The one time I drove it on a track, before being banned from Chrysler events (not for that reason), I was really impressed. I thought the hybrid felt better than the gasoline version. Handling is really surprisingly good. Ride is quite nice. “Filling it up“ with electrons is easy.
I do see them, but I don't see anyone forcng people to buy them. Some of the seats on the recommended list came out in 2006 (Diono Radian 3).
Yeah the market has clearly spoken, minivan sales have fallen off a cliff since 1.4 million in 2000, this year on track to sell 300K (a 79% drop). Small cars are on track to sell 1.2 million this year (2.5 million in 2000, a 52% drop). (That doesn't include expensive small luxury cars, but it does include expensive luxury mini vans).
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The RAV4 still has more space (rear seat too) than a Corolla with a more versatile storage area to boot. It is still the market speaking as people are paying extra for the RAV4 when a Corolla can be had for cheaper.Yeah the market has clearly spoken, minivan sales have fallen off a cliff since 1.4 million in 2000, this year on track to sell 300K (a 79% drop). Small cars are on track to sell 1.2 million this year (2.5 million in 2000, a 52% drop). (That doesn't include expensive small luxury cars, but it does include expensive luxury mini vans).
As for SUVs, that is the EPA regulations speaking, not the market. The highest selling SUV segment is the small SUV segment, which is made up of small wagons and hatchbacks lifted to 8"+ of ground clearance to take advantage of EPA rules.
Minivan Market Share Is Now at 2 Percent In America, and It's Rapidly Getting Worse
After volume showed signs of recuperation through the middle half of the last decade, the segment's 2019 collapse suggests we haven't reached bottom yet.
Dodge is killing its Grand Caravan soon — see how it kicked off the rise and fall of the American minivan
The Dodge Caravan kicked off a decades-long minivan boom in America, which has since tapered off. In May, the Grand Caravan ends production.2023 U.S Minivan Sales Figures By Model (With Rankings)
Automotive Sales Data and Statistics2023 U.S Small Car Sales Figures By Model (With Rankings)
Automotive Sales Data and Statistics
| RAV4 | Civic Hatch | |
| EPA interior volume | 98.9 cubic feet | 99 cu ft |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo capacity, all seats in place | 37.5 cu.ft. | 25.7ft³ |
| Front Headroom: | 37.7 inches | 39.3-inches |
| Rear Headroom: | 39.5 inches | 37.4-inches |
| Front Shoulder Room: | 57.8 inches | 56.9-inches |
| Rear Shoulder Room | 56.4 inches | 55.0-inches |
| Front Hip Room | 54.3 inches | 53.7-inches |
| Rear Hip Room | 47.7 inches | 48.8-inches |
| Front Legroom | 41 inches | 42.3-inches |
| Rear Legroom | 37.8 inches (78.8") | 36.0-inches (78.3") |
I think a lot of insurance companies are really shying away from the traditional 12 passenger vans for schools and such because they are a roll hazard. The insurance for our church warned us that our 12 passenger was a liability and were basically pushing us to get rid of it in favor of something larger like a mini bus (which would require a CDL) or something smaller.
Far cry from the days where the youth group leader who might be 16 or 17 years old would drive us in the 12 passenger van to the park for youth group. I can't imagine that being allowed today.
The Colorado Army National Guard unit I was in 40 years ago did our two-week annual training in Hawaii one year (1983). After landing we were using an army bus to transport our gear and luggage to our billets at Hickam AFB. There was so much weight on the back of the bus the front tires were barely touching the ground which made taking turns precarious at best. The half dozen of us had to sit towards the front of the bus to help counterweight the load in the back. That helped, but the front tires were still not getting a good grip. Whoops! The active Army would not let us use a Deuce-and-a-half.
That is surprising seeing that you can't touch one for much under $45000 . We looked at them but the price is ridiculous . Just got rid of a 2014 Grand Caravan which we bought for less than $23000 . It was a great vehicle and we had very few problems with it and it was still running pretty good but NY's salt was starting to get it . If they still made them we would have probably gotten another . Even considered buying a used 2019 with 6600 miles on it for $25000 . In the end we decided to go new and we ended up with a Chevy Traverse which was $33000 . For a vehicle the size of a Traverse I considered it a pretty good value . Hopefully it will be as reliable as the old GC was .
