What is it?
2008 Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country
What's special about it?
What's special about the 2008 Dodge Caravan and 2008 Chrysler Town and Country minivans? Well, lots of things that get minivan buyers excited, such as machine-washable cupholder inserts and built-in child booster seats.
But the truth is, the most important thing about the 2008 Chrysler minivans, which are to be unveiled at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, is that they exist at all. The two other more-or-less domestic companies that have produced minivans in the past, General Motors and Ford, have both announced they're ceding the segment to the Japanese, the Koreans and, of course, Chrysler.
It must be said that part of the reason Ford and GM have given up on this class of ultimate mommy-mobiles is that neither company ever really built decent ones. The Chevrolet Uplander? Are you kidding? GM and Ford have recently discovered the shining path that is the crossover (insert angelic choir "ahhhhhh" here). Forget for a moment that the Japanese found that particular trail about a decade ago and also produce some of the world's best minivans.
Ah, but we were talking about the 2008 minivans, right? The second thing you notice about them (after their existence) is that they've transformed from eggs to egg crates. Chrysler tapped 300C designer Ralph Gilles to give the minivans the square-shouldered, tough-guy treatment. The result, for both vans, is that they now look a bit like GM's new full-size crossovers but with zero pretensions to ruggedness. There's a whole minivan/crossover convergence story here that we haven't got the time to explore.
So now, the Chrysler twins look about equidistant from the ultimate Desitin-scented mommy-cart and the "Fear This!"-sticker-bedecked Ram pickup. Oh, and also Chrysler says that the two vans are no longer twins despite sharing door panels and the same basic architecture. Chrysler claims that the Town and Country — which is surely the most antiquated name in the industry — now has a 300C-style front grille. This is sort of, kind of true.
The Dodge gets some chrome on its squared-off crosshair grille. Do they look more different from each other than the outgoing models? Sure. A little bit anyway. But even a casual onlooker, or perhaps a minivan buyer, would notice their similarities as much as their differences.
But, come on, these are minivans. We all know that the minivan market is obsessed with new gadgets, such as power-opening everything and ever more complicated seating/armrest configurations. The Chrysler Group boys do not disappoint here.
How does the ability to swivel the second-row captain's chairs 180 degrees grab you? Pretty firmly, we bet. Those swiveling seats are available on both the Caravan and T&C. True to Chrysler parlance, which insists on naming a feature with two words separated by an improperly truncated "and," the seats are named "Swivel 'n Go." We choose not to hold against Chrysler that it should really be "Swivel 'n' Go," because it's a genuinely cool and unique feature.
Undo one latch and the seat will spin very much like the office chair you're probably sitting in right now. This means that the second-row passengers can face backward to more accurately throw toys or make faces at the third-row occupants. The optional arrangement also comes with a folding table that can be pulled from an underfloor storage bin and erected between the second and third rows. Nifty. Possibly as important to parents of toddlers and infants: While stopped, you can swivel the seat to face the side door for much easier child-safety-seat deposits.
Sadly, an owner cannot fold the Swivel 'n Go seats into the Chrysler innovation of a couple years back, Stow 'n Go — possibly because this would make it the Swivel 'n Stow 'n Go, which just sounds silly. Incidentally, Stow 'n Go — wherein the second and third row of seats fold into bins in the van's floor — is still available. No longer available are the short-wheelbase models, which used to be referred to as the standard models. Mini is not a popular thing in the minivan market. All Caravans and T&Cs now ride on a 121.2-inch wheelbase. Also, Chrysler dropped the all-wheel-drive option on the vans because...well, because nobody bought those anyway. Apparently buyers prefer all-wheel drive in their crossovers but not their vans.
Larry Lyons, Chrysler's front-wheel-drive vehicles honcho, says that the company also "took all competitors' unique features and put them in there and added a few of our own."
So Dodge/Chrysler van buyers get second-row power windows, second- and third-row retractable sunshades, remote start, dual DVD entertainment systems so the kids can watch two different things instead of fighting, voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic updates, 110-volt power outlet, HID headlamps, rearview interior conversation mirrors (a convex thing as seen in the corner of most convenience stores), stain-resistant upholstery, removable flashlight, rearview camera, 13 cup- or bottle holders, umbrella holder and more. Much of this equipment will be optional.
The safety roster is long, too, and includes standard features such as three-row side curtain airbags and electronic stability control. There will be three powertrain choices: a 3.3-liter V6 making a modest 170 horsepower and capable of running on E85 ethanol and mated to a four-speed automatic transaxle, a 3.8-liter V6 making 198 hp and bolted to a new six-speed automatic and a new 4.0-liter V6 which makes a righteous 240 hp and is attached to the six-speed. They go on sale this fall.
What's Edmunds' take?
They might not inspire much passion, but these honest, practical passenger-conveyance devices look good enough to stay at the top of the game that they initiated. — Daniel Pund
2008 Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country
What's special about it?
What's special about the 2008 Dodge Caravan and 2008 Chrysler Town and Country minivans? Well, lots of things that get minivan buyers excited, such as machine-washable cupholder inserts and built-in child booster seats.
But the truth is, the most important thing about the 2008 Chrysler minivans, which are to be unveiled at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, is that they exist at all. The two other more-or-less domestic companies that have produced minivans in the past, General Motors and Ford, have both announced they're ceding the segment to the Japanese, the Koreans and, of course, Chrysler.
It must be said that part of the reason Ford and GM have given up on this class of ultimate mommy-mobiles is that neither company ever really built decent ones. The Chevrolet Uplander? Are you kidding? GM and Ford have recently discovered the shining path that is the crossover (insert angelic choir "ahhhhhh" here). Forget for a moment that the Japanese found that particular trail about a decade ago and also produce some of the world's best minivans.
Ah, but we were talking about the 2008 minivans, right? The second thing you notice about them (after their existence) is that they've transformed from eggs to egg crates. Chrysler tapped 300C designer Ralph Gilles to give the minivans the square-shouldered, tough-guy treatment. The result, for both vans, is that they now look a bit like GM's new full-size crossovers but with zero pretensions to ruggedness. There's a whole minivan/crossover convergence story here that we haven't got the time to explore.
So now, the Chrysler twins look about equidistant from the ultimate Desitin-scented mommy-cart and the "Fear This!"-sticker-bedecked Ram pickup. Oh, and also Chrysler says that the two vans are no longer twins despite sharing door panels and the same basic architecture. Chrysler claims that the Town and Country — which is surely the most antiquated name in the industry — now has a 300C-style front grille. This is sort of, kind of true.
The Dodge gets some chrome on its squared-off crosshair grille. Do they look more different from each other than the outgoing models? Sure. A little bit anyway. But even a casual onlooker, or perhaps a minivan buyer, would notice their similarities as much as their differences.
But, come on, these are minivans. We all know that the minivan market is obsessed with new gadgets, such as power-opening everything and ever more complicated seating/armrest configurations. The Chrysler Group boys do not disappoint here.
How does the ability to swivel the second-row captain's chairs 180 degrees grab you? Pretty firmly, we bet. Those swiveling seats are available on both the Caravan and T&C. True to Chrysler parlance, which insists on naming a feature with two words separated by an improperly truncated "and," the seats are named "Swivel 'n Go." We choose not to hold against Chrysler that it should really be "Swivel 'n' Go," because it's a genuinely cool and unique feature.
Undo one latch and the seat will spin very much like the office chair you're probably sitting in right now. This means that the second-row passengers can face backward to more accurately throw toys or make faces at the third-row occupants. The optional arrangement also comes with a folding table that can be pulled from an underfloor storage bin and erected between the second and third rows. Nifty. Possibly as important to parents of toddlers and infants: While stopped, you can swivel the seat to face the side door for much easier child-safety-seat deposits.
Sadly, an owner cannot fold the Swivel 'n Go seats into the Chrysler innovation of a couple years back, Stow 'n Go — possibly because this would make it the Swivel 'n Stow 'n Go, which just sounds silly. Incidentally, Stow 'n Go — wherein the second and third row of seats fold into bins in the van's floor — is still available. No longer available are the short-wheelbase models, which used to be referred to as the standard models. Mini is not a popular thing in the minivan market. All Caravans and T&Cs now ride on a 121.2-inch wheelbase. Also, Chrysler dropped the all-wheel-drive option on the vans because...well, because nobody bought those anyway. Apparently buyers prefer all-wheel drive in their crossovers but not their vans.
Larry Lyons, Chrysler's front-wheel-drive vehicles honcho, says that the company also "took all competitors' unique features and put them in there and added a few of our own."
So Dodge/Chrysler van buyers get second-row power windows, second- and third-row retractable sunshades, remote start, dual DVD entertainment systems so the kids can watch two different things instead of fighting, voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic updates, 110-volt power outlet, HID headlamps, rearview interior conversation mirrors (a convex thing as seen in the corner of most convenience stores), stain-resistant upholstery, removable flashlight, rearview camera, 13 cup- or bottle holders, umbrella holder and more. Much of this equipment will be optional.
The safety roster is long, too, and includes standard features such as three-row side curtain airbags and electronic stability control. There will be three powertrain choices: a 3.3-liter V6 making a modest 170 horsepower and capable of running on E85 ethanol and mated to a four-speed automatic transaxle, a 3.8-liter V6 making 198 hp and bolted to a new six-speed automatic and a new 4.0-liter V6 which makes a righteous 240 hp and is attached to the six-speed. They go on sale this fall.
What's Edmunds' take?
They might not inspire much passion, but these honest, practical passenger-conveyance devices look good enough to stay at the top of the game that they initiated. — Daniel Pund
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