Minivan Alternatives: 4 Roomy Vehicles That Will Do The Job

For the past several decades, the minivan has been one of the go-to modes of transportation for suburbanites who need to get their families from Point A to Point B. There's good reason for that, as minivans have often ranked among the most spacious vehicles in the automobile arena since they hit the market in the 1980s. While those '80s beasts technically weren't the first minivans in existence, they quickly became the toast of suburbia, with their size making them as ideal for transporting kids and their crews around town as for keeping comfortable on a family road trip.

Minivans reigned supreme for the nuclear family through much of the '80s, 1990s, and 2000s, with virtually every major automaker offering some version of the family-friendly build in their respective lineups. Even still, just like the massive, full-sized vans that came before them, the reign of the minivan would not last forever. SUVs have essentially supplanted minivans in the marketplace as more drivers opt for vehicles that are, perhaps, less cumbersome.

That's not to say that minivans have completely fallen out of favor. Plenty of folks still tab the tank-like contraptions as their primary mode of ferrying the fam about town and beyond. But if you count yourselves among the suburban masses searching for a spacious ride sans the minivan stigma, there are plenty of options available.

Yes, we are well aware that in Chevrolet's current SUV lineup, the Suburban trumps all when it comes to sheer size. But in our humble opinion, there is such a thing as too big when it comes to the world of SUVs, and we can't help but think the Suburban falls very much into that category. To that point, if you are in the market for a vehicle that's a touch less hulking than a minivan, the Suburban is likely a size or two larger than you probably want. That's where the Chevy Tahoe SUV comes in, as it is shorter than its lineup counterpart by roughly 15 inches but should still provide ample space to comfortably carry both your family and a trove of necessary gear wherever you need to go.

It'll do so while providing a level of style and power you don't always see in a sport utility vehicle. As for the power, the 2025 Tahoe is available with three different engine options, including a 5.3L or 6.2L EcoTech3 V8 that provides an impressive 355 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque or 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, respectively. If you're a diesel junkie, you can also opt for the Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel power plant, which pushes the torque to 495 lb.-ft. along with its 305 hp.

With 4WD available on all trim levels, the Tahoe also provides up to 122.7 cu. ft. of cargo volume, meaning you can pack all the gear you need when you're hitting the road. And with a third row of seating standard, you should have plenty of room for the whole family to boot.

You might be wondering why we aren't featuring the KIA Carnival in this slot, and it's not an unreasonable question, as the manufacturer is touting the vehicle as a sort of mid-range build that toes the line between SUV and minivan. While our own reviewer was impressed enough with the 2025 model on their first drive, even they felt the vehicle suffered from a bit of an identity problem — which is easy to understand as it bears a more classic minivan aesthetic.

As such, we're dropping KIA's top-line SUV into this slot, and if you're at all familiar with the build, you know it's more than worthy of inclusion. The 2024 Telluride indeed earned the SlashGear Select badge when we reviewed it last year, and the 2025 model appears to boast all manner of improvements. If you've caught a look at the vehicle's interior, you know the '25 Telluride is decidedly minivan-ish inside, with standard second-row captain's chairs that boast class-leading legroom and a third-row of seats that could provide space enough for up to 4 people. 

Now for a little bad news: the KIA Telluride boasts less cargo space than many other vehicles in its class. In fact, with the third seats folded up, the rear cargo space is a paltry 21 cubic feet, with capacity maxing out at 87 cu. ft. when both the third and second rows are down. Still, with an imposing profile, a V6 engine pushing 295 hp, innovative tech options, and a budget-friendly sticker price, the Telluride is a solid alternative to any minivan on the road.

Jeep has been at the forefront of the American sport utility vehicle scene since the earliest days of its existence. Of course, Jeep didn't really make an SUV as we've come to know them until the 1960s when the manufacturer first revealed the Wagoneer. In the mid-1980s Jeep even gave the build a low-key luxury upgrade, along with a tweaked name in the Grand Wagoneer.

The Grand Wagoneer continues to rank among the more luxury-minded offerings in the greater Jeep lineup, and if you're looking for a punchy, stylish vehicle that provides some of the same creature comforts as a minivan, it's a pretty good place to start. Before you get too excited about the 4x4 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, you should know the 2024 model errs on the side of pricey, with the MSRP of a base-level model coming with a price tag of $91,945. You do, however, get perks aplenty at that price, including a punchy Hurricane Twin-Turbo 510 engine that packs 510hp and 500 lb.-ft. of torque, along with 0 to 60 mph acceleration at 5.9 seconds.

Of course, for many drivers, raw power is not the primary goal of such a purchase. If that's the case for you, the Grand Wagoneer also boasts three rows of seating that easily accommodates seven people and boasts minivan-like captain's chairs in the second row. Storage space is a problem, however, with the standard Grand Wagoneer offering just 28.4-cu. ft. of space behind the third row. But if you opt into the L-level trim, that number jumps up to 44.2 cubic feet.

Here's an option for the minivan drivers who aren't quite ready to completely trade in the van vibes for an SUV but still want to get behind the wheel of a spacious ride with some serious style. And yes, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz has style to burn — even if it is, more or less, just a modernized version of the manufacturer's iconic Microbus. While the ID.Buzz clearly takes inspiration from that classic — which first hit the roadways in the 1950s — it has a style all its own, including an all-electric power plant that impressed even our own SlashGear first-drive reviewer.

Now, this VW admittedly might be a little more van-ny than some minivan-averse shoppers are looking for, but when paired with the available 4MOTION all-wheel-drive setup, the electric engine is surprisingly potent, offering drivers a 0 to 60 mph time of just 6 seconds. The vehicles also come standard with third-row seating, easily offering space for seven individuals. Unlike some other models listed here, the ID.Buzz's third row is completely removable, and with the second tier of seats folded down, the vehicle offers as much as 145.5 cu. ft. of cargo space.

Unfortunately, that storage space is considerably depleted when the third row is in place, so if cargo capacity is vital for you and yours, the ID.Buzz may not be the best option. However, VW does claim that third-row seating offers industry-leading leg room, so if people are your primary cargo, the roomy and decidedly tech-friendly ID.Buzz is a vehicle that can easily do the job while also turning a few heads on the road.