Rise and Fall of the Minivan

Podcast Episode: 0107
What Killed off the Minivan Craze and why did we ever like them?

     Minivans have been around a lot longer than most of us know of.  But how did this market come to be so big during the 90's and early 2000's and yet disappear so quickly after the 2008 recession?  This is one of those questions which AutoLooks knows the answer too.  So, come with us, as we take a look at the rise and fall of the minivan marketplace. 

      From their humble beginnings back in 1949, the Minivan has come a long way from its start.  Being known as a minibus until the 80's, meant this market was never really taken seriously.  But when one company decided to change the perception of the market, the end result was explosive.

      Back in 1983 an ailing Chrysler Corporation was in need of a new bread and butter vehicle.  But with limited funds available, they would have to utilize one of their current platforms.   The  K-Car platform was their newest platform and one of the only riding on a front wheel drive layout.  This was a perfect start for their new product.

     With the introduction of the front wheel drive, unibody Caravan and Town & Country, Chrysler was taking a chance on this market.  We all know what happened to that chance, as it became one of the biggest money makers for Chrysler during the 80's.  This of course set the stage for an influx of competition into this market and by the 90's, there were minivans everywhere.
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       But like most great fads of history, this one seemed to have an end-date, as their luster was starting to wear off by the mid 2000's.  With a rise in SUV's during the late 90's and now unibody CUV's coming out, the minivan had become an image of the past, like the station wagon.
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     In the end could the minivan market really leave our world, or is destined to have a place in our automotive future.  For that answer, you will have to listen to this podcast from AutoLooks.net.

Everett J.
​#autolooks, @Autolooks.net