The Chrysler Voyager is back, a model name first used by the long-defunct Plymouth brand. When Plymouth was discontinued in 2001, the then Plymouth Voyager minivan became a Chrysler model for a few years and was sold alongside the Chrysler Town & Country. Fast forward to today and few consumers … Read more
The last time the industry sold 1 million minivans was in 2006, just ahead of the recession and during the early days of crossover utility vehicles. Today, just under 500,000 units are sold in the U.S. annually, as manufacturers such as Ford, GM, and Nissan no longer participate. But the … Read more
The only plug-in hybrid minivan. The once dominate minivan segment continues to shrink as consumers embrace crossovers. In reality, the two segments are closely related as minivans rival three-row midsize SUVs in size. The difference is, of course, in exterior utility — crossovers offer available all-wheel drive, while all minivans … Read more
The capable Toyota Sienna receives an important update ahead of its next major change. As far as minivans go, the Toyota Sienna is the cream of the crop. Well, don’t tell that to Honda and Chrysler as both brands field excellent people movers of their own. Add in the Kia … Read more
FCA’s sales streak should continue with minivans providing an unlikely contribution. Car manufacturers track sales carefully, using monthly statistics to measure progress. Any month-over-month change falling outside of expected parameters can result in a change in strategy, including short-term production output, what incentives are offered to consumers, and a host … Read more
The minivan segment may be ailing, but the Kia Sedona has breathed fresh life into it. If you’re looking for an excellent combination of people carrying capacity and utility, this model may have everything you want. The minivan segment may eventually go the way of the station wagon, but its … Read more
Think “minivan” and the Dodge Grand Caravan and Toyota Sienna are a few of the models that may come to mind. Before the advent of the crossover sport utility vehicle, these small vans served as the primary people movers for more than two decades, stepping in where station wagons left … Read more
IIHS assigns poor ratings to Nissan, Chrysler and Dodge models. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently put four minivan models through its new small overlap front crash test and three of those models received poor marks, the institute’s lowest score. The Nissan Quest, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler … Read more
The modern minivan movement began in 1983 when the Chrysler Corporation brought the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan to the market. Those early models were based on the automaker’s K-Car platform, a compact car line that spawned numerous other Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth models. The earliest minivans lived up to … Read more
Refreshed Charger and Challenger models may lift brand sales. Dodge’s compact Dart has been a sales disappointment. As of April 2014, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has officially added Alfa Romeo to its US product line, quietly debuting the sensuous 4C at the New York International Auto Show. Besides Alfa, the … Read more
Chrysler claims to be the creator of the minivan segment, something that Volkswagen may take issue with. Years before the 1983 debut of the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan, Volkswagen had the Type 2, what Americans called the Microbus or simply Bus. Chrysler Minivan History Regardless of what either manufacturer … Read more
Dodge is R.I.P. At least that is the contention of some followers. Its also the rumor put forth by at least one of the seedier outposts on the Internet, something that SRT boss, Ralph Gilles, has declared will not happen. That being said, the Dodge brand is in transition as are the other … Read more
The Dodge Grand Caravan is the antithesis of a sports car, a wholly practical vehicle that has dutifully served as a family hauler for the past three decades. When the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan were introduced in 1983, a new vehicle segment, minivans, was introduced. The Grand Caravan, a … Read more
The modern minivan segment was launched nearly 30 years ago when the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager were introduced to the market. Previously marketed small vans such as the Volkswagen Bus attempted to carve out a niche for families, but it wasn’t until the Chrysler Corporation introduced its K-Car platform-based … Read more
If you had choose one vehicle from Chrysler produced over the past twenty five years that best represents the automaker which one would you choose? Jeep Wrangler? Dodge Ram? Chrysler 300? Something else? Personally, I would choose the company’s fleet of minivans which have been sold under Chrysler, Dodge and … Read more