Like its siblings at Pontiac and Oldsmobile, the Venture gets just one powertrain, GM's 185-horsepower 3.4-liter pushrod V6 equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is the only choice, though traction control is optional on uplevel models. The engine sits in the usual sideways position, and this allows maximum use of interior space.Anti-lock brakes are standard. Touring tires are optional on the higher-priced models. The LT comes standard with a Touring suspension, which also has automatic rear load-leveling. The term "touring" refers in this case to increased load-carrying, firmer handling, and self-sealing tires. We've driven a variety of Venture models, and can report that the variety and weight of the stuff you load into them affects the handling and ride much more than the differences in the suspension specifications. In other words, we can rarely tell the difference between standard and Touring suspensions.
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