Minivans are the sweatpants of the automotive world: unfashionable but very practical. Throw in a hybrid powertrain to keep the fuel bills down, and they can become even more satisfying to own.

When you need space, seats and storage, a minivan is still a great choice, even with SUVs driving them nearly to the brink of extinction. In the realm of minivans, there are two schools of thought: ...