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NEWS photos Neil Luceate

THE REAR-wheel-drive Mazda MPY Is available with five-, seven- or eight-passenger seating. Base price is $19,375. Inquire about the minivan at North Shore
Mazda, 711 W. 14th, North Vancouver.

MINIVANS VARY in size from small five-passenger,
front-wheel-drive people-carriers, like Nissan's Axxess, to
larger eight-passenger, rear-wheel-drive vans capable of
carrying cargo and towing tailers, such as the Chevy

Astre/Pontiac Safari.

The Mazda MPV (Multi-Pur-
pose Vehicle) is in the middle of
the minivan size category. {1's
about the same length and width
as the popular Dodge Caravan/
Plymouth Voyager, but slightly
taller and heavier. Depending on
seating arrangements, the MPV
will seat five, seven or cight pas-
sengers. °

However, unlike same
minivans, the MPV is not avail-
able in an extended wheelbase
version.

The standard five-passenger
M#FV has two front seats and a
three-person middie bench seat,
however the rear cargo area does
not have a flat loading surface,
making the cargo area less
“multi-purpose’’ than it could be.

The seven-passenger MPV has a
removable two-passenger middle
seat, but curiously, the three-
passenger rear seat cannot be
removed. Cargo area behind the
third rear seat is Jimited, just
enough for a few grocery bags.

However, the rear Seat will flip

and fold forward and both the
rear seat and middie seat will fold
flat co form a flat surface.

The eight-passenger MPV has a
removable three-person middle
bench which features a centre
fold-down armrest with two

built-in cupholders, and a non-
removable three-person rear
bench.

The MPV has an oversize rear
door on the right side that opens
out rather than sliding back. No
other minivan an the market has a
red: door like this, and it has its
advantages and disadvantages. (Cs
rasier to open and close than a
sliding door, but the door opening
is smaller and the door ean get in
the way when loading cargo.

With a standard rear-wncel-
drive layout, the MPV offers
greater towing and payload capac-
ity than most front-wheel-drive
minivans,

When equipped with the ap-
tional 158-horsepower 3,0-litre V6
engine and a towing package, the
MPV can tow trailers up to 2,041
kilograms (4,490 [bs.).

However, in slippery winter
conditions the MPV’s rear-
wheel-drive layout offers less
traction than front-wheel drive or
all-wheel-drive minivans.

Those who live on steep inclines
may want to consider an MPV
with four-wheel drive, which uses
a part-time four-wheel-drive 4
system with push-button, on-
the-fly operation up to 110 km/h

See Mini-vans page 28

cs

Sati

THE STANDARD five-passenger MPV has two front seats and a
three-person middie bench seat.

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