One market segment that the minivan has done well in is the vehicle accessibility market, which provides custom ramps, lifts, and motorized seating options for drivers and passengers with special needs. The low ride height, voluminous interior, and sliding doors found in most minivan models makes them a perfect vehicle format for this purpose, and helps them fill a role that many other vehicle types can't. Dozens of companies like Viewpoint Mobility provide flexible transportation options (pictured) for people that have difficulty using traditional vehicles.

I've started putting together a directory of minivan accessibility options, which should go live next week. In the interim, I'd like to hear from some About.com Minivans readers that are currently using accessibility options with their minivans.

Are there certain companies you've had good experiences with? Do you have any advice for first-time buyers in the market for a wheelchair-accessible minivan? What brand and model of minivan have you found to be the easiest to find accessibility options for?

Click on the comments link below this post and share your thoughts.
_{Photo: © Viewpoint Mobility}

According to a story over at the Automotive News, pricing for the 2009 Ford Flex was announced to Ford dealers last week.

The 2009 Ford Flex is the replacement for Ford's outgoing Freestar minivan model, but eschews the traditional minivan format to embrace a boxier, large crossover layout. Pricing will begin at $28,995, but the Automotive News story indicates that most Ford Flex models will price out in the $30,000 to $40,000 range.

Ford has abandoned their minivan efforts in an attempt to tap into the new market for large crossovers, but the Flex is priced significantly higher than the Freestar that it replaces. General Motors has done with the same, with the Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook crossovers costing more than the minivan models they replace, while offering less interior volume.

So what do you think? Is the extra expense for a crossover worth losing out on some interior volume and passenger room? I've driven a few large crossover vehicles, and none of them has been able to match the interior space of most minivans.

Let me know what you think by adding a comment to this blog post.

Despite news to the contrary, the minivan will still be hauling groceries, plywood, labrador retreivers, and rambunctious toddlers well into the 21st century. The minivan segment as a whole may be declining somewhat, but Chrysler has been to quick to point out that--at least to consumers--Chrysler's new minivans are selling better than the models they replace.

According to a post by a spokesperson on the Chrysler media blog last week, Chrysler U.S. Minivan Retail Sales for February 2008 were up 8% over February of 2007.

"It is still only February and we certainly face strong headwinds from the economy and new non-minivan competition, " said Stuart Schorr, Chrysler's senior manager of sales, service and dealer communications. "But our new Town & Country and Grand Caravan are well equipped for the fight and are bringing in more new buyers every day. Keep that in mind when March sales results roll around."

Overall Chrysler minivan sales for 2007 haven't met expectations, but Chrysler's argument that more minivans are being sold to consumers (rather than being dumped on rental fleets) is a valid point.

• 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan [review]
• 2008 Chrysler Town and Country [preview]

_{Photo: © Chrysler LLC}

If you're in the market for a new minivan, arguably one of the most important categories of vehicle features you need to be mindful of is that of vehicle safety. All manufacturers have made immense strides over the last few decades in their ability to offer the latest vehicle safety features, and minivans are no exception.

In order to help you get as many safety features as possible in your new vehicle, I've put together a top 10 list of some of the best safety features to look for. Not all of these features are available on all minivan makes and models, but most of them are.

• Article: Top 10 Safety Features Every Minivan Should Have

I recently received an email from an About.com Minivans reader that lamented the fact that Chrysler no longer offers AWD as an option on any of their minivan models. As of this writing, the Toyota Sienna is the only minivan that offers that feature.

Chrysler officials have publicly stated two primary reasons why they dropped AWD as an option for their minivans. When it was offered, only a very small number of minivans were sold with the feature. The second reason is that the introduction of theStow 'n Go seating system (in the 2005 model year) required changes to the bottom of the vehicle that would have made a re-engineered AWD system an expensive proposition. So Chrysler dropped the feature, and customers looking for an AWD option had to go elsewhere.

When it comes to certain elements of the drivetrain--from AWD to diesel or hybrid engines--minivans don't seem to get as many options as other vehicles. Automakers may claim that their decision to not offer these features is based on customer preference, but I'm not so sure. I'd argue that a turbocharged Mazda MPV minivan (sold in Japan) may be of interest to some buyers, as would a hybrid minivan (like the Toyota Previa) and a minivan with a diesel engine -- which Chrysler sells in Europe.

Are there any other features you'd like to see offered in your favorite minivan models for the North American market? Let me know what you think by adding a comment or two beneath this blog post.

While some have been predicting the demise of the minivan for years, the minivan segment has actually seen some significant introductions over the last few months. The 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country have been released, the 2009 VW Routan has been unveiled, and many automakers have been hard at work on very minivan-esque concept vehicles.

That's definitely the case with Nissan and their Forum Minivan Concept, which was shown earlier this year at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. About.com Trucks Guide Dale Wickell grabbed these pictures when he was at the event, and I've posted them in a gallery for you to peruse.

From the huge sliding doors that reveal a cavernous interior to sleek, modern exterior design, the Forum is evidence that automakers haven't given up on the minivan yet. Need more proof? Toyota has their FT-MV minivan concept, and I'm sure we'll be seeing more concepts in the year ahead.

Over the years, dozens of automakers have slapped a logo on a vehicle that started life as something else. The Chevy Venture, Buick Terrazza, Pontiac Montana, and Saturn Relay had essentially the same mechanicals under their bland exteriors. And Chrysler used to have a Plymouth Voyager to go along with the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan.

So while the reaction to VW's new Routan minivan has been negative for some VW fans -- especially those that expect VW to produce a minivan designed and manufactured by German engineers, or at least manufactured in a way that is true to their perception of the brand -- this isn't the first time that VW has turned to another automaker to help produce a vehicle.

In the early 1990s, Ford of Europe and Volkswagen joined forces to create the VW Sharan minivan. The vehicle was sold primarily in Europe, and the prinicipal point of manufacture was a factory in Portugal. The two vehicles were mechanical twins (with minor differences), and the VW Sharan is still sold today in Europe. (The current generation Ford Galaxy was designed and manufactured by Ford.)

(Many thanks to Aaron at About.com Cars and Matt at About.com Auto Repair for their advice and input on the VW Sharan.)

I've added a new batch of images to the 2009 VW Routan photo gallery, courtesy of About.com Trucks guide Dale Wickell, who braved inclement weather and a crowded show floor to get these for me. Thanks Dale!

While the Routan features revamped exterior styling, the interior is where VW will likely make the biggest improvements to the Dodge/Chrysler minivan platform upon which it is based. According to the VW news release announcing the Routan, the vehicle will also feature VW-engineered steering and handling improvements.

I'll withhold final judgement on those changes until I've actually driven the Routan, but it's clear that a number of Volkswagen fans have reacted negatively to the arrival of the vehicle. Many automakers rely on vehicles produced by other manufacturers to diversify and broaden their product portfolios, and the Routan is no exception. That said, there's clearly been a desire among some VW adherents to see an updated version of the VW microbus concept, or possibly a US variant of the popular VW Eurovan.

What do you think? Is the Routan a good opportunity to expand VW's market share in the United States, or should Volkswagen have waited to develop a vehicle that resembled existing VW vans and concepts? Let us know by adding a comment to this forum post.
_{Photo: (c) Dale Wickell}

After more than a year of speculation, the 2009 VW Routan minivan was finally unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show earlier today. I've just posted a VW Routan photo gallery, and I'll mention a few highlights from the announcement.

According to a VW news release, the new minivan will be available with either a 3.8L or 4.0L V6 engine (which are also found in the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country), and features a "European tuned suspension and steering optimized for handling and improved driving dynamics." Revamped interior and exterior styling help differentiate the Routan somewhat from its Dodge and Chrysler cousins, but the changes don't appear to be too radical.

While the wisdom of introducing a minivan is likely a strong one -- VW wants to grow their market share in the important US market, and the Routan is one way to do that -- one can't help but think that VW could (or at least should) have differentiated the Routan a bit more. How about a diesel engine? Or a DSG-style transmission? Granted, introducing those features on what is essentially a re-badged Chrysler minivan may be out of the question from a production standpoint, but those features will likely be high on the wish-lists of VW aficionados.

What do you think? Should VW have differentiated the Routan a bit more from existing minivans? Let us know by clicking on the comments link below this article.

Volkswagen will officially take the wraps off the production version of the 2009 VW Routan minivan this morning at the Chicago Auto Show, so I'll be posting some images and additional information after the press embargo ends later today.

In the interim, I've listed all of the Routan information we've posted up to this point. Is there anything specific you'd like to know about the Routan? Add a comment with your question to this blog post, and I'll do my best to find out.

• What's New: 2009 VW Routan Minivan [preview]
• Breaking: 2009 VW Minivan Gets Named: "Routan" [blog post]
• VW: 2009 Minivan Reveal in Summer '07 [blog post]
• VW Minivan: On Track for 2008? [blog post]
• More VW Minivan Details Revealed [blog post]