Leisure activity vehicle
Encyclopedia
A leisure activity vehicle (abbreviated LAV) is a small van
, generally related to a supermini
or subcompact car
, with two or three seat rows, and a large, tall car boot and tailgate
. An early example of the category was the Matra Rancho
introduced in 1977. They have become popular in Europe
in the 1990s as a cheaper and roomier alternative to small family cars.
Leisure activity vehicles are different from mini MPV
s in that the former are taller and have a longer and more horizontal bonnet and a more vertical windshield. Mini MPVs have higher, more vertical seats than LAVs, while these have seats similarly placed as to hatchback
s, sedans and station wagon
s.
As leisure activity vehicles sometimes have an extended wheelbase over other superminis, they are longer than the station wagons and mini MPVs they are based on. For example, the Fiat Doblò
is one of the longest LAVs with a total length of 4255 mm (167.5 in), versus the 4050 mm (159.4 in) of the Opel Meriva
(a mini MPV) and the 4030 mm (158.7 in) of the Peugeot 206
SW (a supermini).
Current examples include,
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
, generally related to a supermini
Supermini car
A supermini is a British term that describes automobiles larger than a city car but smaller than a small family car. This car class is also known as the B-segment across Europe, and as subcompact in North America....
or subcompact car
Subcompact car
Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...
, with two or three seat rows, and a large, tall car boot and tailgate
Tailgate
Tailgate is an American English word denoting the door or 'gate' at the back of a wagon, pickup truck, SUV or other similar type of vehicle that is hinged at the bottom and can be opened for the convenience in loading cargo into the rear of the vehicle...
. An early example of the category was the Matra Rancho
Matra Rancho
The Matra Rancho was a leisure activity vehicle created by the French engineering group Matra in cooperation with the automaker Simca to capitalize on the off-road trend, started by the Range Rover, by providing the "off-road look" at a lower price....
introduced in 1977. They have become popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the 1990s as a cheaper and roomier alternative to small family cars.
Leisure activity vehicles are different from mini MPV
Mini MPV
Mini MPV is a car classification used to describe superminis or subcompacts which have taller build, fitting below the compact MPV and large MPV classifications....
s in that the former are taller and have a longer and more horizontal bonnet and a more vertical windshield. Mini MPVs have higher, more vertical seats than LAVs, while these have seats similarly placed as to hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
s, sedans and station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s.
As leisure activity vehicles sometimes have an extended wheelbase over other superminis, they are longer than the station wagons and mini MPVs they are based on. For example, the Fiat Doblò
Fiat Doblò
The Fiat Doblò is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by Italian automaker Fiat since 2000, it was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2000.-First generation :...
is one of the longest LAVs with a total length of 4255 mm (167.5 in), versus the 4050 mm (159.4 in) of the Opel Meriva
Opel Meriva
The Opel Meriva is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The car is sold under the Opel brand on all of the European markets with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva, and Latin America, where it carried the Chevrolet badge. It...
(a mini MPV) and the 4030 mm (158.7 in) of the Peugeot 206
Peugeot 206
The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car, manufactured by the French automaker Peugeot from 1998 to 2010.Even though the 206 has finished production in most markets as of 2010, in Europe since 2009, it is available the 206+, with a back and especially a front design that resembles the Peugeot 207.-The...
SW (a supermini).
Current examples include,
- Ford Tourneo ConnectFord Tourneo ConnectThe Ford Tourneo Connect is a leisure activity vehicle produced by Ford, which was first put into production in 2002 to the British market. The Transit Connect is a panel van version of the Tourneo Connect. Principally termed a commercial vehicle, Ford predicted relatively low sales of between...
- Vokswagen Caddy LifeVolkswagen CaddyReleased in 1980, the first Volkswagen Caddy is a coupe utility, and van based on the Volkswagen Group A1 platform, shared with the small family car Volkswagen Golf Mk1.Volkswagen Typ is:*147 = LHD*148 = RHD-Caddy debuts internationally as a Rabbit:...
- Citroën BerlingoCitroën BerlingoThe Citroën Berlingo is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 1996. It was based on the Citroën ZX/Peugeot 306 estate floorpan and mechanicals...
- Fiat DoblòFiat DoblòThe Fiat Doblò is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by Italian automaker Fiat since 2000, it was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2000.-First generation :...
- Škoda RoomsterŠkoda RoomsterThe Škoda Roomster is a five-door five-seat multi-purpose vehicle-styled leisure activity vehicle, produced by the Czech automaker Škoda Auto. It was a revealed as a production model in March 2006 at the Geneva Auto Show, with sales starting in June 2006...
- Peugeot PartnerPeugeot PartnerThe Peugeot Partner is a van and leisure activity vehicle made by the French car manufacturer Peugeot. The van is named Partner and the leisure activity vehicle Partner Combi. In Italy it is known as the Peugeot Ranch....
- Opel/Vauxhall Combo TourOpel ComboThe second generation was launched in 2001. While most competitors severed their connections with their subcompact brethren, Opel decided to base the vehicle on the Corsa again. The use of subcompact Gamma platform constrained the overall width of the vehicle. While the general body shape was...