Minivan sales in the US are up 33% in the first half of 2021, beating the overall market which is up 29%, as all four of the remaining players in the class outperform the market as they’ve all been recently updated. The fifth player has left the segment after a long and successful career. Minivans now accounts for just 2% of the overall car market, down from 2.2% in Q1, but up from 1.9% in all of 2020.
Production of the old timer Dodge Grand Caravan ended last August, and the model sold just 1,150 units in the second quarter, indicating stocks are drying up and sales will slow to a trickle later this year. Its stablemate Chrysler Pacifica was supposed to take over segment leadership, also helped by the low-budget version Chrysler Voyager. The couple of two nameplates for the same vehicle already took the title of best performing minivan of 2020 and continued on that strong performance in the first quarter, but now lost the lead in Q2. With sales more than tripling on last year, the Toyota Sienna flamboyantly jumps to the top of the ranking and claiming more than 1 of every 3 minivan sales in the US, undoubtedly helped by the fact that all versions now have a hybrid powertrain as standard. The Honda Odyssey was a strong #2 in the second quarter, selling more than double the rate of the Chrysler Pacifica which held on to the year-to-date #2 spot by just 5 deliveries. Apparently, Stellantis is struggling more than the others with the chip shortages. The all-new Kia Carnival which replaces the Sedona is up 69% on last year but remains in fourth place, both in Q2 and the first half of the year.
US minivan sales 2021 – first half
| Minivan segment | 2021-H1 | 2020-H1 | Change | 2021 Share | 2020 Share | |
| 1 | Toyota Sienna | 57.642 | 17.208 | 235% | 34,4% | 13,7% |
| 2 | Chrysler Pacifica | 47.571 | 35.594 | 34% | 28,4% | 28,3% |
| 3 | Honda Odyssey | 47.556 | 35.917 | 32% | 28,4% | 28,5% |
| 4 | Kia Carnival/Sedona | 11.859 | 7.014 | 69% | 7,1% | 5,6% |
| 5 | Dodge Grand Caravan | 2.867 | 30.222 | -91% | 1,7% | 24,0% |
| Segment total | 167.495 | 125.955 | 33% |
Source: Manufacturers.