A minivan, multi-purpose vehicle (abbreviated MPV), people-carrier, people-mover or multi-utility vehicle (shortened MUV) is a type of automobile similar in shape to a van that is designed for personal use. The Renault Espace is a Large MPV from French car-maker Renault. The Volkswagen Transporter was also marketed in North America as "Volkswagen Eurovan". Norddeutsche Automobil und Motoren GmbH was a German brand created in 1908 and was owned by the Norddeutsche Lloyd shipping company A van is a kind of vehicle used for Transporting goods or groups of people Minivans are taller than a sedan, hatchback or a station wagon, and are designed for maximum interior room. Hatchback is a term designating an Automobile design containing a passenger cabin with an integrated Cargo space accessed from behind the vehicle by a single A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate
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The term
The term "minivan" was coined in North America, deriving from the fact that these vehicles were considerably smaller and more streamlined than traditional North American passenger vans, such as the Ford E-Series. The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the "Econoline" or "Club Wagon" is a line of full-size Vans (both cargo and passenger and truck
Other terms are used in other English-speaking countries. In Europe and India, "multi-purpose vehicle" (MPV) describes the general vehicle type without reference to its size. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country These are described with a word before the acronym: a mini MPV is derived from a supermini, a compact MPV is based on a small family car and a large MPV has about the same size as a large family car. Mini MPV (MPV stands for Multi-purpose vehicle, although the full name is rarely used is a Car classification used to describe superminis or A supermini is a British Car classification term that describes Automobiles larger than a City car but smaller than a Small family car. A Compact MPV is a Car classification used in Europe to describe Multi-purpose vehicle versions of Small family cars (sometimes also referred A compact (North America small family (European or c-segment car is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini A minivan, multi-purpose vehicle (abbreviated MPV) people-carrier, people-mover or multi-utility vehicle (shortened A large family car is a European classification of cars which are larger than a Small family car and smaller than an Executive 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 minibuses, but not smaller models. "Microbus" redirects here For the Volkswagen Microbus see Volkswagen Type 2.
Characteristics
Overview
Minivans are usually between 1600 and 1800 mm tall (or between 65 and 70 in), which is around 200 mm (8 in) taller than a sedan, hatchback or a station wagon. Hatchback is a term designating an Automobile design containing a passenger cabin with an integrated Cargo space accessed from behind the vehicle by a single A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate The engine is mounted very close to the front edge of the car, and its elements are grouped higher than in other car types to minimize front overhang length. The rear overhang may be both short like a hatchback or long like in station wagons, changing the boot vs seat balance – the first option is more common in smaller minivans and the second in large minivans.
Seats
Seats are located higher than in lower cars with a higher H-point, giving passengers seat more upright, posture and leaving more room for the legs. In vehicle design and especially Automotive design, the H-point (or hip-point) is the relative vertical location of an occupant's hip, specifically the Some people find this seating position uncomfortable and prefer lower automobiles, while the disabled, the elderly or people with little flexibility may benefit from the lack of need to "sit down" when entering the car.
Larger minivans 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. Smaller minivans tend to have two seat rows, with a traditional 2-3 configuration. There are some exceptions, like the Honda FR-V, Fiat Multipla and Mercedes-Benz R-Class which are six seaters (3-3 in the first two cases and 2-2-2 in the latter). The Honda FR-V ( Honda Edix in Japan) is a six-seater Compact MPV introduced by Honda in 2004 For the earlier Fiat 600-based Multipla produced between 1956 and 1965 see Fiat 600. The R-Class is a crossover offered by Daimler AG in 2006 model year under the Mercedes-Benz Brand.
Many minivans have so-called seating "flexibility", which means that seat benches or individual seats can be relocated, folded, swung and/or removed. This allows more seating capacity or cargo room depending on needs.
Chassis and drivetrain
In contrast to vans, sport utility vehicles and many crossover SUVs, most current minivans are front-wheel drive. A van is a kind of vehicle used for Transporting goods or groups of people A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis A Crossover &mdash variously called XUV or CUV, for crossover utility vehicle &mdash is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car while borrowing Front-wheel drive (or FF layout) is a form of engine / transmission layout used in Motor vehicles where the engine drives the front Wheels The main advantage is somewhat better traction than rear-wheel drive vehicles under slippery conditions like rain, snow and ice. This configuration also allows more inner area along the 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 or plywood flat. For the musical group "Drywall" see Drywall (musical project Drywall is a common manufactured Building material Plywood is a type of Engineered board made from thin sheets of Wood, called plies or veneers Four-wheel drive was also introduced to minivans in North America with the Toyota Van Wagon 4WD and the Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. Full-time all-wheel drive was introduced to North American minivans in the 1990 Ford Aerostar with the E-4WD option. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to The Ford Aerostar was Ford's first Minivan, and was introduced as a 1986 model in summer 1985
Most modern minivans feature unibody architecture, which offers superior crashworthiness and a more comfortable ride than a body-on-frame chassis, and is typically lighter. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external Body-on-frame is an Automobile construction technology Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame which supports the Drivetrain was the original method of building The Chevrolet Astro / GMC Safari was the last body-on-frame rear-wheel drive minivan but is now discontinued. See also Chevrolet Astra of Latin America The Chevrolet Astro was a Rear-wheel drive Minivan introduced by Chevrolet
In the United States, in order to be governed by more lenient safety and emissions regulations, minivans are classified as light trucks. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Light truck or' light duty truck' is a classification for Trucks or truck-based Vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4000 pounds 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 and GM had discontinued the manual transmission in the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari some time before.
Doors
Access to the third row is through the rear side doors; these may open by sliding them or swinging. Early minivans featured one rear side sliding door on the passenger's side, differentiating them from earlier cargo vans which typically had a pair of outward-opening double doors behind the front passenger door. Almost every current minivan features rear doors on both sides; swinging doors are the norm for European and Japanese minivans, while most American models feature sliding doors.
Segments
Minivans can be roughly classified in three or four segments: large, compact, mini and sometimes micro. Models of all segments are present in Europe, the Americas and parts of Asia. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America
Large minivans 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 United States of America —commonly referred to as the 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, Honda Odyssey, Ford Galaxy and Eurovan. The Honda Odyssey is a Minivan, or "large MPV" produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1994 See also the Ford Galaxie full-size car of the 1950s and 1960s For the Ford Galaxy built in Argentina in the 1990s see Volkswagen Passat. The Volkswagen Transporter was also marketed in North America as "Volkswagen Eurovan".
Compact MPVs have a length of between 4200 mm and 4600 mm (165-180 in). The Ford C-Max is a Compact MPV produced by Ford in Saarlouis for the European market since 2003 The Renault Scénic is a Compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. A Compact MPV is a Car classification used in Europe to describe Multi-purpose vehicle versions of Small family cars (sometimes also referred Such models enjoyed some popularity in the United States in the late 1980s and early 1990s, for example the Mitsubishi Expo and Nissan Axxess. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Mitsubishi Chariot, is a five door five/seven seat Compact MPV produced by Mitsubishi Motors of Japan from 1983 to 2002 The Nissan Prairie, introduced in Japan in 1981 and Europe in 1982 was a car from Japanese manufacturer In 1996, the Renault Scénic 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. The Renault Scénic is a Compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. A compact (North America small family (European or c-segment car is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini As of 2007, the only compact minivans available in the United States are the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Mazda Premacy is a Compact MPV built by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 1999
Mini MPVs are under 4100 mm (160 in) long, and were introduced in the early 2000s. Mini MPV (MPV stands for Multi-purpose vehicle, although the full name is rarely used is a Car classification used to describe superminis or These models are based on supermini platforms and have different styles depending on markets: Japanese models are more boxy while Europeans have the bonnet and windshield almost parallel. A supermini is a British Car classification term that describes Automobiles larger than a City car but smaller than a Small family car. Examples of mini MPVs are the Opel Meriva, Renault Modus, Fiat Idea, Toyota bB and Nissan Cube. The Opel Meriva is a Mini MPV based on the platform of the third generation Opel Corsa and sold under that name on all of the European markets with The Renault Modus is a Mini MPV designed and built by the French automaker Renault in Valladolid, Spain since September 2004 The Fiat Idea is a Mini MPV built by the Italian manufacturer Fiat since 2003 The Nissan Cube is a Mini MPV produced by Nissan and sold only in Japan.
Tall city cars and kei cars like the Hyundai Atos, Chevrolet Matiz, Chery QQ and Suzuki Wagon R have also been called mini MPVs or "microvans" because of their increased height over traditional hatchbacks. A city car (or urban car) is a small moderately powered Automobile intended for use in Urban areas It is comparable in size and features to a Kei car, K-car, or ( pronounced /keːdʑidoːɕa/ is a Japanese category of small Automobiles, including passenger cars The Hyundai Atos ( Amica in the UK) is a City car produced by the Hyundai Motor Company. The Daewoo Matiz is a City car produced by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo that has been marketed worldwide since 1998 The Chery QQ (codename S11) is a City car produced by the Chinese manufacturer Chery Automobile since 2003 The Suzuki Wagon R is a Kei car first introduced in Japan in 1993 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 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. The Renault Espace is a Large MPV from French car-maker Renault.
History
Apart from the visionary Stout Scarab (1935), the most important predecessors of minivans were compact vans. The Stout Scarab was a 1930s US automobile produced in small numbers by Stout Engineering Laboratories of Detroit Michigan. 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 In 1950, the Volkswagen Type 2 adapted a bus-shaped body to the compact Volkswagen Beetle. The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen It placed the driver above the front wheels, sitting behind a flat nose, with the engine mounted at the rear. In Automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one which places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear The two hinged side doors were opposite to the driver's side, with none on the driver's side. Japanese and American manufacturers responded with compact vans since the 1960s. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 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 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. In Automotive design, a FMR, or Front Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one that places the engine in the front as in the Examples include the Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Van, Suzuki Carry, Toyota Hiace and Subaru Sambar. The Ford E-Series, formerly known as the "Econoline" or "Club Wagon" is a line of full-size Vans (both cargo and passenger and truck This page talks about the 1964-1996 Chevrolet Van and GMC Vandura The Suzuki Carry, officially known as the L60V, is a Microvan and Pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The Toyota Hiace is a motor vehicle produced by the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. The Subaru Sambar is an automobile built by automaker Subaru for the Japanese market 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 American vehicles such as the Econoline evolved into larger full-sized vans, the term minivan came to use in North America, when Toyota and Chrysler launched their respective smaller minivan products for the 1984 model year. (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 The Toyota Van and Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager featured very different structural designs: the Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager had a FF layout and unibody construction, while the Toyota Van Wagon featured a FMR layout and was built on a body-on-frame chassis. The Toyota Van was a vehicle produced by Toyota and distributed worldwide in a multitude of versions The original Plymouth Voyager was a twin of the Dodge B-series van from 1974 to 1983 In Automotive design, a FF, or Front-engine, Front-wheel drive layout places both the engine and driven wheels at the front of Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external In Automotive design, a FMR, or Front Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one that places the engine in the front as in the Body-on-frame is an Automobile construction technology Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame which supports the Drivetrain was the original method of building The Chevrolet Astro / GMC Safari and Ford Aerostar / Mercury Vanster were introduced for the 1985 model year with FR layout. See also Chevrolet Astra of Latin America The Chevrolet Astro was a Rear-wheel drive Minivan introduced by Chevrolet The Ford Aerostar was Ford's first Minivan, and was introduced as a 1986 model in summer 1985
A European minivan design was conceived in the late 1970s by the Rootes Group in partnership with the French automaker Matra (which was also affiliated with Simca, the former French subsidiary of the Chrysler Corporation, sold in 1977 to the PSA Group). The Rootes Group was a British Automobile manufacturer which was based in the Midlands and south of England. Simca redirects here for other uses of that term see SIMCA (disambiguation. PSA Peugeot Citroën (previously Peugeot Société Anonyme) is a French Automobile and Motorcycle manufacturer; these The Matra design was originally intended to be sold as a Talbot and be a replacement for the Talbot-Matra Rancho. Talbot is an Automobile brand whose history is one of the industry's most complex The Matra Rancho is a Leisure activity vehicle created by the French engineering group Matra in cooperation with the automaker Simca to capitalize Early prototypes were designed to use Simca parts and a grille like the Simca 1307. The Simca 1307 was the name under which Chrysler Europe launched its new Large family car in 1975 Matra took their idea to Peugeot, who thought it too expensive and risky, so the project was then presented to Renault, becoming the Renault Espace introduced in 1984. For the article about the bicycle manufacturer see Cycles Peugeot. This is about the company for other uses see Renault (disambiguation. The Renault Espace is a Large MPV from French car-maker Renault. The Renault had traditional hinged car doors on both sides. Chrysler had also been developing a minivan based on the Chrysler K platform, releasing the boxy Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager earlier than the Espace, in 1983. 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 The original Plymouth Voyager was a twin of the Dodge B-series van from 1974 to 1983
Since no one disputes that the Renault Espace is a minivan, despite its door configuration, this raises the question of whether the 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla was actually the first minivan. "600" can also refer to the later Fiat Seicento The Fiat 600 (or "Seicento" is a City car produced by the Italian Alternatively, the Lloyd LT500/LT600, introduced in 1952 could be considered the first minivan.
Difference between MPV, Minivan and Van
Both minivan and van can have eight or nine seats and therefore be classified as passenger vehicles. The Toyota Van was a vehicle produced by Toyota and distributed worldwide in a multitude of versions The Renault Espace is a Large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Vans usually have a flat front end, with the front passengers set above the engine and front wheels; front passengers in minivans are behind the engine and front wheels, similar to a car. Sometimes the front wheels are under the front door in vans, affecting how you get in and out, but not in minivans.
Minivans by market
North America
The Dodge Caravan was soon competing against truck-based front-engine, rear drive Chevrolet Astro, GMC Safari, and Ford Aerostar. See also Chevrolet Astra of Latin America The Chevrolet Astro was a Rear-wheel drive Minivan introduced by Chevrolet See also Chevrolet Astra of Latin America The Chevrolet Astro was a Rear-wheel drive Minivan introduced by Chevrolet The Ford Aerostar was Ford's first Minivan, and was introduced as a 1986 model in summer 1985 The Caravan had better traction, size, and driving characteristics. Nissan and Mitsubishi also introduced minivans to North America; but like the Toyota Van Wagon, they had poor rear drive traction, had a bouncy ride due to the short wheelbase, and one had to get out of the vehicle to walk from the front seats to the back seats. The, Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese conglomerate consisting of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi The Toyota Van was a vehicle produced by Toyota and distributed worldwide in a multitude of versions In both road and rail Vehicles the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels
1989 brought Japan's first attempt at a North American-style minivan, with the Mazda MPV. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Mazda MPV is an MPV ( Minivan) manufactured by Mazda. It was introduced in 1989 as a Rear wheel drive model and was replaced in 2000 with a It was unique for having a swing-out door with roll-down windows, and was the first Japanese minivan with a front engine. It did not have the utility, traction, or cargo room of other minivans.
General Motors introduced the radically styled Chevrolet Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Trans Sport in 1990 to steal sales from Chrysler. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. The Chevrolet Lumina APV was a Minivan produced by General Motors for the 1990 to 1996 model years The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings the Pontiac Trans Sport (and later the Pontiac Montana) and Chevrolet Lumina APV (and later the The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings the Chevrolet Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Montana were a set of Minivans that Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 These minivans were their first front-wheel drive minivans. Front-wheel drive (or FF layout) is a form of engine / transmission layout used in Motor vehicles where the engine drives the front Wheels They were made of composite plastic body panels, and had steeply raked windshields. The windshield or windscreen of an Aircraft, Automobile, Bus, Motorcycle, or Tram is the front Window Long dashboards and UFO styling made them unpopular in some countries in Europe, but in America they were very popular. A dashboard, dash, and sometimes fascia (chiefly in British English) is a control panel located under the Windshield of an Automobile
That same year, Toyota introduced the Previa. (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia is an MPV or Multi-purpose vehicle (known It was aerodynamic like the General Motors minivans, but was actually quite different in design. General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States. The Toyota Previa had a pancake-shaped, four-cylinder engine located under the floor of the vehicle. The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia is an MPV or Multi-purpose vehicle (known Pancakes are a type of Flatbread prepared from a sweet batter that is cooked on a hot Griddle or in a Frying pan. This allowed passengers to pass from the front seats to the back without exiting the vehicle. While being the most reliable minivan designed by J. D. Powers & Associates and the first minivan to reach automobile safety standards, the Toyota Previa still did not sell as well as the Chrysler minivans. The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia is an MPV or Multi-purpose vehicle (known
Ford and Nissan's attempts at dethroning Chrysler came in 1993 with the front-wheel drive Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following The Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest were the products of a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Nissan. The Nissan Quest is a Minivan produced by Nissan since 1993 There have been three generations of this model These minivans were competitive with their car-based chassis' and V6 engines, good handling, and attractive styling. A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the Crankcase in two banks of three cylinders Ford introduced a slightly larger front-wheel drive minivan called the Windstar in 1994. The Ford Windstar is a Minivan that was produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company from March 1994 (for the 1995 model year to 2003
1995 brought Honda to the minivan game with the Odyssey. () is a Multinational corporation, engine Manufacturer and engineering corporation headquartered in Japan. The Honda Odyssey is a Minivan, or "large MPV" produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1994 The Odyssey was based on the Honda Accord, giving the van more car-like handling than the Chrysler minivans. The Honda Odyssey is a Minivan, or "large MPV" produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1994 The Honda Accord is series of midrange Automobile manufactured by Honda since 1976 and sold in most automotive markets throughout the world It had outward opening doors with roll-down middle windows, and was the first minivan to have a rear seat that folded away into the floor.
In 2000, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan duo continued to be the best selling minivans in North America. This article is about the minivan To see the article about other cars named the Town and Country see Chrysler Town and Country (pre-1990. The second-best selling minivan was the Honda Odyssey, and the third was the Toyota Sienna. The Honda Odyssey is a Minivan, or "large MPV" produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1994 Not to be confused with Toyota Sienta. The Toyota Sienna is a family Minivan currently manufactured in the United States by the 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 sales made up 5%, and the Nissan Quest was 3%. First generation (1999-2005 (Sedona GQ The Kia Sedona (codename LS was a new model from Kia to compete with the minivan segment of Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey The Hyundai Entourage is a Minivan sold by Hyundai Motor Company in the North American market beginning with the 2007 Model year. The Nissan Quest is a Minivan produced by Nissan since 1993 There have been three generations of this model 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 offer both short- and long-wheelbase configurations.
Engines
During the 1980s, North American minivans were slow and under-powered when compared with sport utility vehicles, but had more fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines. The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the Combustion of Fuel and an Oxidizer (typically air occurs in a confined space called a Such vehicles could also have poor performance, as manual transmissions were rare in minivans, and often had higher rates of problems than larger engines. Some minivans were notorious for having problems with their transaxles, as they are substantially heavier than the sedans their powertrains were originally designed for. A transaxle, in the Automotive field is a component that combines the functionality of the '''trans'''mission, the differential and the drive With the shift in the 1990s towards heavier, long-wheelbase models and light towing, V6 engines became more common; some automakers dropped their four-cylinder engines from their lineup. The Chevrolet Astro, the last surviving truck-based mid-size van, was popular for towing applications because of its frame and up to 4. See also Chevrolet Astra of Latin America The Chevrolet Astro was a Rear-wheel drive Minivan introduced by Chevrolet 3-liter V6, with some owners installing their own V8 engines. A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the Crankcase in two banks of three cylinders 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
Recalls
Vans such as the Ford Freestar and Windstar have been recalled for safety problems. The Renault Espace is a Large MPV from French car-maker Renault. The Renault Scénic is a Compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. The Ford Freestar is a Minivan that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 2004 until November 2006
Europe
Apart from the Chrysler Minivans, the Renault did not have any direct rival during the 1980s. This is about the company for other uses see Renault (disambiguation. Other mainstream automakers began to develop multi-purpose vehicles designed with European tastes in mind. PSA Peugeot Citroën and the Fiat Group founded a joint-venture, Sevel, and released in 1994 the eurovan under the nameplates Citroën Evasion, Peugoet 806, Fiat Ulysse and Lancia Zeta. PSA Peugeot Citroën (previously Peugeot Société Anonyme) is a French Automobile and Motorcycle manufacturer; these Fiat SpA (an Acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer The Volkswagen Transporter was also marketed in North America as "Volkswagen Eurovan". Ford and the Volkswagen Group did a similar move and codeveloped a model which resulted in the Ford Galaxy, Volkswagen Sharan and SEAT Alhambra, which were made available in 1995. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following Volkswagen Group, or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (German (listed as Volkswagen AG) is a German automobile manufacturing group currently See also the Ford Galaxie full-size car of the 1950s and 1960s For the Ford Galaxy built in Argentina in the 1990s see Volkswagen Passat. The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 The SEAT Alhambra is a large MPV (MPV/Van= Furgoneta, in Spanish by the Volkswagen Group and sold under the SEAT brand They were almost identical in design with only different front ends, rear ends and dashboards. While the VW/Ford model was relatively large, with a length of 4635 mm, the Espace and the eurovan were around 200 mm 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 MPVs began in 1996 with the launch of the Renault Scénic and Opel Zafira. A Compact MPV is a Car classification used in Europe to describe Multi-purpose vehicle versions of Small family cars (sometimes also referred The Renault Scénic is a Compact MPV produced by French automaker Renault, the first to be labelled as such in Europe. The Opel Zafira is a Compact MPV produced by KPK and Opel a General Motors subsidiary 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). A compact (North America small family (European or c-segment car is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini The runaway success of the Scénic saw the car spawn a multitude of similar vehicles, like the General Motors Zafira, the Citroën Xsara Picasso, the Volkswagen Touran, the Ford Focus C-Max, the SEAT Altea/Toledo and the Nissan Almera Tino. The Opel Zafira is a Compact MPV produced by KPK and Opel a General Motors subsidiary The Citroën Xsara is a Small family car produced by French automaker Citroën since 1997 The Volkswagen Touran is a Compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in The Ford C-Max is a Compact MPV produced by Ford in Saarlouis for the European market since 2003 The SEAT Altea is a Compact MPV produced by Spanish automaker SEAT and named after Altea, Spain. The SEAT Toledo is an Automobile built and marketed by Spanish automaker SEAT, a division of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG. The Nissan Almera Tino was a Compact MPV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan in its Spanish factory in both petrol and diesel versions By the mid-2000s, virtually all mainstream automakers in Europe had a compact MPV in their range.
Also in the mid-2000s, automakers began to use MPV-style designs on supermini-based chassis. A supermini is a British Car classification term that describes Automobiles larger than a City car but smaller than a Small family car. Examples of mini MPVs them are the Opel Meriva, based on the Corsa, the Renault Modus, derived from the Clio, and the Fiat Idea, derived from the Punto platform. Mini MPV (MPV stands for Multi-purpose vehicle, although the full name is rarely used is a Car classification used to describe superminis or The Opel Meriva is a Mini MPV based on the platform of the third generation Opel Corsa and sold under that name on all of the European markets with The Opel Corsa is a supermini that has been produced by General Motors' European Subsidiary Opel since 1982 and has also been sold under a variety The Renault Modus is a Mini MPV designed and built by the French automaker Renault in Valladolid, Spain since September 2004 The Renault Clio is a Supermini car produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault. The Fiat Idea is a Mini MPV built by the Italian manufacturer Fiat since 2003 The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat, since 1993
In 1995, Ford Motor Company teamed up with Volkswagen and SEAT (VW's subsidiary in Spain) in a factory in Portugal, to make Ford's Galaxy, VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following SEAT SA ( English pronunciation:, "say-at" Spanish pronunciation:) is a Spanish automobile Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. See also the Ford Galaxie full-size car of the 1950s and 1960s For the Ford Galaxy built in Argentina in the 1990s see Volkswagen Passat. The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 The SEAT Alhambra is a large MPV (MPV/Van= Furgoneta, in Spanish by the Volkswagen Group and sold under the SEAT brand These three cars were facelifted heavily in the year 2000, and recently, Ford has left VW and Seat to make its own Galaxy sharing many parts with the Ford S-MAX, another MPV. The Ford S-Max is a Large MPV produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European market and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co
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. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country 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 highways. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve Models from local manufacturers are usually based on Japanese designs from Suzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles a full range of Motorcycles All-Terrain is a Japanese manufacturer of cars, well known for its smaller models and off-road vehicles (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Popular models include Toyota Picnic, Toyota Previa, Mazda 8 and Honda StepWGN. The Toyota Ipsum, Picnic, SportsVan or Avensis Verso (Avensis in Australia is a seven-seater Compact MPV produced by Japanese automaker The Toyota Previa, also known as the Toyota Estima (エスティマ in Japan and the Toyota Tarago in Australia is an MPV or Multi-purpose vehicle (known The Mazda MPV is an MPV ( Minivan) manufactured by Mazda. It was introduced in 1989 as a Rear wheel drive model and was replaced in 2000 with a The Honda Step wgn is a mid-sized MPV produced by Honda since 1996
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), in some cases MUVs are similar to SUVs (such as the Chevrolet Tavera). The European Ford Fusion is a stretched version of the Ford Fiesta, a supermini produced by Ford of Europe since 2002 and sold in Europe and India The Toyota Innova is an Indonesian designed MPV ie being less than in length as per the European system of size classification produced in Indonesia under The Chevrolet Tavera is a Compact MPV produced in Indonesia by Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors and in India by American automaker General
Other examples of MUVs are the Maruti Versa, Isuzu Panther, Toyota Avanza, Hindustan Pushpak, Toyota Qualis and Toyota Innova. The Maruti Versa is a Microvan produced by Maruti Udyog Limited and sold in India since October 2001 The Isuzu Panther is a Multi-purpose vehicle manufactured in Indonesia for the Asian market by Isuzu Motors. The Toyota Avanza is an Indonesian designed Mini MPV produced in Indonesia and also assembled in Malaysia The Toyota Kijang is a pick-up or minibus sold in Indonesia and Brunei, made by Toyota. The Toyota Innova is an Indonesian designed MPV ie being less than in length as per the European system of size classification produced in Indonesia under
Public image
The target market for minivans are families living in suburban areas. Market specialization is a business term meaning the Market segment to which a particular good or service is marketed This minivan was a cross between the station wagon and full-size vans. A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate In North America, it came at a time when families wanted smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles without the negative stigma of the station wagon. A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate
Minivans have a reputation for poor maneuverability and performance in comparison with other types of vehicles. Similarly, studies have shown that drivers of minivans are rated to be the poorest of drivers compared to drivers of other commercial vehicles. Minivans are also the vehicle of choice for large suburban families in the United States, where they are frequently associated with "soccer moms". In North American social cultural and political discourse soccer mom broadly refers to a middle-class Suburban woman who spends a significant Perhaps because of these associations, minivans are often seen as dowdy or boring — an ironic repetition of the stigma against station wagons that originally drove the popularity of minivans among Americans.
SUVs and wagons
In the US, minivans have largely replaced car-based station wagons, though many are equipped with third-row seats. But as Ford and GM will or have already withdrawn from the minivan market, many buyers are opting for the rugged, go-anywhere image of sport utility vehicles. A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis GM, Mazda and Ford have already introduced crossovers to replace their minivans.
Minivans are built with a unibody for light weight, and equipped with a V6 typically designed for a car. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external A 1996 Caravan was rated for towing a pop-up camping trailer only with one driver and no other payload, and the hitch is often low enough to drag on ramps even when lightly loaded. A full sized SUV such as the Chevrolet Suburban or Ford Expedition is built with a Body-on-frame construction which can better handle heavy loads through a hitch and a truck-based V8 which can better handle the stress of towing a camping trailer with slide-outs or boat. The Chevrolet Suburban is a large Sport utility vehicle from Chevrolet. The Ford Expedition is a Full-size SUV built by the Ford Motor Company. Body-on-frame is an Automobile construction technology Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame which supports the Drivetrain was the original method of building Car and Driver recommends "If your goal is simply to seat seven, buy a minivan. Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast Magazine. The Honda Odyssey is quicker, faster, quieter, burns less gas, changes lanes faster, has roomier, more accessible seating, will tow 3500 pounds, and is cheaper [relative to SUVs Jeep Commander and Ford Explorer]. The Honda Odyssey is a Minivan, or "large MPV" produced by the Japanese automaker Honda since 1994 The Jeep Commander (XK is a mid-sized SUV introduced in 2006 It was first introduced at the 2005 New York Auto Show. See also Ford Explorer Sport Trac for the spinoff pickup truck SUV Crossover version The Ford Explorer is a mid-size Sport utility vehicle "[1]
Some crossover SUVs and minivans are becoming closer together in design and styling. A Crossover &mdash variously called XUV or CUV, for crossover utility vehicle &mdash is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car while borrowing The Pontiac Aztek and Buick Rendezvous sport utility vehicles even shared the same platform as GMs front-wheel drive minivans. The Pontiac Aztek was a Mid-size Crossover SUV produced by the General Motors marque Pontiac from the 2001 model year to the 2005 model year The Buick Rendezvous, introduced in the spring of 2001 as a 2002 Model year vehicle is a Sport utility vehicle that was sold by the Buick division of The Chrysler Pacifica and Chevrolet Equinox can be described as sporty-looking four-wheel drive minivans or as crossover SUVs not designed for offroading; the Mercedes-Benz R-Class has a mininvan shape with rounder edges, and features four-wheel drive. See also Chrysler Pacifica (1999 concept vehicle The Pacifica, is a Mid-size crossover, introduced by Chrysler and marketed from The Chevrolet Equinox is a Mid-size Crossover SUV from Chevrolet, introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to The R-Class is a crossover offered by Daimler AG in 2006 model year under the Mercedes-Benz Brand. The Ford Edge, Ford Freestyle, Chevrolet HHR, Dodge Journey and Chrysler Pacifica give a sight of the future of these vehicles in North America, while the SEAT Altea, Fiat Croma and Ford S-MAX do the same for the European MPVs. The Edge is a premium Mid-size Crossover SUV (CUV manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform &mdash and marketed in slightly The Chevrolet HHR (for Heritage High Roof) is a small Retro -styled compact Station wagon First year sales exceeded 93000 through June 2006 The Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, with North American 2009 my See also Chrysler Pacifica (1999 concept vehicle The Pacifica, is a Mid-size crossover, introduced by Chrysler and marketed from The SEAT Altea is a Compact MPV produced by Spanish automaker SEAT and named after Altea, Spain. The Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two Automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one built from 1985 to 1996 and the other since 2005 The Ford S-Max is a Large MPV produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European market and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co
See also
- List of minivan models
- Chrysler Minivans
- Car body styles
- Mini MPV
- Compact MPV
- Crossover SUV
- Leisure activity vehicle
- Station wagon
References
- ^ http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/11113/2006-jeep-commander-limited-4x4.html Car and Driver 2006 Jeep Commander Limited 4x4
External links
A van is a kind of vehicle used for Transporting goods or groups of people Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. Some are still in production while others are of historical interest only Mini MPV (MPV stands for Multi-purpose vehicle, although the full name is rarely used is a Car classification used to describe superminis or A Compact MPV is a Car classification used in Europe to describe Multi-purpose vehicle versions of Small family cars (sometimes also referred A Crossover &mdash variously called XUV or CUV, for crossover utility vehicle &mdash is a marketing term for a vehicle that derives from a car while borrowing A leisure activity vehicle (abbreviated LAV) is a small Van, generally related to a supermini or Subcompact car, with two or three seat A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estateDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic