If you have kids and they have activities, you likely know how vital it is to be part of a good carpool. No matter how much you love your kid or the activity, it likely isn’t possible or necessary for you to be at every soccer practice or swim session. But to get help when you need it, you also have to pitch in and do some of the driving. And that is where having the right vehicle is crucial.
If we were going to drive a whole relay team, we would look for features like space, comfort in the back rows, ease of getting into the back, rear climate controls, vents, charging ports, cupholders and fuel efficiency. Here are our top choices:
Mark Richardson
Chrysler Pacifica PHEV
If you’re carrying more than four people, the most comfortable vehicle for everyone is a minivan. It’s that simple, for both easy access and movement, and spacious seating. And my first choice for a van would be the plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica. It has an all-electric range of up to 51 kilometres and many owners say that’s enough that they rarely use the gas engine.
The made-in-Canada Pacifica PHEV starts at around $62,000 and the base model is comfortable and well-enough equipped that you don’t need to spend your money on the more expensive editions. It’s been around for a while, so the kinks have been worked out and it’s proven itself reliable.
Unfortunately, the extra hardware for the plug-in hybrid means there’s no space for Chrysler’s Stow n’ Go seating for the second row, which folds the seats completely beneath the floor and allows for maximum cargo hauling. If you opt for a regular engine, however, such as with the $49,000 Dodge Grand Caravan, you can stow away the second row and your passengers can sit with limo-length leg-room in the third row. Now that’s style.
The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle HybridSupplied
Toyota Grand Highlander
An alternative is the hybrid Toyota Sienna, but it has such a long wait to purchase that it’s basically unavailable to buy new. The $55,000 Toyota Grand Highlander is made in the same Indiana assembly plant and has a shorter wait – if you prefer an SUV, it actually has good leg room for adults in the third row, and it’s sold with a hybrid option, too.
The gas-powered version of the 2023 Toyota Grand Highlander.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Kunal D’souza
Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey is a minivan staple and still commands a loyal following. The current generation might be getting a bit long in the tooth, but the design was a good one and it’s an excellent people mover. Granted, this doesn’t have a second row that can collapse into the floor, but the $55,000 Odyssey still has a few tricks up its sleeve.
The middle row has a removable centre section that can be folded down to provide padded armrests and cupholders for second-row passengers or removed altogether to provide easy access to the spacious third row, in which occupants get vents, USB ports and cupholders. Second-row occupants get excellent seats, climate controls, retractable window shades and power-operated doors. What more could you ask for?
And while driving dynamics matter little for a minivan, the Odyssey is decently fun to drive with good steering and body control complemented by excellent outward vision thanks to a fishbowl-like greenhouse.
Other minivans such as the Toyota Sienna offer hybrid engines, but the Odyssey sticks with its smooth V6; it’s a great engine, but not the most fuel efficient in its class.
2019 Honda Odyssey EX
BMW X7
The $124,000 X7 is one of the best driving, comfortable and luxurious three-row SUVs on the market with five-zone climate control and seats that power out of the way of each other automatically. For carpooling with a touch of class, you can’t do better.
BMW X7 xDrive 40iBMW
Miranda Lightstone
Nissan Armada
A true three-row SUV, the $88,000 Armada was redesigned for 2025 and is now more fuel efficient, more powerful and more visually appealing. Rugged from the outside, the Armada houses all the amenities and features one would hope to have in a vehicle meant to haul the masses – or at least large families and lots of friends. With available seating for up to eight passengers, the Armada is comfortable and spacious no matter the seat you choose.
In the third row, you’ll find the same features as you would in the second and even the front row. From climate control to USB-C charge ports, cup holders and plenty of leg- and headroom space (approximately 33 inches and 36 inches respectively), the third row is suitable for all ages and any length of road trip.
The new Armada can tow up to 8,500 pounds.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Of course, any conversation about versatile three-row vehicles wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Starting at $77,000 for the rear-wheel-drive version, the Buzz is more than practical, it’s also high-tech and stylish.
The ID.Buzz has a fully electric drivetrain with a range of around 380 kilometres on a full charge. More of a bus than a minivan, the Buzz has an impressive 108 centimetres of legroom in the third row, along with USB-C ports and adjustable recline for all passengers.
It is easy to see the resemblance to the old VW bus in the design.Kunal D'souza/The Globe and Mail
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