If you spent as much time looking at sales data from last year as I did, you’d probably recognize something peculiar: Minivans are surging in popularity right now. Once a mainstay in suburban driveways across America, the minivan segment has, in recent decades, shrunk to a fraction of its peak, its sales siphoned off by the ever-versatile SUV and crossover segments. Now, though, minivans are making a bit of a comeback.
Minivan sales in North America are up 20% year-over-year, with the majority of the brands that sell minivans seeing double-digit percentage increases in deliveries. Suddenly, minivans are hot again. What gives?
Curious to know more about the segment-wide spike in demand, I asked every automaker that makes a minivan why they thought their minivan was succeeding. The answers I got highlight two demographics, younger families and empty-nesters, choosing vans instead of crossovers more than they did in the past. In addition to that, one automaker told me that minivans are being used more and more by “gig economy” workers who need a multipurpose vehicle to work multiple jobs.
Normal People Are Starting To Realize How Great Minivans Are
Not counting Volkswagen, which saw sales of its ID.Buzz increase from 1,162 units to 6,140 units in 2025, Kia was the biggest winner in terms of sales percentage gain in 2025. It sold 71,917 Carnivals last year, versus just 49,726 units in 2024. That’s an increase of 44.6%. The company told me the van’s SUV-like appearance and available hybrid powertrain were big reasons for the jump. The people buying Carnivals have trended younger, dropping by two years in age versus 2024. It’s also seen an increase in male buyers by 66%.
Mainly, it seems like new families are finally figuring out just how much more useful a minivan can be over a traditional crossover, at least according to Chrysler, whose Pacifica and Voyager saw a combined 5.4% increase in sales, and accounted for over a fourth of the entire segment’s sales in 2025:
We’re seeing more and more “millennials” entering the parenting phase of their lives, and they are considering minivans at a higher level than ever before.
Honda echoed that observation. The Japanese automaker, which saw a 10.5% increase in Odyssey sales last year, is seeing that millennials are more often turning to vans not only because of their versatility, but also because of their pricing:
Odyssey is also America’s #1 minivan with millennials because it offers younger families an unmatched combination of top-class interior space, family‑friendly features and value. The Odyssey’s powerful V6 engine, smooth ride quality, fun-to-drive personality and reputation for long‑term dependability also continue to make it a go‑to choice for families.
Affordability is another key factor in Odyssey’s popularity. The average transaction price for Odyssey last year was $43.3K, which is below the average new‑vehicle transaction price in the U.S. ($45,778). For families balancing budgets, that value proposition — more space, more features and lower cost than the average new vehicle — is a meaningful driver of demand.
Toyota, another goliath in the minivan space, saw a massive 35.2% incrase in sales of its Sienna, from 75,037 units in 2024 to 101,486 units last year. Like Kia, Toyota attributes the van’s success to its hybrid powertrain, but also points to its available all-wheel drive as a big selling point.
Like the automakers above, Toyota told me in its statement that Sienna buyers are mainly younger families. But, interestingly, another demographic makes up a good chunk of sales: Empty nesters. These are older parents whose kids have since moved out of the house and who, theoretically, wouldn’t need such a big vehicle to go about their daily lives.
The reasons for this, as Toyota points out, are all the same reasons that I’d own a minivan, even as a person with no kids at all. They’re just so damn useful for so many different things, without being nearly as compromised as a pickup truck or even a full-size SUV. From Toyota:
Sienna buyers are mainly younger families and empty nesters who value comfort, reliability, and flexibility. The vehicle’s spacious cabin and innovative features meet the needs of modern, diverse families, which may also include extended relatives and pets.
Toyota isn’t the only company that has acknowledged this demographic shift. Chrysler is seeing it as well, telling me that it’s seeing more Gen X- and Boomer-aged shoppers now go for minivans and use them to roadtrip and shuttle around grandkids.
Minivans > Pickup Trucks
It’s not just families and road-trippers who are increasingly turning to minivans. Drivers who use their vehicles for work are, more than before, realizing that a minivan makes for an excellent utility vehicle, at least according to Chrysler:
There is also higher consideration from “gig economy” workers, such as Amazon delivery workers, GrubHub delivery workers and even construction workers, who like that you can fit a sheet of plywood in the rear of the Pacifica with the Stow ‘N Go seats folded flat.
While it’s pretty depressing to hear that people increasingly need to work multiple “gig” jobs while using their own personal vehicles for transport purposes, the use case highlights just how flexible a minivan can be. For one vehicle to be able to haul a mountain of packages during the day, switch to food delivery at night, then shuttle seven kids to school the next morning, all while driving like a normal car and getting reasonable fuel economy, is a tall ask. But for a minivan, it’s all in a day’s work.
As for construction use, a minivan makes a lot of sense, too. The Ford Transit and Ram Promaster are angled for commercial use, but they’re more expensive and less efficient. The ancient Chevy Express is only about $1,000 more expensive than a base Voyager, but it sure as hell doesn’t have Stow ‘N Go fold-flat seats. For a truly do-it-all vehicle, you’d be hard-pressed to find something as all-encompassing as a minivan, provided you don’t do any off-roading. And the demographics from these automakers prove it.
If I can put my speculation cap on for a second, it’s also possible that the minivan is becoming popular simply because people don’t want to drive what their parents drove. It’s the same sort of theory posited by the fall of the minivan and station wagon in the first place—who wants to be seen driving around in a type of car their parents drive? The difference now is that the average parent car is currently a crossover, not a minivan. The new families buying cars now all grew up in SUVs and crossovers, which means they want something different. The fact that minivans are also more useful is certainly the main reason for this drive in sales, but the simple fact that minivans aren’t crossovers could be a bonus for some buyers.
No matter the reason, I’m glad the minivan is making a comeback. It’s the best body style for a large swath of the population, and for a while, it seems like most people forgot just how useful they could be. Now, though, it feels like a new minivan renaissance is upon us. This time, I hope it lasts forever.
Top graphic images: Toyota; Kia; Chrysler; Honda
My aunt and uncle got a PHEV Pacifica in 2022 and are over the moon about it. Most of the time, it’s an electric around-town car that costs next to nothing to run. But when the grandkids come to visit it’s the ultimate family road trip machine.
My in-laws had a Pacifica PHEV and offered it to us for a decent deal when they sold it to get a Lightning. We weren’t ready to upgrade yet anyway, but I’ve been really wary of the PHEV system reliability. That and towing. Otherwise I’d probably get one.
My parents had a minivan when we were kids and it was great. It went away as my sister and I got older and moved away, but a minivan appeared once again when my sister had a kid. Yes, my dad bought a minivan because there was now one grandkid in the family. I think he imagined we’d be going on big family road trips together again, which didn’t really happen, but it was a cool van anyway (Pacifica). I borrowed it a lot to use as a hauler, Stow ‘N Go absolutely rules!
I guess I can take a moment to make more comments about vans, because that’s what I do here.
I only have two kids, but the van has been a revelation. Road trips are comfortable, and packing requires little to no skill. My inlaws live with us for half the year, so that flexibility is nice. Our kids are starting to acquire friends, so again, extra seating is helpful. I have a terrible house that is always in need of more building materials, so the unmatched cargo space is useful. My wife and I turn the back of the van into a lounge of sorts when we travel to see shows in the summer. You can sleep in the back comfortably with little effort. The list goes on and on. It just simply functions better than anything else for the life I lead. Hybrid options becoming mainstream are making the one true shitty thing about vans (efficiency) become less of an issue.
I’m excited for the resurgence of vans, and hope and pray that other manufacturers get in on it so we can have more competition and better options. Looking at you Subaru, you cowards.
But where’s the fun in that? 😉
When you’re dumb enough to attempt a tent camping/beach vacation into one trip with your very young children (I really do not recommend this), it’s almost a requirement.
I actually do sort of like Tetris-ing the cargo area of a car for the record, lol.
In 2022 we bought a well used 2011 Town and Country as a spare car for our 16 year old. We put 40,000 miles on it in three years – almost all road trips. With a trailer hitch and utility trailer it is as useful as a pickup, and the stow and go seats are brilliant. I recommend them to everyone.
It just simply functions better than anything else for the life I lead.
This is one of the two statements that should be the mantra of every Autopian! (The other being: I like and enjoy it.)
I am glad that there is a wealth of choices for you and hope it grows.
Subaru needs to revive the Domingo/Sumo/Libero, IMO. If nothing else, I hope we get a lifted version of the inevitable Sienna EV, although an AWD Sienta would be more my jam.
*Looks up Subaru Domingo Alladin*
Oh my… that’s a pretty amazing van.
I know this is partially my enthusiasm talking, but Subaru simply would have been better off making a rugged minivan over the Ascent. Maybe it’s different in other places, but the Ascent is totally unloved and is basically treated as a Subaru imposter around here. A van would provide Outback parents who want more space with the right amount of quirk and practicality above all else ethos that is more fitting with the brand versus “Pilot, but you know, Subaru”.
How soon until these manufacturers start ruggedizing these minivans the way they do crossovers? Slightly lifted, half-assed plastic skidplates, black plastic wheel arches….profit!
Toyota already offers a Sienna “Woodlands” though that treatment is subtle. I would bet 5-10 years from now, it’ll be a lot less subtle.
Oh wow, they do. I thought I was making a joke.
When it comes to softroad trim levels, no joke is safe.
Chrysler has already done a Pacifica “Grizzly” concept that fits your bill.
Actually, the 2021+ Pacifica has the EXACT same AWD system as the Jeep Cherokee… and uses the same parts. There’s factory lift kits and a tuner to progam the Pacifica AWD to enable the factory low range.
Chrysler has already been making the perfect AWD van, they’ve just now, for some reason, realized that an Overlanding van would actually sell… now, if they can just not make it a top of the line luxury thing.
Give it washable vinyl floors, Neoprene waterproof seating, and generally make it more decontented and outdoors/pet friendly (basically give it the Honda Element interior treatment) sell it at 35k and watch them fly off the lot, IMHO.
They’re retooling Brampton right now, so they’ll have the capacity.
I’ve seen enough lifted Pacificas parked at hiking trailheads to know there’s a market for it. They bridge the gap between daily driver minivan and overlanding rig.
I’m sorry, the perfect AWD van is the Subaru Domingo Aladdin. The Pacifica AWD running the Jeep AWD is pretty neat though.
It all depends on how popular “Overlanding” remains.
I’m still waiting for the NASCAR edition. All that acreage for sponsor stickers!
As mentioned, it’s kinda already begun. Ford also has/had the Transit Trail for larger vans.
I remember when I was kid, watching the Town and Country vans on the dropoff line made me jealous since my parents couldnt afford such a nice and big vehicle for us to travel. When I finally jumped from no kids to 3 kids, 2 dogs, I checked the box to have a nice minivan (Pacifica PHEV) after almost 30 years of that moment at school.
Enjoy your Tellurides and Highlanders you peasants, I own the swiss knife of cars.
Haha, you sound like me. I was always jealous of the kids who had vans. I spent most of my childhood elbow to elbow stuffed into the back of small sedans with my siblings. Even the most basic minivan seemed like an insane luxury to me.
I too grew up to buy a van.
We had a brown Chevy Astro growing up. Oh how I was jealous of the kids in the Town & Countries. Or those space ship-looking dust busters.
I have a neighbor with a subtly lifted Astro AWD tradesman special, complete with skid plates and an easily removable van-life light upfit. As sweet as the new vans are, that thing directly aligns with my pre-spouse/kid/dogs desired use case.
My 19′ ruggedized camper and a big ass truck is a workable alternative given my current circumstances, but I still watch him load the Astro up for a trip with a bit of envy from time to time.
I mean, at least the Astro was pretty darn cool. But yeah, the ultimate kid van in our town was the Grand Caravan (nobody could afford a T&C lol, literally never saw them, ever). Dustbusters were awesome but exceptionally rare.
Chrysler really did dominate with the Voyager/Caravan back then.
Tween Pupmeow did not think our brown Astro was cool at all. I was mortified that it was brown. Ah, how we become wise with age.
Ah yes, brown. I glossed over the brown part, also due to wisdom.
How I would welcome brown back with open arms if it promised to do something about all the gray.
People don’t understand how cool minivans were (are?) to kids especially. Power sliding doors, rear HVAC controls, rear passenger sunshades, tilting and sliding seats, etc. We even had picnics in the cargo area of our Odyssey with the third row folded flat. Meanwhile in a sedan or crossover what does a kid get to play with? The middle armrest?
My kids freaking LOVE the van. If I were to replace it with something like my wife’s Forester, I’m pretty sure both kids would revolt.
Dont forget the USB ports for their iPads for long trips, life changing for parents to keep them distracted and iPads dont dying. They also get a lot of little compartments to put their toys away, each one gets a cupholder, their own personal space to avoid fights.
I was forgetting, they know when I put the inside mirror down to look back at the cabin, and give them the look, they know they better stop whatever they are doing back there.
I went from Minivan H8r to Certified Van Guy. I love our Pacifica, its so versatile! Its Van Time!
Ahem.
Oh my, i am so sorry sir, i did not mean to tread on toes! I shall rename myself Van_Guy_2.
We enjoyed the minivan life with a Honda Odyssey. When kids are little they are great, and they swallow things extremely well. They become less desirable as life changes with kids getting older, but I did find it funny when my parents bought a minivan a few decades ago after becoming empty nesters and have maintained that lifestyle since due to ease of entry, practicality, and pricing.
We have two kids. Both under 10. My wife wanted a van. I did not. I refused to be the sad, downtrodden minivan dad stereotype. So, we bought a 2019 Toyota Highlander at the end of 2019 (prior to the 2020 redesign).
It was fine but when my wife’s younger sister or any of my son’s little friends came with us anywhere, or even when we brought our dog with us, we ran out of practical/usable space so fast. That third row was TINY and USELESS for anyone but the smallest child or maybe the (small) dog. It was also hard to access and left us with no cargo room when it was up.
We sold the Highlander during the used car crisis of Covid – got more out of it than we paid for it new even though it was three-years-old with 30,000 miles. Now, we have a low-mileage, one-previous-owner 2018 Kia Sedona from CarMax. Got it in August of 2024.
I finally relented and said let’s get a damn van. My wife’s grandma and sister still go places with us a lot, and both kids play sports now. We couldn’t afford a Sienna, unfortunately, as their used prices are out of control. So, we took a chance on the Kia and added CarMax’s “MaxCare” 100,000-mile warranty.
The usefulness of the van is unmatched. I hauled home an entire new dining room table and four chairs that I found on Facebook marketplace – in the rain. And had plenty of room to spare while keeping them dry – something even a truck couldn’t do. We have taken family trips and even taken my 90+ year old grandparents many places as the van is easy for them to get in and out of.
Minivans rock.
I even got a riding mower in a minivan once. We cannot let other people opinions of us mandate what we drive. I am glad you are happy with your minivan.
You can use a minivan as pickup, but you can’t use a pickup as a minivan.
Not anymore I guess, but one could fit a lot of kids in the bed of a pickup back in the day.
I’ve a relative that has started to venture on his own as a general contractor / woodworker (he worked for someone else for years prior) and purchased the requisite pickuptruck.
As we had him over to do some minor work and started talking how it was going: he complained about having to store all his valuable tools in the back seat, and struggling to transport large items in poor weather. I asked why not a van, and he laughed – and said Amazon & delivery companies drove up resale of them, but he wished he had one instead as he could securely lock things up.
My young family got by with a four door hatchback for years. Then we had a Mazda5 until it got totaled. I still miss it since our inability to replace it caused our crossover period.
As empty nesters we currently have the Alpha and Omega of a Fiat 500 and an F150 Super Cab long bed. If the kids visit we go out in their cars
Wish we could get the Sienta or Freed over here since they don’t make the Mazda5 anymore. Small vans are amazing!
I friggin love minivans. They’re so useful! When I was a kid my mom hand a Pontiac Transport, we called it the Dustbuster and all my friends loved it. Once I got my DL it became the party wagon.
For road tripping or camping, there is no better vehicle. We took that Transport up and down the east coast multiple times, with the 5 of us in comfort.
Even now, my ideal vehicle would be a minivan with 4Runner level offroad capability. Or even Subaru Wildness level would do. There’s a small subset of people that lift AWD minivans, but they’re really not ideal for it. The exception would by an old Chevy Astro, people even swap low range t-cases into them.
Have you seen the NHSTA crash tests of the Astro/Safari twins? Scares the living hell out of me…
Also:
I once had a guy steal $500 cash from me at Saline Valley Hot Springs in the (literal) middle of Death Valley. He drove a ratty four-by-four Safari that he was living out of. Ergo, all Astros/Safaris are bad.
Oh yeah, those things are death traps, even for the time. The DO look cool lifted though.
Oh, and we were talking about ZJ’s a while back, I’ve started keeping my eye out for one. I low key want a trail rig that isn’t an XJ.
There was a five-speed for sale in good shape over in CT not that long ago, he wanted something like $4k for it, it looked like a good deal and in better shape than mine.
I think I’m the only person on this site who isn’t excited by the idea of a manual ZJ.
Ideally it would be a 96-98 5.2L. Nothing against the 4.0L, but I already had one of those. There was a fairly clean Niner that popped up locally 2 years or so back for 5K, once I saw the add gone I instantly regretted not snapping it up.
For the amount of them that sold, you’d think there would be more out there. I don’t see many in the wild anymore, and most of the tones I see on marketplace are total piles.
One of the youtube recovery guys has one on tracks, it’s so cool.
Casey out in Oregon? I started watching him because he was using a ZJ…I need to catch up with his videos.
And I can’t fault you for not liking the manual…I’d go with an early ’93 with the AW automatic, I’ve heard those are much better than the later Ultra-drive related automatics.
You should get one and then we can go wheeling in RI…uhm…there has to be someplace, right?
yup, Casey! I watch occasionally, whenever I see the ZJ in the thumbnail. It looks pretty clean too, I’m jealous.
There’s some stuff on the RI/CT border, some Yota guys I know go pretty frequently. I’m thinking I want something for the class 6 roads up north, those go from mild to wild. Bunch of guys up there have Unimogs and Pinzgauerers.
One of my best friends lives up in the Northeast Kingdom in VT. I’ve had my ZJ up there a few times, but nothing serious. The most hardcore I’ve ever done is probably going out to Toquerville Falls in Utah, which isn’t really all that bad. Mostly sand out on OBX or Death Valley washboards.
I love the NEK! The Kingdon Trails mtb network in E. Burke is so much fun.
Going to Utah must have been a fun trip, I see that falls trail on MORR videos. They say it’s getting harder every year as it’s gotten more popular.
I also got stuck in Hurricane and called the OTHER Casey with an off road recovery channel to get me out. THAT was fun.
Back in the day I leased a ’95 Laredo and then a ’98 Limited, both 5.2s. Loved those Jeeps, although I did very little “Jeeping” in the 4WD Laredo and absolutely none in the 2WD Limited. At the time they were just basically cool, tall station wagons that fit an appropriate business image.
I use to wheel in a lifted 95 zj 20 years ago, that was my wife’s DD. I did sink it into the mud to the jeep logo and it did need head gaskets and a radiator after and exceptionally hard weekend at the off road park. BE careful when getting one with the full time transfer case. The 95s and older did not lock up and they were NOT as good off road in 4low.
My 97 4.0 had the 249 fulltime case. Worst of both worlds, lol. It was good offroad with the locking low range, but eventually the VC started to go and it felt like driving in 4hi-locked on pavement. I ended up swapping in a 242 from an XJ.
I buried it to the bottom of the doors once. It just kept slowly sinking till it came to rest on the floor pans. Luckily the only damages were that I needed new brakes, after hours spent chipping off dried mud from underneath.
With a mild lift and 31’s, that thing was pretty impressive offroad, besides deep mud.
yea we got rid of ours when the t-case and trans sounded like a broken blender.
Mine never made noise, but it just got hard to steer on dry pavement since the t-case was acting more like a part time case. On the flip side though, it actually got better in the snow with it like that since it was always sending power the front.
It drove SO much nicer with the 242 part time case. It would be my first mod if I bought another one (if it didn’t already have it). As a side note, I think the 242 is one of the most versatile t-cases out there.
They did get better the last 4-5 years but not good.
I had a 2004. To do it again I would have just bought a full size van.
I’d love a modern Subaru Domingo/Libero. There’s a small chance we could get a lifted version of the inevitable Sienna EV.
I know there are some JDM small 4WD vans, but they’re rare and I’d be worried about registering it. They also seem to be powered by very underpowered small diesels, which would be concerning too.
There’s a guy in a local offroad group that has an older Sienna AWD that’s lifted with all terrains. It’s a cool camping rig, but he got about the same mileage I got with my 4Runner, which had much more offroad capability.
An EV off-road minivan type vehicle would be intriguing.
Empty nester PacHy driver here, great to hear they’re coming back. Schlepping family and grandkids as well as instant truck occasionally meant I could go back to minivan life as I approach retirement. The elevated but not too much seating helps with artificial hips and aged knees, and just the general freedom to never ever worry about Tetris packing before trips is so liberating. Hybidization fixed the only remaining disappointment, gas mileage. Drives like a car, rides like a car, packs like a truck is a great combo IMHO.
The Pacifica Hybrid seems particularly well-executed, with just enough all-electric range for around-town errands. It’s just a shame the battery pack can’t coexist with Stow N Go.
Stupid physics.
I dunno about well-executed. They have a lot of the problems of Stellantis PHEVs where, unless you luck out and get a good one, they’re notorious for becoming service queens. Plus all of the recall recommendations to not charge them (kind of the whole point of a PHEV, after all) and park outside lest the pack have a “termal event”. And if you’re anywhere it gets cold enough they just run the engine all the time anyways for heat which murders gas mileage.
Maybe this surge in sales will be enough to convince someone to make a little itty bitty minivan again. Mazda, bring back the 5!
Can I get an amen?!?
Will the 3rd gen’s rear fenders and rockers rust quickly and thoroughly too?
I saw a Mazda 5 in the wild yesterday and got very loudly excited about it.
There’s a guy who drives a 5 at elementary school pickup here. When I’m there, I always give the guy a ‘Jeremiah Johnson Nod of Approval’, though I’m sure he’s completely confused as to why I do.
The 5 looks great with a roof basket, which is a smart solution to cargo if you’re using it as a true 6 passenger vehicle.
A new Mazda 5 with Kodo design would certainly be a sight.
Bishop…
Toyota makes the Sienta and Honda has the Freed. Just gotta homologate them. Double points for a lifted rebadged Sienta as a Subaru Domingo.
As my name infers, I am all for the vanaissance
…thinking about it, A Transit Connect might be perfect for “a spare vehicle that does truck stuff.” If it’s not a reliability nightmare, that is…
But minivan is the perfect first step towards de-crossoverification. Maybe eventually we can all learn how to live a little lower to the ground.
The older 2.0L 5-speed Transit Connect config is a bit low on power 60+mph and can be VERY buzzy, but that’s more or less a mature Focus powertrain so mostly reliable. The 6- or 8-speed transmissions I’d be more leery of. And the Transit Connect is definitely on the budget side interior materials-wise.
If you can find one in decent condition, a basically equipped mid-oughties Dodge Caravan isn’t a terrible pick. Especially 2005+ when they ditched the separate TCM which are getting dubious in their late age. They’re otherwise in that kind of sweet of mature 90’s tech but before everything became devilishly computerized.
The problem is room with a Caravan. I’m tight for parking space, with both bays of the garage taken up.
A friend of mine and I (who both bought minivans) were both excited to potentially buy TCs with the promise of having all the benefits of a minivan with less cost and taking up less space.
Unfortunately, testing one left us feeling like our desire for hipster family cargo van would make our wives especially frustrated with us, lol. It simply was loud and uncomfortable like, you know, a cargo van. I’m all about basic and stripped down vehicles, but the TC felt like suffering for fashion, which felt incongruous with the whole premise of minivan ownership.
Just a heads up, the Transit Connect cannot fit a 4×8 sheet with the rear doors closed like most minivans can, even in EWB configuration.
I don’t see a need for 4x8s, but bags of dirt and the occasional bicycle or VW Dual Port I might.
Should be perfect for that use case
Eh, I’m going to wait until I call minivan renaissance.
For the niche of people who want a seven-passenger vehicle that can haul a lot of cargo or want the sliding doors, heck yes, they’re good machines.
That being said…
They’re just as large and unwieldly to maneuver as medium-to-large car-based SUVs. They are similar in cost to the aforementioned SUVs. The seating position isn’t much different than most car-based SUVs.
The non-hybrid versions of get mediocre fuel economy (<20 mpg city, <30mpg highway); the hybrid versions are expensive.
It’s not 1998 anymore. A short-wheelbase minivan was competing with something like a truck-based Ford Explorer in the driveway then.
I’ll also add that there needs to be more than four options for it to be a true renaissance.
The used market is even worse. Buy a Pacifica and have it do…Chrysler things, get a Kia Carnival/Sedona and have it potentially do…Kia things, or pay out your literal ass for a Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey that’s likely been driven to hell and back anyway.
Sucks.
If I needed a minivan, I think the only option would be to cough up the MSRP for a new Sienna AWD. I too have done similar calculations, and any savings gained by going with used or Chrysler/Kia/Hyundai are eaten by worse MPG and repairs. The Honda is supposed to be pretty hot, but the MPG deficit would push me towards the Toyota. I just checked used 2021+ Siennas, and they seem to bottom out around $25k with 150k miles. That’s way too much for a car that’s $40k with zero miles.
The problem is that Americans see minivans as the ‘end game’ solution, i.e. it’s basically the biggest thing they can get without going to a Suburban or Transit. That’s why the USDM MPV market has coalesced around the upper D-segment bordering on E-segment because it allows for full 8-passenger capacity + cargo in a way that few other vehicles can.
The issue with smaller MPVs like the Rondo, Mazda5, or countless global options (i.e. Honda Freed, Toyota Sienta, VW Touran, etc.) is that by being smaller they end up with many of the space compromises and tradeoffs of their crossover counterparts and because they don’t offer much of a meaningful space difference, most customers would rather have the flashier crossover alternative anyway.
I would buy the heck out of a Sienta hybrid or revived B-Max. Doubly so if they were full EV, but I’d take the 60 mpg off the Sienta hybrid.
I do like the verasatility, but buying a new minivan for gig jobs? Seems like a mistake.
A former friend worked at a shop where somebody showed up with a leased minivan(caravan?). Less than 2 years old, over 150k from uber and whatnot. On a lease. They were hosed.
The majority of the new Siennas I see are Ubers/Lyfts, and given how expensive those things are I’m skeptical the economics work out. But I guess if you also use it as a family car the math gets better?
I love these things for their versatility. Even if you’re not ferrying family, there’s so many other things you can do with them.
If you look at China they have a plethora of luxury electric models that throw in all manner of fun stuff, like large screens with gaming console compatibility, and chiller compartments. You could literally live in them if you wanted to.
I’m led to believe that in Asia luxury vans like the Toyota Alphard are preferred for chauffeured transport.
Saw some Alphards used in London a couple of years ago as ride-share/black-car rides. From what I’ve seen of the “executive” trim levels of the Alphard, it is a very nice place to sit back and enjoy the ride.
When I was in Hong Kong a while back, the Alphard was the car we used when not on the MTR or street cars. It was so nice. Mid row reclining seats and powerful rear control AC. Real luxury ride the hotel called for us. Most of the trip was exploring on foot and by train, but the Car was called after my wife got sea sick on the ferry and we needed a non water based ride home. It was smooth and comfortable. I was more drawn to every working Hiace we saw with cool wheels and many dents.
I’d love to see those come to the U.S. If some cab company or ride hailing service was able to run a bunch of them here, more people might get a chance to see the advantages they offer over SUVs and crossovers.
I really want a Zeekr Mix. They seem rad.
Millennials are starting to have grandkids. Boomers are hanging up their keys. Who’s that quote from anyway? “According to Chrysler” ahhh, ok.
Millennials are roughly 30-45 years old, and mostly having children later than prior generations. So grandkids is kind of a stretch.
Lauren Boebert is like 36 and is a grandmother. If someone starts young and their kid continues that tradition, it’s not that hard.
My mother recently ran into the neighbor kid, who was my younger brother’s friend (43 y/o). He told my mom he recently became a grandfather. Meanwhile, my brother’s kid just turned 3, haha.
I’m 49 and have a 9 year old…when I think about the inverse, just how old I will be when he graduates from high school… <shudders>
Yeah, there’s a balance there. My parents got married young and started in their early 20’s with kids. I’m the oldest, and when I realize my dad was only 41 when I graduated high school blows my mind. I’m 47 with no kids, and the thought of having a high school age kid at that time in my life is wild. I don’t know how they did it.
Having kids young and raising kids are two distinctly different things.
I’d rather not see Boebert as a good example of anything.
No, she’s a terrible person, but she was the first thing that came to mind for that example.
I remember learning that fact and being slightly enraged that she had the nerve to lecture people on family values.
Having your first kid at 21 or 22 isn’t as common as it used to be, but there’s nothing weird about it.
Here’s what reminded me recently: Now this guy’s a weirdo, but NFL fans saw Old Man Phillip Rivers come out of retirement to QB the Colts this past season. It was incredible! He’s got kids older than some of his teammates. He was a grandfather, the first to ever start an NFL game! He’s been a red-faced old man as long as he’s been in the league, so imagine my horror to realize he’s actually several years younger than me– a Millennial! They’re starting to have grandkids. The earth-shaking, culture-defining music of my youth is on the classic rock station, and the grocery store PA. It’s relentless.
my kid is 25 and my coworker who is in his early 50 just adopted a 2 and a 6 year old and i just cannot even imagine. I get physically sick thinking of taking care of a toddler at my age.
I couldn’t even imagine it after I passed 35. Hard no. That ship sailed. Now that I’m 50? Sounds like a nightmare.
I’m an old millennial, and I have noticed that the music at the grocery store has started to rock pretty hard.
I’m not sure I would have been able to afford having kids so early in my life to have grandkids by 40.
Current parents have added a lot to the cost of having / raising kids. The helicopter parenting just blows my mind as well.
It could be a market segment thing – e.g. they may have stats that the average millennial who bought a [insert Hemi-powered car / truck here] is also more likely to be a grandparent than, say, an average millennial Toyota buyer. Would be interesting to see those stats.
Given my username, I approve of this article and the facts within.
There are dozens of us! Dozens!
I want a minivan. I just want it to be MINI. Which minivans are not. Mazda 5, please.
Or the Sienta and Freed, which are still in production. They just gotta send them over.
Millennials aren’t young anymore! We grew up in vans in the 80s and 90s. Perhaps the very youngest were still kids when CUVs took off, but that was not the typical family vehicle of the time. Gen Z and younger would be the theoretical buyers rebelling against their parents’ CUVs.
I’m 41 and I remember when my “rich” (they had an above-ground pool!) cousins got a Suburban. I went on a CRUSADE to convince my parents to get one, but they couldn’t afford it.
Yep, my best friend had one too; despite my pleas, my parents graduated from our minivan to a conversion van instead because it was cheaper and could still tow.
A buddy I work with his wife is due for twins soon and was asking us for suggestions of a vehicle she should get as hers needs replacing I instantly said minivan. But that was struck down because he was saying she doesn’t want one and wants a 3rd row SUV so he said he will most likely get her a Durango. No idea why ask for suggestions to instantly strike them down if you are decided on what you want. He also said no to any toyota or Honda I suggested him.
Wouldn’t be surprised in a few years when his kids are in elementary school he was wishing they they had gotten a minivan.
she will wish for a minivan after a few put in and take out car seat cycles.
Among families that might benefit from a minivan, I find it’s often the female partner opposed to one. There’s a lot of speculation about men being opposed to “non-masculine” vehicles but in my observation, the “mommy-mobile” stereotype is more objectionable to women than men.
There’s a legendary Dan Neill article about this.
Had not read it before, is this it? https://www.latimes.com/news/la-hy-neil17oct17-story.html
yes
shoot harvey, i have one kid and a dog, and i wish i had a minivan (dog is too big for a crate in the back of the outback so he sits in his doggo hammock in the two seats next to the carseat
We have a 42in x 42 in x as tall as would fit, dog kennel in the back of the pacifica and can still use both middle seats if necessary. we can get 3 6-80 pound dogs in that.
I have found that when someone asks for car advice, they’re really looking for someone to tell them it’s a good idea to go get what they really want.
My mother-in-law wanted a 3-row SUV and asked for my advice. I said anything but a GM Lambda SUV (Acadia, Traverse, Enclave) with the 3.6.
Next day: “Come see my new car. A 2015 Acadia!”
I swear my MIL asks me for advice only to do the exact opposite EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I would be offended if it didn’t backfire on her… every single time.
Like Hyacinth asking Richard which hat she should wear
Exactly! Also, killer Keeping up Appearances reference.
Thanks! Glad you know it.
Risky going with the deep cut, but it paid off.
Helpful hint for the future. People don’t want to hear real advice. They just want validation for their choice.
Maybe having kids reframes the way logic works for some people. Recently a friend who’s a dad to toddlers told me they’d replaced their four-door Bronco with an F-150 Raptor “because now that we’ve got a second kid… you know.”
I still don’t know.
The low floor/ high seat – essentially walk in entry – is one reason retirees like them. No step up like an SUV or drop in like a sedan.
Especially with the death of the kia soul, scion xb and other attempted-young-buyers-ended-old-ones low floor crossover car things.
Yes, this too! When my dad was really losing his ability to get around, my sienna became the absolute best vehicle to try and get him in and out of. There was no way he was getting into my mom’s Jetta.
I miss the minivan full cargo versions. A voyager sized van with a cargo barrier and fewer back windows was super useful as a work truck.
Yeah, I still wonder why Stellantis discontinued the Ram C/V, it seemed like a perfect solution for a lot of contractors
Sell more Promasters, keep the small van from getting a foothold and following
It didn’t sell. Same reason the killed off the Promaster City.
Same reason all the other small commercial vans died.
It did sell. Just to very niche groups in very specific locales. I see at least two Promaster Cities every day run by different plumbing and HVAC companies. I always wonder what they’ll end up replacing them with now that there’s nothing of that size here anymore.
The Promaster City averaged 13,303 sales per year in the USA
When Fiat updated the Doblo in 2022 to the 3rd gen the USA sales did no justify spending millions to make it meet our regulations.
I’m not discounting that. I’m saying that for some customers in the U.S. it was the only thing that did the job, and with the high costs of federalization and our protectionist market they’re not going to have any alternatives going forward. Maybe a bed topper on a Maverick will be good enough.
Also Fiat didn’t update the Doblo. They simply rebadged the existing PSA EMP2 vans after joining Stellantis.
I’d say most of the commercial customers that bought compact vans will simply replace them with a full size vans. That is what the vast majority of the HVAC and plumbing companies drive around me. I see a lot of small box trucks as well.
Sadly, minivans are also becoming more popular as shelter.
Sadly reminds me of this: https://theonion.com/area-family-likes-car-so-much-they-live-in-it-1819568254/
Wow. That was dark. I am very angry with myself for laughing.
A close relative to one of my favorites: https://theonion.com/ford-unveils-new-car-for-cash-strapped-buyers-the-1993-1819594878/
The salesman’s pitch: you can afford this van by dropping your rent and sleeping in the van.