Could An Off-Road Minivan Be The Perfect Excuse To Ditch The SUV?

Summary

• The Dodge Caravan minivan saved the Chrysler Corporation from extinction by addressing a need for practical, roomy family transportation.
• While SUVs gained popularity for their interior capacity, they are less practical and fuel-efficient than minivans.
• The Mitsubishi Delica D:5 blends the best elements of minivans, SUVs, and crossovers, offering a comfortable cabin space and stylish exterior design. Unfortunately, it is not available in North America.

The Dodge Caravan minivan, introduced for the 1984 model year may be one of the dorkiest rides ever conceived, but it is also one of the most significant advancements in automotive history. Not only was the minivan the first new class of vehicle in decades, it literally saved the Chrysler Corporation from extinction. The success of the minivan was simple in that it addressed a need that no other vehicle did and that was providing practical, roomy family transportation.

The minivan had space for all the kids and pets with plenty of storage room for groceries, luggage, or camping gear. There was more headroom than a station wagon and the sliding side door made it more accessible. The only real downside was that its styling, or lack thereof, made it the least cool thing anyone could possibly drive. It was a symbol of suburban conformity that crushed the soul of anyone who drove it. The rise of the SUV can be attributed to people wanting that same interior capacity but with a much less lame exterior.

The problem is, that SUVs are huge gas guzzlers that sit high off the ground, making them less practical than a minivan for most family-related functions. Crossovers, which are red-hot right now, address the unruly size and poor fuel economy of SUVs but still don’t offer the comfortable cabin space of a minivan. Mitsubishi may have found a way to blend all the best elements of minivans, SUVs, and crossovers into a unified family vehicle. The Delica D:5 has all the creature comforts and cargo room of a minivan and, most importantly, doesn’t look like a dorkmobile.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Mitsubishi Motors, GoAuto, and Drive. place.

Mitsubishi Delica D:5

Evolution Of The Minivan

Mitsubishi introduced the Delica as a cabover van and pickup truck in 1968. The van looked eerily similar to a third-gen VW microbus, that wouldn’t hit the market until 1979. In a bit more style-borrowing, the second generation Delica (1978-1985) got a little smaller and was marketed in various world markets by Chrysler, who would “invent” the minivan just a few years later.

One significant addition to the second-gen Delicas was that they were offered in four-wheel drive. From 1987-1990 a few 4×4 diesel engine Delicas were sold in the United States, and while that market didn’t exist then, it sounds pretty awesome now.

Mitsubishi Delica Timeline

• First-gen – 1968
• Second-gen – 1979
• Third-gen – 1986
• Fourth-gen – 1994
• Fifth-gen – 2007 (Designated B:5)
• Model refresh – 2019

Mitsubishi continued making the Delica and its looks transformed from the VW microbus to basically a generic minivan. Then, in 2007, the Japanese automaker designated the Delica as the D:5 and radically upgraded its styling with a decidedly less lame profile and front fascia.

A 2019 refresh, went even further, making the Delica D:5 not only less of a weenie-mobile but actually cool looking. It’s a ride that dad can drive the kids to soccer practice without the feeling like his life has been sucked out of him. While it seems like a no-brainer to give the minivan some sporty styling, Mitsubishi is the only company that actually did it.

Wicked Cool D:5

The Minivan Matures

At first glance, it’s not immediately clear what the Delica D:5 is, because there’s nothing like it on the road. Usually, that’s an indication that a vehicle is weird, but the D:5 is damn good-looking in a way that hasn’t been seen before. It has an aggressive stance like an SUV, while still riding low to the ground as a proper minivan would.

The pronounced front end and mostly flat hood give it some muscle, while the front fascia may be the best of any vehicle on the market. The creative light design and grill come together to make a fairly angry-looking face, which gives this ride some serious attitude.

Delica D:5 Exterior Dimensions

(Source: Mitsubishi)

Instead of faux wood paneling and wire-spoke hubcaps, the D:5 strives to appeal to consumers other than mid-1980s housewives. It’s a proven scientific fact that killer rims and spoilers can make the weakest of rides look strong, and since the D:5 is already powerful-looking, the addition of these accents makes it into a brawny beast. The front splitter and rear spoiler, let it be known that the D:5 is ready to go, and the slick wheels help do it in style. This thing is leaps and bounds above a minivan or crossover and can hang with luxury SUVs in the style department.

Inside The D:5

Comfort And Cargo Space

Plenty of rides have a cool appearance, but few also have practicality, like the Delica D:5. It’s great that this thing is aesthetically pleasing, but it’s a minivan at heart so it delivers on the inside as well. With three rows of seats, there’s enough room for seven adults to sit comfortably.

The rear seats are foldable and removable, giving multiple interior configurations as well as storage options. Generally, minivans have a single rear sliding door, but the D:5 has one on each side, as well as a full-width tailgate, making loading passengers and gear a snap. The automatic curbside step also helps.

Delica D:5 Features

• 9.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay
• 12-speaker Rockford Fosgate Premium sound system
• 30-gigabyte hard disk drive on-board navigation system
• Dual power sliding side doors
• Back up camera

The interior finish is not quite on par with a luxury vehicle but above the hard plastics of a budget ride. A minivan is supposed to be for families, so most people probably wouldn’t want muddy dogs and food-throwing toddlers mucking up a leather interior.

The D:5 does offer plenty of electronic goodies like a generous touchscreen infotainment system as well as a high-end stereo, but the inside of this vehicle is all about room and comfort, something it has more than enough of. There are also cubbyholes and hidden storage spaces throughout, taking advantage of every square inch of the interior.

D:5 Power And Performance

Four Wheels Of Fury

Nobody expects a minivan to run with supercars, but they also don’t want a sluggish vehicle that makes merging on the freeway a terrifying ordeal. The Delica D:5 has several engine options, but the obvious choice is the 2.3-liter turbo diesel in-line four-cylinder. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, this minivan has enough power for every normal driving application.

Unfortunately, the Mitsubishi Motors Global Website has zero specs on this vehicle and the website that has all the details is in Japanese. After converting metric horsepower and Newton Meters into recognizable power, the D:5 produces 170 ponies, which is plenty to give it some zip off the line.

Power And Performance

(Performance stats sourced from drive.place)

Another bummer is that this is an international car and there is zero North American automotive press on it. There are no Car and Driver test drives or MotorTrend features, and in fact, the only English language review comes courtesy of the Australian site GoAuto.

Aussie English is different from American English, but apparently, they like the engine and all-wheel drive, saying the ride has a “very Japanese flavor” as well as commenting that the cabin is “quite boomy.” What does come through is that four-wheel drive on a minivan is awesome. While not a credible off-roader because of the low ground clearance, it’s great in snow and loose surfaces.

Delica D:5 Market

Not Coming To America

The biggest knock on the Mitsubishi Delica D:5 is that the steering wheel is on the wrong side. The reason for that is that it is not sold in North America, which is the actual problem with the otherwise great minivan. Even worse, there’s no chance it will be coming to the U.S.

The D:5, even with the recent facelift, is over 15 years old and at the end of its cycle, so Mitsubishi isn’t going to start importing it now. There is a distinct possibility that a new generation is launching in the next year or so, which could offer a small glimmer of hope that it will make its way to North America.

Delica D:5 Markets

• Japan
• China
• Philippines
• Taiwan
• Indonesia

There is absolutely a market in the United States for a minivan that doesn’t emasculate the driver. Especially one with four-wheel drive and a turbo diesel engine. The Delica D:5 would do well here but probably would need a better name to resonate with Americans. Delica sounds a bit delicate, and Mitsubishi markets it as “Tough to be Gentle.”

It will play better in the States if they put more emphasis on the “tough” part and give it an equally tough name. Actually, just calling it the “D:5” would suffice. This ride has all the ingredients to take a chunk out of the SUV market and probably dominate the minivan market.