Forget SUVs: Minivans are having a renaissance—and they’ve never been this plush

One of the biggest car launches at Auto Shanghai 2025 in China from a European brand was the Mercedes-Benz Vision V. Surprisingly, this isn’t an SUV nor a luxury super-sedan. It’s a minivan (aka MPV). This wasn’t the only MPV displayed at the show either. Just when everyone thought SUVs had a permanent stranglehold on the market are minivans making an unexpected comeback?

Fall and rise of the MPV

MPVs used to be familiar sights on European roads. Never considered aesthetically desirable...