We thought the minivan market was dying or dead, but recent changes to this category have proved that is certainly not the case.

When you’re shopping for the right vehicle for your family, you want to have a balance of comfort, features, efficiency, safety, and affordability for your drive. Let’s compare the Kia Carnival, Chrysler Pacifica, and the Toyota Sienna to see which one you should drive with your family.

Comparing the Cabin Area

Kia Carnival

You will find some physical buttons for controls you desire on the dashboard of the Kia Carnival but the real treat in this minivan is found in the middle row. These seats recline, have footrests that raise, and will even slide back to give your middle passengers more room. This is a great feature, but it causes the rear row to be small and tight when compared to the other two vehicles.

Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica came into the minivan world and has set the bar high as a luxury vehicle for you to drive. Enjoy the soft quilted leather seats at the Pinnacle trim and know that you’re going to have the comforts you’re after in this van. The Stow ‘N Go seats make it easier for you to transform this vehicle into one that can carry a load of materials for you.

Toyota Sienna

The most practical vehicle of these three is the Toyota Sienna. There are more cargo areas and cupholders in this family hauler than the others have to offer. You’ll enjoy the impressive technology in the dashboard and be glad to have the roominess you’re looking for in this van. Adults can be comfortable in the rear seat of the Sienna and never complain about being too tight or cramped during the ride.

The Powertrain Offered by Your Minivan

Kia Carnival

Every version of the new Kia Carnival is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 290 horsepower while being attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain is good for 19 city/26 hwy mpg, which isn’t too bad at all. The glaring omission for this Kia vehicle is the fact that you can’t have AWD which is offered in the other two models.

Chrysler Pacifica

Enjoy the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine in the Pacifica. This engine has been a stalwart in the industry for a long time. You’ll have 287 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque from this engine which is attached to a nine-speed automatic transmission for the drive. This model can be had with AWD, which adds a level of control for you. Choose this minivan and you have 17 city/25 hwy mpg but also have the added control you’re looking for.

Toyota Sienna

Every version of the latest model of the Toyota Sienna is offered with a hybrid powertrain. This means you have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and three electric motors to help you have 245 horsepower for the drive. You’ll also enjoy an electronically-controlled CVT to handle the shifting you need. You’ll also notice this van has AWD as part of the standard packaging. Fuel mileage reaches 35 city/36 hwy when you enjoy the Sienna on the road.

Choose the Safest Minivan to Drive

Kia Carnival

We don’t have the safety ratings for the Carnival yet, but this van does have a great package of safety features. You’ll have forward collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, lane follow assist, automatic high beams, and a rear occupant reminder. You can see what you need to with the 360-degree camera system that’s part of the package for this minivan.

Chrysler Pacifica

You’ll find an extremely long list of safety features for the Pacifica. This vehicle has been awarded the five-star rating by the NHTSA and is a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. You’ll have the benefits of automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, full LED exterior lights, lane departure assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, and rear parking assist in this vehicle. The Pinnacle model brings a high-definition surround-view camera to the mix.

Toyota Sienna

The Sienna earns the top award from the IIHS as a Top Safety Pick+ model while the NHTSA gives it four stars for front crashes and five stars for side impacts. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is standard across the range of Sienna models and brings you the features you want. These include pre-collision braking, lane departure alert, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and road sign recognition. You’ll be glad to have the safety equipment offered in this impressive minivan.

Find the Right Minivan for Your Family

Which one of these vehicles is right for you? If you want the reclining second-row, the Kia Carnival is the right option, but if you desire AWD, the other two give you this feature. The most efficient is the Toyota Sienna, and the most luxurious is the Chrysler Pacifica. All three offer impressive rosters of safety features to make sure you can stay out of trouble. Find the right minivan and start driving today.