MPV RIP: is the monobox dead?

Not so long ago, it seemed that the future of car design belonged to the monobox (also known as the monovolume, monospace or one-box). Step back a few model generations and not only was the MPV format in the ascendancy, with manufacturers piling into the sector like wasps to a picnic, but one-box silhouettes were proliferating in multiple other sectors too. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Audi A2, Renault Twingo, Renault Avantime and Honda Civic (Europe) were among the many joining the monobox party.

1997-2004 Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W168)

Fast forward to the present day though, and it’s as if monospaces are being erased from the motoring landscape like some great evolutionary mistake. The aforementioned A-Class is now an utterly conventional two-box Golf challenger, likewise the new Civic. The Audi A2 has given way to the unadventurous A1, the Avantime sank without trace and even the Twingo has long since bowed to conformity and ditched the one-box look it pioneered.

Moreover, the previously buoyant MPV sector is now being gobbled up by two-box SUVs and crossovers, with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage displacing Scenics and Picassos as family favourites, and manufacturers such as Peugeot reinventing their MPVs (3008 and 5008) in the crossover mould.

1992-2007 Renault Twingo I

Traditionally, monobox silhouettes – those which pull the base of a vehicle’s A-pillars forward, thus softening the distinction between volumes and enclosing the whole vehicle interior in a single form – have featured most prominently amongst commercial vehicles, such as vans.

While occasional monovolume passenger cars, like the Stout Scarab, Fiat 600 Multipla and Isetta bubble car, crop up throughout history, the format did not really enter the automotive mainstream until the rise of the MPV (minivan/people carrier) in the 1980s. Renault’s one-box Espace is recognised as a pioneer of the MPV class in Europe, with the later Megane Scenic often credited with initiating the mini-MPV movement as well (although others may dispute this).

It is perhaps these unglamorous origins which provide the first clue as to why the monobox appears to be falling from favour. In an ever more image-conscious marketplace, it’s difficult to sell a product as aspirational when its shape invokes that of a lowly commercial van.

1988 Bertone Genesis – powered by the Countach’s V12

This is compounded by the scarcity of ‘halo products’ for the one-box format – as opposed to the myriad high-end SUVs, sedans and coupés. A shame, since Bertone’s wild, Lamborghini-engined Genesis concept of 1988 demonstrated early on that monoboxes needn’t be mundane or downmarket.

This ultra-MPV was certainly no more illogical a concept than today’s performance SUVs. Its Lamborghini connection was very apt too, since many of that firm’s iconic supercars are also monovolumes. Although these are too far removed from the Citroen Picassos of the world for any of their fairy dust to rub off, they do demonstrate that non-traditional shapes can communicate dynamism and excitement effectively.

2007-14 Honda Fit (GE8)

Another factor seemingly working against today’s monoboxes is the fetishisation of youth, along with the associated lifestyle, in modern culture. Practical though many MPVs are, the aura they project is one of dirty nappies, travel sickness and the mundane drudgery of raising a family, rather than the ‘young, free and single’ image to which so many aspire.

One-box hatchbacks often fare even worse in the image stakes, with cars like the Honda Jazz (Fit) often appealing to those in their twilight years, thanks to easy-access seating positions and lack of sporting overtones. Two-box crossovers, by contrast, seem to have largely escaped such associations, and enjoy a rather more glamorous image – although, for how long it remains to be seen, given their increasing numbers, along with the fickle nature of fashion.

Aesthetically, monoboxes are a rather mixed bag; many can appear ‘appliance-like’ or soulless, perhaps in part due to their lack of protruding bonnet, a feature which has traditionally symbolised power and performance.

2001-08 Nissan Primera (P12)

Furthermore, it could even be argued that the appearance of some is actually reminiscent of the dreaded ‘middle-aged spread’, in which bone structure becomes less pronounced and visual boundaries between body parts, i.e. the face and neck, start to blur. Compare the dumpy, monobox-influenced Nissan Primera of 2002 to the contemporary (three-box) Mazda 6 or BMW 3-Series and this becomes all too apparent…

The Smart Fortwo, on the other hand, demonstrates that monoboxes can be aesthetically pleasing, with the two earlier one-box generations possessing a visual ‘rightness’ and honesty conspicuously absent from the current model, with its contrived stick-on bonnet. The same can also be said for the original, and brilliant, Twingo, whose unique visual charm has completely eluded its less daring successors.

2007-14 Smart ForTwo (W451)

Consider also the Toyota Prius, which has undoubtedly utilised its distinctive monospace form to emphasise its eco-credentials, perhaps contributing to its popularity amongst publicity-hungry celebrities and businesses. A good example of how a step-change in aesthetics can bolster new and emerging technology under the skin.

Aside from issues of style and image, question marks have also hung over the real-world practicality and packaging benefits of the monospace. Although some, such as the A-Class and Mitsubishi i, have demonstrated genuinely innovative packages, many existing one-box designs are not actually as space-efficient as appearances would suggest. The need to package a bulky internal combustion engine, transmission and crash protection structures can often result in a huge expanse of dashboard, meaning little useful space is gained. Furthermore, the repositioning of the vehicle A-pillars can actually hinder visibility, despite ample glazing.

2017 VW Group SEDRIC concept

However, with the anticipated rise of new, more easily packaged power sources, along with autonomous driving and crash avoidance technology, these obstacles are likely to be overcome. It’s no coincidence that many manufacturers’ visions of the future, such as VW’s Sedric, MINI’s Next 100 and the Mercedes-Benz F 015, are monovolumes. Shorn of current constraints, the one-box format simply makes far more sense than any other (for mainstream vehicles anyway), allowing for spacious, airy and versatile interiors combined with compact exterior dimensions.

1936 Stout Scarab

So, will one-boxes go the way of the dodo? Don’t count on it; although they may face a while longer in the wilderness – mostly due to poor image and current packaging constraints – changing technology and clever design will likely enable the their full potential to be realised over time, as well as helping shift current preconceptions of what the format stands for.

Just as combustion-engined vehicles evolved away from their horse-drawn roots, it seems probable that electric and autonomous cars of the future will move away from the familiar two- and three-box forms of today – meaning that we shouldn’t write off the monobox just yet. It may still be the future…