American Minivan Sales Plunged to a 32-Month Low in September 2017

Minivan sales tumbled 16 percent to only 33,358 units in September 2017, the lowest total for America’s people-carrier sector since January 2015.

Between the disappearance of two nameplates (Nissan Quest and Mazda 5), limitations on Dodge Grand Caravan sales during a period of plant transition, and further decreases from the aging Kia Sedona and new Honda Odyssey, minivan volume fell 6,460 units below September 2016’s total and nearly 11,000 units shy of September 2015’s tally, and more than 10,000 units short of 2017’s monthly average through the first two-thirds of the year.

A positive spin is difficult to find.

Through the first eight months of 2017, minivans accounted for 3.1 percent of the new vehicles sold in America. But the sector’s market share took a deep dive to just 2.2 percent in September. If ever there was a sign that the segment would not recover, a 2 percent market share tally would be it.

Just one decade ago, minivans owned more than 5 percent of the U.S. auto market. Minivan market share still hovered around 4 percent half a decade ago.

But 2 percent?

Two?

Midsize pickup trucks, which aren’t really growing at all, collectively managed in September 2017 to outsell the minivan category by a 5-to-4 margin. (Minivans remain more popular, year-to-date.) On its own, the Honda Civic outsold the entire minivan segment in September. The Toyota Camry did, as well. The Toyota RAV4? It earned 1.3 sales for every 1 minivan. Ford pickup truck sales were 2.5 times stronger than sales of the entire minivan segment: Pacifica, Grand Caravan, Odyssey, Sedona, Sienna, plus leftover Town & Countrys, 5s, and Quests.

Despite the Grand Caravan’s downturn, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles still owned 42 percent of America’s minivan segment in September, though that was down from 46 percent a year ago. (FCA’s year-to-date minivan market share stands at 51 percent.)

Like Honda, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota, FCA minivan volume has declined through the first three-quarters of 2017. As a result, the segment is down 13 percent, a loss of more than 56,000 sales.

[Image: FCA; Chart: The Truth About Cars]

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars and Instagram.