Minivans don't have to suck.

"Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street." (demon-xanth)
03/26/2018 at 17:33 • Filed to: None

Why do people keep making them suck?

DISCUSSION (21)

For Sweden > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 17:43

Any vehicle with Stow ‘n Go seating is Good.

Kinja'd!!!

Spanfeller is a twat > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 17:48

*waits for BlueMazda’s shitpost*

Vans only want one thing and it’s fucking disgusting:

Kinja'd!!!

Spanfeller is a twat > For Sweden
03/26/2018 at 17:50

Vans: Engineering for DADS

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > For Sweden
03/26/2018 at 17:51

stow n go is a modern miracle

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > Spanfeller is a twat
03/26/2018 at 17:52

we didn’t get this version of the transit in the states and it makes me mad but MUH E-SERIES VANS

Chariotoflove > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 17:52

If by “suck” you mean uninteresting, I will give you by blanket answer.

It is because mass market brands that hope to pull in significant market share must strive to offend as few of their target market as possible. Infusions of specific style elements will make a product more appealing, but only to a fraction of the market. The rest will be repelled to a variable extent. Because minivans are a vehicle for primarily practical application, and people have shown that they are more willing to accept boring as long as certain boxes are checked. Thus, minivans are boring.

The same is true of beer, by the way, but that’s a story for another post.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 17:54

No Alphard/Vellfire

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Spanfeller is a twat > winterlegacy, here 'till the end
03/26/2018 at 18:11

Kinja'd!!!

we get all of these... it interesting...

facw > For Sweden
03/26/2018 at 18:13

I always liked the Previa’s side folding rear seats:

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Didn’t help for the middle though, that always had to be removed traditionally (though it was rare to need to get rid of both the rear and middle seats).

Stow ‘n Go seems good, though presumably you are losing cabin height to have it.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 18:23

I would argue that most of you examples are actually vans. As in commercial vehicles.

Whereas minivans are more like bloated station wagons...they certainly were when they began appearing back in the 80s. Very different beasts.

These days they’ve simply transmogrified into 5 or 7 seat SUVs. And aren’t they doing well?

Those bloated station wagons of yor were often based on platforms that were not fit for purpose. Hence their mediocre performance characteristics. These days that’s less of an issue. Now it’s more of an issue of managing and moving the bloat without costing a fortune...which typically means they still have mediocre performance characteristics...

kanadanmajava1 > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 18:44

Drifting minivan

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Drag racing minivan

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Luxurious two door minivan

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Saracen > facw
03/26/2018 at 20:36

My parents had a Previa they bought new for 15 years or so. Great van. Theirs had the Captain’s chairs though, since they guessed correctly my brother and I would end up being over 6 feet tall.

Saracen > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
03/26/2018 at 20:37

I really want a Vanagon in my collection. So a pristine red beauty this weekend that had me drooling.

facw > Saracen
03/26/2018 at 20:38

Mine had the two seat bench in the middle. The captain’s chairs seems like it would have been a much more comfortable option, without making it much harder to get to the back.

Saracen > facw
03/26/2018 at 20:42

Yup, the captain’s chairs were fantastic. You can also rotate them to face backwards. Great for road trips.