Minivans carry as many as seven passengers

I would like to know the purpose AND serves in the option A as when we describe a list of items we use AND before the last item (w,x,y, and Z and not w and x,y, and z)

Minivans carry as many as seven passengers AND, compared with most sport utility vehicles, cost less, get better gas mileage, allow passengers to get in and out more easily, and have a smoother ride.

AND here serves a definite purpose: to make clear that the modifier compared with most sport utility vehicles refers NOT to the preceding action (carry as many as seven passengers) but ONLY to the actions that follow (cost LESS, get BETTER gas mileage, have a SMOOTHER ride).

Note that all of the actions that follow AND make a comparison between minivans and most sport utility vehicles.
The action that precedes AND does NOT make a comparison between minivans and most sport utility vehicles.

Straight A!!

Since we are unsure if the given senentence is correct or not, lets try to spot the commonality in the options, and then the errors in each option.

To solve this let us go by options.

Consider options: B, C, and E.
Each of these sentences have "they" in it.

Option B:
A pronoun preceeded with a ',' always refers to the subject before the ','.
Therefore 'they' in "sports utility vechicles, they" refers to 'vechicles'.
But as per our original statement the author meant minivans to be cheaper.

So, eliminate option B.

Option C:
As already discussed for option B, a pronoun preceeded with a ',' always refers to the subject before the ',' .
Therefore 'they' in "have a lower cost, they" refers to 'lower cost' which according to autho should refer to minivans.

So, eliminate option C.

Option E:
Are you sure that 'they' in this statement is referring to 'minivans'? No, it may be referring to 'sports utility vechicles'.
There is an ambiguity as to whom 'they' is referring to.

Note that, in GMAT the option we choose shouldn't end up in ambiguity.

So, elimiate option E.



Now, we are left out only with options: A and D.


Consider option D :
Minivans, carrying as many as seven passengers,................, cost less.
What if these minivans carry just 6 passengers ? Are they going to cost more ??? Ruled out since it has changed the meaning.



We are left with just one option. Whether you agree or don't agree the left out option will be the answer.
And, the correct answer is option: A.