Ground clearance, also called the ride height, is one of the most basic general dimensions in a vehicle, including minivans. Ground clearance itself indicates the distance between the lowermost part of a vehicle and the road.
Most of the time, taller ground clearance is better. It is an ideal option, especially if you want to tackle any driving situation while riding your minivan.
A higher ground appearance makes it easier for you to avoid scratching your car’s underbelly on rough and bumpy roads.
The ground clearance’s rightmost dimension will allow you to drive in comfort, whatever the road situation is. It can be said that ground clearance’s height is the trickiest dimension. This is because a car’s handling will depend on the ground clearance height. The higher the vehicle’s clearance, the higher the CG position (Center of Gravity).
When the position of your car’s CG is higher, it will be more prone to rollover. In this way, having a higher ground clearance will make your minivan more stable on bumpy roads, preventing it from turning over.
The models listed below are ranked from the highest to the lowest ground clearance.
Kia Carnival – 6.8 Inches
Kia Carnival is in second place on the list. This MPV has 6.8 inches (172 mm) of ground clearance.
Due to the ground clearance dimension, the Kia Carnival offers balanced handling and a gentle ride. It is relatively easy to drive this latest Kia Carnival model, and the minivan comes with a soft suspension for more comfortable driving on rough roads.
Not only that, but the body roll of the minivan is also well-controlled and completed with a firm brake, making it safer.
Toyota Sienna – 6.4 inches
Toyota Sienna has a ground clearance height of 6.4 inches (165.1 mm), placing it in second place on the list. With the dimension of ground clearance offered, you can ensure that it is relatively smooth to drive the car, even on rough surfaces.
The minivan can also do a lot better for drivers, thanks to the boxy body style adopted. Being available in all-wheel drive, the Toyota Sienna also comes with a responsive V6 engine.
Personally, I really love the design of the Toyota Sienna; in my opinion, the latest Sienna is one of the best-looking minivans in the world today.
Dodge Caravan – 5.8 inches
It can be said that the Dodge Caravan is the oldest minivan for sale in the US market today. However, it doesn’t mean that the car is less reliable than the newer minivan models.
With 147.32 mm ground clearance height, the Dodge Caravan will be a great option to help you go through bumpy roads. The minivan also comes with a 283-horsepower V-6 and a 6-speed automatic that will allow you to enjoy fast acceleration.
Unfortunately, Dodge has decided to exit the minivan segment. They discontinued production of the Caravan in 2020.
So, if you’re looking for this minivan—known for its “Stow ‘n Go” seats—you’ll need to check the used car market; there are still plenty available at fairly competitive prices.
Chrysler Pacifica – 5.1 inches
Chrysler Pacifica not only offers a good look, but the minivan is comfortable to ride in any road situation, thanks to its 5.1 inches (129.54 mm) of ground clearance.
The minivan comes with a 121.6-inch wheelbase that looks perfect with its overall length that reaches 203.8 inches. As for the performance, the Chrysler Pacifica features a V6 engine that can produce 287 horsepower.
Chrysler Pacifica is our choice for the best minivan right now, although the ground clearance offered is not as high as its rivals. Still, overall this Minivan gives a fantastic minivan performance, including the best gas mileage minivan out there.
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Chrysler Voyager – 5.1 inches
This is another Chrysler minivan model on the list. The Chrysler Voyager is quite competent on the road due to its ground clearance, no matter the situation.
To support comfy and easy riding, this Chrysler Voyager is equipped with light steering. This will make it easier for you to maneuver when driving the minivan.
Not only that, but Chrysler Voyager has a good suspension to support the bulky look of the minivan, making it more effective to absorb most road abrasions without creating too much fuss.
Honda Odyssey – 4.5 inches
You can expect a good ride on the Honda Odyssey, thanks to the vehicle’s ground clearance that reaches 4.5 inches.
The steering of the minivan is light for easy maneuvering. The nimbleness of the Honda Odyssey makes the minivan competent in the corner and most road situations, especially the narrow ones.
The latest Honda Odyssey offers a spacious interior for the whole family, robust engine power, and a long list of standard features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and heated front seats.
It also continues to offer the Magic Slide second-row seats, a feature highly appreciated by moms for the ease it provides in configuring and accessing the seats.
Final Thought
Well, that was a list of minivans with high ground clearance, like crossovers or even SUVs. With high ground clearance, a minivan is a versatile vehicle to accompany adventures, and can function as a campervan, but with a compact size.
