Automakers releasing new seven-seat minivans and SUVs to meet the needs of larger Chinese families

Thanks to relaxations in China’s one-child policy, many Chinese families are growing to include a second child. Thanks to the changing structure of Chinese families, many minivan shoppers are looking for seven-seat minivans to suit their transportation needs. Thanks to this change in family trends, mid-size and large minivans and SUVs seating seven people are hinted to gain popularity in the country.

According to a report appearing in the Southern Metropolis Daily, as of the end of last year, a total of 105,527 Guangdong households have applied to have a second child under the new relaxed government policies. A total of 96,197 households in the province have gained official approval.

Industry analysts point out that although seven-seat SUV and minivans have been growing since 2003, the introduction of new policies will help bring a lot more attention to the segment. According to statistics, production and sales volumes for the minivan segment achieved year-on-year growth of over 15% in April, while sales in the SUV segment grew a commendable 48.7%

Many automobile manufacturers have taken notice of this new trend, with a large number of new seven-seat minivans and SUVs released this year. The minivan market has seen the likes of the Guangqi Honda’s new Odyssey (pictured above), as well as offerings from Chery, Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling. Meanwhile, the SUV segment has witnessed the success of the likes of the Guangqi Toyota Highlander (pictured below) and the Changan Ford Edge, with the former managing to accumulate over 10,000 orders in just its first 20 days on the market.