Why not?
Hyundai recently added a family minivan to its lineup. But the fact of the matter is, the Entourage is a clone of the Kia Sedona. Now that these two
companies are well established in Quebec, it's quite normal to find in their respective showrooms similar products that will help them to compete on an even basis. In Korea, things are different; both vehicles are manufactured at the same plant. However, in North America, competition is fierce. The base price of the GL model is $29,995, while the top-of-the-line GLS (which includes a DVD player, 17-inch alloy wheels, ESP, heated front seats and automatic climate control) is listed at $35,695.
Classic lines
Visually, minivans look a lot like each other no matter what the automakers are. The Hyundai Entourage is no different. This being said, I found the door handles carefully designed and easy to manipulate. The metallic trim on the side mouldings that protect the vehicle from door dings is well matched with the roof rack. In addition, my tester sported a small chrome reflector inside the fog light clusters -- a much nicer touch than just a simple hole or a blacked-out effect.
Versatile and comfortable
Hyundai enters a market segment in which the Americans and the Japanese have a lot of experience, to say the least. For a first try, the result is quite impressive. All the versatility and the comfort that the average North American family needs is there. The Entourage seats seven and there's enough storage space for everyone. What more can you ask?
The cargo room is decent when the third-row seat is in place, so imagine what it's like when you fold it into the floor. To load large items, you only have to remove the second-row seats. Sure, it's easier and more convenient to fold them flat, as is the case in some other minivans, but the end result is still satisfying.
Easy access
During my test week, me and my passengers (a small family with teens) have come to appreciate the easy access to the inside of the vehicle. The front doors, with their wide opening angle, create enough room to reach the seats without any problem. It's also easy to close the doors once you're sitting on board. The sliding doors, on the other hand, are manipulated more easily by rear passengers.
I should add that Hyundai offers remote opening and closing, a very safe system that automatically opens the door as soon as an obstacle is detected during the closing process. Now that's reassuring when you have kids. Moreover, the rear passengers can open, close, lock and unlock the doors at the touch of a well-positioned button.
In addition to offering rear door windows that open almost entirely, the Entourage includes third-row windows that open outward a few centimetres in order to create better air circulation. All these features can be controlled by the driver. Finally, while it's really easy to access the rear seats, the third-row should only be used by short people or kids.
Hyundai recently added a family minivan to its lineup. But the fact of the matter is, the Entourage is a clone of the Kia Sedona. Now that these two
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| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Classic lines
 |
| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
Versatile and comfortable
 |
| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
The cargo room is decent when the third-row seat is in place, so imagine what it's like when you fold it into the floor. To load large items, you only have to remove the second-row seats. Sure, it's easier and more convenient to fold them flat, as is the case in some other minivans, but the end result is still satisfying.
Easy access
During my test week, me and my passengers (a small family with teens) have come to appreciate the easy access to the inside of the vehicle. The front doors, with their wide opening angle, create enough room to reach the seats without any problem. It's also easy to close the doors once you're sitting on board. The sliding doors, on the other hand, are manipulated more easily by rear passengers.
 |
| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
In addition to offering rear door windows that open almost entirely, the Entourage includes third-row windows that open outward a few centimetres in order to create better air circulation. All these features can be controlled by the driver. Finally, while it's really easy to access the rear seats, the third-row should only be used by short people or kids.