“W WHO TO CALL:
& Auto Editor
A.P. McCredie

985- 2131 1 (143)

AUTOMOTION

WHEN IT comes to moving
passengers and cargo, or any
combination there of, mini-
vans take a back seat to ne
other vehicle.Without a
doubt, minivans are now the
most versatile vehicles on the
road.

The reason is their extremely ver-
satile seating arrangements. Most
minivans have second and third row
seats that remove from the van to pro-
vide additional: cargo space. Some,
such as the Nissan Quest and the

Mercury Villager, have a second row -

seat that lifts out and a third row seat
that slides all the way forward to the
back of the front seats.

The new Honda Odyssey has a
third row bench seat that folds into
the floor. The benefit being that you
. - Can take the seat with you should you

decide to carry extra passengers after
you drop off the cargo, The Toyota
. Previa offers a different method of
achieving the same goal, The two rear

seats fold up and out of the way

against the side walls.
Some minivans offer optional
_ ' gucket seats or captain’s chairs in the
second and ‘third row seating posi-
‘tions: Though this reduces the total
“number of passengers that can be
transported, it allows passengers to
‘walk between the seats from the front
to the rear of the vehicle. The most
practical seating arrangement is two

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SA VERY ME

. Photo submitted

THE NEW Honda Odyssey has a third row bench seat that folds into the floor — the benefit being that you can take the seat with
you should you decide ta carry extra passengers after you drop off the cargo.

front buckets, a two-person center
bench, and three-person rear bench
(for a total of seven passengers). A
two-person center bench allows ade-
quate room for passengers to enter
through the rear side door and make
their way to the rear seat. A three-per-
son center bench requires rear pas-
sengers to squeeze by the center scat
in order to get in or out. Vehicles with
this type of seat usually make special
arrangements for entrance and exit,
such as a split center bench seat that
folds over to allow rear passengers to
enter.

However, not all minivans have

the same level of versatility. The.

third-row seat in the Mazda MPV, for
example, does not remove from the

van. The seatback will fold flat and

the cenler bench does come out.
Remember that every minivan is
different, and you should inspect the

_ease and convenience of the seating

layout before choosing a minivan.
The best way to decide what type of
seats you need is to determine how
Many passengers you'll be transport-
ing on a regular basis, and how much
and what type of cargo you're likely
to be carrying. Then, take the entire
family down to the showroom, play
with the seating arrangements, and
take the van for a_ test-drive.
Observations gained from actual
experience can be invaluable in
choosing a minivan you'll be happy
with for years to come.

People who regularly carry no
more than five people often remove
the center seat and move the rear seat
to the center position. Then when
they want to haul cargo, they simply
slide the center seat up against the
front seatbacks to create a fairly large
cargo area. Even a ten-year-old child
can twist the two rotary dials that
enable the seat to fold away. This seat

can also be turned around to face
backwards while the rear. hatch is
open. This seat is used only when the
vehicle is stationary for picnics,
sporting events and so on.

Before you buy a minivan, you
should attempt to lift the removeable
seats out of the van. Some bench
seats are so heavy and bulky, they
require two adults to remove them
safcly without scratching the interior
or injuring someone's back. Some
seats remove by unlatching just one
release button while others require
more complicated procedures.

There are a few minivans, such as
the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari
that offer eight passenger seating lay-
outs — that is 2/3/3. Again, this
makes entry through the side door
awkward.

The sliding rear seat has another
advantage. If there are three rows of
seats, the third seat can be slid for-

Dick Irwin, The Management and Staff

all wish you

ward against the second row when
more rear cargo room is required.
This is not possible in most minivans.
Some vans have a fold-down bed:
option. These are usually two rear
bench seats that fold together to form
a sometimes lumpy, bed. If available,
it's usually an extea-cost option.
When seats are“removed from a
mini-van, the cargo floor is usually .
flat, however some minivans have -
steel clips built into the floor and pro-",
truding latch mechanisms in the rear.
which can scratch or damage cargo. .-
And while some mini-vans have a
four-foot width between the wheel-
well housings, not all of them do.
Many minivans do not offer reclining

tear seatbacks or rear head restraints...

Fixed rear seatbacks can be uncom-,
fortable on long drives, and. head
restraints are an important safety item
which help prevent whiplash i ina
frontal or rear collision. -

RRY CHRISTMA

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