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Knocking your head while hopping into the driver's chair can also be avoided by using the A-pillar grip and a strong pull upward. There's a step provided on the door frame, but it's been recessed into the bodywork, making it too narrow to fit an average shoe. Going down is made easier by a small plastic hand support thoughtfully provided near the seat. Ingress into the rear passenger space is via a single sliding door. A metal hoop is also provided to assist the rear passengers' ingress and egress. From the driver's chair, you sit high up, tall enough to see over the roofs of CR-Vs. Another pleasant sight is the most modern dash among the ref vans. The white-faced instruments incorporating the usual four round gauges are easy to read at a glance. The steering wheel won't faze you even if you're used to a sedan. It's more horizontal than usual, but the two-spoker is thick and comfortably positioned. The short, stubby stalks controlling lights and wipers are a pleasure to use. The dashboard and center console have also been redesigned to provide numerous cubbyholes, drink and document holders. The only archaic control, perhaps unavoidable since this is a commercial vehicle, is the pull-and-twist handbrake lever. The aircon uses tactile-friendly rotary switches. Mounted above the aircon controls, the 2-DIN stereo incorporates both a single-CD player and tape deck. The latter will come in handy to play the kids' foreign-language tapes on the way to school. Sound quality is sufficient for Mandarin lessons or AM news reports; play anything else and they will still sound like Mandarin lessons or AM news reports. One thing missing from the features list is electric, or even remote, actuation of the door mirrors. You have to open the windows and push them around manually. You'll need a passenger to help you sort out the one on the right-hand side. Once they're set, they provide a sufficiently expansive view, such that maneuvering in traffic or tight mall parking garages is reasonably easy. There are twelve seats in the Urvan: three abreast seating in front, plus seven full seats and two jump seats in the rear, divided among three rows. There's some space left over for luggage. The front center will suffice for a small person for a short trip. Otherwise, it folds down to provide cupholders, and a writing surface/closable compartment big enough for A4 documents. |
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