MUV Railway Station Information and Trains for MUV

"Minivan" is an American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two

three rows. The equivalent terms in British English are "multi-purpose vehicle (MPV)", "people carrier" and "people mover". Minivans often have a 'one-box'

'two-box' Car body configurations, a higher roof, a flat floor, a sliding door for rear passengers, and high H-point seating.

Compared with a full-size van, a minivan is based on a passenger car platform and has a lower body (in order to fit inside a typical garage door opening).

The largest size of minivans is also referred to as 'Large MPV' and became popular following the introduction of the 1984 Renault Espace and Dodge Caravan. Typically, these have platforms derived from D-segment passenger cars

compact pickups. Since the 1990s, the smaller Compact MPV and Mini MPV sizes of minivans have also become popular. If the term 'minivan' is used without specifying a size, it usually refers to the largest size (i.e. Large MPV).

The term ''minivan'' originated in North America in order to differentiate the smaller passenger vehicles from full-size vans (such as the Ford E-Series, Dodge Ram Van and Chevrolet Van), which were then simply called 'vans'.

The first known use of the term minivan was in 1959, however it was not until the 1980s that the term became commonly used.

The 1936 Stout Scarab is often regarded as the first minivan. The passenger seats in the Scarab were moveable and could be configured for the passengers to sit around a table in the rear of the cabin. Passengers entered and exited the Scarab via a centrally-mounted door.

The DKW Schnellaster— manufactured from 1949 to 1962— featured front-wheel drive, a transverse engine, flat floor and multi-configurable seating, all of which would later become characteristics of minivans.

In 1950, the Volkswagen Type 2 adapted a bus-shaped body to chassis of a small passenger car (the Volkswagen Beetle). When Volkswagen introduced a sliding side door to the Type 2 in 1968, it then had the prominent features that would later come to define a minivan: compact length, three rows of forward-facing seats, station wagon-style top-hinged tailgate/liftgate, sliding side door, passenger car base.

The 1956-1969 Fiat 600#Multipla also had many features in common with modern minivans. The Multipla was based on the chassis of the Fiat 600 and had a Rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and cab forward layout.

The Ford Carousel was a prototype developed in 1973 and intended to be released in 1975, however the model was cancelled as a result of the mid-1970s fuel crisis and company financial difficulties. The Carousel was designed as a family car that would fit into a typical tall American garage door opening and had interior trim levels equivalent to a passenger car rather than a cargo van.

During the 1990s, the minivan segment underwent several major changes. Many models switched to the front-wheel drive layout used by the Voyager/Caravan minivans, for example Ford replaced the Aerostar with the front-wheel drive Mercury Villager (a rebadged Nissan Quest) for 1993 and the Ford Windstar for 1995. The models also increased in size, as a result of the extended-wheelbase ("Grand") versions of the Voyager and Caravan which were in 1987. An increase in luxury features and interior equipment was seen in the Eddie Bauer version of the 1988 Ford Aerostar, the 1990 Chrysler Town & Country and the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette. The third-generation Plymouth Voyager, Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country — released for the 1996 model year — were available with an additional sliding door on the drivers side.

The highest selling year for minivans was in 2000, when 1.4 million units were sold. However, in the following years, the increasing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) began to erode sales of minivans. North American sales of the Volkswagen Transporter (sold as the 'Volkswagen Eurovan') ceased in 2003. Ford exited the segment in 2006, when the Ford Freestar was cancelled, Chrysler discontinued its short-wheelbase minivans in 2007 (although long-wheelbase minivans remained in production in the form of the Chrysler minivans (RT)) and General Motors exited the segment in 2009 with the cancellation of the Chevrolet Uplander. It has been suggested that the lesser popularity of minivans is due to the minivan's image as a vehicle for older, domestically-oriented drivers.

"packed">File:2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Mainstreet -- 02-17-2011.jpg|Dodge Grand Caravan

(2008-present)File:2018 Honda Odyssey EX-L 3.5L, front 8.23.19.jpg|Honda Odyssey

(2018-present)File:2018 Kia Sedona LX 3.3L V6 front (2) 5.23.18.jpg|Kia Sedona

(2015-present)File:2018 Toyota Sienna front 2.9.18.jpg|Toyota Sienna

(2010-present) File:2017 Pacifica.jpg|Chrysler Pacifica

(2017-present)

Introduced several months after the Chrysler minivans, the 1984 Renault Espace was the first European-developed minivan developed primarily for passenger use (as the Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) was a derivative of a commercial van). Beginning development in the 1970s under the European subsidiaries of Chrysler, the Espace was intended as a successor for the Matra Rancho (a primitive Crossover (automobile)), leading to its use of front-hinged doors. While slow-selling at the time of its release, the Espace would go on to become the most successful European-brand minivans.

Initially intending to sell the Espace in the United States, the 1987 sale of AMC to Chrysler cancelled plans of Renault doing so. At the end of the 1980s, Chrysler and Ford commenced sales of American-brand minivans in Europe, selling the Chrysler Voyager and Ford Aerostar (with varying degrees of success). Deriving its minivans from American designs, General Motors imported the Oldsmobile Silhouette (branded as the Pontiac Trans Sport), later marketing the American-produced Opel Sintra.

"packed">File:Paris - Retromobile 2014 - Renault Espace I - 1984 - 003.jpg|Renault Espace (1984-present)File:Chrysler Grand Voyager V front 20100508.jpg|Chrysler Voyager (1988-2016)File:2012 SEAT Alhambra SE Ecomotive CR 2.0 Front.jpg|SEAT Alhambra (1995-present)File:Volkswagen-Sharan-1.jpg|Volkswagen Sharan (1995-present)File:2018 Ford Galaxy Titanium X TDCi 2.0 Front.jpg|Ford Galaxy (1995-present)File:Citroen Evasion HDI Facelift.JPG|Citroen Evasion (1994-2002)File:Fiat Ulysse front 20080108.jpg|Fiat Ulysse (1994-2010)

The five highest selling minivans in Europe in 2018 were the Ford S-Max, SEAT Alhambra, Volkswagen Sharan, Renault Espace and Ford Galaxy.

Contrasting with compact passenger vans developed from commercial vehicles, Japanese manufacturers commenced development of minivans starting from compact MPVs in the 1980s. In 1982, the Nissan Prairie became one of the first compact minivans. Derived closely from a compact sedan, the Prairie was configured with sliding doors, folding rear seats, and a lifting rear hatch. The Mitsubishi Chariot (exported to North America as the Colt Vista) adopted nearly the same form factor, using wagon-style front-hinged doors.

In 1989, the Mazda MPV#First generation (LV; 1988-1999) was introduced as the first full-size minivan (derived from the Mazda 929 sedan). Developed primarily for American sales, the MPV exceeded Japanese compact size regulations; it was also sold in Japan and other markets. In line with American minivans, a passenger-side door was used; a hinged door was used (a driver-side door was introduced for 1996).

For 1990, the Toyota Previa mid-engine minivan was introduced (sold as the ''Estima'' in Japan). While largely retaining the configuration of its Toyota LiteAce predecessor, the Previa was designed solely as a passenger vehicle, with nearly panoramic window glass (excluding the B and D-pillars). Replaced in North America by the locally produced Toyota Sienna, the Previa remains in production for Japanese and Australian markets; the larger Toyota Alphard is produced as a luxury vehicle.

Following the introduction of the Nissan Quest (co-developed with Ford for North America), Nissan introduced the Nissan Elgrand in 1997 for worldwide markets; the Nissan Serena has grown into the large MPV segment as well.

Honda has produced its Honda Odyssey line of minivans since 1994; since 1999, a separate (larger) version has been produced for the United States and Canada. Until 2013, the Japan-produced version of the Odyssey was designed with front-hinged doors. In a design feature that was adopted by other manufacturers, the first generation of the Odyssey featured a rear seat that folded flat into the floor.

Expanding beyond compact MPVs, Mitsubishi entered the minivan segment in 2003 with the Mitsubishi Grandis, using front-hinged doors. Sold outside of North America, the Grandis was marketed through 2011.

Adapting a similar layout to the Chrysler minivans, the Kia Carnival (also sold the Kia Sedona) was introduced in 1998 with dual sliding doors. Sharing its configuration with the Honda Odyssey, the Hyundai Trajet was sold from 1999 to 2008 in markets outside of North America; the Hyundai Entourage was a rebadged Kia Sedona.

Introduced in 2004, the SsangYong Rodius is the highest-capacity minivan, seating up to 11 passengers.

In 1999, Shanghai GM commenced production of the Buick GL8 minivan, derived from a minivan platform designed by GM in the United States. After two generations of production, the GL8 is the final minivan produced by General Motors

its joint ventures today.

"packed">File:Nissan Prairie 1982 Sawston.jpg|Nissan Prairie (1982-2004)File:1st-Mazda-MPV.jpg|Mazda MPV (1989-2016)File:1996 Toyota Previa GL Automatic 2.4.jpg|Toyota Previa (1990-present)File:2008 Honda Odyssey 03.JPG|Honda Odyssey (1994-present)File:20110326 ssangyong new rodius 1.jpg|SsangYong Rodius (2004-present)File:Buick GL8 III 002 China 2017-03-30.jpg|Buick GL8 (1999-present)

Compact MPVs remain predominantly a European phenomenon, although they are also built and sold in many Latin American and Asian markets. As of 2016, the only compact MPV sold widely in the United States is the Ford C-Max.

Mini MPV — an abbreviation for Mini Multi-Purpose Vehicle — is a vehicle size class for the smallest size of minivans (MPVs). The Mini MPV size class sits below the compact MPV size class and the vehicles are often built on the platforms of B-segment hatchback models.

Several PSA Peugeot Citroën minivans based on B-segment platforms have been marketed as 'leisure activity vehicles' in Europe. These include the Citroën Berlingo (1996-present).

"Patrascu"/> One of the first LAVs was the 1977 Matra Rancho (among the first crossover SUVs and a precursor to the Renault Espace), with European manufacturers expanding the segment in the late 1990s, following the introduction of the Citroën Berlingo and Renault Kangoo.

Leisure activity vehicles are typically derived from supermini car

subcompact car car platforms, differing from mini MPVs in body design. To maximize interior space, LAVs are taller in height with a vertically-oriented Hatchback#Characteristics (or the side-hinged doors of a cargo van); the body typically features a more vertically-oriented windshield and longer hood/bonnet. Marketed as an alternative to sedan-derived small family cars, LAVs have seating with a lower H-point than MPVs

minivans, offering two (or three) rows of seating.

Though sharing underpinnings with superminis, subcompacts, and mini MPVs, the use of an extended wheelbase can make leisure activity vehicles longer than the vehicles they are derived from. For example, the Fiat Doblò is one of the longest LAVs with a total length of , versus the of the Opel Meriva (a mini MPV) and the of the Peugeot 206 SW (a supermini).

; Videos:,