Utility’s children

Once upon a time, the automotive powers that be determined that five-seater automobiles had become stale and outdated — and a significant chunk of the buying public agreed. In response, the automotive gods made sure that their newly developed target market would be fed that which they craved for — utilitarian vehicles made for large families armed with enough panache to send shivers down the spines of even those who had grown accustomed to luxury and extravagance. Thus, the new set of multi-purpose vehicles was born.

There are quite a number of these vehicles plying our streets at the moment, neither AUVs nor vans, they make heads turn with relative ease by sheer shock value at times. They convey a certain sense of elegance and combine their picture pretty stances with smart interiors that make for a dizzying array of baggage-friendly configurations. Best of all, they come not just in all shapes and sizes, but more importantly in all prices fit for various budgets. Here are three of the newer multi-purpose utility vehicles that defy convention and rock the senses…

Suzuki APV

The newest player in the market, the Suzuki APV isn’t exactly the Japanese vehicle maker’s first foray into the 7-seater market (that distinction belongs to the Suzuki Grand Vitara XL_7), but it’s a significant entry in that it knows exactly which segment of the market it wants to corner and subsequently conquer. We say this because the Suzuki APV does not blur the lines where image and pricing are concerned. No, sir. The Suzuki APV promises to be a serious contender in the market because it is anything but pretentious.

While it has all the belles and whistles people have come to expect from vehicles nowadays, for example (power everything), its almost paltry 91 horsepower rating might turn off speed hungry drivers, but it will definitely attract the frugal family man wary of skyrocketing fuel prices. The Suzuki APV isn’t drop dead gorgeous on the outside, either, but it has a unique design philosophy that should attract the practical thinking driver/father (and his family as well). That’s because Suzuki’s new automotive design philosophy — which the company calls "mobile living" — is made apparent in the cozy, almost house-like ambience of the vehicle‘s interiors.

The most impressive thing about the Suzuki APV, in this writer’s opinion, is the fact that it was conceptualized with a specific niche in mind. According to sources at Suzuki, Southeast Asian practices and preferences played significant roles in the vehicle’s development — much like the strategy used by the ultra-successful IMV Project of Toyota. As such, the vehicle’s dimensions and capabilities reflect the company’s answers to the needs of our market. For example, it’s quite compact on the outside and in fact claims exceptional maneuverability in negotiating tight spaces — which are all too common in our local setting. But, step inside the vehicle and you’ll realize that the engineering has allowed for up to eight passengers to fit comfortably in its three rows of seats.

All this convenience is coupled with a killer price range (P719,000 for the GLX A/T and P599,000 for the GL M/T) that should be more than enough to send those tired of the same old utility vehicles hearts’ aflutter.

Mitsubishi Grandis

Launched earlier this year together with the Montero Sport, the Mitsubishi Grandis doesn’t seem to have made the kind of impact its more recall-friendly sibling has. A lot of the thunder was stolen, of course, by the entry of the similar-looking Toyota Innova. Now, we’re not saying that the Innova is more than a match for the Grandis, although it can admittedly more than hold its own when compared to other similarly-priced vehicles (The Grandis is closer in performance, finish and pricing, actually, to the much larger Previa). However, the moment you step inside a Grandis and get behind the wheel, you’ll realize that the space age van-like exteriors is where the similarity between the Grandis and the Innova stops.

We say this because we know for a fact that the Mitsubishi Grandis is a different animal altogether. Unlike the Innova, which sits on a sturdy and reliable but slightly more road-sensitive ladder frame, the Grandis shares some basic engineering cues with the more refined Galant — which obviously makes for a more comfortable ride than even most smaller sized sedans, much less utility vehicles. The Grandis’ finish and interior configuration also make it clear that this is one vehicle that is looking to capture a slightly more upscale market segment than the Innova.

The ride and the finish notwithstanding, it is really the sate-of-the-art 2.4 liter engine with variable valve timing and a dual manifold catalytic converter (Mitsubishi calls this wonderful system MIVEC) that takes the cake in the Grandis. All this high tech machinery is brought under the driver’s control via an INVECS-II with sportronic transmission with manual override — a manu-matic set-up for the uninformed. This space age technology under the hood makes the Grandis a fun yet comfortable (and safe) drive.

This head-turner of a seven-seater comes with a three-year or 100,000 kilometer warranty, which is pretty nice to hear since you’ll have to shell out a not-exactly-cheap P1,480,000 in order to get your hands on a Grandis.

Peugeot 807

Were this article patterned after a game of "pusoy" we’d have to say this model is the "best" in a hand carrying our good, better and best. Of course that’s all subject to scrutiny and a lot of subjectivity. Suffice it to say, the Peugeot 807 is easily the most expensive and — at least on paper — the most technologically sound amongst the three vehicles featured in this article. To wit: the Peugeot 807, is the first MPV in the world to get a EURO NCAP 5-Star safety rating; it also has a unique feature in that large electrically-operated sliding doors that can be opened or closed using a remote control; and it’s also the most versatile as even the vehicle’s front seats swivel 180 degrees and come with height adjustment and folding armrests like captain’s chairs.

A 2.0-liter 16-valve auto adaptive electronic multi-point fuel-injected engine powers the Peugeot 807. The vehicle comes with a Porsche Tiptronic transmission — similar in concept to that of the Grandis. Like the Suzuki APV, meanwhile, it can comfortably seat at least eight people. Independent front and rear suspension enhanced by a torsion beam axle and pan-hard rod in the rear and an anti-roll bar up front enhance the 807’s ride to give that solid European feel. Fit and finish is typical Peugeot. In other words, it’s absolutely sweet inside this vehicle — clean and comfortable if not luxurious to a fault. The exterior, meanwhile, has its own unique flair despite the immediate similarity to its American minivan counterparts. Inside and out, the Peugeot 807 is a pretty vehicle. This much I’ll say, I find it so visually appealing that whenever I look at an 807, I can’t help but agree that it’s worth every single hard-earned centavo of its rather steep P2,400,000 price tag.