Hey there folks. Yes I'm back again but this time for an auto review. And seeing as this is only my third write-up for a vehicle, you might be surprised to know that it's my second for a Hyundai product.

The Entourage is the third Hyundai vehicle I have owned. The first was a 2001 Sonata and second a 2004 Santa Fe. I can honestly say that with each vehicle, I have noticed a dramatic increase in quality. The Entourage is in my opinion, quite simply, not only the best minivan out there for the money, it is the one of the best minivans out there period.

If you are one of those folks who still judge Hyundai based on its early line of poorly made Excels, you are really doing yourself a disservice. Hyundai has made tremendous strides in the past 5 years in terms of reliability and quality and is now poised to make a direct run at the big guys...namely Toyota and Honda. If the Entourage is an indication of whats to come, the entire automotive market better get ready for a new major player.

With a third child on the way, my wife and I could no longer put off the inevitable task of buying a minivan. After looking at all the major brands...Honda, Toyota, Dodge....we took a look at the brand new Hyundai Entourage and walked out of the dealership with our socks clearly blown off. Having nearly all the features of the other brands and being thousands less, our decision was made. We returned a short time later and purchased the LIMITED model with all the bells and whistles. That being said, this review will be slanted toward that trim level.

TRIMS:

The Entourage comes in 3 trims...GLS, SE, and LIMITED which are priced $23,795, $26,295, and $28,795 respectively. As I said, we purchased the LIMITED as after some careful consideration, decided the extra money was well worth the options it came with. The first thing that caught our attention was it's attractive styling. Not as boxy as the Odyssey or as rounded as the Grand Caravan, the Entourage offers a sleek look with sharp lines. Chrome accents heighten it's appeal.

SAFETY FEATURES:

As far as safety goes, there isn't a minivan out there that can beat the Entourage or its sister vehicle, the Kia Sedona. With a perfect score in all four crash categories, the Entourage and Sedona were voted the safest minivans ever by the NHTSA. Believe me, the Entourage is the vehicle you want to be in if you are ever involved in an accident. Every trim level comes standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control, 4 wheel disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake assist, dual front airbags, seat mounted dual front side impact airbags, 3 row side curtain airbags, and active head restraints. In addition, a tire pressure monitoring system is standard on all trims. Not to shabby huh???

STANDARD FEATURES & OPTIONS:

The GLS comes standard with 16 inch steel wheels, windshield wiper de-icer, power windows, locks, and mirrors, 5 speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, keyless entry w/alarm, 6 speaker AM/FM/CD audio system, and a roof rack.

Opt for the SE and in addition you will get 17 inch alloy wheels, heated outside mirrors, power driver seat, leather steering wheel and shift knob, steering wheel audio controls, fog lights, dual front automatic climate control, 2nd row temperature controls, dual power sliding side doors, trip computer w/compass, auto headlights, adjustable front armrest, dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors and power rear-quarter glass. Options include a rear seat DVD entertainment system, a 13 speaker Infinity sound system, sunroof, 6 disk CD changer, power liftgate, HOMELINK transceiver, and rear back-up sensors.

Splurge for the LIMITED and you will get leather seating with heated front seats, electroluminescent instrumentation, power rear liftgate, HOMELINK transceiver, and an electrochromic rear view mirror. Options include a sunroof, rear back-up sensors, a DVD rear entertainment system, upgraded Infinity sound system, and power adjustable pedals.

I should note that the DVD system comes with a remote control and wireless headphones. It also has inputs so you can hook up a video camera or external DVD player.

INTERIOR:

Inside the van is quite comfortable. With first and second row captains chairs and a 60/30 split third row bench seat, the Entourage seats 7. A small complaint I have heard is that the driver's seat doesn't slide back far enough. I tend to agree with this. I am 5'11 and even with the seat all the way back, I feel slightly cramped. It wasn't bad enough to prevent me from purchasing the Entourage and I have been on a few 1-2 hour drives and haven't become uncomfortable, but for someone who is 6'0 or taller, this might be an issue.

As with all current minivans, the third row folds flat into the floor. The second row, while not folding into the floor like in the Grand Caravan, is removable should you need the extra space. All total there is 172 cubic feet of total interior volume and 141 cubic feet of storage with the 3rd row folded down and the second row seats removed. There are 15 cup holders scattered around and storage is no problem, especially in the front where there are several storage areas including a sunglass holder located about the driver's left shoulder and a dual glovebox.

Radio controls are clearly marked and are included on the steering wheel along with the cruise control. With 3 separate zones, the climate control took me a little while to figure out. While not difficult, there are a fair number of buttons to familiarize yourself with. On the LIMITED and SE, climate control is automatic for the front row. The second and third rows each have their own controls.

With the minor exception of the driver's seat, leg room is ample in all rows...even in the third row which I found to be quite uncomfortable in other vans. Headroom is fantastic so unless you are a 70's throwback and sporting a
massive beehive hairdoo, you'll be just fine.

All in all the interior layout is one of the vehicle's selling points. Clearly designed with families in mind and put together with great "fit and finish", it will be a comfortable home away from home on those long trips.

POWER:

The engine is another of the van's high points. A 3.8 liter DOHC all aluminum V6 engine is standard on all trims. Producing a healthy 242 horsepower and 251lb feet of torque, the Entourage is a spirited mover. Step on it and you will easily spins the tires before the traction control sets in. Passing and highway merging are absolutely no problem, even with a full load. Only the Honda Odyssey puts out more horsepower at 244...but the Entourage beats it in torque. And for you environmentally conscious people, the engine qualifies as a ULEV....thats Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle for those of you who might not know.

DRIVING & HANDLING:

So how does the Entourage drive you ask? It is like driving a premium sedan. Quiet to the extreme, the Entourage is a pleasure with both around town and highway driving. Sitting on both front and rear independent suspensions, it soaks up bumps and provides a silky smooth driving experience. Handling is much better than you would expect from a minivan and the turning radius is surprisingly small which comes in handy more than I thought it would. The ride is so smooth in fact, the other day as I was driving down the highway, I glanced down and saw that I was going 90mph. Yikes!!!! I never felt a thing...not a shake, shimmy, bump...nothing. I guess sometimes an ultra-smooth ride isn't such a good thing. Good thing there weren't any cops around.

CONS:

Ok now on to the things that I don't like about the Entourage. First and foremost is the gas mileage. While the window sticker states it gets between 18 and 25 miles per gallon, I haven't gotten anything close to that so far. One of the features of the trip computer is MPG usage and according to it, I average around 16-17 or so. UGGHHH...my wallet hurts already. Consumer Reports and Edmunds rate the Entourage at around 400-420 miles per tank. Well after I top off the tank which is 21 gallons, the computer tells me I have a range of 320 miles. That's a paltry 15mpg. What happened to the 400??? I have been told that mileage will increase as the engine breaks in. I sure hope that is true.

Next is rear storage. Although storage in the cabin area is great, there should be a bin behind the rear seat. Yes there is a good deal of open space but a storage bin would be nice to hold things like jumper cables, first aid kit, etc.. Because of this, when you want to fold the rear seat down, you have to completely empty the rear area of all items. Is this a deal breaker?? No, but it sure would be nice to have.

The last con is that a GPS/Navigation system is not available. Why Hyundai doesn't offer one I have no idea but I have seen more than a few complaints on the internet about the lack of this option.

So there you have it everyone. The 2007 Hyundai Entourage. Anyway you slice it, it is a heck of a minivan. Feature packed and solidly constructed, it is a serious contender in the hot minivan market. If you are currently looking for one, do yourself a favor and don't rule Hyundai out. Thousands less than the competition and in most cases better equipped, the Entourage will have the competition scrambling.

Ahhhh....I don't know how or why I forgot to include any information on Hyundai's warranty. Seeing as it is still the best warranty in the automotive industry, I apologize for omitting the information. And thanks to Epinion Advisor OpenRoad for pointing it out. Ok the warranty is known as the Hyundai Advantage and is as follows:

10 Year, 100,000 mile powertrain
5 Year, 60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper
5 Year unlimited miles roadside assistance
7 Year unlimited miles anti-rust/perforation
8 year, 80,000 mile emission warranty..7 in California

Well there you have it...my now "more thorough" review of the 07' Hyundai Entourage.