Led by Toyota, the Minivan Makes a Comeback

Filed in archive Did you know , Information About , Toyota on May 4, 2010

It constantly amazes me how people can be swayed by what's in and what's out. That applies equally to the car world where perfectly logical automobiles suddenly acquire a stigma, usually undeserved. Buyers, encouraged by manufacturer's marketing morons and influenced by social conventions, then turn away in pusuit of the latest fad. The minivan is a perfect example of this idiocy. Two decades ago it was seen as the most practical vehicle for families; every manufacturer of popularly-priced cars had one in its showrooms. But then, almost overnight, young males began disparaging minivans, complaining that only "soccer moms" would be seen driving them. And what, I ask you, is wrong with being a mother who puts herself out to chauffeur her sons and daughters to a soccer game?

So out went the minivan and in came the SUV which, for all but offroad use, was the dumbest device to blight our roads since the Edsel. No, wait... I'm being unfair to the Edsel. Never mind that the SUV used more fuel than the minivan, that it had less carrying capacity, that it had a tendency to roll over under certain conditions. SUVs offered the illusion that drivers were safer because they sat up high, and probably boosted the egos of individuals who felt like this towering position made them kings (or queens) of the road. Of course, every automaker, including luxury manufacturers, had to have one. Or two. Or even three. Eventually, stung by negative rollover publicity and hit hard by a combination of rising fuel costs and the recession, the SUV faded out of fashion. Its place was taken, to some extent, by the absurdly named crossover, which can be either an SUV without all-wheel-drive or, in most instances, a tall station wagon. But they're not minivans.

I'm pleased to report that the market has returned to its senses. According to LeaseTrader.com, minivan demand is up 22.6 percent over the last 12 months. Once again it has become a sub-culture for soccer moms who make up a whopping 87 percent of all van transactions. Lynne Thompson, author of SoccerMomBook.com, says compared to the SUV and crossover the minivan is still the best choice because it offers all the space, functionality and features every mom could ever want when transporting kids. Joe Spina from Edmunds.com says people are rediscovering the minivan and they're getting over the whole stigma of driving a minivan. Saving money is a motivator, too; fully-loaded vans like the Kia Sedona ($28,600) and the Toyota Sienna ($35,600) are less expensive than crossover counterparts like the Buick Enclave ($42,100) and the GMC Acadia ($42,100).

What the minivan needs now is some visual excitement, or "swagger" as Toyota calls it. Toyota's Sienna television ads are bringing swagger back to the segment and the company is launching a fresh new product, as is Honda. Chrysler, of course, never gave up on the minivan but Ford and GM did. The minivan may never regain its place as the number one family hauler but I wouldn't be surprised to see it make a comeback, perhaps as some of those crossovers blossom into the kinds of vehicles people really need.

[Toyota Sienna Photo Credit: Toyota]