All engines today are relatively powerful as compared with 1990 or so. But there is nothing special about minivan engines, they are all out of passenger cars.
I had a 1985 Dodge with the 4 cylinder engine and a 5-spd transmission. 100 hp I think, it was SLOW. I then had a 1998 Olds minivan with the 3.8 L that was comparatively fast. But the 3.8 was a passenger car engine and transmission. Maybe it had 185 hp.
And yes, current minivans are quite spunky. It's an efficient design in my view, just not popular relative to SUVs.
My GTI is kind of a shrunken minivan in one sense, 228 hp. It goes when I need it to go, if I'm in the right gear anyway.