2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette Comfortable cruising with entertainment for everyone. By Phil Berg, New Car Test Drive .com

Oldsmobile's Silhouette is a highly refined minivan. It handles well and is actually fun to hustle down a challenging road. With its long wheelbase, the Silhouette seats seven comfortably and comes with thoughtful interior touches that make trips with kids go easier. The Premieree edition features a state-of-the-art video entertainment system.

Oldsmobile Silhouette is available in three models: GL, GLS and Premieree. The GL retails for $24,990, while the loaded GLS goes for $28,640. (The short-wheelbase GS has been discontinued.) A firmer suspension with automatic leveling is a $270 option on the GLS, but is standard on the Premieree.

Silhouette Premieree, like the one we drove, retails for $31,550. It comes with a well-integrated video entertainment system for rear-seat passengers that is not available on the other models. Almost every option you can get on a Silhouette comes standard on the Premieree edition. Our test car, however, had the $195 heated front seats, a boon for chilly mornings or lower back pain. Other options are gold trim pieces for $150 and a $100 towing package that increases the pulling capability of the Silhouette from 2000 to 3500 pounds. Northerners will appreciate an engine heater that adds a mere $20.