4 Qualities to Look for in Your Next Van

Conversion vans and larger vans in general seem to be less popular today than they have been in the past. This change has slowly taken place as minivans became more popular, but people across the country are missing out. Traditional vans are incredibly spacious and offer extra passenger space, making them great for wheelchair van applications, large families, businesses, sports teams, schools, and more. They also offer plenty of advanced technologies so you won’t feel as if you are missing out. When you are looking to buy your next van, you will find plenty of great choices. Search for the following qualities to help narrow down your selection.

Interior Space

Perhaps the most important part of a van is its interior space; after all, this is why most people choose a van over an alternative, like a minivan or SUV. Figure out how many seats you need in your van; you can easily find models that have room for seven or eight passengers. Don’t forget to discount the overall interior space, as well. Conversion vans are known for having taller roofs that make it easier to fit more cargo inside or just get to the back seats without having to hunch over. To give you an idea, the best-in-class interior height on these vehicles is in the RAM Passenger Van: 6 feet 4 inches, more than enough for the average person.

Safety

As with any other vehicle, you want to make sure that you strongly consider safety when looking for a van. This is maybe even more important with a larger vehicle like this because of the number of passengers. Be sure that the van you choose has airbags for the driver, front passenger, and other seats. It also needs features like brake assist, electronic stability control, and all-speed traction control to keep you in control of your vehicle at all times. Electronic roll mitigation is another valuable feature, particularly because vans have such a high center of gravity. Although people have driven conversion vans for years without it, a rear backup camera will be incredibly useful and help you stay safe.

Fuel Economy and Power

Even large vehicles like conversion vans can get great fuel economy, so make sure you do your research and find one that won’t have you spending thousands of dollars on gas. If you choose correctly, you can enjoy best-in-class fuel economy of over 20 mpg. Don’t sacrifice performance for fuel economy, however. Vans need a powerful engine to move their bulk around, which is why diesel or V6 engines are such great options.

Customization

A final thing to look for in your next van is the ability to customize it. After all, the van won’t do you any good if it doesn’t meet your needs correctly. Take the time to think about the seating arrangements and other features you will need for your van, and then make sure you can find what you need. The best companies will even let you customize a van based on the basic platform if you don’t find an already-made model that is right for you.