Revised taillights, a new flying M grille and color-keyed side moldings are the majorchanges outside for +96. Otherwise, the Mercury Villager's rounded shape is unchanged, and still looks fresh, even when it's parked next to a Dodge Caravan or a Honda Odyssey. While the Villager is nearly 20 cu. ft. smaller inside than Chrysler's short-wheelbase vans, it's also 24 cu. ft. roomier than the dimunitive Honda. And at less than 1 in. longer, it's as easy to park. Once you finish parking, however, the Villager provides rear- and center-seat passengers with just one side door versus the option of two sliding doors on Chrysler's vans and two sedan-style doors on the Odyssey and Mazda MPV, which include them as standard equipment. The good news: The Honda costs nearly $4000 more, and comes only with a 4-cyl. engine while Villagers and Quests get a smooth V6. Villagers come in three models: GS, LS and the topmost Nautica--a $26,390 luxury edition that includes an attractive 2-tone paint scheme, aluminum alloy wheels and leather interior trim. There's also a van version ($19,385), intended for commercial hauling. But even the $19,940 Villager GS comes with such niceties as standard antilock brakes, an AM/FM/cassette sound system and intermittent wipers front and rear. You can also save a bundle over the $24,300 LS by ordering the GS with Preferred Equipment Package 692A. It includes power locks, windows and mirrors, auxiliary center-seat climate controls and virtually everything else that goes with the LS version for about $1800 less.
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