New Accessible Vehicle Offerings Include an SUV Big Enough for a Power Wheelchair and an AWD Hybrid Van
December 1, 2021
Ian Ruder
New Mobility Editor Ian Ruder is a longtime minivan user and proud leader of WAMS (Wheelers Against Minivan Slander). He is currently rolling around in a jet black 2014 Toyota Siena conversion, and he has previously ghostridden a Chevrolet Uplander and a Dodge Grand Caravan. He dreams of a future where we can all learn to love and live together in the spacious, refined masterpiece that is the modern minivan.
Here’s a look at two new options that bring much-needed excitement to the adapted vehicle market.
Chevrolet Traverse
For as long as there have been wheelchair van conversions, wheelchair users have dreamed of a converted SUV that is comfortable, spacious and reliable enough to withstand the test of time. The scrapyards of America are littered with the rusted frames of conversions that have tried to fill this niche only to come up short, most often on space and comfort.
Now a new contender has emerged, and if the initial response is any indicator, we may finally have the SUV conversion we’ve been waiting for: BraunAbility’s Chevrolet Traverse. The conversion has all the amenities wheelchair users demand — lowered floor, in-floor ramp, power doors, kneeling, removable front seats — with 46% more interior space than the previous SUV standard-bearer, BraunAbility’s Ford Explorer MXV.
New Mobility contributor Todd Stabelfeldt was one of the thousands of wheelchair users who purchased a Traverse during its pandemic rollout. He tried a converted Explorer previously but couldn’t navigate the interior in his power chair. The Traverse presented no such obstacles.
“Sitting in it changed my entire reality,” he says. “I remember thinking, this is amazing, and I’m done with vans for the rest of my life.”
If sales are any indicator, Stabelfeldt’s response is a common one. Terry Barton, the regional director for Ability Center, says all the company’s stores are currently sold out of Traverses and have been for a few months (though more are en route).
“The market has been looking for an SUV with enough space for a long time,” he says. “And a lot of people who have been driving vans want a different-looking vehicle. They’re not buying it for an off-road vehicle, as it’s a front-wheel-drive V6 — you can’t even get a four-wheel drive. So, it’s definitely the look and visual appeal of the car.”
The BraunAbility backing adds to the appeal too. Barton notes that BraunAbility honed a lot of the technology that makes the Traverse work on other models, including the Explorer and its ample line of minivans.
“They’ve done a ton of improvements already on the articulating doors that were a little bit of a challenge at the beginning with the Explorer,” he says. “And they’ve been using that same ramp system for 18-19 years, so you know it’s reliable.”
Still, even the best conversion is doomed to fail if the vehicle doesn’t drive well. Thankfully, Barton says there’s nothing to worry about there.
“I’m not gonna lie to you and say it drives identical to a Traverse if you bought one from the Chevy dealer, but it’s as close as you’re going to get in an accessible car,” he says.
Five months after purchasing his Traverse, Stabelfeldt has no regrets. He is currently flat-towing it as he brings a new RV home from across the country. He loves every moment.
According to Barton, Stabelfeldt is not alone, as Ability Center has yet to have anyone trade in a Traverse. “These things aren’t cheap. It’s a serious purchase, and to have not a single one come back is a pretty good indicator that people are happy with the purchase,” says Barton.
Braun’s Hybrid Sienna conversion (interior shown above) has ample room for even the largest power chairs and the same reliable ramp system consumers have come to expect.
Toyota Sienna Hybrid
If a spacious SUV conversion is the Holy Grail of adapted vehicles, a hybrid side-entry minivan isn’t too far behind. While there have been limited rear-entry conversions on hybrid Chrysler Pacifica minivans, most wheelchair users prefer the comfort and ease of side-entry vehicles. Until this year, there haven’t been any commercially available side-entry hybrid conversions.
That finally changed when Toyota rolled out its 2021 Sienna with a new hybrid option. BraunAbility and VMI have both launched conversions, and after years of waiting, wheelchair users can finally get in on the hybrid gas savings and help the environment.
VMI offers three conversion options: a powered in-floor ramp, a manual in-floor ramp and a powered folding ramp. BraunAbility’s award-winning conversion sticks with a powered folding ramp. Both conversions have all the interior space converted Siennas are known for and the promise of a sexy 35 mpg. Some reviewers say they’ve received upward of 40 mpg, a huge upgrade from the normal Sienna’s 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway.
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Now tell us how the average person can afford $70-80,000 to purchase one.
A used accessible Scion Xb from Freedom Motors runs about $25,000. Much more affordable! 🤣
I’ll put it on my list to SANTA!!!!
I was thinking the same thing!
For real. “…one of the thousands of wheelchair users who purchased a Traverse during its pandemic rollout.” Thousands of wheelchair users plunked down over $80K to buy these things? I must greatly underestimate the number of wheelchair users who have wealth, settlements, etc… NM is a great publication, but I almost feel like there needs to be a separate version for “the rest of us.” Articles about destination vacations, brand new accessible homes, and vehicles/RVs costing $100K+ might as well be talking about another planet. I’m pretty sure I speak for many when I say those things are not at all a part of my reality.
Amen, today’s prices r beyond the everyday crip’s financial reach. I personally have owned 2 Braunability modified Dodge G. Caravans.
My first was a ’95 bought in 1996 + sold in Oct.05.
The 2nd, a 2004 model, bought in Oct. 05 and
is still in use by me, today. Both were Enterprise vans bought by Braun, then modified. The vans cost $30,000 ea., so in 25 years of ownership have spent 60 k, for me this has been a much more affordable way to cover my transportation needs.
Exactly! NM is not representative of the Community
I looked at both hybrid van conversions. One thing that alarmed me was the gross vehicle weight and carrying capacity. The all wheel drive version was only listed as having a little over 700 pounds available. Yikes. If you have a power chair, I guess you’ll have to enjoy driving around all by your lonesome?
As a paraplegic with a manual wheelchair, I have a problem with ramp vans and SUVs. No matter how much they lower, it can be difficult for me to get in and out of them. Dangerous, even. Many handicapped parking spaces aren’t big enough for these vans, so you have to park far away in an unused area of a parking lot. That makes getting to and from the van harder, especially if you are carrying groceries or packages. I could go on, but I want to keep this somewhat brief. To me, vans are better for power chair users.
I have to agree with you on this. The Ford Explorer MXV’s ramp was so steep that I couldn’t roll up it.
I agree as a paraplegic I find them impractical. I must ask though, what are usin?
My solution to not finding a “van access” aisle which happens frequently is finding two empty adjacent spots and parking diagonally across them both. Works fine. Occasionally, someone will leave a note telling me I need to learn how to park.
Great vans……… ridiculously and totally unaffordable.
So I guess it comes down to a roof over your head or the freedom to travel and mobility.
These prices are down payments for a house….
Could you please tell me the height inside the back and of the entrance?
This was my Son’s make a wish, my oldest son in blue is a United States Army Veteran and my youngest was born with hypotonia Spinal Muscular Atrophy and we went to Green Bay so he had a opportunity to interact with with the football players and he was the happiest boy and it was a very long time that he had a vacation and been out of the house. All he wants is transportation to get out and be free. He wants to learn how to drive and I am also suffering with a disability and it’s autoimmune and neurological from lifting and straining myself because we have been denied years of assistance and help. My heart aches because I can’t afford to buy him a used handicap accessible vehicle and my biggest fear is a emergency situation and I am unable to reach him in time. All I ever wanted was for him to have a good quality of life and he hasn’t had that and sometimes as a mother you feel like a failure do you can’t provide the most important needs in his life. He missed out on so many important occasion in his senior year. I would do anything if I could get him transportation, his birthday was December 10th and this would be the best Christmas present he could ever ask for. He doesn’t care anymore, he has no ambitions, he has been let down by broken promises.
Unfortunately, the Chevrolet Traverse is not known for its reliability (engine issues). The Toyota obviously is known to be reliable but what most wheelchair users don’t realize about accessible vans is that the floor is lowered – much lower than that of the factory vehicle – so the bottom scrapes on any incline that is too steep. It’s jarring when it first happens to you. Speed bumps? Better be able to go around them because they can do damage to your $70-$80k vehicle! I’ve even heard of people getting stuck if there’s too much snow outside. The lowered floor vans are NOT practical in my humble opinion. Doesn’t matter if it’s VMI or BraunAbility btw. So, you may, instead, want to consider a modified pickup truck but then you’re paying way more for gasoline (until the Ford Lightning electric truck becomes available).
The price for these vans — out of reach for most disabled people, who can afford them, not me or my friends. Please, get real, provide transportation that we can afford.
Yeah, let’s hang that carrot above the horses reach only to tease him. The average person, cannot afford that.. Let alone, someone who is on disability. Thanks!
I looked at this vehicle. It has lots of bells and whistles. I like to transfer into the drivers seat. What I did not like is that they take off the drivers right sided arm rest. They say that there is an airbag in the side of the seat and the arm rest has to be off or in one position. This is a deal breaker for me. I use the armrest to remind me not to lean to far. I can not imagine it not being there. So I will not be purchasing this.
I don’t really see how these are “new” offerings. As a quad 30+ years post SCI, I find the ramp vans to be a scourge on the planet. People want to get away from full size van with a lift because they somehow are too “disabled looking” (way more practical) so they can be on constant lookout for parking and curbs that accommodate a ramp? The requirements for parking are difficult, only a strong para or a power chair user can independently use the ramps, and the van mods seem too finicky and prone to break down. This is more of the same. For that purchase price you could buy a used Mercedes Sprinter, find the lifts and power seat used on Marketplace and get yourself a great independent mechanic shop to install the mods. More towing capacity, bigger interior and way more cool factor IMHO.
I still drive a car, but wonder why all the side lifts seem to be out of favour, when the ramps are too long to deploy in most spaces? As a no van owner, I’d love an explanation. Also, I’m in Australia where our options are much more restricted.
My experiences with lifts is not pleasant in that they occasionally don’t work — I nearly missed a flight because the transport bus lift didn’t work and I had to wait for another bus with a working lift. Those that work seem so noisy and clumsy and iffy….
Just every other thing made for disabled toys to cars to homes unobtainable
I want a car. Braun has swivel seats in Europe that are German TUV certified (DOT equivalent). I currently have a Chrysler T&C. Same problem as many others with a manual wheelchair. The steepness of the ramp even with a smart drive is problematic.
How many wheelchair users drive their own car? When I was 16, a stranger who knew that the country doctor’s daughter was paralyzed in a fall contacted my dad about showing me how to be independent and drive a car. The requirements were that the car was a 2-door and had automatic transmission, and the wheelchair had to be foldable. Eldorado and Toronado were recommended although Buick and Chevrolet also made terrific 2-door cars. So, the expense consisted of buying the car at the regular car price and installing hand controls which were about $100 in 1970. I’ve driven quite a few 2-door cars including a 1957 Eldorado and a Saab Turbo Hatchback and my current 1993 Saturn coupe. Only the recently discontinued BMW i3 seemed to be possible replacements for my mode of driving. Is there any other wheelchair else who prefers driving a car that you can load your folding wheelchair into?
I drive a 2-door 2016 Honda Accord and have a Quickie GPV wheelchair. Before the Honda, I drove Chevy Monte Carlos (2000 and 2006).