Shoppers in the market for purchasing a domestic minivan, have choices galore. Chrysler Corp. completely redesigned their popular line of minivans for the 1996 model year, their first major overhaul since their mid '80s debut. GM, which has experienced disappointing minivan sales, is introducing a new line of minivans this fall, including the 1997 Chevrolet Venture. Ford jumped on the minivan bandwagon in the fall of 1994 with Windstar. Ford's Lincoln-Mercury Division introduced the front-wheel drive Mercury Villager in 1993, and has carved out a nice niche for itself. It's aimed at an upscale audience, whose kids may be a little older and whose primary need is transporting people more often than cargo. Unlike most of its rivals, the 1996 Villager is marketed with one engine size, and one body style. Its overall length (189.9 inches) and wheelbase (112.2 inches) place it at the shorter end of the minivan spectrum. The scaled down design provides Villager with car-like ride, appealing to drivers who don't want to feel like they're driving a larger vehicle. Villager is powered by a 3.0 liter, 151 horsepower, V-6 engine, providing adequate acceleration and performance for normal, everyday use. But when traveling with a full complement of passengers, extra punch for merging and passing is compromised. Three different Villager trim levels are sold: GS, LS and top-of-the-line Nautica with interior nuances borrowed from Nautica sportswear. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes, dual air bags four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, tilt steering column, intermittent and rear wipers are standard on all Villagers. Air conditioning is standard on all models accept the entry-level GS. Our mid-level LS had a base price of $24,300. After factoring in a $3,655 preferred option package, including eight-way power driver seat, cruise control, digital instrument cluster, keyless entry and premium sound system, the bottom line was $27,760, including a $555 destination charge. Entry GS editions retail for $19,940 and Nautica models start at $26,390. Inside, the dashboard had been redesigned to accommodate the new passenger-side air bag. Larger radio preset buttons replace smaller, harder to find ones, but base, band select and other less-used buttons are still small. The power window and lock buttons, located on the door, are now illuminated at night. A new option includes automatic temperature control. It's a welcome addition but the dial used to control fan speed needs to be larger. While many cup holders are available for back seat passengers, front seat travelers are hard-pressed to find one. Thankfully, Mercury did away with motorized front shoulder belts, which automatically descended along a track whenever the engine started. Enough consumers expressed dislike of this design that is was dropped. Our optional, digital dashboard, with blue lighting, was laid out adequately. With the push of a button, drivers can ascertain such information as average fuel economy, outside temperature and the number of miles Villager can travel before lack of gas forces vehicle stoppage. Headlights are activated from a dial, left of the dashboard. Cruise control must be turned on from a dashboard button, but other speed controls are conveniently located in the center of the steering wheel. Front riders sit in "captains" chairs. The LS editions contain either a bench seat or two captains chairs in the middle row. Both can be removed from the vehicle for more storage room. A bench seat occupies the back row. This rear bench seat can slide all the way up to the front captains chairs with the middle seats removed. When not in use, all back seats can be folded down to form tables complete with cup holders. Outside, Villager's sharp-looking exterior did away with the illuminated front grille found on most other Mercury products. It's been replaced with a more traditional chrome design. Villager's mileage estimates are in line with most other competitors, registering 17 miles per gallon in the city, and 23 mpg on the highway. Our test car, with 2,800 odometer miles, clocked in at 20 mpg. The fuel tank holds 20 gallons of unleaded fuel. The Villager and its corporate cousin, the Nissan Quest, are assembled in Avon Lake, Ohio. |