Consumer Demand for Smaller Minivan in North America Should Be High
Honda isn't the only automaker with a minivan in miniature as part of its foreign market lineup. Almost every major player has one. The segment, dubbed mini-MPV in Europe, is one of the most popular, second only behind compact cars.
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| Not everyone needs or wants a large van, and that means that a small minivan like the Honda Stream could sell well in North America. (Photo: Honda) |
But would there be interest in a smaller minivan? With each new North American "minivan" introduction, the "bigger is better" trend continues, disenfranchising consumers that bought into the minivan segment when the vans were actually based on compact cars.
Not everyone needs or wants a large van, or for that matter an SUV, either of which can be expensive to initially purchase and to operate. For this reason some market analysts have deemed interest in a smaller minivan could be strong enough that something similar to the Stream may be successful.
So then why doesn't Honda take a page out of Chrysler Group's history book and attempt a segment-buster of its own? The Japanese brand's Stream mini-MPV seems like a vehicle type needed in startup families and small businesses alike, combining people hauling and cargo capacity into a convenient city-sized conveyance.
Honda's Stream is also one of the best performing on its market. Based off the European and Japanese market Civics (what we get as the Honda Civic SiR hatchback), the Stream has always impressed its buyers.