Twenty years after Baby Boomers fell in love with the minivan and made it part of America's suburban landscape, the breadbox on wheels has been largely pushed aside by Generation X and a surge in SUVs. But with a U.S. market still one million strong, automakers are not yet ready to let the minivan go the way of the station wagon, according to an Associated Press report. Automakers plan to roll out at least a half-dozen new minivan offerings in the next year or two, according to AP. These days, people in their 20s and 30s - and even aging Baby Boomers - are more often opting for sport utility and so-called crossover vehicles, which tend to be more rugged and stylish, while providing the roomy functionality that attracted the original minivan following, AP said. SUVs, despite increasing criticism of their fuel-efficiency and safety records, and crossovers comprised some 25 percent of U.S. light vehicle sales last year. Minivan share, meanwhile, fell to 6.7 percent, its worst performance since 1989. (The minivan segment peaked at 8.2 percent in 1994 and 1995.)
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