Just as the minivan supplanted the traditional family station wagon back in the 1980s, the 2000s saw the minivan turn into an uncool form of vehicle that appeared headed for the history books. While several manufacturers are still producing minivans (including market leader Chrysler, as well as Honda, Toyota and Kia), two of the largest manufacturers in the world, GM and Ford, no longer offer a minivan in their North American lineups. Minivan volumes aren't what they used to be, which is why many manufacturers simply don't see the benefit to offering this type of vehicle.
In Europe, the story is a little different. While crossover-type vehicles are gaining in popularity, there are still some minivans on the market. The European versions are a step down in size compared to the huge Chrysler Caravan (now called Pacifica), making them better suited to the older cities and smaller parking spots and garages you often find in Europe. Here, GM and Ford still see some success with their Zafira and Galaxy minivans, though they're losing ground to crossovers and SUVs.
There was talk several years ago of axing the Espace in favour of a large crossover, but Renault went ahead and introduced a fifth generation Espace back in 2015. I got to see my first Espace a few weeks back upon my return to France, and was pleasantly surprised. Combining the silhouette of a traditional minivan but design details more reminiscent of more stylish crossovers and SUVs, the Espace is, in my eyes, the best looking minivan on the market.
There might be some life left in the minivan if they continue to evolve as the Espace has. If you've got people to move and they have a lot of stuff, there's no better way than with a minivan. And when they look this good, it's an easy choice. Long live the minivan!