The battle of the minivans: Toyota Sienna versus the Dodge Grand Caravan. Both of these comfy people-movers provide options galore, and the minivan is meant to get everyone where they need to go safely and quickly, at a reasonable cost and without a fuss.
The Toyota Sienna may not have the flexibility of many minivans, but it is safe, reliable, and large and still offers the options for 4-cylinder power and all-wheel drive if you want them. The Grand Caravan doesn’t offer much in the way of style, but it does have a responsive and refined V-6 engine with excellent second- and third-row seating options. While it’s considered a box on wheels, at least it is a high-functioning one.
Fuel Economy
Neither van offers anything to write home about in the way of fuel economy, but they are very comparable; with only slight nods to the Sienna for 2 points in city fuel economy with 17mpg versus the 19 mpg with the Grand Caravan. Both vehicles have a sizeable 20.0 gallon fuel tank, meaning you may be able to go a full week between fill ups depending on your driving habits.
Interior
While the exterior design of the Sienna is far better, most people are interested more in the interior options when it comes to a van. The two options are very comparable, trading off with one vehicle having slightly more third row shoulder room, while the other will have just a tad more hip room on the second row; truly making them comparable with each other. There is a fair bit more cargo volume in the Sienna 39.1 cubic feet versus the 33.0 cubic feet in the Grand Caravan.
Safety Rating
Safety is another big concern when you look at vans. The side pole rating for the driver front seat for the Sienna suffers, and the rollover rating for both vans is only 4 stars out of a possible 5. The Sienna takes a hard hit with only 3/5 stars for the frontal barrier crash test rating for the passenger; while passing the same test for the driver with flying colors. The Grand Caravan misses a star from all of the frontal barrier crash ratings. While both are still relatively safe vehicles, there is definitely room for improvement in both. Overall ratings for the two vehicles were 4/5 stars.
When you want to move people around, you will be hard-pressed to find two more affordable or comparable vehicles than these.
