- Minivan sales surged in North America as buyers rethink big SUVs.
- Canadian sales jumped 34 % and US drivers bought 20 % more.
- Families, campers, and gig workers are discovering vans do everything.
Minivans ruled suburbia in the 1980s, saved Chrysler from going bust and made every school pickup lane looking like a sliding-door convention. That was until we all defected to SUVs, which were almost always less practical but seemed so much cooler. Now, though, minivans are fighting back.
Canadian minivan sales jumped 34 per cent in 2025 to 42,377 units and south of the border, US sales climbed 20 per cent to 395,352. That makes this the best year for vans in Canada since 2020, and one of the strongest rebounds any segment has posted lately.
Related: This Toyota Minivan Wants To Be A Land Cruiser
What changed? Price has plenty to do with it. Big three row SUVs have ballooned in cost, with Auto News reporting that the segment saw the largest average price increase in Canada last year, up 8 per cent. If you genuinely need space for five to seven people, a van suddenly looks like the sensible choice again.
We Forgot
And if we are being honest with ourselves, it always was. Minivans give you more flexibility, more usable space, and still a nice high driving position. Plus you get clever features clearly designed by people who have actually loaded strollers, hockey bags, and flat pack furniture without swearing.
The ageing Chrysler Pacifica, which gets a facelift soon (pictured below), remains a heavy hitter, with 110,006 sold in the US, and Stellantis shifted 16,688 vans in Canada across the Pacifica and Grand Caravan, according to the AN report.
Toyota’s Sienna led the Canadian market with 15,218 sales and surged 35 per cent in the US to 101,486.
Not Just Soccer Moms
But it is not just families piling back in. Gig economy drivers are turning to vans for delivery work, while older buyers and grandparents love them for road trips. Toyota also reports a growing group of campers choosing the Sienna for outdoor adventures. Makes sense: fold the seats flat and you have a rolling studio apartment.
Minivans have rarely been fashionable in the traditional sense, though Chrysler’s off-road-themed Grizzly concept (pictured below) suggests it’s working on that one in an attempt to woo SUV owners.
But as more buyers rediscover how absurdly good they are at real life, the segment’s quiet revival feels less like a trend and more like a long overdue reality check. So, are you a minivan fan?
