996 Buick Roadmaster wagon — a car I adored but my family had grown to resent after it overheated two summers in a row, forcing us to blast the heat on the return trip to keep the coolant circulating. The Sienna was a revelation. The second-row captain's chairs gave each of my kids their own space, which they both appreciated more than they'd ever admit. And where we once had to strap gear to the Roadmaster's roof rack, the Sienna just kept absorbing more luggage, thanks to 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats.
Towing capacity checks in at 3,500 pounds, and every current-generation Sienna comes standard with a reversing camera to simplify trailer hookups and tight parking maneuvers.
2025 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV
Price Range: $40,000 and up Max. towing capacity: 3,600 pounds
In our view, the Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) — with its dual sliding doors and cavernous interior — is the ultimate vehicle for large families. It's compelling lightly used, and it remains available as a new car as well.
Fuel economy has long been one of the minivan segment's biggest weaknesses. These are large, heavy vehicles with powerful V6 engines, and efficiency has never been their strong suit. The Pacifica PHEV flips that script with its plug-in hybrid powertrain. For trips up to 32 miles, the van runs entirely on electric power. Picture this on vacation: you tow your tent trailer to the campground, plug in overnight, and spend the next day making runs to the beach and into town without ever visiting a gas station. But unlike a pure EV — which might leave you anxious about range — the Pacifica has a conventional internal combustion engine standing by once the electric range is exhausted. The combined result is 82 MPGe, and you can travel wherever you need to go regardless of whether a charging station is nearby. The Pacifica also features Chrysler's clever Stow 'n Go seating system, adding another layer of everyday practicality.
Towing capacity for the PHEV is 3,600 pounds — identical to the gas-powered Pacifica. An available surround-view camera system shows you not just what's behind you, but what's around you, making trailer hookups and parking in tight spots genuinely easy. The one notable limitation: the PHEV is only offered with front-wheel drive.
The Best Minivans for Towing in 2026 FAQs
How much can a minivan tow?
Most modern minivans are rated to tow between 3,500 and 3,600 pounds, which is enough to handle a small boat, a pop-up camper, a tent trailer, or a pair of personal watercraft. That capacity is consistent across popular models like the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona, and Chrysler Pacifica. While minivans aren't built for heavy-duty hauling, they're well-suited for the kinds of loads most families actually need to tow.
What is the best used minivan for towing on a budget?
If you're shopping under $10,000, the Dodge Grand Caravan is hard to beat — its 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 produces 283 horsepower and is rated to tow 3,600 pounds. Because so many Grand Caravans went into rental fleets, used examples are plentiful and affordable, with 2016 models available for under $10,000 with fewer than 80,000 miles. For a step up in interior quality without breaking the bank, a 2014–2021 Kia Sedona can be found in the $10,000–$20,000 range with a smooth eight-speed automatic and matching 3,500-pound towing capacity.
Is the Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey a better buy used?
Both minivans offer 3,500 pounds of towing capacity and fall into a similar used price range, but they appeal to slightly different buyers. The Honda Odyssey depreciates quickly, so a three-year-old example with around 30,000 miles often sells for roughly half its original MSRP — making it strong value in the $20,000–$30,000 range. The Toyota Sienna, available in the $30,000–$40,000 range for a lightly used 2023 model, adds the option of all-wheel drive, which is worth considering if you live somewhere with harsh winters.
Can a plug-in hybrid minivan still tow a trailer?
Yes — the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV is rated to tow 3,600 pounds, the same as its gas-powered counterpart. Its plug-in hybrid system gives you up to 32 miles of all-electric driving, which means short daily errands and campground runs can happen without burning any gas at all. Once the electric range is depleted, the conventional engine takes over seamlessly, so range anxiety isn't a concern on longer towing trips.
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