10 Best Passenger Vans for the Money for 2023

10 Best Passenger Vans for the Money for 2023

The Best 10-Passenger Vehicles

All Aboard: These People Movers Have Seats to Spare

When most people say they want a vehicle that can haul a large group, they’re usually talking about three-row SUVs and minivans. However, these vehicles can only carry up to nine passengers, and many carry eight or fewer.

What if you need to carry more than nine people? You could buy two vehicles and share the driving with another person. If that seems like a chore, you’ll have to buy a 10-passenger vehicle. These vehicles usually have four rows instead of three. They’re not the trendiest vehicles on the market, in large part because they don’t get updated very often. However, they are customizable; many are available with multiple roof heights, wheelbase lengths, and powertrain choices.

U.S. News & World Report does not rank full-size passenger vans. In this slideshow, we analyzed information and pricing on the five leading 10-passenger vehicles. Many of these vans come standard with 12-passenger seating, and most offer 15-passenger seating as an upgrade.

On the next slide, we begin our rundown of the five best 10-passenger vehicles.

What SUV Can Hold 9 Passengers? (Solved!)

Having a big family can be difficult, especially when driving. Getting a good, sturdy car that can fit everyone is a must. That is why we found out which SUVs are capable of holding 9 passengers.

SUVs that can hold 9 passengers include the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, and the Ford Expedition. Most SUVs have a base configuration of 7 or 8 seats but can be adapted to fit 9 by replacing the bucket seats with benches.

However, because there are so few options, finding an SUV that you like and fits your needs can be challenging. Not every SUV will be right for your family, and each model has different pros and cons you should consider. Let’s explore some details below.

Chevrolet Suburban

Chevrolet Suburbans are a good SUV model that can hold 9 passengers. Here are the basic stats for the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban:

Length – 225.7 inches

Width – 81.1 inches

Height – 75.7 inches

Max cargo capacity – 144.7 cubic feet

Weight – 5,616 to 6,016 lbs

Towing Capacity – 7,400 to 7,800 lbs

MPG – 15 city / 20 highway

Gas tank – 28 gallons

Starting Cost – $52,300

Crash Safety Rating – 4 stars

The Chevy Suburban is tied with the GMC Yukon XL for the largest SUV on this list. They both have fantastic cargo capacities and boast plenty of room for all 9 passengers. If you’re traveling with a large group, this is definitely a great option.

In order to fit 9 passengers in this SUV, you need to replace the first two rows of bucket seats with bench seats. This allows three people to sit in each of the three rows. However, this adaption is only available for the base trim for this car.

Chevrolet Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe is comfortable and works well for 9 person groups. These are some basic details about the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe:

Length – 210.7 inches

Width – 81 inches

Height – 75.8 inches

Max cargo capacity – 122.9 cubic feet

Weight – 5,473 to 5,845 lbs

Towing Capacity – 7,600 to 7,900 lbs

MPG – 15 city / 20 highway

Gas tank – 24 gallons

Starting Cost – $49,600

Crash Safety Rating – 4 stars

A 9 seater variation is available in most years of this car, but only for LS and FL trims. Make sure you’re getting the right trim if you need to regularly seat 9 people!

GMC Yukon

The GMC Yukon is a spacious option that gives enough legroom for adults to sit in any of the three rows. Below is some information about the 2021 GMC Yukon:

Length – 210 inches

Width – 81 inches

Height – 76.50 inches

Max cargo capacity – 122.9 cubic feet

Weight – 7,500 lbs

Towing Capacity – 8400 lbs*

MPG – Up to 21 city / 27 highway

Gas tank – 24 gallons

Starting Cost – $51,000

Crash Safety Rating – 4 stars

*This car can only tow this much if you get the max trailering package.

This vehicle offers a lot of cargo space (25.5 cubic feet). This will definitely be a necessity if you and 8 others take a long trip. Passenger space doesn’t do much good if there isn’t room for cargo as well! (Source)

Currently, the base SLC model is the only one that offers the adaption to 9 passenger seating.

GMC Yukon XL

There is also an XL version of the GMC Yukon that gives you even more space and a bigger gas tank. However, the immediate downside of an XL will be that it is will be more difficult to park and maneuver.

Below are the vehicle specs for a 2021 GMC Yukon XL.

Length – 225.20 inches

Width – 81 inches

Height – 76.50 inches

Max cargo capacity – 144.7 cubic feet

Weight – 5,683 lbs

Towing Capacity – 8,300 lbs*

MPG – Up to 15 city / 20 highway

Gas tank – 28 gallons

Starting Cost – $60,800

*This car can only tow this much if you get the max trailering package.

This GMC Yukon XL is quite large and has a lot of cargo space. However, before buying you should be aware that Yukons don’t always satisfy the customers.

From taillights going out to jarring and shaking, there have been several complaints about some versions of this SUV. While you want to avoid the 2015 Yukon, the 2014 is generally considered to be a good year to seek out. (Source)

Like the others, to get this SUV to fit 9 passengers you need to replace the bucket seats with bench seats.

Ford Expedition

Finally, we have the Ford Expedition. Here are the details about the 2021 Ford Expedition XLT:

Length – 210 inches

Width – 79.9 inches

Height – 76.4 inches

Max cargo capacity – 121.4 cubic feet

Weight – 5,623 lbs

Towing Capacity – 9,200 lbs

MPG – Up to 17 city / 23 highway

Gas tank – 23.2 gallons

Starting Cost – $53,410

Crash Safety Rating – 5 stars

This SUV has the best towing capacity of all the SUVs we looked at. Amazingly, this vehicle is also the smallest of the ones we have talked about (over a foot smaller than the Chevy Suburban and the GMC Yukon XL). This can be a benefit when you’re trying to park it, but it means you have to sacrifice a bit of legroom and cargo space. Another downside to this car is its gas mileage.

The starting cost of a two-row 2021 Ford expedition is only $49,625, but to be able to fit 9 passengers you will need the three rows. To get that upgrade, the starting cost is $52,300.

If you’re looking into buying a Ford Expedition, we suggest staying away from the 2011 version or older versions and look more at the 2019-2021 years. The basic model comes with bucket seats that need to be replaced with bench seats to fit 9 passengers.

Other Options

If none of the SUVs listed above fit your needs, or if you need to transport more than 9 people, your best option would be a 12 passenger van. Some of the best passenger vans are the Ford Transit and the Nissan VW.

However, these vans are harder to drive and are taller and longer than other cars. While they offer more passenger space, they sometimes won’t fit in garages or certain parking spaces.

10 Best Passenger Vans for the Money for 2023

Splitting the difference between commercial van and minivan, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Metris combines eight-passenger capacity, vast cargo space, and hefty towing limits. It shares the same sturdy chassis as the Metris Cargo Van, and an interior quality that, while not up to Benz sedan standards, still befits the brand as a commercial van. This last part is important: The Metris is, at heart, a work vehicle. It shouldn't be confused for a family minivan, even if it's tempting to soften the perceived stigma of minivan ownership with a three-pointed star on the grille.

The Metris isn't trying to be a minivan like the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. The Metris doesn't offer the same passenger space and legroom, or the same level of infotainment and driver-assist tech, or even similar fuel economy. Buyers who want a Mercedes family car are better off with one of its SUVs.

The Metris excels as a short-hop shuttle van, however, with seating for five to eight passengers, and generous cargo space even behind an upright third row. It is also fine as a small crew van, with tight handling and a midsize footprint that make it ideal for city work. In addition, it makes a solid foundation for camper van and RV conversions, with strong towing capacity enhancing its utility.

The Metris is shorter and smaller than its commercial peers — including the Ford Transit Passenger Wagon, Ram ProMaster Crew Van, and even Mercedes' own Sprinter — which limits its usefulness for big jobs. But for many business or recreational buyers, the Metris will prove to be just right.

Post your comment

Favorite articles

Latest articles

Popular articles

Most popular articles