by Minivans are regaining popularity in North America
Minivan sales in North America have surged sharply as buyers reconsider their allegiance to large SUVs. In Canada, sales jumped by 34%, and drivers in the US bought 20% more of these vehicles. Families, camping enthusiasts, and gig economy workers are discovering that vans can do almost everything.
Minivans dominated the suburbs in the 1980s, saved Chrysler from bankruptcy, and made every school pickup line look like a gathering of sliding-door vehicles. This continued until everyone switched to SUVs, which were almost always less practical but seemed much cooler. However, minivans are now reclaiming their position.
The numbers confirm the trend
Minivan sales in Canada grew by 34% in 2025 to 42,377 units, and south of the border, in the US, sales increased by 20% to 395,352 units. This makes this year the best for vans in Canada since 2020 and one of the strongest rebounds demonstrated by any segment recently.
What changed? Price has a lot to do with it. Large three-row SUVs have become significantly more expensive, reports Auto News, with the segment showing the highest average price increase in Canada last year, up to 8%. If you really need space for five to seven people, a van suddenly looks like a smart choice again.
We forgot about their advantages
To be honest, a minivan has always been a smart choice. They offer more flexibility, more usable space, and still a high driving position. Plus, you get clever features, clearly designed by people who actually loaded strollers, hockey bags, and furniture without cursing.
The venerable Chrysler Pacifica, which is soon to receive a facelift, remains a key player: 110,006 units were sold in the US, and Stellantis sold 16,688 vans in Canada through the Pacifica and Grand Caravan models.
Toyota Sienna led the Canadian market with 15,218 sales and grew by 35% in the US to 101,486 units.
Not just for families
But it’s not just families returning to vans. Gig economy drivers are turning to them for delivery work, while older buyers and grandparents love them for road trips. Toyota also reports a growing group of camping enthusiasts choosing the Sienna for outdoor adventures. It makes sense: fold the seats flat, and you have a mobile studio apartment.
Minivans have rarely been fashionable in the traditional sense, although the off-road-themed Chrysler Grizzly concept indicates the company is working on it, trying to attract SUV owners.
But as more buyers rediscover how incredibly good they are in real life, the quiet revival of the segment feels less like a trend and more like a long-overdue reality check.
This minivan renaissance is happening against the backdrop of a general reassessment of consumer priorities. After long years of SUV dominance, which often offer less space for more money, buyers are beginning to appreciate practicality. The rise of delivery work and active wheeled recreation only reinforces this trend. Automakers like Stellantis and Toyota, who kept their models in the lineup, are now being rewarded for their persistence. The future of the segment may depend on whether they can combine their unbeatable utility with modern design and possibly electric drive to cement this success.
