Renault’s design chief Gilles Vidal believes people carriers are primed for a dramatic comeback, potentially disrupting the family car segment as manufacturers pivot toward efficiency-focused electric vehicle design. This shift could challenge the SUV dominance that has defined European automotive markets for nearly two decades.
From Dominance to Decline: The MPV Story
Multi-purpose vehicles once commanded significant market presence across Europe, with models like the Renault Scenic, Vauxhall Zafira, Ford Galaxy, and Citroën Picasso capturing over 10% of regional sales. These vehicles excelled at accommodating seven passengers within tall cabins while maintaining estate car-sized footprints.
The segment’s decline began in 2006 when Nissan launched the Qashqai, essentially creating the crossover category. This revolutionary approach offered families the practicality they needed with the desirability they craved, eventually leading SUVs to capture more than half of European car sales while MPVs plummeted to low single-digit market share.
The Psychology Behind SUV Success
Vidal explained the fundamental difference between the segments: “SUVs won the battle against the MPVs because MPVs are cars that you need but you don’t desire, and suddenly SUVs with the same engines, same weight, same everything – they are shapes that you will desire.”
However, he noted an interesting societal shift: “Now there’s an SUV bashing going on in Europe, especially. You would never do MPV bashing because it’s a very respectable family car – but it’s equally polluting, equally heavy, equally everything, so that’s a weird society twist.”
Electrification: The Game Changer
The transition to electric vehicles presents unique opportunities for MPV revival. As manufacturers prioritize aerodynamic efficiency and exploit EV skateboard architecture’s packaging freedoms, the traditional MPV silhouette may prove more advantageous than SUV styling.
Vidal predicts SUVs will evolve toward efficiency: “What will probably happen with SUVs is they will try to be more and more efficient, so maybe slightly lower and better in aerodynamics. They will morph into a very efficient car, less energy consuming, with equivalent habitability and roominess.”
Renault’s Vision: The Emblème Concept
Renault’s upcoming Emblème concept exemplifies this transformation, featuring raised ride height combined with a sleeker, lower profile than current SUVs. This segment-straddling approach represents the “morphing” Vidal describes, blending SUV practicality with MPV efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did MPVs lose popularity to SUVs?
A: MPVs were practical but lacked the emotional appeal of SUVs, which offered similar functionality with more desirable styling.
Q: How will electrification help MPVs make a comeback?
A: Electric vehicles prioritize aerodynamic efficiency, making MPV’s sleeker profiles more advantageous than traditional SUV designs.
Q: When can we expect to see new MPVs in the market?
A: Renault’s Emblème concept, due in production soon, represents the first of this new generation of efficiency-focused family vehicles.
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