Are Big 7-Seat MPVs Dead?

You don't see too many brand-new Renault Espaces, Ford Galaxys, Toyota Previas or Chrysler Voyagers these days, do you? So is the big MPV market declining?

If used car prices are an indicator there has been a move away from SUVs and bigger MPVs.

But has there really been a move away from big MPVs?

Until the 1985 launch of the purpose built 7-seat Espace MPVs were based on or looked like vans. MPVs are still called vans in the US today. Most other manufacturers followed.

The first Espace was 4.25m long. The Renault 21 was 4.53m long. So MPVs were as compact as Renault and much later Ford promised. The Espace grew to 4.36m in 88 and 4.43m in 91. Then along came the Laguna at 4.5m in 94. The Espace was 4.52m by 96 with a Grand Espace measuring 4.8m.

What's happened is the Scenic has moved into 4.25m slot and the Scenic Grand into the 4.5m region. Today's Zafira and C4 are 4.47m long, a Touran is 4.41m, a C-Max is 4.37, an S-Max 4.77. These cars were originally launched because research showed Espace and Galaxy drivers didn't use the 7-seats and felt guilty driving about in such big cars. They liked the flexibility so the Scenic, Picasso and Zafira were launched.

We can see it's not that the big MPVs are dead but their compact alternatives have grown into that original size. They're still comparatively compact bearing in mind the Mondeo and Insignia are now 4.8m.

Regards
Ralph