If the Nautica trim package is any indicator, this sport-luxury modelis targeting an upscale market that fancies itself as the boating class.
The Nautica package on our white test model included a two-tone paint job
(with blue-grey fascias and body cladding), painted white hub caps, and
a jaunty yellow-and-white sailboat logo that appears on the rear gate and
on each seatback.
If you're in the market for a minivan, you're either a parent or some
other form of load-bearer. So, your first introduction to the vehicle is
likely to involve the sliding door or rear tailgate.
On that front, the Villager bats one-for-two: The side door--which comes
with a childproof lock--slides open very easily, with just one hand.
But operating the rear gate is a two-handed operation. You have to turn
the key with one hand while lifting the gate with the other. We pause,
pondering: Who is a minivan designed for, if not someone with an armful?
Once the gate is lifted, it offers enough head clearance for a six-footer.
A fourth-door option, a la Chrysler and the new General Motors minivans,