Van

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2020 Toyota Sienna: old school minivan still worthy

It seems like a sports car should be named after a city in Italy, not a minivan. But Toyota‘s adult-aged family hauler has grown into being worthy of its namesake, the medieval city in Tuscany. Siena is known for its sturdy, gothic brick buildings and historic districts. The 23-year-old Sienna is ancient by minivan standards and is holding up well despite declining sales and the dominance of lights truck and sport utility vehicles. The 2020 Toyota Sienna is a comfortable people hauler. It’s quick for its size, comfortable and versatile with several seat configuration options. The Sienna is also the only minivan available with all-wheel drive. A few refinements advance this year’s model from the 2019 offering, but the Sienna

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Tow truck driver Ray Elliott pans 2019 Chrysler Pacifica, GM Sierra

Ray Elliott is a veteran tow truck driver in the San Francisco Bay Area who also publishes the website idiotsontheinterstate.com. In addition to his vast expertise helping motorists, he posts commentaries and videos that ideally define his online platform’s name. Elliott has twice been a guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast and the subject of a column I wrote several months ago for the San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times. He knows the industry from a unique perspective. It’s when vehicles aren’t running properly after breakdowns or involvement in accidents. For the past several years, I’ve written end-of-the-year articles, selecting the top vehicle of the year. To view the list, visit: 2019  Best Cars and Trucks. Elliott disagrees with

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Ray Elliott Commentary: Never buy a Chrysler product

Oh My God. Never buy a Chrysler product. My reasoning? It’s a dangerous product that not only thinks for you, but also will endanger your life and damage the interior for something as simple as a flat tire. This, in my opinion, is one of the best examples of piss-poor engineering. Why? My first example was when I encountered one of these vans last winter. It was two weeks old, still with dealer plates, and it had overheated. It did start and run, but the windows were frosted over because of the cold morning. To see where I was going, I lowered the driver’s window to stick my head out. When I lifted my butt off of the driver’s seat,

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2019 Chrysler Pacifica leader of a van pack of one

The Chrysler Pacifica is uniquely positioned. The manufacturer had difficulty deciding on its name and then placed the Pacifica in a one-vehicle segment. It’s the only electric van available. Introduced at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, the Chrysler van’s sixth-generation debuted as the 2017 Pacifica. It was formerly the name of the manufacturer’s crossover SUV. It’s also the new designation for the former Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan in North American and the discontinued Chrysler/Lancia Voyager in European markets. The Pacifica is further unique since it’s offered with another first — a nine-speed automatic transmission. A continuously electrically variable transmission (EVT) is offered on the hybrid version. As a hybrid, the Pacifica is offered in Touring Plus, Touring

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Volkswagen camper set to make return as electric van?

The Volkswagen camper, the iconic niche vehicle fancied by surfers, Grateful Dead fans and camping families, may soon be available in the United States after a decade hiatus. Volkswagen has officially discounted the prevalent rumor of the return of the Westfalia Camper edition. But Heinz-Jakob Neusser, the head of production of VW has reportedly said the bus will be back in a surprising way — as an electric vehicle. Neusser, as reported on the web site, inhabit.com, has that detailed the camper will have a small electronic motor to power the front wheels. The battery pack will be under the floor. The VW camper will include three design features reminiscent of the former bus: a wide, solid D-piller, the boxy

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2014 Chrysler Town & Country: Upscale minivan

Have big old plush station wagons come back in a different form? The 2014 Chrysler Town & Country is reminiscent of  large old upscale station wagons—those with loads of room and decent road manners. After all, this minivan is heavy and big like those old wagons, with a 121.2-inch wheelbase and length of 202.8 inches. The front-drive Town & Country is an uptown version of the lower-cost Dodge Grand Caravan, which lacks the Chrysler version’s upscale nature. Heck, anybody can get a Dodge, but a Chrysler is still a Chrysler—although Chrysler lacks the prestige it began losing in the 1960s. The Town & Country debuted in 1989, billed as the “first luxury minivan.” (The first “upscale” minivan would have been

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Ford Transit Connect 2014: More cargo space, more passenger friendly

The 2014 Ford Transit Connect is more than just a compact utilitarian van-wagon ideally suite for small businesses, florists and taxi cab companies. The recently unveiled new model has seven seats and achieves an estimated 30 mpg in freeway driving. A 1.6-liter turbocharged engine or 2.5-liter, four cylinder, both six-speed automatic transmissions, is offered in the still commercially-oriented Transit Connect. It has more more than 100 cubic feet of cargo space. Transit Connect 2014 models are available in several sizes, with two wheelbase lengths, five-and seven-passenger interior layouts, and in XL, XLT and Titanium series levels. Options include a full glass panoramic roof, rear-view camera, 6.5-inch touchscreen display with navigation, and Ford’s SYNC with MyFord Touch infotainment system. Leather, cloth

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2013 Ford Flex: Crossover adds power, styling, alternative fuel

The 2013 Ford Flex looks distinctive, but its boxy styling clearly signifies this is mainly a conservative family vehicle. But owners can stare when others try stuffing lots of people and cargo into a less-roomy vehicle. The Flex, which has front- or all-wheel drive, features three seating rows and can handle seven people when all seats are in an upright position. The Flex has a long 117.9-inch wheelbase, which helps the ride, and weighs from 4,471 to 4,839 pounds, which takes away some of its nimbleness. Still, it feels like a typical carlike crossover vehicle. Rivals include the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia,Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. With the third-row seats in their upright position, there’s enough room for, say, a

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Toyota Sienna, 2012: More gadgets, options, space

The Toyota Sienna, which in 2011 debuted in its third generation with more versatility and a four-cylinder engine option, has added in 2012 in its XLE grade a standard power passenger seat and auto on/off headlights. The 2012 Sienna is available with a 3.5-liter V6 or 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine. Both DOHC engines offer Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), roller rocker arms and an Acoustically Controlled Induction System (ACIS) that changes the intake tract length to optimize torque. The 3.5-liter V6 generates 266 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, with EPA-estimated mileage ratings of 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway (16 mpg city/22 mpg highway on AWD models). It also has a 3,500-pound towing capacity. With 187 horsepower at 5,800 rpm, the

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