General Motors tried its hand at de-throning Chrysler Corp. as king of the minivans with its trio of plastic-bodied, sloped-nosed minivans introduced in the early 1990s. But Chrysler, who all but invented the front-wheel drive, people moving minivans in the mid 1980s, ended up crowning GM. Statistics have General Motors owning about seven percent of the minivan market in the United States; anemic when compared to Chrysler's whopping 50 percent share. If that weren't enough, the automotive press, a cynical bunch of rabble-rousers, anointed GM's long-nosed minivans with the dubious "dustbuster," identification, forever imprinting GM's trio as the court jester of minivans in the minds of many consumers. But as the old adage goes...If at first you don't succeed, try try again. General Motors is ushering in its newly-designed breed of 1997 front-wheel-drive minivans; Chevrolet Venture (replacing Chevrolet's Lumina minivan nameplate), Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport, each aimed at a different market segment. General Motors projects Venture being its volume leader; Trans Sport appealing to a sportier audience and Silhouette its top-of-the-line luxury offering. These vehicles, assembled in Doraville Ga, are starting to appear at GM dealerships in good numbers after a cautiously slow start-up period. From our initial test drive, GM got it right this time around by incorporating successful and popular traits from competitors while adding nice touches of its own. The 1997 Chevrolet Venture is available in both short (112 inch) and long (120 inch) wheelbases. Regular and upscale LS trim levels (LS adds cruise control and remote keyless entry among other goodies) are available in both wheelbase lengths. A competent 3.4-liter, V6 engine delivering 180 horsepower drives Venture. It's the only powertrain offered and one of the most powerful standard engines in its class. When Chrysler redesigned its minvans for the 1996 model year, it added a sliding side door on the driver side; an idea that proved to be a huge hit with consumers. General Motors took note, and added this option on its long wheelbased Venture. Venture also offers a power door so that a simple push of a key fob button opens the passenger-side door. And this door slides back long enough to allow access to the third row of seats, something most competitors fall short of offering. Ford recently introduced its 1998 model year Windstar, but the front-wheel driveWindstar doesn't offer a driver's side sliding door option. Instead, Windstar comes standard with a wider driver's door, allowing access to the second row from the driver's side. Windstar won't get a sliding driver's side door until the 1999 model year. Prices start a $19,925 for a short wheel-base Venture; $21,090 for a long wheelbase model and $22,699 for a long wheelbase editions featuring the driver's side sliding door. Our test-drive Venture, the top-of-the-line, long wheelbase LS edition totaled $25,729 including a $570 destination charge. The lowest-priced four-cylinder Plymouth Voyager starts at $17,235 (bla for a six-cylinder) and the 1998 Ford Windstar, sold exclusively as a long wheelbase minivan, ranges from $19,085 to $29,205. Venture's standard equipment includes dial air bags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, four-speed, automatic transmission, front-zone air conditioning, power door locks, intermittent windshield wipers and daytime running lights. Traction control is optional Inside, GM loads Venture with many modern amenities. Large stereo preset buttons are found above three large, easy-to-grab climate dials which monitor fan speed and temperature General Motors uses this set up in many of its sedans and coupes and its one of the most driver-friendly designs anywhere. Cruise control and windshield wipers activate from the left-hand side turn signal stalk. General Motors claims there are 17 cup/juice box holders interspersed throughout the interior promising every passenger has one near by. Another intriguing option; rear-seat audio controls, that allow back seat riders to listen to a different selection of music (through ear jacks) then front seat riders. Back row seats are designed with flexibility in mind. Seat backs fold down, and seats easily fold forward for extra storage. Also, these seats are constructed from light-weight materials making them easier to lift and remove by one person. With all seats in place, there's room for as many as seven passengers. The floor's tier design gives rear passengers a slightly higher lift for better forward viewing. Exterior wise, Venture looks more like its domestic rivals than it's Lumina predecessor did. A more traditional steel exterior replaces the plastic-side panels used in Lumina minivans; a concept which never caught the public's fancy. Extended wheelbase Ventures hold 25 gallons of unleaded fuel compared to 20 gallons in short wheelbase editions. Mileage estimates check in at 18 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway. Our test-drive van, with 8,200 odometer miles, registered 18 mpg in combined driving. |
