European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 03, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 3, 1991 the stars and strikes Page 13 car Corners amps a amps Large sliding door allows easy entry and exit.  clean drag co efficient is Only 0.34. Pleasant environment for occupants revia Van is modern practical with the Start of a new year its an appropriate time to feature a futuristic design vehicle for the Lead off review of 1991. The Toyota Previn provides that Opportunity because it is an Ultra modern super Stream lined Van for the 1990s. Yet it remains a thoroughly practical and versatile vehicle. Created at Toyota Salty design Stu Dio in Newport Beach calif., the Previn offers a Large amount of Interior room As the engine is positioned Flat beneath the floor see photo and thanks to the expansive use of Glass there is a wide open airy feeling to match this spaciousness. In Short the Previn provides a pleasant environment for Driver and passengers alike. In the top level be version the third rear seat is a Standard item allowing the be to seat seven adults in Comfort. On the deluxe Model however the third seat is optional both Previn be and deluxe vans Are being offered on the military Market but the four wheel drive All trac models will not be available. Last month we checked out the Previn be Model from Toyota a German division in Cologne and we drove this Van in All types of weather including a four hour grind during a traffic paralysing snowstorm. Although of rear wheel drive design the Previn be proved steady and stable on Snow slicked roads thanks to its excellent balance a this due to the mid engine location and Low Center of Gravity. The Bridges tone All season tires also helped Here the be shod with p215/65 radials on 15-Inch Alloy wheels. During our time with the Van it performed Well on All Road conditions a Snow rain mud and dry. Quot All Previn a models Are powered by a 2.4-liter, 4-Cylinder, twin Cam 16-valve engine that develops 138 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. And despite its a under the floor location this fuel injected engine is extremely quiet. Torque is rated at 154 . At 4,000 rpm. The Previn be gets a 4-Speed automatic transmission As Standard As Well As Standard Power assist steering and Power As Sist ventilated disc brakes. The engine is Strong and willing and you can cruise along at 90jotoo Miles per hour in overdrive if traffic conditions permit. Despite the sleek body design some wind noise starts arriving at the 80-Mph Mark although that a not bad for a Van by any Means. In the states you would rarely he above that Mark anyway. Our registered top  the autobahn was 105 Mph so there a More than enough punch and Power. And the be remained stable at these speeds. The Van is also quite steady on twisting Hack roads and the ride is comfortable for. Factory photo cutaway shows positioning of engine transmission. Factory photo Ultra modern dashboard is quite functional. Rear seats fold Flat then attach to sides of Van. A amps both Driver and passengers. The gear shift for the automatic transmission is located on the steering wheel column for More floor room. The wiper stalk and cruise control Are also there while the lights Blinker stalk and. Tilt steering wheel lever Are All located on the left Side of the column. The instrument gauges of the a a space age a wraparound dash Are Large and their figures Are easy to read. As noted earlier the Previak a driving environment is quite pleasant. Although you sit up High with a Superb View you always have the the feeling that you re driving a car. That a because the Previn is every bit As agile and Maneu Merable As an automobile and better than Many. And As you re practically looking straight Down on the Road no engine in front remember parking could not be easier a either on the Street or in parking  noting a Lack of engine in front there Are several important items under that front Hood and these include the air conditioning alternator and steering Assembly plus fun Belt Battery Windshield Washer bottle engine cooler tank and a Reserve engine Oil Supply Container. This design makes for easy a do it yourself servicing. And when it comes time for an Oil change refill you lift up the Driver seat and remove the engine cover. The Oil filler Cap is in Plain View and it s All quite simple. A any Van on today a Market must Otter the proper amenities and the Previn does All right Here with cup holders an overhead lighting system and All the rest. An Interior a convenience highlights is the vans design for unobstructed Wal through Between the seats. You can go from front to Back without leaving the Van this design made possible by the engines location beneath the floor. Entry and exit Are made easy through the wide sliding door on the right Side and once in the Van reaching your seat is also a snap because of the wide aisle Down the Center. A a _ the rear door meanwhile goes up quickly and the to addicting height is Low. Regarding storage Here Are panels at the Bottoms of the doors a huge lockable Glove Box and adequate storage room behind the third Row seats. Whetmore storage or carrying space is needed the third Row seats Are easily stored on the sides of the Van. They fold Flat then split Down the Middle and Pivot upward where they can be secured by a strap that you attach to the grab bar. Both seats can be attached to the sides or just one seat if you want to leave the other free for a passenger. The Side storage procedure is simple and can be per formed literally in seconds. The dark Bue exterior on the test Van was matched y a Blue Light Blue color scheme on the inside the Interior including full carpeting. Attention to detail was evident throughout. The Previn be test wan was Well equipped including such items As Central Locking Power windows and rear View mirrors air conditioning with a separate rear cooler pc unit am pm stereo with cassette any seven speakers digital clock Alloy wheels and More. A the fuel mileage figure came to 18.9 Miles per gallon this including some sustained High Speed runs. The tank holds 19.8 Gallons Soshe Range would be about 370 Miles. R \ Toyota says that although the Previn is not classified As a car by the Federal government it meets or exceeds most of the mandated safety standards for passenger automobiles including Side door Impact and roof crush resistance. Summing up the Previn is an attractive Van of extremely modern design both inside and out and it performs Well. It has few shortcomings and it should prove durable and economical to operate. It will be a Tough competitor on this extremely competitive Market. At the Toyota car world outlets in Germany the base Price is s 18.995 for the deluxe Model and i22,9 k for the be version. The Previn vans Are in Stock at car world outlets and Are also available in Belgium Iceland Italy the Netherlands Spain and the United kingdom. A Randy Barnetts amps Auto columnist