Minivan - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box

Three-box styling

Three-box design is a broad automotive styling term describing a coupé, sedan, notchback or hatchback where — when viewed in profile — principal volumes are articulated into three separate compartments or boxes: engine, passenger and cargo....

designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, 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...

, or a 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...

.

Worldwide, minivans are also marketed as multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), people-carriers, people-movers, or multi-utility vehicles (MUVs).

The term

In Europe and India, "multi-purpose vehicle" (MPV) describes the general vehicle type without reference to its size. These are described with a word before the acronym: a "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....

" is derived from 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....

, a "compact MPV

Compact MPV

A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars , fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments...

" is based on a small family car and a "large MPV" has about the same size as a large family car

Large family car

A large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...

. In Asia, "multi-utility vehicle" (MUV) has more or less the same meaning as MPV. "People-carrier" and "people mover" describe both large MPVs and minibus

Minibus

A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...

es, but not smaller models.

Other terms are used in other English-speaking countries.

Overview

MPVs are usually between 1600–1800 mm (63–70.9 ) tall, which is around 200 mm (8 in) taller than a sedan, hatchback

Hatchback

, or a station wagon

Station wagon

. The engine is mounted very close to the front edge of the van, and its elements are grouped higher than in other vehicle types to minimize front overhang length. The rear overhang may be short as in a hatchback or long like in station wagons, changing the cargo area vs seat balance – the first option is more common in smaller minivans and the second in large minivans.

Seating

Seats are located higher than in lower cars with a higher H-point

H-point

In vehicle design and especially automotive design, the H-point is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip, specifically the pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body, either relative to the floor of the vehicle or relative to the height above pavement level...

, giving passengers a more upright posture and providing more legroom.

Larger MPVs usually feature three seat rows, with two or three seats each: 2-3-2, 2-2-3 or 2-3-3 (front to rear) are the most common seating configurations. According to Consumer Reports, the most common large size configuration for the 2011 model year was 7 passenger seating. Smaller minivans tend to have two seat rows, with a traditional 2-3 configuration. There are some exceptions, like the Honda FR-V

Honda FR-V

The Honda FR-V is a six-seater compact MPV introduced by Honda in 2004 and marketed until 2009. Alongside the Fiat Multipla, it is currently one of only two compact minivans with a 3+3 seating configuration available on the European market.-Engines:The FR-V is available with three petrol and one...

, Fiat Multipla

Fiat Multipla

The Fiat Multipla is a compact MPV manufactured by Italian automaker Fiat since 1998. Based on the Brava, the Multipla is shorter and wider than its rivals. It has two rows of three seats, while all its competitors have two seats in the front...

, and Mercedes-Benz R-Class

Mercedes-Benz R-Class

The R-Class is a multi-purpose vehicle offered by Daimler AG in 2006 model year under the Mercedes-Benz brand. It is the first full-sized multi-purpose vehicle ever produced by Mercedes-Benz...

which are six seaters (3-3 in the first two cases and 2-2-2 in the latter). On U.S. models, Chrysler copied the short bench, long bench format of their full-size vans for most of their minivan models. Other U.S. manufacturers followed suit. This setup allowed easy access to the rear from the right side (these vans were initially all 3-door models). However, it led to tight seating in the second row. Captain's chairs (the format typically used on U.S. conversion vans) soon began to gain popularity, beginning with top trim models and working its way down. Today, with 4-door models completely replacing 3-doors, the Captain chair setup has become the standard format, with many models no longer offering two bench seats.

MPVs may have seats, either benches or individual seats, that are designed to be relocated, removed, folded partially (on-floor) or folded completely under-floor – allowing variable seating capacity

Seating capacity

Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...

and cargo room.

Chassis and drivetrain

In contrast to van

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...

s, sport utility vehicle

Sport utility vehicle

A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...

s (SUV), and many crossover SUV

Crossover SUV

A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...

s, most current MPVs are front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...

. This configuration allows a flat inner floor, due to the absence of the driveshaft hump. With rear seats removed, the cargo area in large minivans can hold a 4x8 ft sheet of drywall

Drywall

Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...

or plywood

Plywood

Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...

flat. Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...

was also introduced to minivans in North America with the Toyota Van Wagon 4WD

Toyota Van

The Toyota MasterAce is a vehicle that was produced by Toyota and distributed worldwide under several names, with "MasterAce" being the name used in Japan. North American markets received the MasterAce as the Toyota Van...

and the Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro. Full-time all-wheel drive was introduced to North American minivans in 1990 with the Ford Aerostar

Ford Aerostar

The Ford Aerostar is a minivan produced by Ford Motor Company for the North American market; the first such design by Ford, it was sold from the 1986 to the 1997 model years. It was sold in both passenger van and cargo van configurations in two body lengths with both rear wheel drive and all wheel...

's E-4WD option, followed in 1991 by the Toyota Previa All-Trac, and in 1992 on models made by Chrysler.

Most modern MPVs feature unibody architecture, which offers superior crashworthiness and a more comfortable ride than a body-on-frame

Body-on-frame

Body-on-frame is an automobile construction method. Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame that supports the drivetrain was the original method of building automobiles, and its use continues to this day. The original frames were made of wood , but steel ladder frames became common in the 1930s...

chassis, and is typically lighter. The discontinued Chevrolet Astro / GMC Safari

Chevrolet Astro

The Chevrolet Astro was a rear-wheel drive mid-sized van introduced by Chevrolet in 1985 to rival domestic competitors the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager twins and the Japanese Toyota Van. Also sharing the Astro's platform was its sibling, the GMC Safari...

were the last body-on-frame rear-wheel drive minivans.

In the United States, in order to be governed by more lenient safety and emissions regulations, minivans are classified as light truck

Light truck

Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds...

s. Unlike their European counterparts, manual transmissions have disappeared due to lack of demand; 1995 was the last year for a manual transmission in the Ford Aerostar and Chrysler minivans while GM had previously discontinued the manual transmission in the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari.

Doors

Door configuration for MPVs are highly variable. Access to the rear interior may be through one or two sliding or out-swing rear side doors. Early minivans featured one rear side sliding door on the passenger's side, similar to full-sized passenger vans in the early 1980s. Many current minivans feature rear sliding doors on both sides; swinging doors are the norm for European and Japanese minivans, while most American models feature sliding doors. Some models featuring power sliding doors.

Segments

MPVs can be roughly classified in three or four segments: large, compact, mini, and micro. Models of all segments are present in Europe, the Americas and parts of Asia.

Large MPVs are those above 4600 mm (180 in) long. Nearly every minivan sold in the United States belongs to this segment, so they are simply called minivans there. The first European MPV also belonged to this segment, and later similar models were named likewise until smaller models appeared; now these models are called "large MPVs". Examples are the Dodge Caravan

Dodge Caravan

The Dodge Caravan is a family minivan manufactured by Chrysler Group LLC and sold under its Dodge brand. Along with its nameplate variant, the Plymouth Voyager, the Caravan was introduced for the 1984 model year. In 1987, the Dodge Grand Caravan long-wheelbase model was introduced and sold...

, Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey

Honda Odyssey can refer to three motor vehicles manufactured by Honda:* Honda Odyssey , a minivan sold in Japan and other parts of the world* Honda Odyssey , a minivan sold primarily in the United States and Canada...

, Volkswagen Sharan

Volkswagen Sharan

The Volkswagen Sharan is a large MPV produced by the German automaker Volkswagen since 1995.-First generation :The name Sharan is derived from a Persian word meaning "Carrier of Kings"....

and Eurovan

Eurovan (PSA/Fiat joint venture)

The "Eurovans" are a family of large MPVs from the Citroën, Peugeot, Fiat and Lancia badges, built by Sevel at Sevel Nord factory. It was launched in March 1994. Production ceased in November 2010....

.

Compact MPV

Compact MPV

A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars , fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments...

s have a length of between 4200–4600 mm (165.4–181.1 ). Such models enjoyed some popularity in the United States in the late 1980s and early 1990s, for example the Mitsubishi Expo

Mitsubishi Chariot

The Mitsubishi Chariot, is a five door, five/seven seat compact MPV produced by Mitsubishi Motors of Japan from 1983 to 2003. It was based on the SSW concept car first exhibited at the 23rd Tokyo Motor Show in 1979, and named for the battle chariots used during the times of the ancient Greek and...

and Nissan Axxess. In 1996, the Renault Scénic

Renault Scénic

The Renault Scénic is a compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. It is based on the chassis of the Mégane small family car. It became 1997 European Car of the Year on its launch in late 1996...

was released in Europe and its success made mainstream automakers produce them in large quantities, usually based on small family car platforms and with both two and three-row seats. As of 2007, the only compact minivans available in the United States are the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo

Kia Carens

The Kia Carens is a compact MPV launched in 1999 by the Korean manufacturer Kia and marketed worldwide under various nameplates, prominently as the Kia Rondo....

.

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 are under 4100 mm (160 in) long, and were introduced in the early first decade of the 21st century. These models are based on supermini

Supermini car

platforms and have different styles depending on markets: Japanese models are more boxy while Europeans have the bonnet and windshield almost parallel. Examples of mini MPVs are the Opel/Vauxhall 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...

, Citroën C3 Picasso, Fiat Idea

Fiat Idea

The Fiat Idea is a mini MPV built by the Italian manufacturer Fiat since 2003. The car is based on the Project 188 platform, originally used for the second-generation Fiat Punto. The Idea is noted for its versatile interior, which includes sliding and folding rear seats...

, Toyota bB

Toyota bB

-First Generation :It is based on the Toyota Vitz.While the box-shaped car was initially targeted towards Japanese men in their twenties, it is also popular with women buyers.-Open deck :...

and Nissan Cube

Nissan Cube

The Nissan Cube is a Mini MPV produced by Nissan for the Japanese market since 1998, and now sold in export markets such as North America and Europe.-First generation:...

.

Tall city car

City car

A city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...

s and kei car

Kei car

Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...

s like the Hyundai Atos

Hyundai Atos

The Hyundai Atos is a city car produced by Hyundai. The original Atos was introduced in 1997. In 1999, it was joined by the less controversially styled Atos Prime. It uses the G4HC Epsilon straight-4 engine. The second generation Atos Prime was launched in 2004...

, Chevrolet Matiz, Chery QQ

Chery QQ

The Chery QQ is a city car produced by the Chinese manufacturer Chery Automobile since 2003. In 2006, the car was renamed the Chery QQ3 in China, when Chery launched their new supermini, the Chery QQ6.-Engine:...

and Suzuki Wagon R

Suzuki Wagon R

The Suzuki Wagon R is a kei car first introduced in Japan in 1993, and is still in production by Suzuki. The R stands for Recreation. It is one of the first cars to use the "tall wagon or tall boy" design in which the car is designed to be unusually tall with a short bonnet and almost vertical...

have also been called mini MPVs or "microvans" because of their increased height over traditional hatchbacks. Others believe they are too similar in design with other small cars, so they should be described as the same kind of cars.

Early minivans models may be smaller than modern models, but still fit into the child subsegment; the first-generation Renault Espace

Renault Espace

The Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, is an all-Renault product; the Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with...

introduced in 1984 would be classified nowadays as a compact MPV, but later generations grew in size and the Espace is now considered a large MPV. Indeed, it is expected that the next-generation Espace will be smaller in size than the current model.

History

Antecedents to the contemporary minivan include the Stout Scarab

Stout Scarab

The Stout Scarab is a unique 1930s U.S automobile produced in small numbers by Stout Engineering Laboratories and later by Stout Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan...

, which in 1936 featured a removable table and second row seats that turn 180 degrees to face the rear – a feature that Chrysler marketed as Swivel 'n Go.

The DKW Schnellaster, manufactured from 1949 to 1962 was a small monospace (or one-box) design featuring its front wheels set forward of the passenger cabin, a short, sloping aerodynamic hood, front wheel drive, transverse engine

Transverse engine

A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...

, flat load floor throughout with flexible seating and cargo accommodations – the key design ingredients that describe the modern minivan configuration popularized in such notable examples as the Renault Espace

Renault Espace

and Chrysler Voyager/Caravan

Dodge Caravan

minivans.

Other predecessors of minivans were compact van

Compact van

A compact van is a type of van characterized by a flat front design, mechanicals based on a compact car, an engine placed either at the rear or between and behind the front seats and were roughly the same size as the VW Bus. Popular in the United States during the early 1960s, they were replaced by...

s. In 1950, the Volkswagen Type 2

Volkswagen Type 2

The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...

adapted a bus-shaped body to the compact Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...

. It placed the driver above the front wheels, sitting behind a flat nose, with the engine mounted at the rear

RR layout

In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper....

. The two hinged side doors were opposite to the driver's side, with optional doors on the driver's side, Fiat

Fiat

FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

built a similar vehicle, Multipla based on the Fiat 600

Fiat 600

The Fiat 600 is a city car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969. Measuring only 3.22 m long, it was the first rear-engined Fiat and cost the equivalent of about € 6,700 or US$ 7300 in today's money . The total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori...

with the same engine and door layout. Japanese and American manufacturers responded with compact van

Compact van

s since the 1960s. Usually based on front-engined compact cars with a FMR layout, the engine was mounted behind or under the front seat with a flat, vertical nose. Examples include the Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Van

Chevrolet Van

The Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the same vehicle class as the Ford Econoline van and the Dodge Ram Van.The term "Chevrolet van" also refers to the entire series of vans sold by Chevrolet...

, Suzuki Carry

Suzuki Carry

The Suzuki Carry is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the van was renamed as the '...

, Toyota Hiace

Toyota Hiace

The Toyota HiAce is a motor vehicle produced by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. First launched in 1967, the HiAce has since been available in a wide range of configurations, including minivan and minibus, van, pick-up, taxi, and ambulance....

,and Subaru Sambar

Subaru Sambar

The Subaru Sambar is an automobile built by automaker Subaru for the Japanese market. It is Japan's first Keitora , shorthand for "kei class truck" and is still in production. The Sambar is available in both microvan and Kei truck to fulfill the Kei car guidelines...

. When Volkswagen introduced a sliding side door on their van in 1968, it then had all the 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.

As the U.S. vehicles such as the Econoline evolved into larger full-sized vans, the term minivan came to use in North America, when Toyota and Chrysler

Chrysler

Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....

launched their respective smaller minivan products for the 1984 model year. The Toyota Van

Toyota Van

and Dodge Caravan

Dodge Caravan

/ Plymouth Voyager

Plymouth Voyager

In 1984, the Voyager name was applied to Plymouth's variant of Chrysler's all new minivan. This Voyager used the Chrysler S platform, which was derived from the K-platform . In addition to using a derived platform, the Voyager shared many components with the K-cars, most notably the interior...

featured very different structural designs: the Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager had a FF layout

FF layout

In automotive design, an FF, or Front-engine, Front-wheel drive layout places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle.-Usage implications:...

and unibody construction, while the Toyota Van Wagon featured a FMR layout and was built on a body-on-frame

Body-on-frame

chassis. The Chevrolet Astro / GMC Safari

Chevrolet Astro

and Ford Aerostar

Ford Aerostar

were introduced for the 1985 model year with FR layout.

A European minivan design was conceived in the late 1970s by the Rootes Group in partnership with the French automaker Matra

Matra

Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...

(which was also affiliated with Simca

Simca

Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...

, the former French subsidiary of the Chrysler Corporation, sold in 1977 to the PSA Group). The Matra design was originally intended to be sold as a Talbot

Talbot

Talbot was an automobile marque that existed from 1903 to 1986, with a hiatus from 1960 to 1978, under a number of different owners, latterly under Peugeot...

and be a replacement for the Talbot-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....

. Early prototypes were designed to use Simca parts and a grille like the Simca 1307

Simca 1307

The Simca 1307 was the name under which Chrysler Europe launched its new large family car in July 1975.A modern, front-wheel drive hatchback, it was one of the first such cars in that class, along with the Volkswagen Passat, and became the 1976 European Car of the Year...

. Matra took their idea to Peugeot

Peugeot

Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...

who thought it too expensive and risky so the project was then presented to Renault

Renault

Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

, becoming the Renault Espace

Renault Espace

introduced in 1984. The Renault had traditional hinged car doors on both sides. Chrysler had also been developing a minivan based on the Chrysler K platform

Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...

, releasing the boxy Dodge Caravan

Dodge Caravan

/ Plymouth Voyager

Plymouth Voyager

earlier than the Espace, in 1983.

North America

Shortly after their arrival, the Chrysler minivans competed against the truck-based front-engine, rear drive Chevrolet Astro

Chevrolet Astro

, GMC Safari

Chevrolet Astro

(based on a reworked 1st generation S-10 platform), and Ford Aerostar

Ford Aerostar

(based on a reworked 1st-generation Ranger platform). Utilizing the transverse-mounted engine, front-wheel drive, monocoque

Monocoque

Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

(unibody) construction and "one-box" design, the Chrysler minivans offered better traction, size, and driving characteristics. Nissan and Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi

The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...

also introduced minivans to North America; but like the Toyota Van Wagon

Toyota Van

, they had poor rear drive traction, had a bouncy ride due to the short wheelbase

Wheelbase

In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...

.

In 1989, Mazda

Mazda

is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...

introduced the MPV

Mazda MPV

The Mazda MPV is a minivan manufactured by Mazda. Introduced in 1989 as a rear-wheel drive model with optional selectable four-wheel drive, it was replaced in 2000 with a front-wheel drive-only version...

, which featured a swing-out door with roll-down windows and was the first Japanese minivan with a front engine.

General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

introduced the Chevrolet Lumina APV

Chevrolet Lumina APV

The Chevrolet Lumina APV was a minivan produced by General Motors for the 1990 to 1996 model years. In 1994 the APV was dropped from the name to make the name more consistent with the cars, and it was simply known as Lumina or Lumina Minivan. It is similar to the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile...

, Oldsmobile Silhouette

Oldsmobile Silhouette

The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings, the Pontiac Trans Sport and Chevrolet Lumina APV , were a trio of minivans that débuted in late 1989 as 1990 models...

, and Pontiac Trans Sport

Pontiac Trans Sport

The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had...

in 1990. These minivans were GM's first front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive

minivans; built on a reworked version of GM's 1980s A-platform – with composite plastic body panels, a cab-forward nose, steeply raked windshield

Windshield

The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...

s, and deep dashboard

Dashboard

A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....

s.

That same year, Toyota introduced the Previa

Toyota Previa

The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990...

. The Toyota Previa

Toyota Previa

The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990...

had a four-cylinder engine located under the floor of the vehicle, mounted nearly flat on its side, rather than straight up and down like in its predecessor.

Ford and Nissan introduced models in 1993 with front-wheel drive, the Mercury Villager

Mercury Villager

The Mercury Villager was a minivan, marketed by Ford from model years 1993-2002. A rebadged variant of the Nissan Quest, the Villager was a product of a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Nissan and was built at Ford's Ohio Assembly plant in Avon Lake, Ohio.The Villager was unrelated to...

and Nissan Quest

Nissan Quest

The Nissan Quest is a minivan manufactured since 1993 by Nissan, and is now in its fourth generation. The first two generations of the Quest were a joint venture with Ford, which marketed a rebadged variant as the Mercury Villager...

respectively. These minivans featured car-based platforms

Automobile platform

An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...

and V6

V6 engine

A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...

engines. Ford introduced a slightly larger front-wheel drive minivan (based on a reworked version of the 1980s Taurus platform) called the Windstar

Ford Windstar

The Ford Windstar is a minivan that was produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company from the 1995 to 2003 model years. This front-wheel drive minivan was the second minivan designed by the company, serving as a replacement for the rear-wheel drive Aerostar minivan. The two were sold concurrently...

in 1994.

In 1995 Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

introduced the Odyssey

Honda Odyssey (North America)

The Honda Odyssey is a minivan manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda since 1994.The Odyssey had originally been conceived and engineered in Japan, in the wake of country's economic crisis of the 1990s – which in turn imposed severe constraints on the vehicle's size and overall concept,...

, based on the Honda Accord

Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....

with outswing doors with roll-down second row windows, a rear seat that folded into the floor, and a 140 hp inline four engine.

According to Autodata, in 2006 Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota comprised 72% of the United States minivan market. General Motors and Ford made up 17%, Kia Sedona and Hyundai Entourage

Hyundai Entourage

The Hyundai Entourage is a minivan marketed by Hyundai Motor Company in the North American market from model years 2007-2009.The Entourage is a rebadged variant of the second-generation Kia Sedona, manufactured at Kia's Sohari Plant. The minivan was briefly cancelled in August 2005, but...

sales made up 5%, and the Nissan Quest

Nissan Quest

was 3%. By 2008, most North American minivans had adopted the size and configuration of the long-wheelbase Chrysler vans, with Chrysler dropping their shorter models as well. In 2008, only the Kia Sedona and Chevrolet Uplander offered both short and long-wheelbase configurations. In 2008, Volkswagen debuted the Routan

Volkswagen Routan

The Volkswagen Routan is a seven-seat minivan and rebadged variant of the Chrysler RT platform, with revised styling, content features, and suspension tuning from the fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country....

, a rebadged variant

Badge engineering

Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...

of the Chrysler RT platform minivans.

Engines

During the 1980s, North American minivans generally had four-cylinder engines and were slow and under-powered when compared with sport utility vehicles, but were more fuel efficient. Such vehicles typically had poor performance, especially since manual transmissions were (and still are) rare in minivans. The minivans also often had a higher rate of problems than vehicles with larger engines. Some minivans were notorious for having problems with their transaxle

Transaxle

In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axle into one integrated assembly....

s, as the vehicles were substantially heavier than the sedans for which their powertrains were originally designed. With the shift in the 1990s towards heavier, long-wheelbase models and light towing, V6 engines became more common and some automakers dropped their four-cylinder engines from their lineup. The Chevrolet Astro

Chevrolet Astro

, the last surviving rear wheel drive mid-size van, was popular for towing applications because of its available 4.3 liter V6

V6 engine

, and some owners even installed their own V8

V8 engine

A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....

engines.

Europe

Apart from the Chrysler Minivans, the Renault

Renault

did not have any direct rival during the 1980s. Other mainstream automakers began to develop multi-purpose vehicles designed with European tastes in mind. PSA Peugeot Citroën

PSA Peugeot Citroën

PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....

and the Fiat Group founded a joint-venture, Sevel

Sevel

Sevel is an acronym used by PSA Peugeot Citroën and Fiat for a joint venture of factories building cars for both carmakers.Formely, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Talbot were also part of the joint venture.-Sevel Nord:...

, and released in 1994 the eurovan

Eurovan (PSA/Fiat joint venture)

under the nameplates Citroën Evasion (marked as Synergie in the UK), Peugeot 806, Fiat Ulysse and Lancia Zeta. The Ford and the Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....

JV Auto-Europa similarly co-developed models on a common chassis and built them in a shared-plant in Palmela

Palmela

Palmela is a town and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of and a total population of 58,222 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 5 parishes, and is located in Setúbal District, about south of Lisbon.The municipal holiday is June 1....

, Portugal. While the VW/SEAT/Ford model had alength of 4635 mm (182.5 in), the Espace and the eurovan were around 200 mm (7.9 in) shorter and would be considered today as compact MPVs. All of them were available as seven-seaters and the seats could be folded and removed. These models would be later called "large MPVs".

The trend towards compact MPV

Compact MPV

A compact MPV is a car classification used in Europe to describe multi-purpose vehicle versions of small family cars , fitting between the mini MPV and large MPV sub-segments...

s began in 1996 with the launch of the Renault Scénic

Renault Scénic

and Opel Zafira

Opel Zafira

The Opel Zafira is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The Zafira is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom.- Zafira A :...

. Compact MPVs were cars with tall bodies but based on the chassis and engines of a small family car (in the case of the Scénic, the Renault Mégane

Renault Mégane

The Renault Mégane is a small family car produced by the French automaker Renault since 1995. It is offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback, saloon, coupé, convertible and estate bodystyles...

). The runaway success of the Scénic saw the car spawn a multitude of similar vehicles, like the Opel Zafira

Opel Zafira

The Opel Zafira is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The Zafira is sold under the Vauxhall marque in the United Kingdom.- Zafira A :...

, the Citroën Xsara Picasso

Citroën Xsara Picasso

The Citroën Xsara Picasso is a compact MPV released by Citroën in 1999. At the time of its release, two trim levels were available, LX and SX, with a choice of three engines two 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrols, and a 2.0 Litre HDI engine, all shared with the smaller Citroën Xsara. The Executive trim...

, the Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen Touran

The Volkswagen Touran is a compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in Europe and other select markets. It was launched in 2003 to fill a gap in Volkswagen's model lineup, below the Sharan large MPV...

, the SEAT Altea

SEAT Altea

The SEAT Altea is a compact MPV produced by Spanish automaker SEAT, S.A. and named after Altea, Spain. The vehicle was designed by the Italian Walter de'Silva and launched in 2004 as the first example of SEAT's new corporate look...

, the Ford Focus C-Max

Ford Focus C-MAX

The Ford C-Max is a compact MPV produced by Ford in Saarlouis for Europe since 2003 and in North America from 2011. Although C-MAX was initially available only in Europe, the first generation was partially available in New Zealand. The North American model will launch with the second generation...

, and the Nissan Almera Tino

Nissan Almera Tino

The Nissan Almera Tino was a compact MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan in its Spanish factory in both petrol and diesel versions. It was based on floorpan of the Almera small family car, which had been launched in early 2000, and launched in Europe in the autumn of that year and sold...

. By the mid-first decade of the 21st century virtually all mainstream automakers in Europe had a compact MPV in their range. Citroën's Xsara Picasso was a strong seller and was followed up with the C4 Picasso range with 5 and 7 seat variants, a line-up which resulted in Citroën

Citroën

Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...

becoming Europe's largest MPV manufacturer.

Also in the mid-first decade of the 21st century, automakers began to use MPV-style designs on supermini

Supermini car

-based chassis. Examples of 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 them are the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva

Opel Meriva

, based on the Corsa

Opel Corsa

The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...

, the Citroën C3 Picasso, derived from the C3

Citroën C3

The Citroën C3 is a supermini car equipped with a range of inline-four engines that has been produced by the French automaker Citroën since 2002. It was designed by Donato Coco and Jean-Pierre Ploué, previously known for designing the first generation Renault Twingo; the former has been the head of...

, and the Fiat Idea

Fiat Idea

, derived from the Punto

Fiat Punto

The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer, Fiat, since 1993.-1st generation :Internally codenamed Project 176, the Punto was announced in September 1993 and launched in late 1993 as a replacement for the ageing Fiat Uno. The Fiat Punto was voted European Car of the Year...

platform.

In 2000, the Auto-Europa triplets (Galaxy, Sharan and Alhambra) were heavily face-lifted. More recently, Ford quit the Auto-Europa joint venture to make its own Galaxy sharing many parts with the Ford S-MAX

Ford S-MAX

The Ford S-Max is an MPV/saloon produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European market and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co., Ltd for the Chinese market. Introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the S-Max went on sale alongside the new generation Galaxy in June 2006. It is intended to be...

, another MPV. However the Auto-Europa production was not dissolved as VW and SEAT continued with their own models.

In 2010, the second-generation Volkswagen Sharan

Volkswagen Sharan

The Volkswagen Sharan is a large MPV produced by the German automaker Volkswagen since 1995.-First generation :The name Sharan is derived from a Persian word meaning "Carrier of Kings"....

and SEAT Alhambra

SEAT Alhambra

The SEAT Alhambra is a large 7-seat MPV by the Volkswagen Group, sold under the SEAT brand.The Alhambra already spans two generations since 1996, and both of them are built at the AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal...

were presented, making the debut of the brand new Volkswagen group's MQB platform, and like their predecessors did, they were both again almost identical in design one to another, with the exception of the front fascias, rear ends and some minor details. The production site would still be the Auto-Europa site in Portugal.

Engines

European Minivans (MPVs) are generally powered by four-cylinder engines, originally a mix of petrol and diesel units, but with petrol engines becoming increasingly rare as diesels have improved. V6 engines are rare due to the increased fuel consumption of larger engines being considered unacceptable with high fuel prices.

Asia

In the ASEAN nations, China and India, multi-utility vehicles tend to be smaller than North American minivans and European MPVs. Compact MUVs are more popular than models of other sizes.

They also differ in that they need to cope with uneven terrain as opposed to paved highway

Highway

A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...

s. Models from local manufacturers are usually based on Japanese designs from Suzuki

Suzuki

is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

, Daihatsu and Toyota. Popular models include Toyota Picnic, Toyota Previa

Toyota Previa

The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia, is an MPV or multi-purpose vehicle produced by Toyota Motor Corporation since 1990...

, Mazda 8

Mazda MPV

and Honda StepWGN

Honda Stepwgn

The Honda Stepwgn appeared in the Tokyo Motor Show as the "F-MX" in 1995, and in 1996 May 8 the Stepwgn emerged. At that time, Japan's commercial delivery vehicles was based on the engine being under the driver's seat, or a cabover type like the Stepwgn was based on the Civic FF layout of the...

.

MUVs vary widely in configuration. Whilst some MUVs might be replicas of European MPVs (such as the European Ford Fusion) or American-style minivans (like the Toyota Innova

Toyota Innova

The Toyota Innova is a Toyota-designed Compact MPV i.e. being less than in length as per the European system of size classification, produced in Indonesia under supervision by Toyota Astra Motor since 2003. As with Toyota Kijang, which it replaced, the Toyota Innova is produced and first marketed...

), in some cases MUVs are similar to SUVs (such as the Chevrolet Tavera

Chevrolet Tavera

The Chevrolet Tavera is a compact MPV produced in Indonesia by Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors and in India by American automaker General Motors sold in ASEAN and Indian markets. It uses the platform of the Isuzu Panther, a diesel-powered multi-purpose vehicle sold in Indonesia...

).

Other examples of MUVs are the Maruti Versa, Isuzu Panther

Isuzu Panther

The Isuzu Panther is a multi-purpose vehicle and pickup truck manufactured in Indonesia for the Asian market by Isuzu Motors. The model is suited to carrying large loads of passengers or cargo. It was developed to meet local conditions in terms of climate, roads and family structure as a durable...

, Toyota Avanza

Toyota Avanza

The Toyota Avanza is a mini MPV designed by Daihatsu. It is produced in Indonesia and also assembled contract assembled in Malaysia . Daihatsu designed and manufacturer the vehicle, which is then sold by both Daihatsu and Toyota under Xenia and Avanza name plate respectively...

, Mahindra Xylo

Mahindra Xylo

The Mahindra Xylo is a multi-utility vehicle designed and manufactured by Mahindra & Mahindra Limited. The Xylo was launched on 13 January 2009 at Nashik. Four variants-E2,E4,E6 and E8 are available with a price range of Rs 712,300-940,000...

, Toyota Qualis and Toyota Innova

Toyota Innova

.

In Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

, full-size minivans are popular. Korean

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

made examples include the Kia Carnival

Kia Carnival

The Kia Carnival is a minivan manufactured by Kia Motors, introduced in September 1998, now in its second generation and marketed globally under various nameplates – prominently as the Kia Sedona....

and SsangYong Rodius.

In Malaysia, the Proton Exora

Proton Exora

The Proton Exora is a compact MPV vehicle produced by Malaysian car manufacturer Proton and launched on 15 April 2009. It is a new model from Proton based on a new chassis. The development of this MPV started from scratch and it is the first Malaysian-designed MPV...

is Proton's first MPV and the Perodua Alza

Perodua Alza

Second attempt in rebadging MPV after Perodua Rusa, the Perodua Alza is a compact MPV produced by Perodua aimed at young families. It is a badge engineering of the Daihatsu Boon Luminas and Toyota Passo Sette, but uses a de-tuned 1.5 litre Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Terios engine. The name is...

is Perodua

Perodua

The ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...

's first MPV.

The term

Overview

Seating

Chassis and drivetrain

Doors

Segments

History

North America

Engines

Europe

Engines

Asia

See also