Having owned SUVs in the past, none of them were considered due to practicality.

BHPian vj123 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

2024 Toyota Sienna Limited

Likes:

• Ride.
• Practicality.
• Interior space & finish.
• Physical infotainment controls.
• Powertrain - Hybrid with All Wheel Drive.
• Fuel consumption - 36mpg / 600 miles with a full tank.

Dislikes:

• Acceleration.
• Dealer inventory.
• Driver seating position.
• Exterior design language.
• Pricier than the competition.
• Infotainment interface/software.

Vehicles considered

We have been thinking about adding a bigger vehicle to meet the growing family needs. Having owned SUVs in the past, none of them were considered due to practicality. The requirement for this purchase was straightforward: Minivan with rear entertainment system. Since all minivans have rear entertainment as an option, we looked at all vehicles in the segment and listed them in the order they were ruled out.

Chrysler Pacifica:

I have driven it with my family and we knew what to expect. Pacifica was ruled out even without a test drive due to the reliability issues associated with the brand. Chrysler used to offer OEM-backed lifetime warranty (with unlimited miles) in the past and I had that warranty on my 2018 Durango. If that warranty was still available, Pacifica might have been a serious contender.

Honda Odyssey:

Having owned two of them (MY2019 & MY2022), it would have been a safe bet to get another Odyssey as we were accustomed to the vehicle. 6 six-cylinder engines and better driving dynamics were a big plus. In addition, dealers were offering good discounts on in-stock vehicles and Honda offered 2.49% APR for 48 months (great APR in the current market). But with the other options in the market, Odyssey felt outdated and it was already due for an update (with a hybrid option) within the next year.

Kia Carnival:

Carnival is the new kid on the block and offers a compelling package. It's the best looking in the segment (looks like an SUV) loaded with tech & features and comes with the best factory warranty in the market. LCI (MY2025) will bring in a hybrid powertrain but we were not planning to wait longer and not having AWD was a letdown.

Continue reading BHPian vj123 report for more insights and information.

Varga expressed his liking towards the Vision Renndienst concept from 2020

Speaking to a media outlet, Porsche design chief, Peter Varga expressed his interest for the brand to venture into the minivan segment. Varga expressed his liking towards the Vision Renndienst concept from 2020, which could potentially be a source of inspiration if Porsche actually decides to venture into the new segment.

Varga stated, "I really like the van from 2020." Also, when asked about the suitability of a van for the Porsche brand, Varga replied, "I think so. It’s a nice car, it looks good, and why not? The van as a product, as an idea, or concept for a new car, is now very interesting in combination with luxury."

The design chief even mentioned the Toyota Alphard, stating how a similar vehicle could be interesting for the Porsche brand. During the Macan EV launch event in Singapore, he mentioned, "Here [in Singapore], for example, you sit in the back of a van with large seats. You can go that way with a van. Perhaps for Porsche, it is an interesting new product. That’s my personal opinion."

He also clarified that even though Renndienst could be an inspiration, the actual minivan will not be able to retain the central driving position from the concept. He added, "The only thing that wouldn’t work is the central seating position for the driver. It doesn’t work in everyday life. You don’t see anything at all, you don’t see the other drivers. It’s a great driving position for a race car. Maybe we can design the van with a normal seating position."

In early 2021 though, Detlev von Platen, a member of Porsche's executive board for sales and marketing had clarified that building a production version of the van was not on the agenda and reiterated, "We are, we were, and we still will be a sports car manufacturer."

Source: TopGear Netherlands

According to a media report, despite the slowdown in the automobile market, MPV sales grew by 35% to 2.2 lakhs units in 2019.

The share of MPVs in the market grew from 5% to 8%. The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga accounted for nearly 50% of the total MPV sales. Other MPVs that did well include the Maruti Suzuki XL6, Mahindra Marazzo, Renault Triber and the Toyota Innova.

The share of petrol variants has increased from 5% about 5-7 years ago to 35-38%. The Renault Triber, which is available only with a petrol engine, performed well and Maruti also saw a good demand for the CNG variant of the Ertiga.

The share of first time buyers has gone up from 16% to 37% over the last 7 years for the Eritga. This figure stood at 62% for Renault India.

The segment is expected to grow further fueled by new launches from Kia (Grand Carnival) and Toyota (Vellfire).

The report suggests that practicality, comfort and space, along with a good design and features offered are drawing customers towards the MPV segment.

Source

According to a media report, the minivan segment in India is likely to be affected by the upcoming crash safety norms. It is said that people carriers like the Tata Ace Magic, Magic Iris, Magic Express and Mahindra's Jeeto and Supro could be discontinued as these vehicles are not built to comply with the new regulations.

The new regulations which come into effect from July 1, 2019 require passenger vehicles with less than 9 seats to have airbags, high speed warning system, reverse parking sensors and seat-belt reminder. From October 1, 2019, these vehicles will also have to be certified for crashworthiness.

Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra and Mahindra has confirmed that the Jeeto 4-5 seater minivan has been discontinued. Tata Motors has also hinted that the passenger versions of the Ace will not be sold once the new regulations come into force.

Source: Moneycontrol

Tata Motors has launched the Winger 15 Seater in Maharashtra. The mini-bus is priced from Rs. 12.05 lakh (ex-showroom) and will be available across 23 Tata dealers in the state.

The Tata Winger 15S measures 5,458 mm in overall length, 1,905 mm in width and 2,670 mm in height and the internal cabin height is 6 feet 3 inches, which is claimed to aid passenger movement. It has a ground clearance of 180 mm and luggage capacity of 585 litres.

The Winger 15S is built around a monocoque chassis. It features independent front suspension with anti-roll bars and hydraulic shock absorbers and rides on 15-inch wheels. On the inside, the Winger 15S comes fitted with push back seats with USB charging ports for each row and individual air-conditioning vents. 

The Winger 15S is powered by a 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder DICOR diesel engine which produces 99 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 190 Nm of peak torque @ 1,250-3,500 rpm. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox and drives the front wheels.

Mahindra launched the Supro Maxi Truck and the Supro Van at a price of Rs. 4.25 lakh and Rs. 4.38 lakh ex-showroom Thane for the BS III variants.

Supro Maxi Truck

The Maxi Truck is powered by a 909 cc Turbocharged diesel engine producing 45 HP / 98 Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. It has a max speed of 95 km/h and manages 22.4 km/l.

The truck has a 1,000 kg payload capacity and a 41 sq.ft. cargo box. It has beige interiors with black insers. Unique features of the Supro include air-conditioning, electronic power steering, bottle holder and a mobile charging point.

It is available in 3 colours - Metallic Red, Diamond White and Deep Warm Blue.

This vehicle rivals the Tata Ace and the Tata Ace Mega and is positioned right between these two.

Supro Van

This is an 8-seater van which is powered by the same 909 cc turbocharged diesel engine as the Supro Maxi Truck. Power / torque figures remain identical at 45 HP and 98 Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Even though its top speed remains the same at 95 km/h, it's even more fuel efficient than the truck at 23.5 km/l.

The van measures 3,798 mm in length, 1,540 in width and 1,922 in height. The van features dual tone interiors, power steering, air-conditioning, bottle holder and a mobile charging socket. It is available in 5 or 8-seater configurations.

It comes in 3 colours - Metallic Lake Side Brown, Deep Warm Blue and Diamond White.

Additionally, both the Van and Maxi Truck get a 2 year / 60,000 km standard warranty. This vehicle goes up against the Maruti Omni and Eeco.

Prices in lakhs for the Van (ex-showroom Thane) for BS III variant are:
ZX: Rs. 4.93
VX: Rs. 4.63
LX: Rs. 4.38
(BS IV prices are Rs. 15,000 more)

Just 15 months after it launched the Maxximo Mini Van, Mahindra & Mahindra announced its intention to expand its offerings in the minivan segment with the launch of the upgraded Maxximo Mini Van VX last Friday.

The country’s largest utility vehicle manufacturer is looking to rival Maruti Suzuki’s Omni and Eeco models that dominate this segment, with about 60 per cent market share.

The minivan will be powered by the same two-cylinder 909 cc C2 CRDe diesel engine that puts out 25 bhp and gives a claimed 18-20 km to the litre. The eight-seater vehicle will be available in both BS III and BS IV compliant options.

What’s New?

The new VX minivan has a complete hard top body with sliding doors which is different from its existing semi-hard top variant. It will be available with the air-conditioning feature that was missing in the earlier variant. The company claims that it has 30-40 per cent more room than the Omni. 

The VX minivan has a monocoque chassis with booster-assisted Twin LSPV brakes and frontal crash protection as safety features.

At Rs. 3.7-3.8 lakh, it is priced about a lakh rupees more than the Omni and about Rs 40,000 more than the Eeco. However, both these Maruti Suzuki vehicles are available only in petrol and CNG variants, whilst all Maxximos versions run a diesel engine.

After the Maxximo load, the semi-hard top minivan and the CNG pick-up, the VX minivan will be the fourth vehicle to roll out from M&M’s Chakan plant on the same Maxximo platform.

Expectations

The minivan industry in India sells around 20,000 units per month out of which Maruti’s Omni and Eeco account for around 12,000 units, followed by Tata Motors’ Magic and Magic Iris at 4,500 to 6,000 units per month. M&M will expect to ride on the projected 10 per cent growth in this segment. The existing Maxximo minivan already sell 2,000-2,500 units per month and M&M will hoping to add a minimum of 1,500 units per month to that figure.