Greenest 2007 Minivans

If your family or cargo hauling needs exceed the capacity of a sedan and you don’t require the towing or off-road capabilities of an SUV, then a minivan may be right for you. This realization has been a rite of passage for families over several decades since, for many of them, the minivan’s specious interior and family-friendly functionality clearly set it apart from all other choices at new car showrooms. To help guide those who are considering a new minivan with the smallest environmental impact, we present this look at some of the greenest minivans on the market today.

	#1 - Toyota Sienna Specifications: 3.5-liter 6 cyl., auto. trans, 2WD or AWD Fuel: Gasoline EPA Emissions/Air Pollution Score: 6-7 Fuel Economy (Global Warming): City 18-19 / Hwy 23-26 mpg MSRP: $24,155-$37,665
	#2 - Honda Odyssey Specifications: 3.5-liter 6 cyl., auto. trans, 2WD Fuel: Gasoline EPA Emissions/Air Pollution Score: 6-7 Fuel Economy (Global Warming): City 18-19 / Hwy 25-26 mpg MSRP: $25,645-$36,895
	#3 - Nissan Quest Specifications: 3.5-liter 6 cyl., auto. trans, 2WD Fuel: Gasoline EPA Emissions/Air Pollution Score: 8 Fuel Economy (Global Warming): City 18-19 / Hwy 25-26 mpg MSRP: $24,350-$33,900
	#4 - Hyundai Entourage Specifications: 3.8-liter 6 cyl., auto. trans, 2WD Fuel: Gasoline EPA Emissions/Air Pollution Score: 6-7 Fuel Economy (Global Warming): City 18 / Hwy 25 mpg MSRP: $23,795-$28,795
	#5 - Kia Sedona Specifications: 3.8-liter 6 cyl., auto. trans, 2WD Fuel: Gasoline EPA Emissions/Air Pollution Score: 6-7 Fuel Economy (Global Warming): City 18 / Hwy 25 mpg MSRP: $20,495-$26,195

In this analysis, rankings are based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2007 Green Vehicle Guide, which compiles massive amounts of emissions data every year and ranks vehicles according to their environmental compatibility. EPA methodology compares the smog-producing emissions of a vehicle and then assigns an emissions/air pollution score on a 0-10 scale, 10 being best. For example, those vehicles rated “7” produce 0.65-0.75 pounds of smog-forming pollution per mile, while a rating of “6” indicates vehicles that produce 0.75-0.84 pounds of pollution during each mile driven. Emissions measured include nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane organic gases (NMOG), which combine together in sunlight and become smog, along with carbon monoxide (CO), a poisonous gas.

The ranking also takes into account a vehicle’s fuel economy, which directly correlates with the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced and thus a vehicle’s contribution to global warming. The higher the fuel economy, the fewer greenhouse gases emitted for each mile traveled.

A minivan listed here with a range variation in the emissions/air pollution score, such as “6-7”, means that some variations exist within the model that have found it ranked several times within EPA’s listings. A model with 2WD may have ranked slightly higher in the hierarchy with an “7” while its 4WD variant could have been rated slightly lower on the EPA charts with a “6”. Here, our rankings reflect the cleanest variation of a given model.

If you’re interested in a vehicle not listed here, you can access EPA’s complete 2007 vehicle rankings online at www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.