From the driver's seat, the Villager offers a sweeping view of the road ahead. The view out the back isn't bad, either. The Villager's cabin is glassy and tall, giving a commanding view all around. The bucket seats in the first and second rows are shaped correctly for long-haul drives, and the doors have armrests at the proper height.

The second and third rows of seats are the Villager's prime asset. The second-row bucket seats tip forward for easy access to the third bench. They can also be removed for a large cargo area. The third-row bench can be moved forward into one of six positions on a track that permits nearly five feet of movement front to rear. Behind the third-row bench, an adjustable shelf offers three vertical positions and holds 30 pounds -- a nice idea that adds versatility.

Instrumentation is complete and well-designed. Radio, climate controls and rear-wiper buttons are conveniently placed and well-marked. The CD changer, located below the radio and climate control stack, is out of the way, but can be reached without getting out of the car. Our Villager Sport came with the optional electronic gauge package, but we prefer the traditional analog gauges that come standard. Some of the gray and black plastics in the Villager aren't the finest we've seen.

Two clever features could fit in the palm of a kid's hand. The visor-mounted garage door remote has three programmable buttons that eliminate the need for a clunky clip-on opener. On the same driver visor is a voice note recorder, which stores about a minute's worth of messages. You can leave yourself little verbal notes -- "Milk, eggs, and butter" -- or, as we did, pit your vocal abilities against Sheryl Crow's and play it back for unlucky passengers.