Best Minivans for Big Guys: Top Picks for Bear Run Road Trips!
If we may have a truly honest conversation here for a moment…
Many of us are indeed big men, and that can get uncomfortable in many public spaces, to include our motor carriages.
When traveling to a Bear Run with friends this summer, I truly feel a vehicle you can rent for maximum comfort (and cargo room) is the classic minivan. Or caravan. Or Mom-van.
The side doors slide open with just the push of button. That means you can get in and out with ease. We here at Bear World realize that many of you have difficulty with mobility or just simply breathing. Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?
You will need only to step-up 5 to 7 inches with a minivan (the average stair in a staircase is 7 to 7 ¾ inches), and there is no need to shoehorn your way into the seat as a backseat passenger. Truly, just make yourself comfortable with a minivan and don’t forget your snacks (and your hydration).
Here are a few minivans I have driven that I have enjoyed and that I feel you should consider renting this summer for you next Bear weekend getaway:
Honda Odyssey
The Odyssey has one of the most spacious cabins in the minivan category. There are two captain’s chairs for the second row of seats, and you can put your more compact friends in the third row of seats or fold those down and pack luggage in that space. The Odyssey is petrol-only for 2026, averaging 19 city / 28 highway and offering only Front-Wheel Drive on base trims. But you do get 280 horsepower and that’s impressive for the class. Ground clearance is 4.5 inches, so be careful when going off the beaten path.
Chrysler Pacifica
I really like the drive of the Pacifica. It is nice and smooth: easy, breezy, George and Wheezy. Mileage is an average 18 mpg, and it is available in All-Wheel Drive. The backseats can be stowed flat but for those of you who will be travelling four-or more, you can press the button for the side doors, climb in and get comfortable. One feature I truly love: it has a built-in vacuum cleaner, known as the Stow ‘n Vac (But I would still encourage your buddies to Hoover after themselves). Ground clearance is 5.3 inches.
Toyota Sienna
I really like the 2026 Sienna as well. It is easy to drive, very spacious inside and it just glides everywhere it goes. The 2026 model is a hybrid-only with an average mpg of 35. There is nothing fancy or slick about it, yet it is comfortable and spacious, yielding 75 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats and a max of 101 cubic feet of cargo space total. On the higher-end trims, there is a built-in vacuum. Ground clearance is 6.4 inches.
Kia Carnival
This gasoline-only Bear-a-van will get you 18 city / 26 highway mpg and 287 horses, which is some pretty decent power. You can get almost 87 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row of seats down. If you rent the Carnival, it will most likely come with a bench seat for a second row, which may work well if five of you are traveling (ask to sit in it first); captain’s chairs are available for the second row on higher-end trims. Ground clearance is 6.8 inches.
Another thing to consider when traveling is to get yourself a seatbelt extender. Almost all seatbelts are standard size, so the extenders work on just about every seatbelt. And no one needs to know you have one or are using one.
When I was larger (a.k.a. before GLP-1s), I needed one and it made the plane ride so much more comfortable. My friends who are flight attendants so appreciate when larger passengers have one and use one; it makes their job so much easier. No need to be embarrassed; you deserve to be comfortable.
And just in case you are concerned about being seen driving a minivan….
Just so you know, anymore, no one is looking at the car you drive. Truth be told, people are asking questions like: how much money did you save on gas, how well are you doing on you doing on your monthly bills, how is your mental health?
When they see you pulling up in a minivan and see you and your handsome friends pop out, yes, there will be questions….
….. most likely related to your availability.
