Minivan sales in the United States plunged 23% in 2008, a year that ended in great turmoil, as total new vehicle sales slid 18%. Minivans accounted for 4.9% of the auto industry’s 2008 U.S. sales volume, down from 5.2% in 2007.
In other words, an oncoming recession brought auto sales down in 2008, yet minivan sales fell even harder than the overarching new vehicle market.
• Complete U.S. Minivan Market Sales Figures – 2007 Year End
• Complete U.S. Minivan Market Sales Figures – 2009 Year End
The Honda Odyssey took over as America’s top-selling minivan in 2008, surging past the fast-falling Dodge Grand Caravan despite the Honda’s own 22% year-over-year decline.
Total Chrysler minivan sales were still far in excess of what Honda could manage – Chrysler Group’s market share in the category was 37.7%, equal to the total achieved in 2007. But the tide had clearly turned away.
Chrysler was certainly an extraordinarily afflicted automaker in 2008. Group-wide sales fell 30% to 1.45 million, a loss of nearly 624,000 units as the automaker lost 209,000 sales from minivans and pickup trucks alone.
Click Column Headers To Sort Minivans By Volume Or % Change
Minivan
|
2008
|
2007
|
%
Change |
---|---|---|---|
Buick Terraza
|
544
|
5,569
|
-90.2%
|
Chevrolet Astro
|
—
|
25
|
-100%
|
Chevrolet Uplander
|
40,456
|
69,885
|
-42.1%
|
Chevrolet Venture
|
—
|
25
|
-100%
|
Chrysler Town & Country
|
118,563
|
138,151
|
-14.2%
|
Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
|
123,749
|
176,041
|
-29.7%
|
Ford Freestar
|
—
|
2,390
|
-100%
|
GMC Safari
|
—
|
13
|
-100%
|
Honda Odyssey
|
135,493
|
173,046
|
-21.7%
|
Hyundai Entourage
|
8,470
|
17,155
|
-50.6%
|
Kia Rondo
|
28,645
|
26,020
|
10.1%
|
Kia Sedona
|
26,915
|
40,493
|
-33.5%
|
Mazda 5
|
22,021
|
13,717
|
60.5%
|
Mazda MPV
|
—
|
125
|
-100%
|
Mercury Monterey
|
—
|
700
|
-100%
|
Nissan Quest
|
18,252
|
28,590
|
-36.2%
|
Pontiac Montana
|
—
|
26
|
-100%
|
Pontiac Montana SV6
|
64
|
1,359
|
-95.3%
|
Saturn Relay
|
163
|
1,474
|
-88.9%
|
Toyota Sienna
|
115,944
|
138,162
|
-16.1%
|
Volkswagen Routan
|
3,387
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
— | — |
Total
|
642,666
|
832,966 | -22.8% |
Source: Automakers & ANDC