In terms of materials technology and styling, Chevrolet obviously is still committed to setting itself apart in the minivan market. Its 1994 Lumina Minivan remains, to the best of our knowledge, the only offering in its class with an exterior composed largely of advanced, dent-resistant materials. Its bullet-like, severely sloped front end-shortened for '94 to appeal to a larger audience--still gives this minivan the appearance of one of Europe's high-speed trains.It is also a vehicle that fancies itself as something of an automobile. The Lumina Minivan we tested did stand apart from its enormously successful Chrysler and Ford competitors, but the real surprise, unpleasant or otherwise, was that it didn't drive in accordance with how it looked. Instead of an agile, silky, car-like performance, we experienced the operating characteristics of a firm-riding, hardcore minivan-with handling capabilities to match. Which is not to say that the Chevy Lumina Minivan didn't provide the convenient creature comforts, ample passenger and cargo capacity, and other amenities that minivan buyers demand. Considering our test vehicle's final MSRP of $23,136, it well should. That price reflects a nearly endless list of options: seven-passenger seating with built-in child seats, a 3.8-liter V6 engine, complete power assists including a six-way driver's seat and one-touch side-door opener, an AM/FM stereo with a CD player, front/rear air conditioning and loads more. Still, we were surprised that the Lumina's suspension and steering refinements fell a bit short of this vehicle's decidedly unique composition and styling.
|
