• Minivans fall into three categories: mini, compact and large. Minivans, also called multipurpose vans (MPVs) can be traced to the Volkswagen microbus, which was launched in 1950. The modern minivan was introduced in 1984. Minivans have lost ground in sales during the past decade with the growing popularity of crossover vehicles, which combine the looks and characteristics of a sport utility vehicle with the comfort of a minivan.
  
  

Minivan Market

• Many of the original Detroit-made minivans have ceased production, including the Plymouth Voyager, Ford Aerostar and the Chevrolet Astro, and have since been replaced as major sellers by such Japanese imports as the Honda Odyssey, Mazda MPV and Toyota Previa. The American-made Chrysler Town & Country remains a strong seller.
  
  

Honda Odyssey

• The Odyssey is a large minivan manufactured at factories in Japan and China. The five-door vehicle sits on a 111.4-inch wheelbase and is 188 inches long. It underwent a makeover for the 2008 model with a sleek, low-slung look. It's powered by a 244hp 3.5 liter V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission, according to Honda.com.
  
  

Mazda MPV

• The large-size Mazda MPV is one of the oldest and largest minivans imported from Japan. It was introduced in 1989. The MPV's engine selection was reduced from four to two in 2006, but Mazda introduced a 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged version. The MPV also features a range of four-, five- and six-speed automatic transmission. Its wheelbase is a lengthy 116.1 inches with an overall length of 191.7 inches (See Reference 3).
  .
  
  

Toyota Previa

• The Previa followed the Mazda MPV in the same class to the U.S. market in 1990. It sports a larger engine than its competitors with an optional 3.5-liter V-6, but also is equipped with the standard 2.4-liter inline-four. It's almost identical to the MPV in size, but its changes in styling have been fairly conservative compared to other Japanese and American minivan models (See Resources 1).
  
  

Chrysler Town & Country

• Chrysler's minivan offering of the Town & Country is the granddaddy of surviving American-made minivans that occupies the large luxury minivan category. Unlike its competitors, the Town & Country eschews the standard four-cylinder engines for hefty V-6 engines in 3.3-, 3.8- and 4-liter displacements. In keeping with its luxury-style components, it features an exceptionally long 121.2-inch wheelbase and 202.5-inch overall length, according consumersearch.com.
  
  

Nissan Cube

• The Cube was introduced in 1998 as a mini-model targeted at youthful drivers with its counter-intuitive box-shaped styling for which the basic design has changed little in more than a decade. It's designed as five-door hatchback with a short 99.6-inch wheelbase, 156.7-inch overall length and modest four-cylinder gasoline or diesel engines displacing 1.5, 1.6 or 1.8 liters.