2002 Pontiac Montana: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Pontiac's minivan gets optional all-wheel drive and a DVD player for '02. Montana is built from the same design as the Chevrolet Venture and Oldsmobile Silhouette. It offers regular- and extended-length bodies, both with dual sliding side doors. A power right-side sliding door is optional, and extended versions offer dual power doors. Seating ranges from six to eight, with two front buckets, two or three 2nd-row buckets, and two 3rd-row buckets or a 3-passenger folding bench. Extended-length models offer a 3rd-row bench that folds even with a floor-mounted parcel tray. Montana is available with front-wheel drive or General Motors' Versatrak AWD that includes independent rear suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Traction control for front-drive Montanas is standard on regular-length 7-passenger models, optional on extendeds. All have a V6, automatic transmission, ABS, front side airbags, puncture-sealing tires, and GM's OnStar assistance system. Options include load-leveling suspension and a tauter sport suspension. New for extended-lengths is the Thunder Sport option package with chrome 16-inch wheels instead of 15s, rear spoiler, and unique badging. Also available on extendeds is rear-obstacle detection and a rear-seat video entertainment system, now with a DVD player instead of a VCR.

COMPETITION

Though the competition has heated up, we feel that the new Dodge Caravan is still one of the best minivans you can buy. It offers all of the creature comforts in a pleasing package at a fair price. Our other Best Buy is the Honda Odyssey. It's a little bit smaller than the Dodge, but more sporty to drive, and it has a super-convenient flip-and-fold-away rear seat.

Trailing at a close second are the Recommended Chevy Venture and Toyota Sienna. Though these vans are comparably priced and offer loads of neat features, we feel they can't match the road manners of our two Best Buys. Also garnering Recommended ratings are the Chrysler Town & Country and Chrysler Voyager. Though they are mechanically similar to the class-leading Caravan, they don't offer the breadth of model choices.