The 1990 Town & Country is widely recognized as the first-ever luxury minivan. Introduced in 1989, the first model year of the front-wheel-drive people-mover had wood paneling, a four-speed automatic transmission, a V6 3.3L base engine, 150 HP, and 185 lb-ft of torque.
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While the vehicle might have qualified as a luxury ride back in the day, the luxury minivans available today up the ante considerably. Minivans of yesteryear were mainly seen as people-movers with loads of space for mom, dad, and the kids. But modern luxury minivans can meet those needs and do a whole lot more. You can now get home-theater-type entertainment systems, leather upholstery, sunroofs, power sliding doors, infotainment systems, and more.
2022 Chrysler Pacifica
Sure, you could buy an SUV. But purchasing an SUV with the people-hauling capacity of a minivan may mean more stops at the gas station and a higher sticker price.
Perhaps you’re looking for a luxury vehicle but need something with a lot more room than a sportscar, coupe, or sedan. If that’s the case, then check out this list of some of the best luxury minivans for 2022.
The 2022 Kia Carnival offers a whole lot of luxury for a starting price of $34,795. The minivan looks an awful lot like an SUV. That will appeal to you if you’re reluctant to buy a minivan. The front-wheel-drive vehicle comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a 3.5L V6 GDI engine that produces 290 HP and 262 ft-lb of torque.
Depending on the model, you can get seven or eight seats, removable second-row seating, and multi-directional power-adjustable driver’s seat. You can get heated front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel. It also features passenger view monitoring so that you can see what the kiddos are doing in the second and third rows. There’s forward collision avoidance assist with junction turning function, a surround-view monitor that provides a 360-degree view of your environment. Plus there’s VIP lounge second-row mode that will allow passengers to fold their seat back and lift their legs up, and more.
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Another luxury minivan to consider is the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica. It offers all-wheel drive and Stow ‘n Go seating in the second and third rows to fit your family and all your stuff. And it’s loaded with technology like the Uconnect Multimedia Centre with a 10.1-inch touchscreen.
You can also keep the interior of your minivan tidy at all times with the available bagless Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum. You’ll need the Limited or the Pinnacle models for that feature. The hands-free sliding doors and liftgate will make it easy to pack and unload. If you’re fussy when it comes to the wheels on your vehicles, you can get 17-, 18-, or 20-inch aluminum wheels with a variety of designs to choose from.
The premium Pinnacle model starts at $65,530. It’s powered by the 3.6L Pentastar VVT V6 that delivers 287 HP and 262 lb-ft of torque.
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2022 Toyota Sienna
With a starting price of $41,050, the 2022 Toyota Sienna is available in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. And you can get one with seven or eight seats. The luxury minivan has an SUV-like front end featuring a lower grille and wrap-around headlights.
Depending on the model, you can get hands-free sliding doors, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and four-way power-adjustable seat for front passengers. There are built-in ottomans that slide back for greater passenger comfort, three-zone independent automatic climate control. Also there is a feature-rich infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, and more.
It’s powered by a 2.5L DOHC four-cylinder engine that produces 245 HP. The minivan is also big on safety with a suite of active-safety technologies. These include a pre-collision system, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, blind-spot monitor, and more.
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Tip of the iceberg
If you want a luxury vehicle with a lot of room for passengers and stuff, you’ll want to consider the current crop of top minivans for 2022. The ones mentioned above are the tip of the iceberg. Chances are you’ll find one that’s right for your family. You’ll be able to travel in style and luxury.
