Best Minivan for MPG
 

Best minivan for MPG

Dodge Caravan

It was the first minivan introduced in 1984 it was rated for 26 mpg hwy with a 2.2 L and 5 speed manual. Later the 2.5 L engine with a 87.5 mm bore and a long 104mm stroke was available until 1995. The newer 2.4L is an over under design. The 2.5 and 2.4 can be bolted up to a Neon 5 speed transmission with a 3.55 final and a .72 fifth gear. This would give 2000 RPM at 65 mph with 205/75R15 tires.

http://www.allpar.com/model/m/specs-2005.html

Toyota Previa

Longitudinal and rear wheel drive, the engine sits on its side under the driver's seat. The 2.4L 4 cylinder is an over square engine with 95 mm bore and 86 mm stroke. The 5 speed has a .8 fifth and a 3.91 final which gives 2500 RPM at 65 mph. Rating is only 16/20 - 18 combined mpg. If one with a broken rear end is found, it can be change to a chevy 3.07:1 then it would run at 1980 rpm at 65 mph.

Honda Odyssey

The 2.2 L engine was available from 1995 to 1997. The 2.3L vtech was only available in the last half of 1998, so it's rare. After 1998 only the v6 was available. It was common for the 3rd gear clutch to burn out in the v6 models. An Accord 5 speed can be bolted up to the 4 cylinders with a .685 fifth gear and 4.065 final this would give 2300 RPM at 65 mph. Prices for used Hondas are higher than domestic brands..

Chevy Astro

Bigger and heavier than the other minivans,and rear wheel drive its rated for 15 city, 20 highway. The 90 degree 4L V6 is a chevy small block v8 with 2 cylinders lopped off. A popular mod it to install a camaro 5 speed transmission. With a 2.95 rear end, the engine would turn 1800 RPM at 65 mph.

Chevy Ventura

Rated for 24 hwy/17 city, 20 mpg overall, the minivan only comes with a cast iron 3.4 L OHV V6 with an over square design, 92 mm bore and 84 mm stroke. The 4 speed automatic transmission has a .705 overdrive. 12 final drive ratios are available. A 2.84 final gear and it's 37/33 sprockets can be interchanged for 25% higher gearing. This would give a overall ratio of 1.59! The engine would run at 1280 RPM at 65 MPH with 205/75R15 tires! The cam shaft can be changed to an Olds to lower the HP peak from 5200 to 4700 RPM, peak torque would then be around 1900 rpm and best bsfc around 1800 RPM.

Quest:

Quest is simular to ford windstar with an oversquare v6 and automatic.

First generation Oldsmobile Silhouette 1990 through 1996:

It has a plastic body with and galvanized frame with futureized " dustbuster" styling. CD was .30. They dont show any rust, even after 23 years in the salt belt. The engine is a pushrod 60 degree 3.1 L v6 with cast iron block and heads, throttle body injection. 120 HP at 4200 RPM and 175 ft lbs at 2200 rpm, 8.8: 1 compression ratio. Transmission is a 3 speed automatic. Optional was the Buick 3.8 L 90 degree v6 with a 4 speed automatic with locking converter. A 4 speed non electronic 4T60 can be swaped in with the 3.1. The Ponticac Trans Sport has the 3.8 as standard after 1992. Both the Trans Sport and Lumina APV had a restyled 3 inch shorter nose after 1993, Silhouette kept it through 1996. The 1996 models all had a 3.4L 60 degree v6. Rating is 18 city, 22 hwy and 17 city, 23 hwy.

The first gen quest/villager twins were 3 liter, later 3.3 liter nissan v-6s, quite different IMO from that turd of a minivan, the windstar which in earlier models, anyway had the 3.8 pushrod v-6 which was an absolutely horrible engine.

I had a '97 villager. Possibly the best damn vehicle I ever owned....til my daughter wadded it up on her way home from school a week after she got her license.

I would love to have a first gen Odyssey with a 5 speed.

I think the mileage champ could be the newer Odysseys with cylinder deactivization. I believe these can be coaxed to close to 30 mpg running on three cylinders.

Another one to remember is the mazda 5. It is a mini-minivan and can be had with a 5 speed stick. I suspect such a vehicle could get over 30 mpg with a little hypermiling.

I don't know which is best but I can guarantee the Astro/Safari isn't. A buddy has one and it's no better on gas than my F150.

Yeah, I've always heard about the Astro's reliability, but never anyone happy about the fuel mileage. The contractors I knew who used it just wanted something smaller than the usual van. It is (was) a very good choice for trailer towing (space efficiency).

A folding boat-tail for a van would be rather like an Aerolid for a pickup . . it would make all the difference for a family traveling the highways.

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My Dad liked his minivans. The first was a 1984 Plymouth Voyager with a carbed Mitsubishi 2.6L 4-cylinder. It was the first vehicle I ever drove, but I don't remember what kind of mileage it got. The second was a 1992 Dodge Caravan with the 3.3L V6 and surprisingly it got 22 to 24 mpg. Then he had a 1995 Mercury Villager with a 3.0 V6, which I think got slightly worse mileage, but was certainly more reliable overall. Our family was putting a thousand miles a week on it at one point.

Yes, the Nissan V-6 in that villager is one of the best damn motors ever made. The 3.3 dodge is a damn good motor as well, unfortunately is was bolted to a POS AOD tranny. Dodge has seemed to finally iron out the problems with this tranny. I had an 02 GC with this drivetrain that shifted like new the entire time I owned it. I believe the cure was a monster sized tranny cooler. I became very familiar with it after my daughter stoved in the front end and I got to replace it all. The cooler was approximately the size of the AC condenser.

Ford Transit Connect

4 cyl, 2.0 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular Gasoline

21 City / 23 Combined / 27 Highway

From Edmunds: "The seven-passenger 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon will exceed 30 mpg, Ford said on Tuesday as it unveiled the people mover. ...... Ford said in a statement that the Transit Connect Wagon is "expected to deliver at least 5 mpg better fuel economy on the highway and 2 mpg better in the city than a seven-seat Toyota Sienna minivan, and more cargo space and passenger seating than a Mazda 5, yet hauls a heavier payload than a Toyota Tacoma Double Cab pickup or Dodge Grand Caravan."

I like the transit. like it more with a 6 speed stick though.

Let's just hope that Ford is able to ignore car mag writers who criticize it because it doesn't have an 8 second 0-60 time.

Yes, ours was on the second tranny when we got it, and later that tranny had to be rebuilt as well.

Transit Connect is also available with a factory CNG pre-prep package that retains the full warranty when installed per Ford instructions. Claimed benefits of 30-40% reduction of greenhouse emissions, lower operating expenses. This option is growing in popularity amongst fleets.