4 Unexpectedly Awesome Minivans

Minivans? At Car Throttle? What’s going on? Hey, not all of us can have a family and a project car and a weekend car and a race car. Some of us can barely afford liability insurance on a 20-year-old Chevy Cavalier, which incidentally still comes out to be considerably more than the car itself.

But what about estates? Yeah, for some reason many people in the United States still hate them. If you don’t know why, just Google names like Country Squire or Town & Country wagon. Plus, we still don’t get the cool estates Stateside that everyone else gets, and even when we do, most minivan buyers can’t make the switch as they need space for six or seven people. So we decided to talk about minivans in the States with some fun factor potential, if for no other reason than because it’s kind of silly, nonsensical, and frankly a challenge. Actually that’s several reasons, but if we’re to narrow it to one, I like a challenge.

So here’s where I just say Renault Espace F1 and open up the comments to everyone bashing minivans, because nothing beats the V10 F1-powered Espace. Too bad it’s not available for purchase, but don’t worry all you family dwellers out there; I do have some people mover options for you covering a wide range of styles and price points, from nearly new to nearly 30 years old. One thing they all have in common is fun factor - yes, actual fun factor - to go along with some serious practicality.

1. Dodge Grand Caravan R/T

If you’re in the market for something new or nearly new, The Dodge Grand Caravan R/T has you covered. Dodge has offered a sporty R/T version of its seven-passenger minivan since 2011, and it’s more than just an appearance package.

Aside from the monochromatic styling and spiffy wheels, the R/T delivers a bit more sport in the suspension. It’s no corner carver by any means, but it does pack a 283bhp V6 with six-speed auto that can hustle the van to 60mph in about 7.5 seconds. Considering it’s packed with 4600lbs of on-board infotainment systems, a 500-watt sound system and enough leather to refurnish a living room, it’s not such a dull machine.

2. Mazda5

The Mazda5 is so good I almost bought one instead of my Mazda6, and I don’t even have any kids. I’m speaking of the first-generation Mazda5, which hit U.S. shores in 2006 with cool looks, seating for six (albeit small) people, but most importantly, a bona-fide five-speed manual transmission that was available until 2010.

Compared to the Grand Caravan, the Mazda5 is but a wee little people mover, but it’s also considerably lighter. Nor is it nearly the powerhouse of the Dodge, but its 157bhp four-cylinder is fun to zing out. Where the Mazda5 really shines is on the back roads, where it’s positively engaging to toss around. It’s definitely the driver’s van of the bunch, able to take both the kids and the curves to school.

3. Toyota Previa

Stepping back further we have the curious Toyota Previa, sold in the States through the mid-1990s. I say curious because we’re talking about a seven-passenger minivan that also happens to be a mid-engined, supercharged vehicle with either rear- or all-wheel drive. And this time the U.S. market got the cool version too. Oh you crazy Japanese automakers.

Yes, the bubble-esque Previa came factory stock with the same formula that could be applied to some supercars. Now I’ll be the first to say that a stock, 161bhp Previa is about as exciting as finding a potato in a field of potatoes. However, the potential does exist for all-wheel drive doughnuts, and in the hands of a mad scientist I can see a terrifically sweet family-oriented performer. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what kind of aftermarket exists for these (not much I suspect) but if you’re trying to bridge the gap between family life and tuner car, this could be your ride.

4. Dodge Caravan SE Turbo

Please tell me at least some of you saw this coming. Those turbo-crazy Dodge people bolted hairdryers to everything in the 1980s, including their minivans in 1989 and 1990. Not only that, some of them came with five-speed manual transmissions. They were never meant to be high-performance people haulers, but with plenty of aftermarket support for the venerable 2.2- and 2.5-litre turbocharged mills, insanely-boosted minivans were inevitable.

How insane? Some people have turned these into screamers capable of 11-second passes in the quarter mile, and they still use them every day like a normal minivan. You’ll have trouble finding one, but if you do, you can probably buy it for stupid cheap. It won’t have all the bells and whistles of new vehicles, but it will haul seven people, and after you visit TurboMinivan.com, it will haul ass too.