Minivans have a lot of competition these days. Large crossovers and SUVs are slowly eating away at the minivan segment with their more attractive styling or off-road capabilities. However minivans still hold a special place in North American families. New trends for 2012 include smaller minivans, and more technology to help entertain rear-seat passengers.

What’s new?

The 2012 Mazda5 has been redesigned from the ground up, featuring an updated 2.5 liter engine, and all new six-speed manual transmission or five-speed automatic. More noticeable is the Mazda5’s new exterior which brings the minivan up to the styling standards of the rest of the Mazda brand. In comparison to the rest of the minivan competition, the smaller Mazda5 has a lower starting price range, but lacks some of the technology add-ons and size of the true minivans.

Starting in 2011 the Dodge and Chrysler minivans added the company’s 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 that gets a hefty 283 horsepower. This increase in power doesn’t make a significant impact on fuel economy, as the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan and 2012 Chrysler Town and Country manage a combined 20 mpg. Some features that stand out on the new vehicle include a rear-view camera that’s standard on the R/T Grand Caravan, and a large 9-inch screen for back seat passengers. The 2011 redesign also brought with it much improved materials and interior build quality.

Honda had no reason to significantly update its Odyssey minivan. All-new in 2011, the 2012 Honda Odyssey has minor additions: The EX model now has Bluetooth support, a USB audio interface and a 8-inch display. The Odyssey continues to offer amazing interior room, impressive technology like an HDMI input and makes it easy to access the third row even with a three child seats in use in the second row. The Odyssey also gets a segment-best 19/28 mpg on the Touring Elite model with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Little else is new with the 2012 Toyota Sienna, although the XLE trim gets a few more standard features like a power passenger seat and automatic headlights. Toyota continues to be the only automaker to offer AWD on a minivan, plus a 4-cylinder engine is available for those on a budget that gets 19/24 mpg – one mpg better in the city than the V6.

Finally, there’s the Nissan Quest, which rejoined the market in 2011 after a brief absence, showing Nissan’s commitment to the minivan segment. While there’s little new for 2012, important features include standard keyless access with a push button interior and keyless sliding second-row doors.

What’s coming

While many automakers are shying away from the minivan segment with alternatives like the Prius v or Ford Flex, one quasi-related model that is set to arrive is the Ford C-Max. Offered as either a hybrid or “Energie” plug-in hybrid it will offer some of the functionality of a car like the Mazda5 with a green twist.

In other minivan news, look for changes to come to the Dodge and Chrysler twins with rumors that a smaller van will replace the Grand Caravan while the Town & Country looks to take inspiration from the 700C concept shown at the most recent Detroit Auto Show.

The minivan segment may not be getting a lot of attention from automakers, but it is clear that buyers want something that’s economical. Minivans are great for families, and have significantly lower insurance costs compared to other vehicles.