How ugly is the new Dodge Grand Caravan? Turns out, it's not really that ugly at all. We have photographic proof!
We might prefer the slightly more biomorphic curves of the Honda Odyssey. But a Toyota Sienna ain't exactly a beauty...
And the Nissan Quest? Yipes! Likewise, the Kia Sedona looks less like the picturesque Arizona area for which it's named than an overweight catfish.
The Dodge has grown on me. It's honest. Whereas the Kia seems to get uglier every time I look at it (see below).
Soon, I'll have to park that bottom-feeder in my garage to avoid upsetting my neighbors and frightening my children. --Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit @ 1,180 miles
cx7lover says:
01:33 PM, 04/14/08
The Kia looks way better, even the interior is better.
I prefer the back of the Hyundai.
prndlol says:
01:34 PM, 04/14/08
Bahahaha, that last shot is hilarious. "I think my minivan wants to eat my kids!!"
There's something about the Caravan's styling that feels unjust. It looks too rudamentary, as if its designers all had a hangover and weren't in the mood to style the thing.
sandcountry360 says:
01:37 PM, 04/14/08
Why is there a Kia Sedona with California plates at your house in Michigan? Just curious. And it's the back of the new Chrysler vans that I have a problem with. It just looks so... frumpy. I don't know, theres just something funny looking about it that isn't there on other vans.
lvranger says:
01:40 PM, 04/14/08
I think they were going for a truck look with the Caravan, which is why it is so simple and blunt. Can't say they pulled it off though.
skierx420 says:
01:49 PM, 04/14/08
Thats precisly what some of the sales material says. I am quoting somewhat poorly from a brochure I saw somewhere on a pre launch show but I think it went something like this "with its tall SUV styling the Dodge Grand Caravan..." Well it's a minivan. It looks like an updated 1994 to me. But I liked the 94 styling on the van too. I also liked the 1986 styling. And really its a van? It still looks way better than the Nissan and the Kia. It looks just like the Honda to me. Especially from the side.
ahightower says:
02:07 PM, 04/14/08
I know one can only do so much with a minivan's profile, and the Quest is probably a bit too much (I kinda like it, but sales figures indicate I'm clearly in the minority). But the Dodge is just so plain.
estreka says:
02:35 PM, 04/14/08
I saw my first Caravan at Sams today. I gotta say it looked a lot worse than I had imagined. I like sharp creases and bold lines, but something about that box on wheels just didn't seem right. I think the pictures do it too much justice.
Then again, the one I saw was in white.
z479 says:
02:36 PM, 04/14/08
I think the Nissan Quest is the best looking minivan out there. The Odyssey doesn't really strike anything new, but the Quest manages to be very different and I think in a good way. It has the coolest profile from the side, and if you have never sat in one with the SkyView roof, it is probably the most amazing part of it. First of all, the ceiling is so high that it already feels roomy, and then when the glass panels are added, it becomes even better. Driving through downtown Manhattan and looking out of those things at night was one of the coolest parts of my trip with my cousins.
06scooby says:
02:47 PM, 04/14/08
the chrysler vans expecially look dowdy without luggage racks... they don't necessarily look bad... they just look wierd. I think VW's styling on their upcoming version makes it look better!
mercedesfan says:
03:22 PM, 04/14/08
I'm a little biased here as my wife and I just bought a new Grand Caravan, but I really like how it looks. It is more distinctive than so many of the blobs out there these days. Also, despite being the largest van in its class it looks like the smallest, a clever styling trick. I would never call it beautiful, but as far as minivans go I think it is pretty nice.
2002blksle says:
03:52 PM, 04/14/08
Remind me why people don't understand why crossovers are so popular? These vans are All ugly IMO. The new Caravan looks the most fresh.. but the interior is crap (innovative.. but crap) p.s. you forgot to mention the Chevy Uplander. That, by far, is the most hideous of vans. Our local post office is using them to replace the traditional mail truck.
irfan114 says:
04:38 PM, 04/14/08
I literally lol'd at the last picture! :D
As for the Caravan's styling, I'd put myself into the 'Isn't offended by it but wouldn't describe it as handsome' category.
daytona_500 says:
05:26 PM, 04/14/08
The best looking minivan I think was the Ford Windstar, especially the 1998 model. Of today's crop, I like the Quest the best.
cx7lover says:
05:39 PM, 04/14/08
The quest is too fat, and bloated.
The Routan is the BEST looking minivan, and it has it's own interior so I don't expect it to feel like crap, it should be on par with other VW's, meaning it will start peeling after 20K miles or so.
chevy598 says:
05:58 PM, 04/14/08
This post is exactly why people choose suvs over minivans. All those minivans are butt ugly. I love the suv vs minivan comparisons, and then they say people need to get over the soccer mom phobia. Who wants to drop $20k+ of their hard earned money on some ugly utility box.
firstwagon says:
07:04 PM, 04/14/08
The best looking minivan ever is the 1996 to 2000 Caravan. Smooth clean lines that no one has come close to.
Most of the rest are in no way ugly, just bland.
The exception is the Uplander (thanks for reminding me 2002blksle) which is a Venture with the worlds worst nose job.
banhugh says:
07:11 PM, 04/14/08
If I would buy such a vehicle "looks" would be the last on my list. After all, they are all the same not only with each other but with their previous generation in terms of exterior design ideas.
bimmerjay says:
07:51 PM, 04/14/08
I think the new Toyota Estima is pretty slick-looking. And it has a mind-boggling array of cool features that would be fun to have on U.S. market minivans. 2nd row footrests, anyone?
cx7lover says:
08:09 PM, 04/14/08
^ Nasty
opfreak says:
08:23 PM, 04/14/08
i think there all ugly.
drinkduff77 says:
09:29 PM, 04/14/08
I think the Mazda5 is the best looking minivan. I know it's probably in a different class as all the other ones mentioned due to its smaller size but it's still a van.
cx7lover says:
10:32 PM, 04/14/08
The Mazda5 is impractical and underpowered.
daytona_500 says:
10:54 PM, 04/14/08
Forgot to mention, the Europeans also make some really nice looking minivans, like the Renault Espace.
Chevy598, I dont see how minivans are uglier than their SUV counterparts. The Caravan is no uglier than the Journey, and the Odyssey is definitely not uglier than the new Pilot. Nothing could look as awful as the new Pilot.
chevy598 says:
11:30 PM, 04/14/08
daytona 500, Most of the buying market agrees with me. Minivans had lost a lot of sales to SUVs. The only thing that’s killing the SUV market is gas prices. If gas was $1.40/gal SUV sales would still be booming.
Personaly I don't think you can ever make a van look cool without losing what makes a van practical.
zoomzoom22 says:
12:34 AM, 04/15/08
Yeah, the new Pilot is downright hideous. And the dashboard looks like it has 50 or maybe 60 buttons scattered about. So much for Honda simplicity.
I like (if like is the right word) the '06-'07 Mazda MPV because it looks sporty...too bad the looks are pretty much its only redeeming feature. Out of the current minivan crop, like the new Sienna the best, although the Caravan is growing on me. The Quest/restyled Odyssey are ugly, and the Sedona/Entourage are bloated looking (fat catfish is pretty accurate).
brn says:
05:26 AM, 04/15/08
Thankfully, people don't buy minivans for their looks.
firstwagon says:
07:30 AM, 04/15/08
"The only thing that’s killing the SUV market is gas prices. If gas was $1.40/gal SUV sales would still be booming. "
I don't agree. While I still like SUV's (and minivans), for the trendy crowd SUV's are yesterdays news.
Crossovers are selling well but they don't get significantly better mileage.
pjungnitsch says:
11:49 PM, 04/15/08
Ford does a great job with van styling in Europe. Jeremy Clarkson on the S-Max:
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article700556.ece
"Well, at last there’s an answer in the rather beguiling shape of the car you see pictured this morning. The Ford S-Max. It’s a people carrier but they’ve named it after a slang word for heroin. And that sums it up rather well."
hondacura4 says:
06:54 PM, 04/16/08
"The best looking minivan ever is the 1996 to 2000 Caravan. Smooth clean lines that no one has come close to."
Styling is certainly subjective but have you ever seen a black 05-07 Honda Odyssey Touring? We have an 05 Redondo Red Odyssey Toruing and I think its the best looking minivan available. I dont like what Honda did to the refreshed Odyssey BTW.
http://www.alpinerebuildablecars.com/images/carPics/4227DSC04465.JPG
cx7lover says:
12:30 AM, 04/17/08
The ody is ugly too. It looks like a bubbled out freestar.
minivanlover says:
11:48 PM, 03/14/09
You know what I think you all are wrong about minivans accept the ones who like the new Dodge Grand Caravan because I just bought a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with everything on it except Stow N' Go my wife and 2 kids liked the Swivel N' Go 2nd row seats. But we did look at the Sedona/Enterouge and they were ugly. The Odyessey was ok and the Quest was to fat. The Mazda5 is considered a compact minivan drinkduff77 just to let you know and to agree the Chrysler and Dodge 2008 minivans do look weird without the Roof Racks on them thats why I got them on the minivan along with dual pwr sliding doors and pwr Tailgate with sunroof and Dual DVD sreens for long vacations It also comes with pwr folding 3rd row seating and sun shades for the 2nd and 3rd rows and pwr windows and pwr rear vints and 3 zone Climate Control for the Rear and front and Uconnect or Utunes and backup sensers. Overall the Dodge Grand Caravan gets the best fuel on highway than any of it's kind. It get 25 mpg on higway and 20 in the city and this is a 4.0L V6 engine that is good fuel economy to me.