The perfect minivan does not exist, though Honda is well on the way toward creating one. The ultimate family transport is safe, roomy, versatile, attractive, powerful, reliable, and inexpensive. The outstanding Odyssey meets these criteria easily.

Our editors have created a list of 10 must-have minivan features, based upon items found in our test vehicles. No single model we examined can be ordered with all 10 of these items, so perfection continues to elude DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, American Honda and Nissan North America. The first company to match the Odyssey in the aforementioned categories, and make these features either standard or optional, will have finally created the ideal mom-mobile.

1.) Rear Air Conditioning Controls - Air conditioning is an absolute must anyplace the temperature soars above 70 degrees, and rear A/C will keep the kids and dogs cool, and quiet, in a vehicle prone to severe greenhouse heating. In climates that experience temperatures below 40 degrees, the heater that usually accompanies such a system is essential. Rear A/C controls are standard on the Windstar SE and Odyssey EX, optional on Grand Caravan SE, and not available on the Nissan Quest.

2.) Reverse Sensing System - Optional on the Ford Windstar only, the reverse sensing system employs radar to "see" objects behind the van. So, if you're backing out of the garage and Junior left his trike in the way, the Windstar will sense the object and warn you to stop before turning it into scrap metal. It also sniffs out wandering pooches, parking garage walls, fueling station poles, and vehicles parked behind the van. Every single staffer found this feature useful, and well worth the $245 Ford asks for it.

3.) Trip Computer with Compass and Exterior Temperature Display - Minivans are used for family road trips to new and exciting places; places where you might lose your sense of direction or be unfamiliar with the climate. Plus, it's always nice to know how far you've gone, how many miles you can travel on what's left in the gas tank, and how many minutes have elapsed since the last time the kids whined, "Are we there yet?" A trip computer with compass and exterior temperature display is essential for road tripping, and should be standard fare on every minivan sold in the U.S. Only Ford and Dodge make them available, and they're optional.

4.) Disappearing Third-Row Seat - This feature is a no-brainer that nobody has managed to figure out - except Honda*, of course. First offered in 1995 on the original Odyssey minivan, the disappearing third-row seat folds up and flips down into the floor, creating a flat load surface. As an added bonus, the seat can be reversed to face out the back of the van for tailgate parties or soccer matches. Other vans require back-straining removal of the way-back seat, resulting in storage problems. In the case of the Quest, the seat won't come out at all, sliding forward instead and taking up valuable cargo capacity. Because the first-generation Odyssey wasn't a sales success, other automakers foolishly overlooked this brilliant solution to third-row seat removal and storage. But now that the new Odyssey is a run-away hit, you can bet DaimlerChrysler is working overtime to figure out a way to squeeze their seat into the floor for the redesigned 2001 Grand Caravan.

* The Isuzu Oasis, a clone of the first-generation Honda Odyssey, also offers the disappearing third-row seat.

5.) 12-volt Outlets - You can never have enough of 'em in a minivan. We need places to plug in radar detectors, laptop computers, video games, radios, portable TVs, camping gear - you name it. And we want 12-volt access from every location in the van. None of our vans did a good job in this regard, but the Windstar came the closest to satisfying our needs for power, with two dash outlets and one in the cargo area. The Quest had an innovative location in the second row supplementing the single dash plug, while the Grand Caravan had one in front and one in the cargo hold. Honda provided a single outlet way down at the bottom of the dashboard by the floor, which stretched the cord of our radar detector to the point that power to the unit was interrupted each time we hit a bump, resulting in multiple false alarms as the detector reset itself.

6.) Integrated Child Seats - Optional on the Dodge, and available on the Quest as long as you downgrade to GXE trim, these seats are useful to growing families. As kids grow out of rear-facing and toddler safety seats, but aren't quite big enough to use the regular seatbelt, an integrated child seat is a simple, safe and effective solution to a problem that every parent confronts. Sure, you could get a booster seat for less than this option costs, but each time you want an adult to sit in that location, the booster must be hauled out and reinstalled later. Integrated child seats fold right up into the seatback. Plus, you don't have to worry that you've installed the booster incorrectly. One thing though - the padding of the integrated child seat must be impervious to all manner of fluids and foods, and it must be removable for cleaning. Otherwise, don't bother.

7.) Six-way Power Driver's and Passenger's Seats - To keep their sanity, parents must be comfortable, and the easiest way to remain comfortable is with six-way power seats that adjust for fore/aft travel, height and bottom cushion tilt. You can't get 'em on the Grand Caravan without popping for the ES trim level and leather seats. The Odyssey EX coddles the driver with eight-way power adjustability, but the passenger is stuck with manual maneuvering. Quest treats the driver right, but doesn't offer the passenger the ability to raise or lower the seat. Windstar SE buyers can opt for six-way power front seats that do a decent job of keeping Mom and Pop comfy.

8.) Conversation Mirror - A Ford Windstar exclusive, this politely named overhead convex mirror is actually a parental spyglass that allows the driver to see what's going on in every seating position in the van. Without turning around and looking away from the road, a flustered parent can discover exactly who is instigating border warfare in the third row, or can accurately aim a swat into the second row without swiveling her head. This feature should be in every minivan on the road.

9.) Load Leveling Suspension - Often a minivan is loaded to the vented rear windows with people and gear. If not, why bother buying one? The problem is that when stuffed with passengers and packages, most minis squat low in back and aim their headlights into the nighttime sky. Plus, unloaded front wheels scrabble for purchase on rainy and snowy streets. That's not helpful. Besides, it makes the van look silly as it motors down the road, like a modern-day "Beverly Hillbillies" machine. A load-leveling suspension solves this problem, and keeps the van equalized front and rear. It's optional on the Grand Caravan.

10.) Center Folding Storage Tray - Storage is of paramount importance in a minivan, but when babies are on board, so is a useable pass-through from the front seats to the rear. So how can this dilemma be resolved? Honda has an interesting solution in a folding storage tray. Hung from the inside of the front passenger's seat, the tray flips up and becomes a center console with four cupholders (six if two auxiliary cupholders are deployed from the rear edge of the tray). A dished plastic surface is perfect to hold items up to magazine size, though a rubberized insert would help keep baubles placed there from shifting during stops, starts and turns. Yes, to move from the front of the van to the back the tray must be folded and the contents removed, but Honda also provides a deep dash cubby for stuff that needs to be stored on a more permanent basis. The bottom line is that Honda offers a choice. Ford, Dodge and Nissan do not.