By Steven D. Gatt, Automotive Editor
Chevy certainly has something to boast about in their new Venture minivan. It is the best minivan General Motors has ever produced. In the past I've been disappointed by minivan performance; the Chevy Venture surprised even me. I actually like this minivan.
The Chevy Venture evaluated here had excellent fit and finish, it was squeak and rattle free. Further, the quality of the materials used in construction was much above average. The use of quality materials makes all the difference in the world. The noise suppression in the rear seat area was notable; holding a conversation with rear passengers didn't become a shouting match.
My negative comments about the Venture are few. First, where did
Chevy come up with that large chrome front grille? It is awful.
Second, my only quality concern was the windshield wipers; they
seemed clunky and in need of alignment. The placement of the CD
player is suspect: it is located near the bottom of the center
console instead of being part of the radio controls.
As you'd expect with a new minivan, the Venture has a plethora of features. The most important of which is the second sliding door, found only on the extended wheelbase Venture. It provides quick access to the rear seat area. This second sliding door option provides Chevy with a major advantage over the Ford Windstar. The quality of materials and sound suppression best the Plymouth Voyager. These facts lead me to believe, that the Chevy Venture is the best minivan available right now.
Juice box and cupholders were found throughout the Venture; they total 17! Unique to the Chevy Venture was a small cargo net found between the front seats. This small net is a great place to throw CD cases, a planner, purse or cellular phone. One optional, integrated child safety seat was included in the evaluated Chevy Venture. A remote keyless entry system not only locked and unlocked the doors, but also activated the optional power-passenger sliding door.
The total price as tested of $26,239, including options and destination. Some of the options are a rear window defroster, air conditioning (front and rear) and an upgraded AM/FM stereo cassette/CD player with speed compensating volume and separate rear seat audio tuner controls.
Chevy and the EPA report mileage ratings of 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. During our week long experience, our average fuel economy was 21 mpg. I only had to fill the 25 gallon fuel tank once.
Driving the Venture minivan was easy: the turning radius was surprisingly tight and the steering responded precisely to inputs. The suspension system performed well with the optional automatic leveling control. The ride was not hard or truck-like as previous generations of GM minivans have been. Visibility in traffic was great: the large windows and thin A, B, C and D pillars created no blind spots. The Venture was easy to park, even with the invisible nose common to minivans.
Traction control, for added safety during wet or icy driving conditions, was included on the Venture I drove. Dual airbags and anti-lock brakes were some of the other safety features engineered into this generation of GM minivans.
Chevy did their homework for this all-new minivan. It is easily
the best minivan from GM ever. I enjoyed this minivan but that
chrome front grille has got to go! If you're in the market for
a new minivan, don't just assume that your only choice is a Dodge.
The Genuine Chevy Store should be your first stop.