Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is celebrating its 15th millionth minivan sold since the company launched its first minivan, back on November 2nd, 1983. With 54% of the minivan market share in the United States and 52% in Canada, FCA’s minivan duo of the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica have sold twice as minivans than any other manufacturer since creating the minivan segment 36 years ago.
“Reaching 15 million minivans sold isn’t just about hitting a number, it’s about the memories families have made and the children who have grown up driven to school or practice or on a family road trip in a Chrysler Pacifica or Pacifica Hybrid, Dodge Caravan or Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country or Voyager over the past three and a half decades,” said Tim Kuniskis, Global Head of Alfa Romeo and Head of Passenger Cars – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America. “We continue to lead and innovate to keep our current minivan lineup the absolute best at hauling people and things and help this generation of owners make memories that will last a lifetime.”
For 2020, FCA is offering four minivans in its portfolio, the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, and the new Chrysler Voyager.
Although the aging Dodge Grand Caravan is soon to be retired, it continues to be the best-selling minivan in North America. Thanks to its versatility and useful features at a tremendous value, the Grand Caravan also continues to be one of the best selling Dodge vehicles in North America as well.
The award-winning Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid, continue to reinvent the minivan segment. The Chrysler brand launched the first and only hybrid minivan and what has become one of the top five best-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the industry, since rolling off the assembly line on December 1st, 2016. Pacifica Hybrid achieves 82 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) or 2.7 Le/100 km in electric-only mode, has an all-electric range of 32 miles (50 kilometers) and a total range of more than 500 miles (800 kilometers).
For the 2020 model year, Chrysler is revamping its United States minivan lineup by restructuring the Pacifica lineup and offering a new Voyager model, which offers even more value for those who seek the quintessential family vehicle. Designed with budget-friendly family and fleet customers in mind, the Voyager delivers an exceptional driving experience. Just like it’s big brother the Chrysler Pacifica, the Voyager has also earned a five-star overall safety rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Now while the Chrysler Voyager will make its debut in the United States, Canadians will have to wait a while longer to get the new Voyager. FCA has confirmed to us, that the Voyager nameplate will return to Canada at a later date.
The Windsor Assembly Plant (WAP) in Windsor, Ontario Canada, which builds all four of FCA’s minivan models, has been building minivans since the vehicle’s introduction in 1983. WAP measures over 4.4 million square feet (371,000 square meters) and employs nearly 6,000 people.
Since its introduction, the FCA has featured several milestones.
- The first minivan, a Plymouth Voyager, rolled off the Windsor assembly line on November 2, 1983 (as a 1984 model year vehicle)
- Built the first luxury minivan, with the introduction of the Chrysler Town & Country (1990)
- Was the first minivan to offer integrated child seats (1992)
- The iconic Stow ’n Go seating and storage system makes its debut (2004)
- First to offer a dual rear-seat video system able to play different media at the same time (2007)
- First to offer Blind Spot Monitoring System (2009)
- First and only electrified minivan, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid rolls of the assembly line (2016)
