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80-472: Minivan (sometimes called simply a van ) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV ( multi-purpose vehicle ) or M-segment - and are taller than a sedan car , hatchback , SUV or station wagon . Compared with a full-size van , most minivans are based on

160-827: A transverse engine , a flat floor, and multi-configurable seating, all of which would later become characteristics of minivans. In 1950, the Volkswagen Type 2 adapted a bus-shaped body to the chassis of a small passenger car (the Volkswagen Beetle). When Volkswagen introduced a sliding side door to the Type 2 in 1968, it then had the prominent features that would later come to define a minivan: compact length, three rows of forward-facing seats, station wagon-style top-hinged tailgate/liftgate, sliding side door, passenger car base. The 1956–1969 Fiat Multipla also had many features in common with modern minivans. The Multipla

240-592: A two-box or a one-box body design with A, B, C, and D pillars . The cabin may be fitted with two, three, or four rows of seats, with the most common configurations being 2+3+2 or 2+3+3. Compared to other types of passenger vehicles, the body shape of minivans is designed to maximize interior space for both passengers and cargo. It is achieved by lengthening the wheelbase , creating a flatter floor, taller roof, and more upright side profile, but not as prominent as commercial-oriented vans that are boxier in profile. Practicality and comfort for passengers are also enhanced with

320-587: A car may be a member of multiple categories. Sports cars are designed to emphasize handling, performance, or the thrill of driving. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s, with one of the first recorded usages of the term "sports car" being in The Times newspaper in the United Kingdom in 1919. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term was originally used for two-seat roadsters (cars without fixed roofs). However, since

400-417: A car." The result of this program was the first American minivans based on the S platform , the 1984 Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan . The S minivans debuted the minivan design features of front-wheel drive, a flat floor and a sliding door for rear passengers. The term minivan came into use largely compared to size to full-size vans ; at six feet tall or lower, 1980s minivans were intended to fit inside

480-581: A crossover due to its small size and the use of hinged rear doors. Another compact MPV released to the market was the Mazda5 in 2004, a three-row vehicle with rear sliding doors. Mazda claimed the model "does not fit into any traditional (North American) segmentation." The Ford C-Max was released for 2013 as a hybrid electric and battery electric compact MPV with sliding doors. However, it did not offer third-row seating in North America. In Europe,

560-585: A five-speed gearbox. Another notable addition to the Japanese market's models was an optional column shifted manual. A four-wheel drive version followed later in the car's life. An extensive accessories and options list was available in the Japanese Domestic Market, including a kit that effectively turned the vehicle into a campervan . In January 1985 a facelifted version was introduced, with slightly modified engines. These later cars received

640-430: A front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, while some model lines offer all-wheel drive as an option (ie. Toyota Sienna, Toyota Previa, Chrysler Pacifica ). Alongside adopting the form factor introduced by Chrysler minivans , the configuration allows for less engine intrusion and a lower floor in the passenger compartment. In line with larger full-size vans, unibody construction has been commonly used (the spaceframe design of

720-676: A front-wheel drive layout and offered with a hybrid powertrain since 2001. In 2002, Toyota introduced the Toyota Alphard which was developed as a luxury-oriented model. In 2020, Lexus introduced their first luxury minivan, the Lexus LM , produced with varying degrees of relation with the Toyota Alphard/Vellfire. The LM designation stands for "Luxury Mover". Nissan introduced the Nissan Serena in 1991 and

800-471: A larger rear cargo space opening and larger windows. Some minivans/MPVs may use sliding doors, while others offer conventional forward-hinged doors. Initially, a feature of the 1982 Nissan Prairie , the 1996 Chrysler minivans introduced a driver-side sliding door; by 2002, all minivans were sold with doors on both sides of the body. Most minivans are configured with a rear liftgate ; few minivans have used panel-style rear doors, for example, cargo versions of

880-439: A larger vehicle with sliding doors. The highest selling year for minivans was in 2000, when 1.4 million units were sold. However, in the following years, sales of minivans began to decrease. In 2013, the segment's sales reached approximately 500,000, one-third of its 2000 peak. Market share of minivans in 2019 reached around 2% after a steady decline from 2004, when the segment recorded above 6% of share. It has been suggested that

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960-626: A lifting rear hatch. The Mitsubishi Chariot adopted nearly the same form factor, instead using wagon-style front-hinged doors. In 1990, Toyota introduced the Toyota Estima in Japan, which carried over the mid-engine configuration of the TownAce. Along with its highly rounded exterior, the Estima was distinguished by its nearly panoramic window glass. The Estima was redesigned in 2000, adopting

1040-497: A long history of one-box passenger vehicles roughly approximating the body style, with the 1936 Stout Scarab often cited as the first minivan. The passenger seats in the Scarab were moveable and could be configured for the passengers to sit around a table in the rear of the cabin. Passengers entered and exited the Scarab via a centrally-mounted door. The DKW Schnellaster —manufactured from 1949 until 1962—featured front-wheel drive ,

1120-700: A new "compact MPV" standard with the Renault Scénic in 1996, which became popular. Based on the C-segment Mégane platform, it offered the same multi-use and flexibility aspects as the larger MPVs but with a much smaller footprint. After the success of the Renault Scénic, other makers have developed similar European-focused products, such as the Opel Zafira that offered three-row seating, Citroën Xsara Picasso and others. In Japan,

1200-492: A new grille treatment and an entirely redesigned rear end: the bumper was now mounted separately to provide more stability after earlier versions had come under criticism for being much too flexible. This redesign also included taller, flush-fit rear side windows. In September 1985 the 4WD model finally appeared, using a larger 2-litre engine and the rear axle from the Nissan Sunny 4WD (B12) . A 4WD model had been planned from

1280-468: A passenger car platform and have a lower body. Early models such as the Ford Aerostar and Chevrolet Astro utilized a compact pickup truck platform. Minivans often have a 'one-box' or 'two-box' body configuration , a higher roof, a flat floor, sliding doors for rear passengers, and high H-point seating. The largest size of minivans is also referred to as 'Large MPV' and became popular following

1360-688: A rear seat that folded flat into the floor (replacing a removable rear seat). The Odyssey evolved into a low-roof, estate-like minivan until 2013, when it adopted a high-roof body with rear sliding doors. Honda also produced the Honda Stepwgn mid-size MPV since 1996, which is designed with a higher cabin and narrow width, and the Honda Stream since 2000 to slot below the Odyssey. In 2020, minivans made up 20.8% of total automobile sales in Japan, behind SUVs and compact hatchbacks, making it one of

1440-419: A spacious, flexible passenger/cargo arrangement that complied with Japanese Government dimension regulations and used small displacement engines that offered Japanese buyers options with regards to annual road tax obligations. The first generation Prairies were innovative vehicles - featuring no B-pillar between the front and rear doors (instead the interlocking front and sliding rear doors locked onto both

1520-514: A tall station wagon / estate with the addition of sliding side doors. It was available with five seats, though seven and eight were also available in some markets. It was developed from the Nissan Sunny platform, while using the powertrain from the Nissan Stanza . It was a companion model to the more traditional cabover Nissan Vanette , offering buyers a choice of appearance and flexibility. The trailing arm torsion beam rear suspension

1600-479: A typical garage door opening. In 1984, The New York Times described minivans "the hot cars coming out of Detroit," noting that "analysts say the mini-van has created an entirely new market, one that may well overshadow the... station wagon ." In response to the popularity of the Voyager/Caravan, General Motors released the 1985 Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari badge-engineered twins, and Ford released

1680-436: Is E-segment / executive car , which are usually luxury cars. In other countries, the equivalent terms are full-size car or large car , which are also used for relatively affordable large cars that are not considered luxury cars. Examples of non-luxury full-size cars: See Luxury saloon / full-size luxury section below. Minivan is an American car classification for vehicles that are designed to transport passengers in

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1760-569: Is called C-segment or small family car in Europe, and compact car in the United States. The size of a compact car is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as having a combined interior and cargo volume of 100–109 cu ft (2.8–3.1 m ). Examples of C-segment / compact / small family cars: In Europe, the third-largest category for passenger cars

1840-406: Is called D-segment or large family car . In the United States, the equivalent term is mid-size or intermediate cars. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a mid-size car as having a combined passenger and cargo volume of 110–119 cu ft (3.1–3.4 m ). Examples of D-segment / large family / mid-size cars: In Europe, the second-largest category for passenger cars

1920-504: Is called A-segment in Europe, or "city car" in Europe and the United States. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines this category as "minicompact." However, this term is not widely used. The equivalents of A-segment cars have been produced since the early 1920s. However, the category increased in popularity in the late 1950s when the original Fiat 500 and BMC Mini were released. Examples of A-segment / city cars / minicompact cars: The next larger category of small cars

2000-600: Is called B-segment Europe, supermini in the United Kingdom and subcompact in the United States. The size of a subcompact car is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as having a combined interior and cargo volume of between 85–99 cubic feet (2,410–2,800 L). Since the EPA's smaller minicompact category is not as commonly used by the general public, A-segment cars are sometimes called subcompacts in

2080-603: The CVT transmission. Styling and luxury items offered on the larger Nissan Elgrand were also offered on the Liberty. The Liberty saw competition from Toyota and Honda during this generation from the Toyota Ipsum , Mitsubishi Chariot , and the Honda Stream , and was joined with the new, larger Nissan Presage at Nissan Bluebird Store locations. From June 19, 2001, Nissan offered a rear door that swung up electrically, with

2160-614: The Chevrolet Astro , Ford Aerostar , and the Mercedes-Benz V-Class . Most minivans have a reconfigurable interior to carry passengers and their effects. The first examples were designed with removable rear seats unlatched from the floor for removal and storage (in line with larger vans); however, users gave poor reception to the design as many seats were heavy and hard to remove. In 1995, the Honda Odyssey

2240-545: The D-segment in the European car classification. In North American terms, close equivalents are "luxury compact" and "entry-level luxury car", although the latter is also used for the smaller premium compact cars . Examples of compact executive cars: An executive car is a premium car larger than a compact executive and smaller than a full-size luxury car. Executive cars are classified as E-segment cars in

2320-631: The Ford Windstar for 1995. The models also increased in size due to the extended-wheelbase ("Grand") versions of the Voyager and Caravan, launched in 1987. An increase in luxury features and interior equipment was seen in the Eddie Bauer version of the 1988 Ford Aerostar, the 1990 Chrysler Town & Country , and the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette . The third-generation Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan, and Chrysler Town & Country – released for

2400-546: The Mazda MPV was released as the first Japanese-brand minivan developed from the ground up specifically for the North American market. Its larger chassis allowed an optional V6 engine and four-wheel drive to fit. In contrast to the sliding doors of American minivans, a hinged passenger-side door was used. A driver-side entry was added for 1996, as Mazda gradually remarketed the model line as an early crossover SUV. By

2480-488: The Mercedes-Benz V-Class as a standard panel van for cargo (called Vito) or with passenger accommodations substituted for part or all of the load area (called V-Class or Viano). In 1998, the Fiat Multipla was released. A two-row, six-seater MPV with a 3+3 seat configuration borrowing its name from an older minivan , it is notable for its highly controversial design. Market reaction to these new full-size MPV models

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2560-527: The Nissan Elgrand in 1997. In 1995, Honda entered the minivan segment by introducing the Honda Odyssey . The Odyssey was designed with front-hinged doors and as derived from the Honda Accord. It came with advantages such as sedan-like driving dynamics and a lower floor to allow for easy access. In a design feature that would become widely adopted by other manufacturers, the Odyssey introduced

2640-553: The Renault Espace and the General Motors APV minivans being exceptions). Minivans/MPVs are produced on distinct chassis architecture or share platforms with other vehicles such as sedans and crossover SUVs . Minivans do not have as much ground clearance, towing capacity, or off-road capability compared to SUVs. Minivans provide more space for passengers and cargo than sedans and SUVs. Minivans/MPVs use either

2720-715: The Toyota Previa in 1990 to replace the Van/Wagon in North America. It was designed solely as a passenger vehicle sized to compete with American-market minivans. For 1998, the Toyota Sienna became the first Japanese-brand minivan assembled in North America, replacing the Toyota Previa in that market. For 1999, Honda introduced a separate version of the Odyssey for North America , with North America receiving

2800-565: The Toyota TownAce , Toyota HiAce , Nissan Vanette , Mitsubishi Delica and Mazda Bongo . These vehicles were based on commercial vehicles, which created a gap compared to sedans regarding ride quality and luxury. The Nissan Prairie , released in 1982, is considered the first Japanese compact minivan. Derived closely from a compact sedan, the Prairie was marketed as a "boxy sedan", configured with sliding doors, folding rear seats, and

2880-524: The 1970s the term has also been used for cars with fixed roofs (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Examples of sports cars: Nissan Prairie The second generation was marketed as the Nissan Axxess in North America, and replaced there by the larger Nissan/Ford joint venture called the Nissan Quest , and in Europe it was partially replaced by the Nissan Serena . When

2960-510: The 1986 Ford Aerostar . These vehicles used a traditional rear-wheel drive layout, unlike the Voyager/Caravan. To match the launch of minivans by American manufacturers, Japanese manufacturers introduced the Toyota Van , Nissan Vanette , and Mitsubishi Delica to North America in 1984, 1986, and 1987, respectively. These vehicles were marketed with the generic "Van" and "Wagon" names (for cargo and passenger vans, respectively). In 1989,

3040-482: The 1996 model year – had an additional sliding door on the driver's side. Following the 1990 discontinuation of the Nissan Vanette in the United States, Nissan also ended the sale of the second-generation Nissan Axxess . Nissan reentered the segment by forming a joint venture with Ford to develop and assemble a minivan that became the Nissan Quest and its Mercury Villager counterpart. Toyota also introduced

3120-644: The Canadian versions had manual belts. North American models only offered the larger 2.4-litre engine. Elsewhere the Prairie came with optional AWD and a 2.0-litre engine. In Europe, the Prairie was later replaced with the taller, more van-like Nissan Serena , while the Nissan Quest replaced both the Axxess and the Nissan Van in North America. In Japan, Nissan stretched the rear of the vehicle to better accommodate third seat passengers and load carrying, calling

3200-621: The Datsun script featuring on the centre of the speedometer. Nissan tried, with partial success, to cover over the script a grey sticker over the plastic fascia of the instruments, rather than on the speedometer itself. The 1.5-litre engine was dropped from the UK market sometime after the 1986 facelift with the 1.8 becoming the sole engine offered. From the facelift (larger front lights, larger front indicators with additional side repeat indicators, trim improvements, redesigned rear tail light clusters) onwards

3280-447: The European car classification. In the United States and several other countries, the equivalent categories are full-size car (not to be confused with the European category of "full-size luxury car") or mid-size luxury car. Examples of executive cars: The largest size of a luxury car is known as a luxury saloon in the United Kingdom and a full-size luxury car in the United States. These cars are classified as F-segment cars in

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3360-563: The European car classification. Vehicles in this category are often the flagship models of luxury car brands. Examples of luxury saloons: Cars that prioritize handling or straight-line acceleration are called sports cars or performance cars. However the term "sports car" is also sometimes used specifically for lightweight two-seat cars. Sports/performance cars can either be built on unique platforms or upgraded versions of regular cars. Common categories of sports/performance cars are: The definitions for these categories are often blurred and

3440-518: The European subsidiaries of Chrysler, the Espace was intended as a successor for the Matra Rancho , leading to its use of front-hinged doors. While slow-selling at the time of its release, the Espace would become the most successful European-brand minivan. Initially intending to market the Espace in North America through American Motors Corporation (AMC), the 1987 sale of AMC to Chrysler canceled

3520-416: The UK model was available either in 1.5 GL, 1.8 SGL or 1.8 SGL Anniversary II specification (featuring two-tone paint, electric front windows, electric steel sliding sunroof, power assisted steering and a dealer applied 'Anniversary II' badge on the tailgate). The Prairie was sold with a 3-year 100,000 mile warranty and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty. The European 1.5 produces 70 PS (51 kW), while

3600-641: The United Kingdom in 1959. In the UK, the Minivan was a small van manufactured by Austin based on the newly introduced Mini car. In the US, the term was used to differentiate the smaller passenger vehicles from full-size vans (such as the Ford E-Series, Dodge Ram Van, and Chevrolet Van), which were then called 'vans'. The first known use of the term was in 1959, but not until the 1980s was it commonly used. In contrast to larger vans, most modern minivans/MPVs use

3680-574: The United States. In Europe and Great Britain, the B-segment and supermini categories do not have any formal definitions based on size. Early supermini cars in Great Britain include the 1977 Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Chevette . In the United States, the first locally-built subcompact cars were the 1970 AMC Gremlin , Chevrolet Vega , and Ford Pinto . Examples of B-segment / supermini / subcompact cars: The largest category of small cars

3760-468: The beginning, but the original bodyshell's lack of rigidity made Nissan rethink the concept. The vehicle was launched as the Datsun Prairie in Europe and was rebranded to Nissan along with the rest of the range from 1984, at first featuring "Datsun by Nissan" badging and then solely "Nissan" badging from 1985. However, as Prairie was a slow but steady seller, some instrument clusters remained with

3840-457: The cabin floor; DVD/VCR entertainment systems; in-dash navigation and rear-view camera (both only offered on higher-end trims); and parking sensors. However, the Quest and Sedona only echo these design changes in their third and second respective generations. At the same time, Chrysler introduced fold-flat seating in 2005 (under the trademark “Stow-n’-go”). Mazda's MPV did not feature power doors and

3920-408: The classification is commonly known as "MPV", "people carrier", or officially M-segment, and includes van -based vehicles and smaller vehicles with two-row seating. The 1984 Renault Espace was the first European-developed minivan developed primarily for passenger use (as the earlier DKW and Volkswagen used their commercial van platforms in a minibus variant). Beginning development in the 1970s under

4000-406: The classification is known as "minivan" ( Japanese : ミニバン , Hepburn : Miniban ) and defined by its three-row seating capacity. Before the birth of minivans with modern form factors, tall wagon-type vehicles with large seating capacity in Japan were known as light vans. They commonly adopted mid-engine , cab over design, and rear-wheel drive layout with one-box form factor. Examples included

4080-487: The commercial-oriented Ford Transit Connect Wagon from Turkey. A similar vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz Metris , entered the North American market in 2016. The Kia Sedona , which was introduced for the 2002 model year, is notable for being the first minivan from a South Korean manufacturer in the region. For 2007, Kia also introduced the three-row Kia Rondo compact MPV, where it was prominently marketed as

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4160-771: The commonly used terms of market segments and legal classifications. Microcars and their Japanese equivalent— kei cars— are the smallest category of automobile. Microcars straddle the boundary between car and motorbike, and are often covered by separate regulations from normal cars, resulting in relaxed requirements for registration and licensing. Engine size is often 700 cc (43 cu in) or less, and microcars have three or four wheels. Microcars are most popular in Europe, where they originated following World War II. The predecessors to micro cars are voiturettes and cycle cars . Kei cars have been used in Japan since 1949. Examples of microcars and kei cars: The smallest category of vehicles that are registered as normal cars

4240-465: The doors were slid open); tailgate that opened past the floor of the very low and flat luggage compartment (the center section of the rear bumper was mounted on the tailgate); optional front-facing third row of seats. This type of entry was later introduced on the Toyota Isis , but only on the passenger side. It was originally launched in Japan with a 1.5- or 1.8-litre Inline-four engine mated to

4320-706: The early 1980s, most notably by Chrysler (producer of the Chrysler minivans ) and Renault (the Renault Espace ), both first sold for model year 1984. Minivans cut into and eventually overshadowed the traditional market of the station wagon and grew in global popularity and diversity throughout the 1990s. Since the 2000s, their reception has varied in different parts of the world: in North America, for example, they have been largely eclipsed by crossovers and SUVs , while in Asia they are commonly marketed as luxury vehicles . The term minivan originated in North America and

4400-455: The end of the 1980s, demand for minivans as family vehicles had largely superseded full-size station wagons in the United States. During the 1990s, the minivan segment underwent several significant changes. Many models switched to the front-wheel drive layout used by the Voyager/Caravan minivans. For example, Ford replaced the Aerostar with the front-wheel drive Mercury Villager for 1993 and

4480-403: The falling popularity of minivans is due to the increasing popularity of SUVs and crossovers, and its increasingly undesirable image as a vehicle for older drivers or the soccer mom demographics. From 2000 onward, several minivan manufacturers adopted boxier square-based exterior designs and began offering more advanced equipment, including power doors and liftgate; seating that folded flat into

4560-486: The floor and roof of the vehicle); front seatbelts mounted on the doors (excluding the US versions) that facilitated a totally unimpeded side entrance; front seats that could be slid all the way to the front of the passenger compartment and fully reclined; rear seats that could not only be folded away conventionally, but could also be reclined fully to make a double bed (in combination with the front seats); rear window winders that folded into themselves (to prevent catching when

4640-603: The innovative features that made the first generation standout - the B-pillar was reinstated, the torsion beam rear suspension was replaced with a more conventional coil setup which prevented the rear seats from reclining. The vehicle sold for six years (1990–95) in Canada, but only for the 1990 model year in the United States , as it was replaced by the Nissan Quest . The U.S. version had motorized automatic seatbelts while

4720-406: The introduction of the 1984 Dodge Caravan and Renault Espace . Typically, these have platforms derived from D-segment passenger cars or compact pickups. Since the 1990s, the smaller compact MPV and mini MPV sizes of minivans have also become popular. Though predecessors to the minivan date back to the 1930s, the contemporary minivan body style was developed concurrently by several companies in

4800-402: The introduction of the 1984 Renault Espace and Dodge Caravan. Since the 1990s, the smaller compact MPV and mini MPV sizes of minivans have also become popular. If the term "minivan" is used without specifying a size, it usually refers to a large MPV. Examples of Large MPVs: The premium compact class (also called subcompact executive) is the smallest category of luxury cars. It became popular in

4880-561: The issues buyers had with the Prairie was its appearance and performance, so the styling was given more attention, and Nissan's Autech division punched up its performance image, by offering the Liberty Rider that replaced the Axis trim package. The turbocharged engine was offered in the "Highway Star 4WD" package October 12, 1999, as well as the "Highway Star GT4", also enhanced by Autech. Front wheel drive vehicles were only available with

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4960-656: The largest minivan markets in the world. In South Korea, both the terms "minivan" and "MPV" are used. The Kia Carnival (also sold the Kia Sedona) was introduced in 1998 with dual sliding doors. Sharing its configuration with the Honda Odyssey, the Hyundai Trajet was sold from 1999 to 2008. Introduced in 2004, the SsangYong Rodius is the highest-capacity minivan, seating up to 11 passengers. It

5040-589: The later 2.0 offered 102 PS (75 kW). Four-wheel-drive was introduced along with the larger engine. The second generation of the Prairie was introduced September 1988 and marketed as the Axxess in North America . To meet concerns that the original bodyshell was too weak, the platform used was upgraded from the smaller Nissan Sunny to the larger Nissan Bluebird . The engines were correspondingly bigger as well. The second generation Prairie lost some of

5120-433: The mid-2000s, when European manufacturers — such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz — introduced new entry-level models that were smaller and cheaper than their compact executive models. Examples of premium compact cars: A compact executive car or a compact luxury car is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car . Compact executive cars are equivalent size to mid-size cars and are part of

5200-798: The plans for Renault to do so. In the late 1980s, Chrysler and Ford commenced sales of American-designed minivans in Europe (categorized as full-size in the region), selling the Chrysler Voyager and Ford Aerostar. General Motors imported the Oldsmobile Silhouette (branded as the Pontiac Trans Sport), later marketing the American-produced Opel/Vauxhall Sintra . In the 1990s, several joint ventures produced long-running minivan designs. In 1994, badge engineered series of Eurovans

5280-486: The platforms of B-segment hatchback models. Examples of Mini MPVs: The compact MPV size class includes vehicles between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) sizes. Compact MPVs remain predominantly a European phenomenon, although they are also built and sold in many Latin American and Asian markets. Examples of Compact MPVs: The largest size of minivans is also referred to as "large MPV" and became popular following

5360-477: The rear seating rows, and have reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent terms in British English are multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), people carrier, and people mover. Minivans are often of the "one-box" or "two-box" body configuration, high roofs, flat floors, sliding doors for rear passengers, and high H-point seating. Mini MPV is the smallest size of MPVs and the vehicles are often built on

5440-423: The segment totalled 310,630 units in the U.S. (2.1% of the overall car market), and 33,544 in Canada (2.0% of the overall car market). As of 2022, the passenger-oriented minivan segment consists of the Toyota Sienna , Chrysler Pacifica , Chrysler Voyager , Honda Odyssey , and Kia Carnival . In the late 1970s, Chrysler began a development program to design "a small affordable van that looked and handled more like

5520-716: The third generation of this vehicle was introduced in Japan, it was renamed initially Prairie Liberty , with the "Prairie" name eventually dropped in November 1998. This vehicle was replaced with the Nissan Lafesta in 2004. The Nissan Prairie, known in Canada as the Multi and the United States as the Stanza Wagon , was equipped with a four-cylinder engine, with either a manual or automatic transmission . Available with front wheel drive or optional four wheel drive,

5600-441: The vehicle had rear passenger sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle, and a folding rear seat, designed to increase the carrying capacity of the passenger compartment. The rear tailgate opened upwards as one complete unit, in a similar fashion to a hatchback or station wagon . The Prairie competed with the Toyota Sprinter Carib with a similar wagon approach, Mitsubishi Chariot , and the Honda Shuttle . The Prairie resembled

5680-446: The vehicle the Prairie Joy and offering the vehicle in August 1995. Conversions offered a raised roof over the passenger space up to the rear hatch. As of May 1997, anti-lock brakes and driver and front passenger airbags were offered, along with ultraviolet restricting tinted glass. For this generation, the car's name was changed to Nissan Liberty in Japan, while in Hong Kong, it retained the Prairie name. It has rear sliding doors and

5760-577: Was available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive . It is equipped with either the SR20DE or the SR20DET engine, both of which are mated to either a 4-speed automatic or a CVT transmission. The third generation Prairie now shared a platform with the compact station wagon Nissan Avenir with the Prairie/Liberty focused more on flexible seating and cargo carrying duties. Some of

5840-747: Was based on the chassis of the Fiat 600 and had a rear engine and cab forward layout. The early 1960s saw Ford and Chevrolet introduce "compact" vans for the North American market, the Econoline Club Wagon and Greenbrier respectively. The Ford version was marketed in the Falcon series, the Chevrolet in the Corvair 95 series. The Econoline grew larger in the 1970s, while the Greenbrier

5920-719: Was borrowed from the Pulsar Van (VN10; sold as the Cherry Wagon in Europe). Some reviewers commented that when driven hard, undesirable body characteristics were exhibited, possibly due to the combination of missing B-pillar and torsion beam rear suspension. Strong understeering characteristics were also typical. The Prairie design was strongly inspired by the Lancia Megagamma concept by Giorgetto Giugiaro and ItalDesign, shown in 1979, and offered Japanese buyers

6000-761: Was discontinued in 2017. Due to the market decline, North American sales of the Volkswagen Eurovan ceased in 2003. Ford exited the segment in 2006 when the Ford Freestar was canceled, Chrysler discontinued its short-wheelbase minivans in 2007, and General Motors left the market segment in 2009 with the cancellation of the Chevrolet Uplander . However, Volkswagen marketed the Volkswagen Routan (a rebadged Chrysler RT minivans ) between 2009 and 2013. In 2010, Ford started importing

6080-799: Was discontinued in 2019. Current minivans marketed in South Korea are the Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria, along with imported options such as the Toyota Sienna (originally for North America) and later generations of Honda Odyssey. Car classification Governments and private organizations have developed car classification schemes that are used for various purposes including regulation, description, and categorization of cars . The International Standard ISO 3833-1977 Road vehicles – Types – Terms and definitions also defines terms for classifying cars. The following table summarises

6160-401: Was introduced with a third-row seat that folded flat into the floor, which was then adopted by many competitors, including Chrysler that introduced third-row and fold-flat second-row seats in 2005. High-end minivans may include distinguished features such as captain seats or Ottoman seats , as opposed to bench seats for the second row. Before the adoption of the minivan term, there is

6240-525: Was introduced, produced by Sevel Nord and marketed by Citroën, Fiat, Lancia, and Peugeot. The Eurovans were built with two sliding doors; the gearshift was located on the dashboard to increase interior space, and a petal-type handbrake was adopted. In 1995, Ford of Europe and Volkswagen entered a joint venture, producing the Ford Galaxy , SEAT Alhambra , and Volkswagen Sharan minivans, featuring front-hinged rear side doors. In 1996, Mercedes introduced

6320-597: Was joined by (and later replaced by) the Chevy Van . Due to their larger footprint and engines, minivans developed for the North American market are distinct from most minivans/MPVs marketed in other regions, such as Europe and Asia. As of 2020, average exterior length for minivans in North America ranged around 200 inches (5.08 m), while many models use V6 engines with more than 270 horsepower (201 kW; 274 PS) mainly to fulfill towing capacity requirements which North American customers demand. In 2021, sales of

6400-493: Was mixed. Consumers perceived MPVs as large and truck-like despite boasting similar footprints as large sedans. Arguably, cultural reasons regarding vehicle size and high fuel prices were a factor. During 1996 and 1997, the Western European MPV market expanded from around 210,000 units to 350,000 units annually. However, the growth did not continue as expected, resulting in serious plant overcapacity . Renault set

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