Chrysler and Dodge CEO Matt McAleer at the 2026 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) in New York, USA, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Bing An | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Chrysler and Dodge CEO Matt McAleer wants the world to know that the minivan isn’t dead. On the contrary, he said, it unveiled the latest version of the Pacifica Pinnacle, the top trim of the brand’s only product line, at the New York International Auto Show.
The Chrysler brand was once one of the biggest names in the auto industry, but it only sells one family of minivans, and many are taking this as a sign of the brand’s impending demise.
Chrysler, which has promised new products for years, said it would share more plans with its parent company. StellantisInvestor Day will be held on May 21st in Auburn Hills, Michigan. McAleer didn’t elaborate further, but said the brand had “a lot in development” and touted its only vehicle.
“We see the minivan market as steadily growing, and we believe Chrysler has an opportunity to continue to grow year after year,” McAleer said. Chrysler is the best-selling brand in this area, he added.
Is the minivan back?
Chrysler is often credited with inventing the minivan, or at least making it mainstream in the United States in the early 1980s. Rivals followed, but many abandoned it.
Since the 1990s, minivans have steadily lost ground to SUVs, which are considered more sporty and adventurous. In 2017, minivan sales accounted for just 1.7% of the market, Edmunds said. In 2025, it will reach a maximum of 2.4%.
The sales numbers of Chrysler and its few competitors in this segment demonstrate a growing interest in adaptable and often affordable “utility vehicles,” sometimes called minivans. The average transaction price for large SUVs is $77,215, according to Edmunds. Meanwhile, the average price for a minivan is $48,269, slightly higher than the industry-wide average price for a new vehicle of $48,402.
Chrysler has decided there’s enough demand to unveil a new, top-of-the-line version of its minivan, the Pinnacle, at the auto show. The vehicle is packed with features typical of luxury family cars, including seats-back screens so rear row passengers can watch movies during road trips. However, there are some perks that are hard to find outside the segment. For example, in some versions both the second and third row seats can be folded completely into the floor.
Companies like Chrysler are also looking beyond the minivan’s long-standing identity as a “family hauler.” Its Grizzly Peak concept is equipped with knobby tires and a roof rack as a more rugged option, and McAleer said the company is looking at ways to make that even more viable.
“We’re looking into it,” he said. “We’re trying to figure out if there’s a way to do that because people love it. And this is different than anything we’ve seen in a minivan brand before.”
Mr McAleer also touted the van’s storage capacity compared to similar vehicles.
“I have a friend who is a racing driver,” he said. “One of my favorite things about this car is that I can safely store it without a trailer by putting the shifter cart in the back seat with the third row down with the kids. Another friend of mine loves kiteboarding, but doesn’t want to put it on top because it’s hard to get it up and down. It’s hard to keep it secure. He keeps it inside.”
Pacifica’s sales increased only slightly in 2025. The more affordable Voyager model, which the brand later renamed the Pacifica LX, saw stronger sales growth, albeit in lower volumes. Although Pacifica’s sales declined in the first quarter of 2026, Chrysler said sales in March were up nearly 84% compared to the same period last year.
There are only a few vehicles in this segment in the United States, and only five basic model lines, including the electric Volkswagen ID Buzz, which VW prefers not to call a minivan.
Toyota Sienna sales increased by 35% in 2025 and rose again in the first quarter of 2026. Many models, some new or refreshed, were far behind Toyota’s best-selling cars and saw even larger increases. Toyota’s Japanese rival Honda saw sales of its Odyssey increase 10% last year. However, it declined in the first quarter of 2026.
One particularly successful model is the Kia Carnival. Unit sales increased in 2025 and the first quarter of 2026. Minivan sales are only a few thousand units behind the three-row Sorento, far behind the popular and more rugged Telluride, and still behind Kia’s equivalent SUV.
“The Carnival is truly a family-friendly, practical vehicle,” said Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations for Kia America. “I think it’s perfect at a stage in life where people have kids and want the power sliding doors and the configuration that that car provides.”
The Kia is one of the later entrants to the segment, with the sliding rear doors that characterize the minivan segment, but its body panels are perforated, giving the illusion of an SUV.
“I think that will attract a lot of people and reduce the stigma of being a minivan family,” Watson said.
But some people are attracted to the segment itself. Pricing for the Chrysler Pinnacle starts at just over $56,000, with the least expensive LX starting at just over $41,000.
“We’re really seeing a resurgence,” McAleer said. “At the end of the day, these things make life easier and don’t necessarily have to impress everyone.”
