But many of the qualities that made people carriers (briefly) popular in the mid-Nineties – lots of room for passengers, a decent boot, configurable interiors and a lofty driving position with a panoramic glass area for great visibility – remain just as relevant today.
Toyota has form where the people carrier is concerned.
The Previa – its full-sized minivan entrant introduced in 1990 – was the first mid-engined MPV. Its four-cylinder powerplant was installed beneath the front seats, which allowed the designers to maximise interior space. It also had four-wheel drive and a sliding rear door (bizarrely, only the one, mind) so getting out in tight car park bays was a cinch.
The Previa was designed to be a rolling showcase for Toyota’s technical prowess. It certainly one-upped the European competition which were often based on humble commercial van underpinnings, and it showed.
Mind you, mechanics often had cause to curse Toyota’s clever packaging when they had to remove the right-hand seat just to access the spark plugs. And the unusual lay-out limited the Previa’s engine options (a turbodiesel never made it to Europe) and prevented Toyota sharing the chassis with other vehicles to off-set development costs.
The second-generation Previa was as mundane as its predecessor had been radical – an anonymous ‘blob’ of a minivan which sold in such small numbers that the third gen version never made it to Europe.
However, the minivan market maybe moribund in Europe but it never went out of favour in Japan and Toyota (and its posh sister brand, Lexus) have been beavering away ever since.
And now Lexus has taken the brave step to import its LM 350 multi-purpose vehicle to the UK.
Only… it’s a bit different.
Because this is a super-sized ‘people carrier’ that can only carry four people (including the driver).
That’s right, this 17-ft long prodigious people carrier transports fewer passengers than a Vauxhall Corsa.
But it does so in almost unimaginable levels of luxury (the ‘LM’ bit of its name stands for ‘Luxury Mover’).
For instance, most modern cars have a flat-screen. Some prestige models even have flat screens built into the front seat headrests so rear passengers can watch movies or play games.
Tesla offers one of the largest flat screens of any manufacturer. It measures an impressive 17-inches.
But that’s pathetically small compared to the whopping 48-inch widescreen in the back of the LM 350. That’s right, the screen in the Lexus is FOUR FEET long and it runs the full width of the rear cabin. It’s so big that the screen can be split to allow each rear passenger to enjoy different programmes at the same time. You control it using smart-phone style touch screens that are integrated into the centre console.
(Image: Lexus)
Occupants relax in luxo airline-style electrically adjustable recliner leather seats, all the better to enjoy the stunning 23-speaker surround sound system. The pews have heating and cooling fans, depending on whether it is winter or summer, and a massage function. Legroom is insane – even six-footers will be able to stretch full out without touching the front seat backs.
But that’s just the starter, the main course runs to fold-out tables, more USB ports than a laptop factory, wireless phone chargers, reading lights and vanity mirrors. There’s also a fridge for a bottle of bubbly, rear gloveboxes and umbrellas clipped on both sides of the door pillars in case it’s raining when you reach your destination.
The rear compartment can be sealed off from the front seats via a sliding glass partition. If your passengers want even more privacy the glass can be turned opaque at the touch of a button. There are electric blinds in the doors and sunroof.
It’s fully sound-proofed, too. My son played a movie at ear-splitting levels in the back, and I couldn’t hear it in the front seat and had no need to turn up the radio to hear the Today programme on Radio 4.
The hi-fi system uses active noise reduction to cut cabin noise whilst driving. That said, the 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain is probably the least impressive part of the package. Fine at cruising speeds, it complains volubly when you put your foot down. The cruising refinement is partly down to special noise-reducing wheels and tyres, as well as class-leading levels of insulation.
The view up-front isn’t a technological extravaganza like it is in the back but you still get a digital review-view mirror (essential when the rear cabin is sealed up), a 360-degree parking monitor, impressive digital infotainment (which can be operated separately to the rear set-up) and full digital instrumentation. The seats, while not as plush as those in the back, are supremely comfortable and come with their own heating and air conditioning controls.
So who will buy the LM 350, especially in this range-topping Takumi trim which costs more than £113,000?
At that price, it’s not about to kick off a people carrier renaissance. I can see it being used as luxury transport for pampered execs looking to travel to the airport or special events in A-lister style.
For that, admittedly, rather narrow use case, it’s unbeatable.
