Review written on 6/1929.
Philadelphia Motors just released a new Van called the Appalachian. We've been waiting to see this vehicle in person. And now that we have, we can make our opinions known. Is it truly better than the class leader? The Cybele. Or is even the lowly Vesta better than it? Read to find out more!

The first stop with the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian was the track. Where this Van performed rather well. We found its 60 hp @ 2658RPMs 4778 cc I3 engine to give a decent response without being overly powerful. Although it's not class leading the Appalachian is better than most of its competition on the track. We were able to get the Appalachian up to a top speed of 48 mph and hit a Not Applicable time. Hooked up to our test trailer, the 96 lb-ft of torque were able to tow 683 lbs. When it comes right down to it, the Appalachian is for good or worse, average, well maybe slightly above average for a Van. When it comes to handling, the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian is one of the worst Van we have tested. We fear for our lives any time there is a slight bend in the road.

The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian is the definition of basic transportation. The seats feel like they're chiseled out of concrete. The dash isn't much better. And features? What features?

Inside the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian it feels like they could add an extra row of seats. There is enough room to even lay down, which is amazing! The 123 cu-ft of cargo and passenger space ensures that you always have plenty of room to do whatever it is you need to do. And that makes us happy.

While not exactly handmade, Philadelphia Motors did put a bit of extra work into the Appalachian and it shows. Panels actually fit and are made to last. The finish doesn't fade in the sun, and all the bolts have washers. It begs the question why buy a lower quality car every 5 years, and not buy the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian which should last a few generations?

The Philadelphia Motors Appalachian did very well on our dependability tests. We did not have any major issues in long term testing. The minor issues we did have were easy to resolve and not very costly. We believe that the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian is dependable enough for even the most unknowledgeable owner. It proper care and maintenance, even if done by a shop, the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian should last a very long time.

At this point in testing we would normally take the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian out on the roads. However our test driver barely made it out of the parking lot before running out of fuel. The Appalachian's ghastly 4.9 mpg means you'll need to take a few jerry cans, scratch that, a few barrels of fuel just to make it to the grocery store.

Since we're in the interior it's a great time to talk about the a glaring flaw in Philadelphia Motors Appalachian's safety. Or I mean, Lack of safety. As the Appalachian is nothing more than a death trap. Please make sure your life insurance policy is filled before buying this vehicle.

All in all, the Philadelphia Motors Appalachian is a good choice among its peers. It checks just enough boxes in our Van tests for us to give it our recommendation. There are a few other Van that are better than the Appalachian. But for some buyers, the Appalachian is still a good choice.