Upscale utility.

Time was, when a truck was a truck, a van was a van and if you wanted comfortable transportation, you chose a conventional sedan or station wagon. If customers needed extra utility, their choices were limited to mammoth rolling warehouses with all the style and comfort of a side-by-side refrigerator. And, if the ability to cover terrain more challenging than the mall parking lot was needed, customers were forced into jumbo four-wheel drive trucks suitable for launching small-scale military attacks - hardly the kind of vehicle you want to live with day-to-day. The bottom line: For utility you bought a truck and for civility you bought a car.

But times have changed. Vans and off-roaders now come in a variety of shapes and sizes that are suitable for nearly anyone with a driver's license. Most popular are the minivans and upscale compact sport-utility vehicles - a cross-breed of family sedan, wagon and bus with volumes of interior space, surprising comfort and the ability to carry loads that would have a traditional vehicle bursting at the seams. Last year alone, close to 2 million consumers-put minivans and sports utility vehicles in their garages. They can be outfitted like a luxury car or trimmed like a sport sedan.

Though sport-utility vehicles are designed specifically for off-road use, most minivans offer all-wheel drive. Larry Hoenig, Chrysler Corp.'s product planning chief for minivan operations, attributes the minivan's popularity to its remarkable versatility: "This is a vehicle that is designed to do everything a good sedan does plus a great deal more. It has to be equally capable of taking couples out to dinner, picking up shrubs at the nursery and delivering the soccer team to practice - in any weather and over any road condition."

Take Chrysler's Town & Country, a spin off of the wildly popular Plymouth Voyager/Dodge Caravan twins, for example. This extended wheelbase minivan comes standard with a driver's side air bag, anti-lock brakes, leather-trimmed upholstery and nearly every power accessory known to man. There isn't a traditional sedan made that will carry seven adults in this much comfort. Jeep's recently introduced Grand Cherokee is not only remarkably capable off-road, but with three different four-wheel drive systems, driver's side air bag, antilock brakes and every comfort and convenience feature found in a luxury car, it's hard to refer to it as a utility vehicle.

GM's Oldsmobile Silhouette can be upholstered in leather, outfitted with a CD sound system and equipped with a touring suspension, alloy wheels, performance tires and automatic load leveling, while its Bravada combines a full-time all-wheel drive system, generous ground clearance, substantial tires and suspension and plush interior, yielding passenger-car comfort and tenacious traction.

Ford's Aerostar minivan blends the higher towing capacity of rear-wheel drive with comfort and convenience options too numerous to list. In top Eddie Bauer trim, the Aerostar becomes nothing short of an extra-large Lincoln Continental. Toward the off-road end of Ford's lineup is the Explorer, which has a carlike ride, first-class fit-and-finish and the kind of comfort and quality that four-wheel drive vehicles never had before. Obviously these vehicles are right for the times.

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 

Jeep invented the sport-utility vehicle, taming a military concept for fun

and frolic. Now they've gone even further, adding luxury and practicality while maintaining all the off-road toughness.

Larger than the original Cherokee, and sporting such car-like features as driver air bag and anti-lock brakes, the Grand Cherokee is a no-compromise alternative to a full-size sedan. There are three four-wheel-drive systems, a powerful 190-horsepower, six-cylinder engine and a newly available V-8 (by far the most potent in its class). Starting out at $19,700 (with a lower-priced, two-wheel-drive version coming next spring) and topping out around $28,444, the Grand Cherokee is king of the hill. Top model is the Grand Wagoneer with full-time four-wheel drive, 220-horsepower V-8, leather and more for just under $30,000. Bargain hunters can find the original Cherokee with its new lower price starting at $12,137.

TOYOTA LAND CRUISER 

This year, the Land Cruiser goes from weak to willing. A power infusion arrives via larger displacement and extra technology.

With a 4.5-liter, dual-overhead-cam, multi-valve, inline six-cylinder engine, the Land Cruiser gains 57 horsepower for a total of 212, and 55 foot-pounds of torque for a solid 275. Further improvements to this Toyota minivan include a new four-speed automatic with electronic control that smooths out shifts. Another option is four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes. Front- and rear-locking differentials will help keep this heavyweight vehicle moving through mud and sand. The new model is identified by slight fender flares, enclosing larger 16-inch tires.

With a price of $31,178, the Land Cruiser offers luxurious going in the middle of the boondocks. There's full-time four-wheel drive and available eight-passenger seating for those who want Range Rover class and Toyota reliability.

NISSAN QUEST 

The Nissan differs in a couple ways from the Mercury Villager. Anti-lock brakes are an option rather than standard as on the Villager. And Mercury, with its larger number of dealers, gets more vehicles to sell, about two-thirds of the production of these Ohio-built vehicles.

The Quest comes in two trim levels - XE and GXE - and one interior seven-passenger layout. A traditional "two-box" approach was taken for maximum efficiency and comfort, but the edges were softened to create a rounded, less truck-like look. Like the Villager, the Quest is saddled with motorized seatbelts, a nuisance in a van.

The Quest offers good interior adaptability: Individual seats hold driver and front passenger, the middle seat reclines, folds or removes, while the rear seat folds or slides. Individual Captain's chairs can be ordered in place of the middle bench. Prices start at $17,145 and move into the low $20,000 range.

MERCURY VILLAGER

The Villager is a joint venture between Nissan and Ford and uses many components from each maker's parts shelf. Ford assembles this vehicle in its Avon Lake, Ohio plant.

The Villager falls between the regular and extended Chrysler minivans in size. Unlike Nissan, Mercury will offer cargo and five-passenger models, as well as a seven-passenger version. The Villager comes in two passenger trims: GS and LS.

Both have standard four-wheel anti-lock brakes. The five-passenger GS (the top-line LS comes standard with room for seven) offers the middle seat as an option. The V-6 and four-speed automatic come from Nissan's Maxima. Power is down a bit to 151 horsepower in favor of increased low-rpm torque. The Villager's only shortcoming is the lack of an air bag. Mercury promises one by the 1994 model year. Prices start under $18,000 and reach about $22,000.

PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 

In most respects, the original minivan is still the best. Ideas like front-wheel drive that started with the Voyager (and its Dodge twin, the Caravan) have been around since 1983 and are now being adopted by others. It was one of the first minivans to offer a standard driver air bag and now becomes the first with front adjustable-height shoulder belts for front-seat passengers. With a comfortable ride and space for seven adults and luggage, this is one of the most successful vehicles on the market.

The options list is long, depending upon the model, and includes such features as four-wheel anti-lock brakes and full-time all-wheel drive. It also offers built-in child seats for the second row.

Engine choice is a four-cylinder or one of two V-6 powerplants. The biggest is a 3.3-liter with a solid 150-horsepower and silky smooth four-speed automatic. A sport suspension option makes this van handle almost like a sports sedan. Prices go from $14,000 to $21,923.

PONTIAC TRANS SPORT 

Pontiac has added some high-tech flash for '93: steering-wheel mounted radio controls and a later model option may feature an electronically operated sliding door with remote control. This makes life easier for children and the elderly. who often have problems with sliding doors, particularly when parked on an incline.

The Trans Sport model lineup is simplified this year, with SE trim level the only offering. A new option is steering-wheel-mounted radio controls - like 'em or loathe 'em. The standard 3.1- liter V-6 and three-speed automatic provide only leisurely performance. The optional 3.8-liter V-6 brings horsepower up to 170 and is coupled to a superior, smoothshifting four-speed automatic with electronic control.

Anti-lock brakes are standard, and while air bags are now found in most minivans, there's no air bag in the Trans Sport. This is a comfortable riding and agile vehicle priced from $17,000 to more than $20,000, with wanton choices from the option list.

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 

The suburban can probably tow the heaviest load of any passenger vehicle on earth (close to an immense 5 tons) and carry nine people all at the same time. This is the largest sport-utility wagon available and there really is nothing else like it in size and strength.

The Suburban can be optioned for a variety of purposes. Standard power comes from a 5.7-liter V-8, rated at 210 horsepower, and mated to a four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. A 230-horsepower, 7.4-liter V-8 is available for heavy towing. Rear- and four-wheel-drive versions are available. Suburbans equipped with Chevrolet's standard Insta-Trac four-wheel-drive system have a fully independent front suspension and shift-on-the-fly ability.

Inside, the Suburban is also a brute. But never mind, this is a work truck. Prices start at $19,080 and move up to $22,480.

FORD EXPLORER 

This one just burst out of the gates and became the sales leader among compact sport-utilities. The Explorer is the roomiest vehicle in its class in either two- or four-door form. The ride is quiet and comfortable, and the 160-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6 is only a bit less powerful than the competition.

Meanwhile, the styling appeals to those who want a serious truck as well as those who'd prefer a car. Inside, it's as modern as tomorrow, row, with bright clear instruments, comfortable seats and room for five adults and luggage for the week.

This fall, four-wheel anti-lock brakes become come standard. You can choose rear-drive or sophisficated push-button four-wheel drive.

Prices range widely, depending upon the option level. You can start out around $16,000 with two-wheel drive and two doors and move up to nearly $25,000 by the time you add every conceivable luxury item.

LAND ROVER DEFENDER 

The Land Rover name returns to the U.S. for the first time since 1974. While the Range Rover will remain the mainstay vehicle for now, the Defender will be joining the lineup. It's a rugged sport-utility vehicle, very military in appearance, a bit narrower than the Range Rover, longer, heavier and more than a foot taller. Only a Chevy Suburban is larger, but the Defender is heavier.

This really is the original Land Rover with a history dating back to 1940. Its most recent update was in 1983. Much of the underpinnings are shared with the Range Rover, including a boxed steel ladder chassis, aluminum body, full-time four-wheel drive and 180-horsepower aluminum V-8.

Differences include the transmission (the Defender only gets a five-speed manual) and brakes only a disc/drum setup without and-lock). It's a rugged safari vehicle with a price tag of $39,900.

TOYOTA PREVIA

The Previa has a unique mid-engine design. Under the front passenger seats is a 16-valve four-cylinder engine with a respectable 138 horsepower driving the rear wheels. The engine is on its side, so there's lots of room, as much space as in a Dodge Grand Caravan.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic optional. A driver's side air bag was added last year. The options list also includes anti-lock brakes and full-time all-wheel drive for improved traction.

There are two trim levels. The Deluxe is the price leader at $18,500 but doesn't quite live up to the name. The LE has more luxury and a price tag from $23,260 up to $26,000 or so. Of special note is the third seat that can be easily folded up and out of the way and doesn't require outside storage. The ride is quiet and handling well-controlled, although it's still a bit short on power compared with several of its six-cylinder competitors.