Car Reviews: 1996 Pontiac Transport

Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport--have been a major disappointment to their

manufacturer. Designed to challenge Chrysler's minivan supremacy with their radical

styling, the trio languished as Chrysler and Ford gobbled up the lion's share of the

market.

Instead of accolades, the daring new shapes drew criticism and an unfortunate

nickname--the Dustbusters.

Although GM gave the trio nose jobs, powertrain upgrades and a power-operated sliding

side door along the way, the trio never recovered from the early impressions.

An all-new set of replacements is just around the corner. Due this fall, the new Chevy

Venture, Silhouette and Trans Sport will feature styling that's closer to the minivan

mainstream, as well as a sliding driver-side rear door option, a la Chrysler.

Meanwhile, the current generation is still in showrooms. Although these minivans do

have their weak points, they have strong points, too. With dealers unloading current

models to make room for the new vans, the opportunity for bargains is exceptional.

Since the Pontiac Trans Sport concept van was the design template for the current GM minivans, we chose a Trans Sport SE for our final review of this generation.

Sport and its corporate cousins come with one powertrain. A 3.4-liter V6, which will

also be the sole engine offered in the new minivans, replaces the previous 2-engine

inventory. GM's ubquitous 3.8-liter V6, the previous upgrade engine, is in too much

demand for passenger car applications, which led to the substitution.

Although it doesn't have the muscle of the 3.8-liter engine, the GM 3.4 V6 is second

only to the optional 3.8-liter V6 offered in Ford's Windstar for peak horsepower, and

it delivers respectable torque. There's enough grunt to give the Trans Sport a

3000-lb. towing capacity when it's equipped with the trailering package.

Like all minivans, the GM threesome is equipped with automatic transmissions. That's a

plus for the Trans Sport and its clones, because GM's 4-speed automatics are the

smoothest in the business. No all-wheel drive option is offered.

A penumatic automatic load-leveling system is offered as a $100 option. A pump adds

air pressure to the rear shock absorbers according to load information furnished by an

integrated sensor. A nifty feature of this system is that it can also be used to

inflate tires or vacation gear like inner tubes and air mattresses.

Another feature exclusive to the GM vans is plastic body panels on vertical exterior

surfaces, similar to the panels used on Saturn cars. The plus is extra resistance to

parking lot dents and scratches. If this is a feature that appeals to you, 1996 is

your last chance to get it. The '97 vans will have conventional sheet steel bodies.

Exterior and interior styling of the current vans follows divisional positioning. The

Trans Sport has the sportiest appearance, the Chevy is more basic and the Silhouette

the most luxurious.

Clearing the decks for the arrival of the next generation, Pontiac has pared the 1996 Trans Sport model range to just one, the Trans Sport SE. The base price is $19,394, which includes basic comfort/convenience features like air conditioning and an AM/FM radio.

Our test van had the power sliding side door option ($350), a very convenient addition we hope other minivans will adopt. It's been popular for Pontiac; some 85% of the Trans Sports sold last year were equipped with the power door feature.

had 7-passenger seating, which is another plus for these vans, perhaps their strongest

single feature. Arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration, the seats are removable as single

units, lending excellent versatility to the cargo space. And they're light, making

them the most easily removable of any minivan, including Chrysler's new roller seats.

The weakest point of the interior layout can be viewed from the driver's seat.

Although the long nose has been bobbed, it's still invisible from the front seats,

something that's led many owners to complain about not knowing exactly where the snout

ended until it touched the vehicle in front.

Although GM was able to make a modest fix on the extended front end, there was no way

to remedy the extreme rake of the windshield without a major redesign. As a result,

the upper surface of the dashboard is a vast plain of plastic between the driver and

the base of the windshield.

This distance has proved disconcerting to some drivers, and it does take a bit of

getting used to. However, in our past experiences with these vans, including a

one-year long-term evaluation of an earlier Trans Sport, we found that familiarity

breeds comfort.

Passive safety equipment isn't quite up to current minivan standards--there's no airbag

on the passenger side, something that will be corrected in the next generation. On the

other hand, antilock brakes are standard, which still isn't true for all minivans.

With all the seats removed, the GM minivans can hold up to 112.6 cu. feet. That's

considerably less than a standard Dodge Caravan, but it's a good-sized cargo hold

nevertheless. The floor is flat, and the swing-up rear hatch is wide for easy access.

There's also plenty of legroom in all three seating positions.

GM was among the first to recognize America's for mobile dining, a recognition that's reflected in the Trans Sport's impressive array of cupholders. There are eight in the 7-passenger edition, which was probably a world record when these vans first rolled onto the scene.

The combination of minivan height, a relatively narrow track and suspension tuning

aimed at good ride quality produces lots of body roll if the vehicle is hurried

through turns. In this respect, the Trans Sport, Lumina and Silhouette are a little

less car-like than their prime competitors from Chrysler and Ford.

On the other hand, there are no nasty surprises lurking in the Trans Sport's behavior.

Although it refuses to be hurried on tight, winding roads, it's fully predictable.

On the plus side, we think most drivers and passengers will find the Trans Sport's

ride quality more than acceptable. Although early members of this minivan clan weren't

as smooth as some, GM has retuned the suspension over the years, giving all three vans

a more supple feel that does a good job of isolating occupants from minor road shocks.

As we noted earlier, the driving position takes some getting used to, and it's

something to be aware of if you take one of these vans out for a test drive. The

distance between the driver's seat and the base of the windshield produces an odd

sensation at first--you may feel that you're piloting from the middle of the van,

rather than the driver's seat. But this feeling will disappear with experience.

Although the new 3.4-liter V6 doesn't have quite as much low-rpm punch as the

3.8-liter, it's far stronger than the previous base engine, a 3.1-liter V6, and it's

got enough snort to keep pace with all but a few of its competitors, as well as the

cut-and-thrust of commute traffic.

Braking performance, augmented by standard ABS, is good compared to the rest of the minivan universe, though not exceptional.

business, they do have their strengths and the Flash Gordon styling still stands out

from the crowd.

At suggested retail prices, which pretty much parallel the competition, it's hard to

view these vans as bargains. Our well-equipped tester, for example, stickered out at $22,406.

But with the new minivans just over the horizon, suggested retail and actual retail

are likely to be two different things. A little bargaining should save a bunch, and

the appeal of the van will increase in direct proportion.