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Minivans can be an excellent alternative to the "standard" choice for large families, the SUV. The low floors and deep cargo wells of minivans maximize storage and passenger room to fit as many people as possible and things you might need for your getaway or routine drive.
If ample room and storage are what you're looking for, the minivan might be the ideal vehicle for you. Take a trip with us and find what makes the minivan so attractive, what points to consider when buying one, and what the popular offerings from Japanese automobile manufacturers (new and used) are.
Why Buy a Minivan?
Minivans offer large amounts of space, period. They can typically seat six or more passengers across their three rows of seats while still having enough room for luggage and other large items. Not only do minivans offer more room than SUVs, but seats can also be folded away and removed to make even more space when needed.
But all that space is pointless if the items can't fit through the doorway. Some minivans have sliding doors that make the loading and unloading of cargo, as well as the boarding and alighting of passengers, a breeze.
What to Consider When Buying a Work Van
Seating
How many passengers will you be transporting, and what type of seats do you want to have? Typical minivans can seat seven or eight people, even more than a three-row SUV.
Minivans can also come with a combination of the captain's more comfortable chairs and benches. In most seven-seater minivans, the second row has two captain's chairs, making the third row more accessible.
Cargo / Trunk Capacity
Minivans can perform a mix of passenger ferrying, cargo transporting, or even cargo moving seamlessly. As mentioned, seats (second and third row) can be folded up or stowed away to make more room for cargo. You can control this function in more modern minivans by simply pushing a button.
Engine and Fuel Efficiency
Minivans are often fitted with powerful V6 engines, although these don't usually offer the greatest fuel efficiency. In addition to gas and diesel models, there are now pickups with hybrid drivetrains to give you better mileage.
Safety Features
Most minivans have a standard array of safety features like ABS (anti-lock braking systems), EBD (Electronic Brake Pressure Distribution), and airbags.
Depending on the model, more advanced safety devices like blind spot warning, forward collision warning, and lane-keep assist might also be available.
Best Japanese Work Vans
Toyota
Luxury meets style with the Toyota Alphard. This flagship minivan comfortably seats seven to eight people, with still enough room for luggage. The interior has high-quality furnishing that brings style to a whole new level. Under the hood, inline four-cylinder and V6 engines ensure no load is too heavy for the Alphard.
The sister of the Alphard is the equally popular Toyota's flagship minivan, the Vellfire. The Vellfire combines boldness, class-leading functionality, and an attractive exterior. As well as inline four-cylinder and V6 six-cylinder engines for the Vellfire range from 2.4L to 3.6L.
For those on a budget, consider the Toyota Noah, which gives you more bang for your buck. Notable features of the Toyota Noah are an Optitron meter, special aluminum wheels, and multi-turn front passenger seating. These extras will depend on the model grade, however.
The Voxy is the successor of the Townace Noah and Liteace Noah. It employs a sharp, robust, tightened design with a strong grill, distinctive headlights, and a clear rear lens. The fuel-efficient Voxy boasts an impressive 33mpg.
The Wish is a sporty minivan available as a six or seven-seater with an optional all-wheel drive. The dynamically designed Wish has an additional aero bumper in its higher grades for a sportier look.
Nissan
Nissan's Serena is perfect as a family cruiser or a company workhorse. The seven to eight-seater comes with Nissan's cutting-edge technology, such as the Around-View Monitor and Intelligent Air Conditioning System.
Nissan's other minivan, the Elgrand, was first made in 1997 as a luxurious minivan for unwinding. This design concept has remained relevant in all its editions - the comfortable and spacious Elgrand gets a class-leading interior and comes powered by a 3.2L diesel turbo or a 3.3L V6, making every drive smooth for the driver and passengers.
Honda
Based on the spritely Fit, the Freed, Honda's small minivan caters to those with an active lifestyle. It arrives as a six-seater version with captain's seats in the second row, a seven-seater, and a smaller five-seater version.
The Stream is another compact option from Honda. Don't be fooled by its size - its roomy interior can seat up to seven passengers. The low floor of the Stream gives an almost sedan-like drive.
The Step WGN is a funky box-shaped tall, and slim minivan. These unique dimensions, paired with low flooring and a low center of gravity, give it enough headroom for long items and cargo while maintaining handling and ride comfort.
Mazda
Mazda's Premacy is an award-winning compact MPV that carries up to seven passengers and features folding rear seats for maximum cargo capacity when needed. People shout its praise due to its solid build and array of standard safety features.
The Mazda MPV is their minivan designed for the American market. Engines range from 2.0L to 3.0L, including a 2.3L turbocharged inline four-cylinder gas for its third generation (2006 to 2016).
Targeted at families with children, the Mazda Biante seats eight and comes with sliding doors for easy access, which helps with loading and unloading too. Later models like the 2016 Biante feature the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G 2.0 engine mated to a SKYACTIV-DRIVE transmission.
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Delica D5 strikes the perfect balance between a minivan's comfort and an SUV's strength. This one-box type minivan that seats up to eight has a 2.4L DOHC inline four-cylinder engine with MIVEC continuously variable valve timing mechanism. It also gets electronic control, four-wheel drive, and active stability control.
Subaru
Subaru's Exiga seven-seater is every bit as "exciting" and "active," the words it was named after. Its standout features are a supersized panoramic glass roof and theater-style seating. The Exiga's 2.0L to 2.5L engines include the 2.0L turbocharged H4 based on Subaru's Impreza WRX.
Suzuki
Suzuki's mini MPV, the Solio, is a fun option if you only need a little space. Beginning its life as a five-door hatchback, the Solio carries on this DNA with a compact body and a smaller 1.2L engine. Although it only seats a modest five people, like the other vehicles in this category, the seats fold away for additional cargo space.
Daihatsu
Daihatsu's Thor is a five-seater mini MPV that packs a hefty punch. Sliding doors come as standard, while its engines are either a 996 cc 1KR-FE inline three-cylinder or a 996 cc 1KR-VET turbocharged inline three-cylinder.
Where to Get the Best Deals on Work Vans from Japan
To guarantee second-hand Japanese minivans in excellent condition, look to dependable Japanese automobile dealers such as BE FORWARD. Get yours with us today!
BE FORWARD : Excellent cars stocked in Japan, Singapore, UK, UAE, Thailand, and Korea, safely delivered worldwide to your location.
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