2004 Chevrolet Venture

FAMILY-FRIENDLY 2004 CHEVROLET VENTURE MAKES TRAVELING MORE FUN

Chevy Venture's outstanding family-friendly interior environment makes it the minivan that parents depend on to make traveling together more fun.

'For families constantly on the go, Venture's wide range of choices helps them get the most out of their minivan,' said Pete Langenhorst, Venture marketing director, 'with features like the third row stowable seat, standard dual sliding rear doors, available OnStar and the Versatrak all-wheel-drive system.'

Spacious interior adapts to people or cargo
Venture's low step-in height through its standard dual sliding rear doors and available dual power sliding doors offers easy access to a spacious interior - with seating for up to eight people in some extended wheelbase models. Available separate front and rear HVAC controls add to its custom comfort.

The stowable third-row seat and flat-folding captain's chairs offer up to 140.7 cubic feet (3,984L) of cargo space in the extended wheelbase, enough room for 4-by-8-foot (1.2-by-2.4-meter) sheets of plywood with the liftgate closed. The third row stows to create a flat load surface.

Nestled behind the third row is a convenience center with three compartments for easy organizing. The middle compartment has a sealed bottom and sides for wet bathing suits, muddy boots or even garden plants. Conveniently located power outlets, and up to 17 cupholders, round out the usefulness of the vehicle.

Family fun
Getting there is half the fun with the Chevy Venture. 'Take the versatile Venture, add our DVD player and you have the ultimate vehicle for family entertainment,' said Langenhorst.

The available in-vehicle DVD-based entertainment system plays DVD video, DVD audio and CDs, and includes a flat, flip-down, 7-inch (178-mm) video screen, two wireless headphones and a wireless remote control. It's standard on all-wheel-drive LT models. The DVD-format screen provides superior picture quality, and the system has a 1.5-second 'video memory' which prevents potholes, railroad tracks and other rough road surfaces from interfering with the sound and picture. Simple controls - Power, Play and Eject buttons - make the DVD player easy to use.

Adding to the variety of entertainment possibilities, the 2004 Venture offers XM Satellite Radio (continental Ú.S. only). XM Satellite Radio provides 100 coast-to-coast, digital-quality channels of original music, news, sports and talk. Consumers can subscribe to the basic service for $9.99 a month - less than the cost of a single CD. In addition, GM customers with GMAC financing can choose to include the XM subscription in their car payments. An available CD/MP3 radio adds even further to the entertainment choices.

Three auxiliary jacks for devices such as video games and camcorders offer additional versatility. In fact, passengers can use the DVD player, the radio and the CD player all at the same time.

A safe environment
The family-friendly Venture offers four-wheel anti-lock brakes, driver and front-passenger air bags, driver and passenger side-impact air bags and child security rear door locks. Integrated child safety seats are standard on all vans except for those with captain's chairs. The LATCH (Lower Anchorages and Tethers for CHildren) system is standard and independent of the vehicle safety belts. LATCH enables parents to securely attach child safety seats without even using the vehicle's seat belts.

Venture's Rear Parking Aid alerts the drivers of objects or people behind the vehicle with both audio and visual signals while the van is in reverse. Venture is the only product in the industry to offer both types of indicators. Traction control is available and helps limit wheel spin on most slippery surfaces. Power comes from the standard 3400 V-6 engine with a four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com)

Enhanced handling and safety
For extra confidence in all weather and all road conditions, Venture offers an optional AWD package with Versatrak all-wheel drive, 16-inch aluminum wheels and tires, four-wheel disc brakes and a fully independent rear touring suspension - which provides a more refined ride.

GM's exclusive Versatrak all-wheel-drive system gives Venture distinct performance and safety advantages. Versatrak is lightweight, quiet and efficient, and is one of the most advanced approaches to all-wheel drive on the market today. If one or both front wheels lose grip, the Versatrak system comes into action progressively, with no buttons to push or levers to throw. The Versatrak system is always poised to help the driver make use of the traction available by not only transferring torque from front to rear, but also from side to side between the rear wheels - an ability not found in many competitive systems.

Source - GM Corporation