6 Best Family Friendly Vans in the Philippines

We Filipinos are known to have close family ties. Although some of us just have small immediate family, we tend to grow bigger as we also consider our friends and distant relatives part of our fambam. And when we speak of family, it means through good times and the bad – but most of the time, even during hard times, Filipinos still find a way to see happiness through and through.

Filipinos are known to have close family relationships, which fuels them to bond whenever and wherever they can

One common way that Filipinos tend to express their happiness is by making time during holidays or weekends to go to an out of town trip. This trip won’t be as happy if you were to go through it alone. Since family is life, we are fond of going on long journeys to out of town beaches, forests and mountains alongside with our family members. 

It will also be boring if we’re going to do a convoy, one family in one car as the other follows. So, the solution to this is to find a convenient way of travelling where everyone is together in one vehicle – a VAN!

Vans are a sure fun way of hitting the road with the people closest to your heart, without leaving anybody behind. And to complete this out of town adventure, and if you are already interested or thinking of upgrading from a four door sedan to a passenger van, Philkotse.com is here to help you find the best.

Vans are a sure fun way of hitting the road with the people closest to your heart, without leaving anybody behind

I. Advantages and Disadvantages of Passenger Vans

Before we enumerate the most recommended family van in the Philippines, let’s check first the advantages of owning (or renting) one:

• You can invite more people to join you for your trip
• There will be enough legroom and space for everyone
• You can even load some cargo at the back even if you already have several passengers

The only catch with vans is that since they are fairly larger than your normal sedans, they could be pricier too. So the space and comfort that passenger vans can offer also come with a price.

>>> Read more: List of the most popular minibus in the Philippines

II. Best Passenger Vans Great For Outdoor Family Adventure

1. Hyundai Grand Starex

Honestly, this has been on top of my list since the first time I saw it. I’m not exactly sure what make and model was it, but regardless, the Hyundai Starex is one perfect passenger van that could accommodate quite a number of people.

The Hyundai Grand Starex is one wide, spacious vehicle that could take you and 9 other friends and family members

The latest version of the Hyundai Grand Starex is a 10-seater van that comes in three variants: 2.5 GL 5M/T (Dsl), 2.5 CRDi GLS 5A/T (Dsl) and 2.5 CRDi GLS 5A/T (Dsl-Swivel). The price for this van is Php 2,085,000.

It has an enormous legroom and flexible ergonomic seating that provides utmost comfort during travels without compromising the style.

>>> Read more: Hyundai Starex 2018 Philippines: Super Express variant Review, Price, Specs

2. Toyota Hi-Ace

I have quite a number of experience when it comes to this kind of passenger vehicle. This is quite common as it is used as service for company employees to take them to and from work at a designated pick up point, and some use it as a form of the infamous UV Express – a means of earning money by taking in paying passengers that goes to the same place or area.

Toyota Hiace Grandia 2020 Philippines | Full tour review | Philkotse

The Toyota Hi-Ace is another family-friendly vehicle that can comfortably seat up to 10 people 

Although it looks a bit off and suffocating outside due to its solid looking exterior, it still lives up to our expectations of huge legroom and headroom.

The new Toyota Hi-Ace 2018 also has a seating capacity of 10 and sports plush, moquette seats – with style and comfort working hand in hand. Toyota Hi-Ace price starts from Php 1,442,000.

3. Kia Grand Carnival

Kia is another brand to look out for. It also offers a good and spacious passenger van in the form of the Kia Grand Carnival. This family and travel friendly vehicle sports 7, 8 & 11 seater variations, with power sliding door, 2^nd row stand-up seats and pop-up sinking seats.

Flexible seating ability is offered by the Kia Grand Carnival, which makes it capable of holding up to 11 people

With this seating flexibility, passengers have a lot of options when it comes to adjustment should more legroom would be necessary.

The price of Kia Grand Carnival starts at Php 2,110,000.

4. Nissan Urvan V350

This is one passenger van that you should watch out for. Not only that it is a multi-passenger van, but it can proudly hold 15-18 passengers! Yes, you read that right, 15-18 people.

In that case, the Nissan Urvan V350 is surely the best van to choose if you’re planning a team building, a reunion with your batch mates, or simply an out of town with your closest family members. With that seating capacity, you can be assured that no one gets left behind!

>>> Also check out: 2018 Nissan Urvan Premium Review: A Bulky Heavyweight that Boasts Comfort & Safety

This Nissan Urvan passenger vehicle will surely be your best option for a team building as it can fit up to 18 people!

The Nissan Urvan V350 costs starting from PHP1,436,000 up to PHP1,836,000. Not bad, right? If you have this size of a vehicle, not only that it can get you and your friends on the road comfortably, but you can even use this as a business – for delivery or transport. With that amount of space, you can load as much and earn some extra money.

5. Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey was released back in the 1990s, and it was the first Honda vehicle that included a third row seat. However, its existence didn’t last long as its production stopped, not until its comeback in 2012.

The Odyssey has since been one of the top of the line passenger vehicles in the country, offering luxury, comfort and style all in one vehicle.

Having an 8-seater capacity, Honda Odyssey definitely has a lot of space inside for other purposes

The latest release of the Honda Odyssey in the Philippines has two variants, namely EX which can hold up to 8 people and the EX-V NAVl which can hold up to 7 people. The limited number of people offers a lot of leg room and space inside the vehicle that can be used for other things like carrying cargo.

6. Mitsubishi L-300

This is one of the classics. I can remember riding this passenger van since I was a kid. All throughout the years, the exterior looks pretty much the same or if there were even any upgrades, it could be very minor as it still sports the old school, school service van. Whenever I see this, I remember my elementary days as we go out of the school gates and into the school service.

The classic Mitsubishi L300 is a good ol' transport that will take you and your family to out of town comfortably

Although it only states a 3-seating capacity, at the back of the van, it can actually seat from 15-17 people. In the old days, besides the classic jeepneys and owner type jeeps, the L-300 is another go-to vehicle when it comes to out of town trips.

For those who want to buy a new L300 these days, don't forget to check out our Mitsubishi L300 2017 Philippines brief review, in terms of its specifications and price!

>>> Click here to get more helpful tips and advice for your car buying