This fall will mark the 25th anniversary of the vehicle that killed off the station wagon but spared the life of Chrysler , the minivan.

Although millions of the ubiquitous people movers have graced driveways across America, it’s hard to say whether they will be there in another five or ten years. Plagued by a boring image, mediocre fuel economies and consumers’ preference for the SUV-like styling of crossovers, minivan sales have collapsed this year. While overall auto sales were down 8 percent through May, the minivan segment is off 20 percent.

The minivan segment is ...