The Minivan: Not Just for Soccer Moms

Recently Ford announced that they're getting out of the minivan business. Information that may have prompted some buyers to believe that the days of these amazingly practical vehicles could be numbered; when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

Automakers often justifiably consolidate their line-ups to try and keep the bottom line healthy; this may result in the demise of one product or another so that plants can concentrate on vehicles that bring a better return for the vast sums spent on research and development. Even entire industries may disappear (Oldsmobile is an example) and past decades have seen many others go by the wayside. In some cases, they are far from missed. How many buyers wish they could get another GMC Eagle or Yugo?

With minivans, it's a market possibly over-served and in need of a little rationalization, if only to help buyers find exactly what they want more easily. At one time, there were tons of different minivans on the market, and buyers had an awful lot of shopping around to do if they wanted to try them all.

There's no doubt that the minivan has been one of the most versatile vehicles developed in the history of the automobile. How many vehicles can carry seven people in great comfort, as well as their luggage, on a long trip? And a minivan with the interior seating either removed or folded into the floor becomes almost a cube van, such is the cargo space it offers. Several minivans on the market have substantial levels of power and many of them handle more like decent sedans.

When I was a little younger I used to drive an old Plymouth Voyager as my band's gear vehicle. We never had a problem fitting all of our epuipment and often all the band members. It was fun and useful. An SUV might be the trendy choice, but the minivan gets much better mileage while basically serving the same purpose.