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Hyundai
Entourage joins top-flight minivans
The Korean automaker, and its subsidiary Kia Motors
Corp., was ranked No.3 in quality, behind Porsche and Lexus, in the
prestigious J.D. Power & Associates 2006 Initial Quality Study. The
survey measures new vehicle quality after 90 days of ownership. In addition, Hyundai recently leapfrogged over Nissan into sixth place
in the world rankings of the largest auto manufacturers.
And to think that Hyundai enjoyed all of this success without offering a minivan in its ever-expanding model lineup – amazing That has now changed as Hyundai is introducing the 2007 Entourage, a seven-seat minivan that has all the bells and whistles that the more established minivans feature
It also includes something extra special: a five-star safety rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, which honored the Entourage as the “Best Crash Test results for a minivan.”
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The Family Car Web TV's Minivan Episode (Part One)
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The Mighty Minivans They’re favored by many families, but can minivans continue to dominate the family market without better fuel efficiency? There’s a good reason “The Family Car” producers and editors chose minivans to be the focus of our first TV episode, they’re loved by families. And why not? It doesn’t get much better than taking your living room with you when you travel.
Unless, that is, you want to take your kitchen, dining room and a
very small bathroom with you also. If that's the case, you need one
of the
There is, however, a downside to minivan ownership that
has suddenly become a factor in the budget of every family that owns
one. The Monty Python boys used to say “nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no
more, say no more.” Unlike the guys in that Monty Python sketch we are
obligated by our commitment to serve you to say more, to bring up the elephant in the
roomy minivan, their awful gas mileage. You might as well be driving around in one of the roaring V8 muscle cars.
There’s hope on the horizon, as hybrid technology inches
its way toward the minivans, but for now we can only report a small
increment of improvement in gas mileage for 2006. STAY TUNED! You can
bet “The Family Car” will be all over the first hybrid minivan. What has gotten better in the 2006 minivans is their safety, largely due to the addition of side impact curtain airbags in many of them.
In the first episode of our new television and web TV
series we explore each and every minivan option you and your family
have. We know that your family will never be able to set aside enough
weekends to test drive them all, so we hope you will utilize the
information in our TV segments to narrow down your choices. Then, take
several weekends to explore, via test drives, the variations between
those models your family is most interested in. And don’t forget to
review our
AAA and Parents Magazine Best Minivans |
Other Minivans on the Market 2007 Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan have the lowest sticker prices for base trim levels among minivans.
MSRP:
$18,705-$22,645
2006 Dodge Grand Caravan
2007 Buick
Terraza
2007 Chevrolet Express
2007 Chevrolet Uplander
2007 Chevrolet Express
Ford Freestar
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Toyota Sienna — An all-wheel-drive option sets Sienna apart, as does the rear seat tray table, power windows for the sliding doors and numerous storage nooks. Side-curtain airbags for all three rows are a valuable safety feature. MSRP : Starts at $ 23,775 |
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Honda Odyssey — No other minivan comes standard with stability control, antilock brakes, traction control and side-curtain air bags. The second-row bucket seats slide sideways. Folding the second and third row seats is simple. MSRP : Starts at $ 25,645 |
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Chrysler Town & Country — Among the most affordable and spacious on the market, this minivan provides plenty of comfort and storage. Power sliding doors, heated seats and a rear-park assist are among many intriguing options. MSRP : Starts at $ 22,985 |
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