The 4 Coolest Minivans That Should’ve Never Existed—but Absolutely Did

Here’s what you’ll learn reading this story.

• Many of the most unconventional minivans (and cars, for that matter) were created in the 1990s and early 2000s.
• Volkswagen is one of many automakers credited for popularizing the minivan.
• Chrysler is largely credited with inventing the minivan, but its actual creator is still a heavily contested topic.

Let’s face it: minivans were never seen as cool vehicles. But we don’t entirely know why. Is it because they’re tailor-made for families? Is it their form-follows-function design? We think this reputation of being a lame vehicle is largely unfounded, and as evidence, we decided to compile a list of the coolest minivans ever made.

Since it would be too easy to include out-of-this-world vehicles like Ford’s 2,000-hp Pikes Peak Supervan or Renault’s F1-engined Espace, we thought it best to mostly stick to production vehicles (you know—the ones people have been able to buy).

Italdesign Columbus

That caveat set, we immediately need to put an asterisk next to the Italdesign Columbus. After all, it never made it past the concept stage, but wow does that concept look unique. And its origin story was just about as weird as its design. As its name hint to, it was inspired by the 500^th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas, and was designed to look like a “sailing ship for dry land.” Unlike many of today’s utilitarian minivans, the Columbus was designed as a seven-seat luxury vehicle for urban environments.

If the design didn’t already catch you off guard, what’s under the hood will. The Columbus was powered by a 300-horsepower 5-liter V12 engine made by BMW, mounted transversely (sideways) in the middle of the chassis. This super minivan would’ve also been permanent all-wheel drive, meaning that it would’ve likely been able to really boogie if needed, and it features a central driving position (much like the McLaren F1).

Italdesign writes the Columbus featured body-on-frame construction with a steel chassis and carbon fiber body. And at nearly 20 feet in length, it would have comfortably been the longest minivan ever made had it gone into production. (The Honda Odyssey is currently the longest minivan on sale, at just a sneeze above 17 feet long.) With so much square footage to work with, the seating layout could have easily been modified to accommodate up to nine passengers.

It’s a shame that the Columbus concept was never picked up by a major automaker, as it was clearly ahead of its time.

Volkswagen Type 2

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Nobody can quite decide who invented the minivan, but Volkswagen’s Type 2 definitely helped popularize the vehicle. Its versatility and affordability were catalysts for its iconic success as a symbol of freedom and counterculture. Just about anyone could get their hands on one (and most everyone did).

Practicality was another major selling point for Volkswagen’s people carrier, with its simple design and readily available parts—the latter of which was especially good news, as the Type 2 has never been what we’d call reliable. The air-cooled versions were incredibly simple, but proved equally unreliable, struggling with oil leaks and requiring frequent valve adjustments.

For this reason, many modern #vanlife-ers who opt for this particular Volkswagen often swap in modern engines to give themselves some peace of mind. And there are plenty in the community who go the Type 2 route—you’ll likely be able to find one in any book you can get your hands on about the van-living concept. It was an absolute cult classic for the first wave of travel-hungry van dwellers, hippies, and those seeking an unconventional lifestyle. Perhaps that’s why it became such a status symbol for those rejecting mainstream society.

Volkswagen has since revived the idea of its original van with the all-electric ID. Buzz. With a list price just under $60,000 MSRP, it hasn’t become an overnight success, but many enthusiasts have already jumped on board.

Toyota Previa

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A list like this would not be complete without the Toyota Previa. Everything about the Previa was designed to be different. Nobody had ever made a pill-shaped minivan. Few had ever made a mid-engined minivan. And nobody was ever bonkers enough to offer a supercharged minivan. But the different-ness worked—Toyota managed to defy all the odds and made a cool minivan.

Mounting the engine underneath the front seats was an especially novel idea for the time. This not only allowed for a more spacious interior, but lowered the center of gravity. The Previa was also available with a five-speed manual transmission, which added to its appeal as a driver-focused minivan. And all of these “performance” claims were bolstered by the brand’s rock-solid reputation for making reliable vehicles.

While the Previa’s jellybean design was highly unconventional for the time, it wasn’t purely an aesthetic choice. The large windows and relatively short hood made it incredibly easy to maneuver in tight spaces and an absolute breeze to park. The rest was history, as the Previa enjoyed a cult following for decades.

Mitsubishi Delica

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Sticking with the theme of Japanese minivans, few are quite as iconic as the Mitsubishi Delica. Introduced in 1968, the boxy 4x4’s name was a combination of “delivery” and “car,” and while it was never sold in U.S. markets, many off-road enthusiasts have managed to import them thanks to the 25-year rule.

The Delica’s off-road ability is one of its biggest selling points for many enthusiasts. Not only is its design unique—it provides ample ground clearance and downright impressive approach/departure angles for its form factor. That, combined with its factory-available 4x4 system, makes it almost a no-brainer for going off-road. This has resulted in almost endless aftermarket support, with parts and pieces designed to further improve the Delica’s capabilities.

Just like the Toyota Previa, these forward-control vans—where you sit over the front axle—offer an incredibly unique driving experience. There’s really nothing comparable for the American motorist (outside of driving something like a box truck), and perhaps that’s what draws many enthusiasts towards the Delica and other vans like it. We’ll likely never see the same forward-control layout return, considering the constraints of modern safety requirements, and that’s why many owner’s clubs are fighting for the right to keep these vehicles registered and legal to drive on stateside roads.