In today’s twisted social climate, a minivan evidently tells the neighbors your dreams are on life support. That, and there isn’t a lot of room for designer flourish and eye-catching detail of the type that attracts consumers. So, what’s the catch? Largely, the court of popular opinion has deemed them uncool. The Kia Carnival has a maximum of 141.5 cubic feet of cargo space, while the Tahoe can only eke out 122.9 cubes, though the Suburban does squeak past it at 144.7.Īnd while no minivan is capable of tackling rocky mule trails like an SUV, you can get the Chrysler Pacifica with the all-weather safety of all-wheel drive. Can a minivan fit as much cargo as a Chevrolet Tahoe? Actually, they can carry more. Will a minivan tow a 7,000-pound boat? No, but most can tug up to 3500 pounds (3,600 for the Pacifica), but 99.5% of the time, when you’re not towing, it’ll return far better fuel economy, up to 36 mpg in the case of the Sienna. Now any minivan that approaches 100,000 units in annual sales is considered a runaway success.ĭespite the huge shift in public preference, the humble minivan remains a paragon of the interior space vs. By the 1900s, Chrysler minivan sales alone hovered around 600,000 units annually while Ford, Chevrolet and other manufacturers battled for market share in a thriving segment.

The first model was a success right out of the gate and helped save Chrysler from the brink of insolvency. Of the three major domestic makers, only Chrysler remains-a fitting statistic, as the brand created the segment back in 1984. Long before the SUV replaced the minivan as the family hauler of choice, nearly every automaker had a player in the game.

Honda minivan