Selling Like Hot Cakes: 7 Minivans from US Popular in Georgia

Columbus experts have identified 7 used minivans from the US that are in greatest demand among Georgians. Let’s do a recap of minivan history and compare the cost of their delivery from America with the prices on the Georgian car market!

The first car that can rightfully be called a minivan was born more than 100 years ago in Italy. In 1913, the A.L.F.A. — the one that would later become Alfa Romeo — unveiled its futuristic passenger van A.L.F.A. 40/60 HP Aerodinamica. 

It was the first car with the body built in full accordance with the laws of aerodynamics applied in aircraft construction at that time. The 5.5-meter teardrop-shaped car looked like an illustration from a science fiction novel and, naturally, seemed impractical to the public.

It took almost half a century for engineers to return to the idea of minivans - passenger cars with a single-volume body and a hoodless (less often carriage) or half-hood layout. The first single models from different manufacturers began to appear in the 1960s - Fiat Multipla 600, VW Transporter, Toyota Liteace... The success of these vehicles paved the way to continued work on new models in the 1970s. After much doubt and calculations, minivan production began in the 80s.

This new class of cars that staked its claim on a niche between regular cars and minibuses took shape in 1984, when several companies presented their first large-scale models of minivans in the shape and form we are used to — Renault Espace I, Dodge Caravan and its twin brother Plymouth Voyager.

For Family and for Work

Through the years of experiments with the body, doors, engine and other parts of similar cars, a typical portrait of a modern minivan has emerged.

This is a not too large single-volume van with a large a lot of glass and increased passenger capacity – often with three rows of seats for 7-9 passengers. Its main purpose is to be a roomy family car, and absolutely everything in the car was made following this idea. 

However, minivans are also used as a light van to deliver goods, that is, as a cheaper alternative to large vehicles.

Be that as it may, no one disputes the minivan’s right to exist. People are happily buying them often going for the used ones. And this is not surprising, as they are usually for purely practical purposes and not to show off.

Now let's see which minivans Georgians prefer when ordering Columbus delivery from the US on a turnkey basis.

1. DODGE JOURNEY SE (2019)

• Engine: 2.4 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front/all-wheel drive
• Number of seats: 7
• Fuel consumption: 12.4 L/100 km (city)

This is a simple workhorse from Dodge where everything is simple, but tasteful. The interior is spacious and comfortable, with all the important features available. The Uconnect infotainment system predictably does not have support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the 2.4-liter engine (173 hp) is not the most powerful. But it is equipped with a time-tested, reliable 4-speed automatic transmission.

The 2019 model year car had 4 trim levels: SE Value, SE, Crossroad and all-wheel drive GT, with the golden mean being the SE, which was in greatest demand. Perhaps because it was the lowest trim with all-wheel drive and a V6 engine. Unfortunately, it is no longer available in the 2020 model. Only the basic SE Value or the fully loaded Crossroad were left. 

Standard equipment on the SE includes a 4.3-inch touchscreen, 6-speaker audio, USB port, cloth seat upholstery, tri-zone climate control, rearview camera, keyless entry, start/stop system, fog lights and LED taillights.

2. MERCEDES METRIS (2019)

• Engine: 2.0 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: rear
• Number of seats: 7
• Fuel consumption: 12 L/100 km (city)

The American Metris is familiar to us under the European name Mercedes Vito. But unlike it, the American comes with only one engine - a 2-liter gasoline engine with 211 hp, paired with a 7-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.

In all other respects, it is basically a clone of the Vito, except for some small cabin details – like the cup holders added to the base of the center console – which do not really count.

There are two modifications of the Metris on the American market - the Cargo Van and the Passenger Van. The passenger version, in turn, has 2 options: the simpler Worker and the slightly more plush Standard. The latter is more convenient, with removable third row of seats being a major pro.

The standard equipment of the car includes 6 airbags for the cargo and 8 for the passenger, tire pressure monitoring sensors, an ESP system, driver condition monitoring, collision avoidance, as well as a side wind adjustment mode that helps stabilize the car while driving.

The Standard trim adds blind spot monitoring and an active lane keeping system to the list.

3. DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT (2019)

• Engine: 3.6 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front
• Number of seats: 7
• Fuel consumption: 13.8 L/100 km (city)

Of all the used minivans, the 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan is perhaps the least expensive. The reason is obvious: it is as simple and stripped as it can be. Even the top trim levels of the car do not have many of the technical bells and whistles available to competitors – for example, there is no support for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, there is no Wi-Fi hotspot, and Bluetooth is optional. The interior of the car is as ascetic as possible, and the 6-speed automatic transmission is so leisurely that a kick-down from a standstill may... shut the engine down!

But the 3.6-liter V6 engine, also installed on the Grand, is very good – it’s powerful (283 hp), unpretentious and reliable. Owners also praise the spacious, and most importantly, practical interior of the car with folding second and third row seats (Stow 'N Go system), which allow you to quickly increase the freight volume from standard 880 liters to impressive (although not the most in the class) 3,964 liters.

The 2019 model year has only 3 trims: SE, SE Plus and SXT. We recommend the SXT. This is the only edition that includes navigation, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. In addition, the package includes leather upholstery with suede inserts, eight-way power driver's seat, remote start, rearview camera, power liftgate, Uconnect infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touchscreen and 6-speaker audio system, satellite radio, USB port and Bluetooth.

4. TOYOTA SIENNA XLE (2019)

• Engine: 3.5 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front
• Number of seats: 7
• Fuel consumption: 12.4-13.1 L/100 km (city)

This is a comfortable, high-quality and powerful minivan from a famous Japanese manufacturer, which has gained fame as a reliable and unpretentious family car.

It has an energy-intensive suspension that provides a comfortable ride even on rough roads as well as one of the most powerful engines among its competitors (296 hp) which paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission easily copes with all its tasks at maximum car load, you can not really hear it from inside the minivan. 

The 2019 Sienna came in 5 trim levels: L, LE, SE, XLE and Limited. Our customers especially liked the XLE – this is a car that you will see a lot on Georgian roads. The package can be described as “almost fully loaded” - the car has just about everything except a sunroof, front parking sensors and a heated steering wheel – they are provided in the Limited package only.

The XLE version of the Sienna comes very well equipped – you got your heated leather seats, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, Amazon Alexa voice recognition system, a 6-speaker audio system, 5 USB ports, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspot, tri-zone climate control, contactless access, rear view camera, immobilizer and 6 (!) cup holders.

Depending on the modification, the car can be equipped with 8 airbags, as well as a set of safety and driver assistance systems. Among the latter are active lane keeping system, autonomous emergency braking, automatic high beam headlights, adaptive cruise control and rear parking sensors.
 

5. KIA SEDONA LX (2019)

• Engine: 3.3 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front
• Number of seats: 7-8
• Fuel consumption: 13.1 L/100 km (city)

The 2019 Kia Sedona is a strong average in everything, except for one thing – the car is considered very unpretentious and very reliable. The remaining criteria – comfort, handling, interior quality and trunk volume - are typical for its class. The car has a fairly powerful V6 engine (276 hp), an adequate 8-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed transmission was used until 2019), a moderately comfortable suspension and spacious first two rows of seats.

In 2019, the number of Sedona trim levels was reduced from five to four, removing the top-end SX Limited and leaving L, LX, EX and SX.

LX would be the cut off for acceptable equipment and convenience. This edition gives the buyer alloy wheels, an 8-passenger cabin with fabric upholstery, a power driver's seat, a power liftgate, a rear view camera and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay support, as well as a 6-speaker audio system, USB port and Bluetooth.

The Kia Sedona trunk has a volume of 960 liters. And it can be maxed out to 4,021 liters by folding the third row seats into the floor, and have the second Slide-N-Stow right up to the first row. This is one of the key features of the Sedona's interior – the competitors' seats are either completely removable (Mercedes-Benz Metris, Honda Odyssey) or folded into the floor (Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica).

 

6. CHRYSLER PACIFICA (2019).

• Engine: 3.6 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front
• Number of seats: 7-8
• Fuel consumption: 13.1 L/100 km (city)

Powerful 287-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine, reasonable fuel consumption (8.4 liters on the highway and 13.1 liters in the city), smooth 9-speed automatic transmission, a large number of options, high-quality interior and a convenient convertible trunk with Stow 'N Go passenger seats that are retracted into special floor niches are major pros of this minivan.

The new Chrysler Pacifica was launched in America in 2017, so a two-year-old car is considered quite up-to-date. The 2019 Pacifica comes in six trim levels: L, LX, Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus and the top-of-the-line Limited. All except the base L are equipped with the same V6 engine and a fuel-saving Start/Stop function.

Also, the base edition does not offer additional seats for a total of 8 people or a set of Advanced SafetyTec Group driver assistance systems, which is available starting from the Touring Plus package and up.

The safety package is quite impressive: front parking sensors, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, parking assist and 360-degree parking cameras.

However, even in the basic trim, the L Pacifica is not that bad. Among other things, it is equipped with a Uconnect infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, a USB port, a 6-speaker audio system, cloth upholstery, third-row Stow 'N Go seats, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera.

The LX trim includes three-zone climate control, steering wheel audio controls, a power driver's seat, LED headlights and alloy wheels. Some LX models may have an optional rear-seat DVD player and more expensive trim levels have it installed by default. 

7. HONDA ODYSSEY (2019)

• Engine: 3.5 L
• Transmission: Automatic
• Drive: front
• Number of seats: 7-8
• Fuel consumption: 12.4 L/100 km (city)

The 2019 Honda Odyssey is one of the best minivans you can find in the United States. It is niftier and more fuel efficient than many of its classmates and offers a large range of options and driver assistance systems, has a high-quality 8-seat interior and is considered the ideal car in its class in terms of price-quality ratio.  

The 2019 Honda Odyssey comes in five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring and Elite.

The base Odyssey LX is equipped with a 280 hp V6 engine, standard for all trim levels. with front wheel drive and 9-speed automatic transmission, and a 7-seat layout. The model came standard with cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a 5-inch display, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a 7-speaker radio, a rearview camera, keyless entry, and 18-inch wheels.

The EX edition is considered the most balanced. It is already an 8-seater, with additional features like remote start, an 8-inch touch screen, support for Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, satellite radio, three-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, rear sunshades, heated mirrors, fog lights, automatic high beam headlights, blind spot monitoring.

The Odyssey EX also comes with the Honda Sensing suite of safety features. These include forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic warning, autonomous emergency braking, active lane keeping and adaptive cruise control.

The EX-L trim adds leather upholstery, a power sunroof and a power tailgate to the list of goodies.

The Touring package includes a 10-speed gearbox, a navigation system, and a built-in vacuum cleaner (HondaVAC). In addition, it is equipped with a Wi-Fi hotspot, a rear-seat 10.2-inch display entertainment system with a Blu-ray player, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors.

And the Elite package adds ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an 11-speaker audio system, wireless charging for gadgets, rain-sensing windshield wipers and 19-inch wheels.