Cain's Segments: Minivan Sales In America In 2014
Refreshed for MY2015, the Toyota Sienna was America’s best-selling minivan in December 2014, the second consecutive month in which the Sienna topped its category.
• Chrysler’s vans are the two top-selling minivans
• Minivan sales hit six-year high
But 2014 was not the year of the Sienna, nor was it a year in which the Honda Odyssey could repeat as America’s best-selling minivan. Windsor, Ontario-built twins, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, ranked first and second, respectively, in U.S. minivan sales in the 2014 calendar year.
Together they earned 49% of the U.S. minivan market in 2014. That was up from 46% in 2013 when the Grand Caravan and Town & Country ranked second and third in the category.
The Volkswagen Routan disappeared in 2014; the Mazda 5 quickly approached its forthcoming extinction. The Nissan Quest was increasingly ignored. The Honda Odyssey slid from first to fourth in the category as year-over-year volume fell 5%.
Yet the size of the overall U.S. minivan market grew 4.5% to the highest level since 2008, when 13% of the minivan category’s sales were generated by nameplates which no longer exist.
MinivanDec.2014Dec.2013% Change20142013% ChangeChrysler Town & Country10,7099,73710.0%138,040122,28812.9%Dodge Grand Caravan11,25311,2260.2%134,152124,0198.2%Honda Odyssey10,36812,107-14.4%122,738128,987-4.8%Kia Sedona2,997501498%14,5677,079106%Mazda 57591,167-35.0%11,61313,884-16.4%Nissan Quest685868-21.1%9,83312,874-23.6%Toyota Sienna11,6889,38024.6%124,502121,1172.8%Volkswagen Routan—284-100%1,1032,109-47.7%—— —————Total48,45945,2707.0% 556,548532,3574.5%Kia began selling their third-generation Sedona in the fourth-quarter of 2014. 61% of the Sedona’s 2014 total was generated in Q4, a period in which year-over-year Sedona volume jumped 524%.
The bigger change to the minivan segment in the next two years, however, won’t be the Kia Sedona’s rise but rather the means by which Fiat Chrysler Automobiles alters the playing field. For better or for worse.
Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.
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Good for Chrysler! Although I haven't had a need for a minivan for the last 10 years, Chrysler or Dodge is the one I'd buy. Looking back, we almost bought a minivan 22 years ago when we really needed one, but we didn't want a car payment, so we made do with our 1984 E-Class and 1990 Acclaim for our numerous trips back and forth to the St. Louis area after moving to the Cincinnati area. Personally, I hope the Chrysler vans stay on top just to rub it in Honda's and Toyota's faces. Overpriced vehicles on a good day anyway you look at it.
With such cheap gas prices, I wouldn't be surprised to see a full-on revival of the mini-van concept and possibly more manufacturers entering the game, so don't count Nissan out. On another note, it's interesting that so many families opt for crossovers and SUVs despite their lack of interior space, huge price premium, and car-like driving experience (BOFs only). I mean seriously, is a Chrysler T&C and less cool than a CR-V or soccer mom Murano? Rock the van!