Matt McAlear, chief government officer of Chrysler and Dodge, in the course of the 2026 New York Worldwide Auto Present (NYIAS) in New York, US, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Bing Guan | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures
Chrysler and Dodge CEO Matt McAlear desires the world to know that the minivan isn’t lifeless. Removed from it, he mentioned, on the New York Worldwide Auto Present, the place he confirmed off the most recent model of the Pacifica Pinnacle, the highest-end trim of the model’s sole product line.
The Chrysler model — as soon as one of many greatest names within the auto business — solely sells a single household of minivans, which many take as an indication of the model’s impending demise.
Chrysler, which has been promising new merchandise for years, mentioned it can share extra plans at dad or mum firm Stellantis‘ investor day on Might 21 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. McAlear did not elaborate additional however mentioned the model had “loads of issues within the works” and touted its solely car.
“We completely see the minivan market rising, and we consider there’s a possibility for Chrysler to proceed its progress yr over yr,” McAlear mentioned. Chrysler is the best-selling model within the phase, he added.
Minivan resurgence?
Chrysler is commonly credited with inventing the minivan, or not less than mainstreaming it in the USA within the early Eighties. Rivals adopted, however many have since deserted it.
For the reason that Nineteen Nineties, minivans have steadily misplaced floor to SUVs, that are thought-about sportier and extra adventurous. Minivan gross sales had been a mere 1.7% of the market in 2017, in response to Edmunds. In 2025, they had been as much as 2.4%.
Gross sales numbers from Chrysler and its few opponents on this phase point out rising curiosity within the adaptive and sometimes inexpensive “multipurpose car,” because the minivan is usually known as. The typical transaction value for a big SUV is $77,215, in response to Edmunds. The typical minivan value, in the meantime, is $48,269 — simply above the general business common price for a brand new car of $48,402.
There’s sufficient demand that Chrysler noticed match to unveil a brand new highest-end model of its minivan on the Auto Present, known as the Pinnacle. The car is stuffed with options widespread in higher-end household automobiles, like screens on the backs of seats so passengers in a rear row can watch films on a street journey. However there are additionally some perks which might be powerful to search out exterior the phase: each second and third row seats on some variations will be utterly stowed within the ground, for instance.
Corporations like Chrysler are additionally making an attempt to look past the “household hauler” id the minivan has had for a lot of its historical past. Its Grizzly Peak idea has knobby tires and a roof rack, for a extra rugged choice and McAlear mentioned the corporate was fascinated by easy methods to do extra of that.
“We’re taking a look at it,” he mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to determine if there is a solution to do it as a result of individuals adore it. And it’s not like something you have ever seen from a minivan model earlier than.”
McAlear additionally touted the van’s storage capability in contrast with comparable automobiles.
“I’ve obtained a buddy that is a racecar driver,” he mentioned. “One in all his favourite issues about that is he places a shifter kart within the backseat with the third row down, together with his children so he can preserve it protected and does not need to have a trailer. One other buddy of mine loves kiteboarding, and he does not need to put it on the highest as a result of it is onerous to get it up and down. It is onerous to maintain it safe and protected. He retains it inside.”
Pacifica gross sales had been solely up barely in 2025. The inexpensive Voyager mannequin, which the model has since renamed the Pacifica LX, sells in decrease portions however noticed a much bigger bounce. Pacifica gross sales had been down for the primary quarter of 2026, however Chrysler mentioned they had been up practically 84% in March yr over yr.
There are solely a handful of automobiles on this phase within the U.S., or 5 fundamental mannequin traces together with the electrical Volkswagen ID Buzz, which VW prefers to not name a minivan.
Toyota Sienna gross sales jumped 35% in 2025, and had been up once more within the first quarter of 2026. It is nowhere close to Toyota’s best-selling car, and lots of fashions — a few of which had been new ones or refreshes — noticed larger enhance. Toyota’s Japanese rival Honda noticed gross sales of its Odyssey bounce 10% final yr. However they dipped within the first quarter of 2026.
One particularly profitable mannequin has been the Kia Carnival. Volumes rose in 2025 and within the first quarter of 2026. It nonetheless does not match Kia’s comparable SUVs, as minivan gross sales are just some thousand shy of the three-row Sorento, however far beneath the favored, extra rugged Telluride.
“Carnival is only a nice household, sensible car,” mentioned Eric Watson, vice chairman of gross sales operations for Kia America. “I feel within the stage of life when individuals have children and wish these energy sliding doorways and the configuration of what that car supplies, it is good in that life stage.”
Kia was one of many later entrants into the phase, and although it has the sliding rear door that defines the minivan phase, the physique panel on it’s punched into give the phantasm the car is an SUV.
“I feel that draws lots of people and lowers that stigma of being a minivan household,” Watson mentioned.
However some are interested in the phase itself. Whereas the Chrysler Pinnacle begins above $56,000, the bottom priced LX, begins simply above $41,000.
“We’re really seeing a resurgence,” McAlear mentioned. “On the finish of the day, this stuff make life simpler and you do not all the time need to impress everyone.”
