To kill a minivan: kid-haulers a dying breed
Just 12 years ago, minivans made up 8.5% of the overall vehicle market here in the US. Since that time, a string of SUVs and then later CUVs have cut into those vehicles with the magical sliding doors. In the last couple years, GM and Ford have abandoned the minivan segment all-together and concentrated on crossovers like the Buick Enclave and the Ford Flex. In 2006, minivan production fell below 1 million units for the first time in 15 years, and this year is looking much, much worse. The proliferation of CUVs in the past year and the end of the Uplander and Freestar have contributed to minivan sales shrinking an astonishing 22% in 2007.
At first glance, Chrysler's pending launch of the new Town & Country and Caravan appears to be as poorly timed as Toyota's introduction of the all-new Tundra. Both products would have sold in higher numbers only a few years back, when buyers were less afraid of purchasing a vehicle with less than perfect fuel economy. On the other hand, with improved styling (only so much you can do with a minivan), an even better interior, and more flexibility, Chrysler's new minivans may just help turn the tide.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Mike G 3:20PM (8/13/2007)
Looks better than a Ford Flex...
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Don 3:26PM (8/13/2007)
I'll take a minivan over any CUV or SUV...you can't beat a sliding door and being able to actually walk around the back of your van.
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YouFaceTheTick 4:28PM (8/13/2007)
I don't get the attraction of the SUV over a minivan.
Don 6:26PM (8/13/2007)
They might be considered sexier, but I want practical.
epilonious 3:26PM (8/13/2007)
Funny, I see tons of Siennas, Odysseys, Sedonas, Entourages, and Caravan/T&Cs out there. I even see an occasional mazda5.
Wagons/hatches have already made the comeback... I give it another 5 years before every Gen Y-er with kids looks at accident rates and decides to get the 7-seater that costs less than 30K really is one of the better ways to go
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db25 3:29PM (8/13/2007)
Too bad the fuel economy is still horrendous, not a bad looking van.
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Scott 3:31PM (8/13/2007)
Looking at the new minivan more closely(not that I am buyng one) The new Dodge would be great as a panel van for samll business'. But I doubtit since they blew it with the PT, but then again there is new management. It would perfect, midsize, lage panel sides for advertising your biz, and probably cheaper to build with less glass and a lot less interior. Hmmm.....something to think about.
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ClutchCargo 9:01AM (8/14/2007)
sorry, if you have more than a few kids you need a mini van. I doubt the cuv trend will wipe them out. There is just no sub when you need to haul a bunch of people.
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Fosterdad 9:52AM (8/14/2007)
I know what you mean. I have two kids and I'm kicking myself for not getting a minivan 5 years ago when I bought my Sebring (we didn't have any kids at the time). Now, I love my Sebring, but a minvan would have been a much more practical choice.
Bill 3:30PM (8/13/2007)
If this vans a rockin dont' come a knockin.
Seriously though, the flat floor does have advantages.
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whofan 3:51PM (8/13/2007)
Minivans will prevail, because you can`t beat praticality. All pionts considered the minivan excells. People have gone to CUV/SUV for style sake. Cuvs are just station wagons anyway.
I thought about a trailblazer as replacement for our minivan. There`s nowhere the room in the Trailblazer or the fuel economey or the ease of manuverablity. Cuvs are small inside too with no advantage over the minivan SUVs are better for towing and 4x4 for winter driving. Minivans have respectible tow ratings and go good in the snow.
Perception of the mom mobile is the only thing hurting the minivan.
The swiss army knife of vehicles will stick around.
The big loosers are Ford and GM for failing to build a good van.
The new Chrysler looks like a winner!
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Tyo 3:57PM (8/13/2007)
The entire concept of the CUV eludes me. They should all be lumped together as minivans. Chysler or some other automaker needs to spin the minivan into the CUV Segment. The two vehicle types are fundamentally the same, with sliding doors and styling being the only appearant difference. THeyre all usually unibody, fwd v6's with three rows at least optional. I always thought they were tricking soccer moms into the CUVs with the name and styling. Theyre really all too similar. Picture a Pacifica w/ Sliding doors, Is it not a slicker (looking) T&C?
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CH 4:01PM (8/13/2007)
760K in annual sales is still a lot of minivans, given the reduction in the number of players. Chrysler/Dodge is going to sell about half of them, which a good piece of business.
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Tim 4:05PM (8/13/2007)
Station Wagon--> Minivan--> Sports Utility Vehicle--> Station Wagon.
The circle is complete.
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Gray Smith 4:21PM (8/13/2007)
i'd take the minivan over the gas guzzling suv, and the high priced cuv any day. I thought i'd never say that, but now its true, just bought a 2003 voyager for the family a few months ago and its a great vehicle, I mean how many suvs/cuvs can hold 7 people, then if needed hold a washer, dryer, and a stove??
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Casey 4:32PM (8/13/2007)
I think they'd sell more minivans if they started making some that were truly mini. The current generation (Rondo and Mazda5 excluded) are huge and have become just as bloated as SUVs. Give me something in the size of the original Caravan or 1st generation Odyssey.
Fosterdad 5:10PM (8/13/2007)
I pretty much agree. Why would I want a CUV that holds 5 or 6 people and gets lousy mileage or an SUV that holds 7 and gets even worse mileage when I can get a minivan that holds 7 and gets about 25 mpg on the highway? Oh, and the CUVs and SUVs cost $5-10K more than the minivan. I am most probably going to get a new vehicle by the end of the year and the T&C is at the top of the list.
Now, I admit my real dream is to get a conversion van but those are way too expensive.
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Tyk 4:39PM (8/13/2007)
Could the sales decline be due to Ford leaving the minivan market? I would suspect that there will be a similar decline once GM leaves.. those GM diehards will get a GM CUV/SUV instead of minivan from another make.
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Fosterdad 7:21PM (8/13/2007)
Is Chevy going to stop making the Uplander? If so, that means if you want a Chevy that seats at least 6 people, you have to get a Tahoe or bigger. The Tahoe starts at $35,000 and gets a whopping 16 mpg in town (2wd). What a ripoff.
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Don 8:44PM (8/13/2007)
And the CUV's were supposed to save us from the big, heavy, fuel-thirsty SUV's.
What a joke.
I'll take a new Caravan.