Review written on 6/1947.
Some say we're never kind enough to Philadelphia Motors. Face it, we don't pull our punches when it comes to vehicle reviews. Just look at what we call the Appalachian Diesel. That doesn't mean we don't sing praises when someone makes a good Van like the everyone else. So where does the Appalachian Diesel stand in the Van segment? After spending a few days with the Appalachian Diesel. We have made our judgment.

After a morning of coffee and drawing straws, I was chosen one to take the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel out to the test track. Thank god for the coffee! The Appalachian Diesel is a real sleeper. Literally this Van will put you to sleep. The Appalachian Diesel is slower than a three legged donkey with hoof problems. First off the 71 hp @ 1592RPMs 4362 cc I4 engine is extremely too weak for this vehicle. It barely can hit a top speed of 54 mph and accelerate in Not Applicable. Now you can see why I fell asleep behind the wheel. We found that with 188 lb-ft of torque this machine can tow an impressive 4900 lbs. This is certainly not a race car. When it comes to handling, the Van segment has very few models that are better than the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel. While it's no race car, this vehicle offers above average cornering abilities that will leave a smile on your face. All of that being said, this vehicle should be avoid.

Once track testing was over it came time to look at the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel's interior. We found that it was very bare bones. So much so that we could not stand to be in it for long. It seems Philadelphia Motors was trying to make something retro by filling the vehicle with decades old styling and gadgets. We recommend looking at other vehicles if you plan on buying a long range vehicle.

The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel gives you a sense of home away from home. With 123 cu-ft of cargo and passenger space the Appalachian Diesel feels like a second living room. Which was what Philadelphia Motors was probably thinking when they made this vehicle. "Lets make a vehicle that people could live in." Well Philadelphia Motors thank you, because after my wife threw me out, this is my new home. And let me tell you, it rocks!

The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel was made by below average workers, using below average materials, for a below average company. What do you expect the vehicle quality to be?

The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel is not exactly dependable. It won't last a million miles, but it will get you down the road. Do expect a few issues over the lifetime of the vehicle. But most are fixable.

Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel's 9.4 mpg city and leaves plenty of room for improvement. We do truly believe that the engineers at Philadelphia Motors can squeeze a few more mileage out of this vehicle to get it up to at least average.

If safety was your priority, then this isn't the best on the market. That being said it's better than a lot of vehicles as well. The folks at Philadelphia Motors didn't make safety their focus, but there are enough features here to keep most people's minds at ease. And that's pretty much the jest of the thing. The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel is average in all respects.

When it comes down to it, the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian Diesel is one of the best Van on the market. For almost everyone on the looking for a Van, you won't find a much better vehicle than the Appalachian Diesel. It testing team was astonished by the results. We give it our total and complete recommendation.