Chevrolet Venture
The concept of the minivan started in the middle of the 1980’s. New generation parents who were starting families wanted a vehicle that was as utilitarian as their parent’s station wagon but didn’t want to be identified with such an old looking car. Minivans provide the space and cargo plus power from a SUV and the easiness and driving performance of a sedan. Over the years, many suburban families prefer these minivans above any other vehicles because of their great use and their low fuel economy.
Released in 1997 the Chevrolet Venture was one of the new generation minivans released by General Motors, alongside it was the Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport. Two wheelbases were provided for the Venture, a regular and an extended one. Both came in the base and LS trim. All models were driven by a 180-horsepower, 3.4-liter V6 engine and 4-speed automatic transmission. This V6 has maximum horsepower of 185 at 5200 rpm. Torque is 210 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. The Venture was released as a 3-door minivan; optional was a power-assisted sliding right side door. Soon enough this line was dropped and all came with both sides having a sliding door. A cargo version was released but lived only a short life, it only had the front row seats and the back was bare for cargo usage. Space is not a problem with the Venture; the third row seats could be taken out for more space while the second row could be folded. The Chevrolet Venture feels somewhat sportier than those from the competition. Steering is precise and perfectly corresponds the action of the front tires. Body lean is modest in turns, and the minivan's all-season tires grip firmly. The suspension absorbs most bumps with ease and delivers a comfortable, stable highway ride. Soon enough an all-wheel drive was added to the lineup to give it more edge in extreme driving conditions.
With the Chevrolet Venture you have many options to choose from, you can pair up different wheelbases to different drives. Entertainment packages are offered to make a trip with the Venture a relaxing one. DVD and LCD screens are bundled to provide endless hours of entertainment. Even though there are some who dislikes a minivan because they are neither flashy nor sporty enough for their tastes, but say what they will, if it’s a people carrier and a cargo hauler you want that’s for everyday use, a minivan is the perfect vehicle for anybody, especially if it’s the Chevrolet Venture.
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