Dodge Grand Caravan / Chrysler Town & Country - - The ultimate family vehicle?

[Mopar Man]

I stumbled on this on the new Chrysler website, a blog entry explaining the all new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan (the regular caravan having been discontinued) and the Chrysler Town and Country. The quality may be questionable, but what do you all think of the new design?

When you begin to work with something as important to families as the Dodge Caravan or the Chrysler Town & Country, it helps to think of who exactly you’re trying to please. We reworked these vehicles, already category leaders, to be the ultimate in versatile and functional design, while keeping the drivers and their families at the center of our design focus.

My wife and I have three kids, a 2 ½-year-old and two 9-month-old twins. I kept them in my thoughts as we developed our new minivans. What would they like? What would make it easier for us as parents to accommodate them? The planning and strategy for the updates centered on these types of personal considerations.

The next question was: “Can you be proud to be in a minivan?” We think you really can. The way we executed the look of these vehicles, you’ll be really excited by the changes. The Dodge Caravan, for example, has a very bold, almost ‘in your face’ Dodge look, while the Town & Country is something you’d be proud to roll up to a black tie event in. A big departure from the conformity you see in our competitors’ products.

The Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country both received a complete overhaul, in terms of design and features. Swivel ’n Go seating, in particular, was a big hit with our vehicle testers and has generated a lot of positive feedback from happy customers with active kids. Having an easily stowed table for activities during long trips, or during daily errands, is a feature that anyone can enjoy and understand the value of.

This is important, because we know how much competition is out there. To make the best product possible, we had to design fresh, new features that really don’t exist in the competition. We have a proud history of innovation and setting the standard with our minivans, and this generation is no exception. We think the competition will be scrambling to catch up.

Ultimately, it’s the family-focused improvements and innovations that set us apart from the competition. There simply isn’t another vehicle out there that can do as much, nearly as well as our minivans. The exterior design is bolder and more dynamic, and the sheer variety of features and special considerations for busy parents makes these vans distinct and unrivaled in usefulness.

Thanks for all the feedback. We’ve listened closely to your comments and concerns, and have developed a vehicle that should easily exceed your expectations. By keeping our families in mind during the design, we’ve created a vehicle that caters to yours.

Posted Aug 30, 2007, 06:59 AM by Jeff Gale

[_HighVoltage_]

The next question was: “Can you be proud to be in a minivan?” We think you really can. The way we executed the look of these vehicles, you’ll be really excited by the changes. The Dodge Caravan, for example, has a very bold, almost ‘in your face’ Dodge look, while the Town & Country is something you’d be proud to roll up to a black tie event in. A big departure from the conformity you see in our competitors’ products.
LMFAO! A bold looking minivan? In your Face Dodge look? Proud to be in a minivan? Are these guys on drugs? Minivans are for the school run only, I can see no other purpose for them.

[Spectre]

Lots of US businesses use them, and they've been appearing more and more as taxis and airport shuttles here.

And, at this point, it looks like the Chrysler minivans may be the last ones standing - they pretty much own the US market for them.

[FATMOUSE]

I'm sorry, but THIS is the ultimate in family transportation:

[godlikepagan]

^that is unless you car about space/cargo, amenities, and gas mileage :/

[Wizegui]

I think it will be roomy inside, but this is by no means an exciting looking car. It doesn't look bad, but compared to the last Caravan, it just looks a bit too fat and boring (I really like the older Caravan's styling). The only question that remains is that if it will sell or will the Koreans swallow up the affordable minivan market? Heres what I think so far:

Interior


Yes, it will be plasticy but at least they got rid of the normal ugly dodge steering wheel. It looks plasticy and in brown it's terrible, but at least it looks somewhat handsome.

It's not the first time that this has been done but it's bloody fantastic. Middle row folds back into the floor too so that's a huge bonus.

Exterior


More truck like, but it definitely not as good looking as the previous Caravan. I can't bear to think what it will look like with a Dodge grille. I think they've tried to make it look like the 300C of minivans, it was poorly exectued. But to be honest, no one can really do that.

Engines

In my opinion, the 170 BHP 3.3l V6 with the 4 speed slushbox is too slow and dated for a car this size. The 3.8l and the 4.0L V6 with the 6 speed auto box seems to be a better choice for this car. Power-wise, it's not enough compared to it's competitors.

[Dsemaj]

A brick for a center console, how exciting.

I hate these two minivans with every fibre of my body. They are just stylised boxes, and rather poorly done, I might add. The swivel seats and the fold out table have already been done by Volkswagen in the Multivan/Caravelle, so nothing new, or innovative. Just another boring car that I don't care about.

If you want the ultimate in minivan, I present the Honda Odyssey



This is a minivan even that I like! It's cool as all hell and I love it.

[Spectre]

That's not a minivan, it's a Wagon.

[Blind_Io]

Why? Just because it has hinged doors?

Anyway back to the Turdbucket for a moment. I think the exterior styling would be laughable if it weren't so soporific. The interior looks cheap and the styling looks like something they lifted out of one of the Klingon sets from one of the Star Trek movies. And what the hell is up with that shifter? Seriously, who designed this thing?

[Spectre]

Yup, because it has hinged doors. The class definition pretty much requires sliding rear doors - as Mazda found out years ago.

[un-dee]

Originally Posted by FATMOUSE

I'm sorry, but THIS is the ultimate in family transportation:

I agree completely

[Donington]

I still think the ultimate family wagon has to be an old Volvo estate. Very comfortable, nice to drive, economical, hugely roomy, smooth ride, massive boot space and most importantly of all it's safe, unlike a lot of these vans with windows.

Similar cars do the job as well too.

The M5? Very nice, but if you have a dog or anything else that doesn't agree with very firm suspension, you'll regret it...

[skr]

The outside looks ok, a bit boring but ok....but the inside looks like sth from an 80's Honda or Mitsubishi....and already cheap on the pictures, I can almost feel the plastic (and that is usually tried to cover up on press pictures).

btw: the Honda is a minivan, just because it has no sliding doors doesn't make it automaticly an estate. An estate is most of the time far lower than this and usually has an equivalent saloon in the lineup (which would be in that case an Honda Accord, but there is an estate version of it)

[Prost264]

Originally Posted by Spectre

And, at this point, it looks like the Chrysler minivans may be the last ones standing - they pretty much own the US market for them.

Hyundai/Kia is making a huge push with their offerings. Although Chrysler no doubt owns the market I see more and more Entourage and whatever the Kia is running around. (Plus they're not half bad.)

[THGL]

When it's time to trade in our current '91 Honda Odyssey, it'll be for another Odyssey. It covers all the bases it should with aplomb.

[efoolution]

Originally Posted by Donington

I still think the ultimate family wagon has to be an old Volvo estate. Very comfortable, nice to drive, economical, hugely roomy, smooth ride, massive boot space and most importantly of all it's safe, unlike a lot of these vans with windows.

Similar cars do the job as well too.

The M5? Very nice, but if you have a dog or anything else that doesn't agree with very firm suspension, you'll regret it...

Problem allways is if you suscribe to some religion that doesn´t like birth-control, you are very likley to end up with more than 2 Children, and with some luggage, even a week-end Trip get´s impossible in a 5 Seater estate. So you´ll end up in need for a third row of seats.

Those Chryslers where very popular here over some Years, they do their job well. I allways prefered this ... the VW Multivan

[GM_IV]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

And what the hell is up with that shifter? Seriously, who designed this thing?

I would have missed the shifter had you not pointed it out it...what stupid location.

This new van is even more anonymous than the previous one. At least the last one had the egg shape without going too far like the Previa did. This one...it just seems less modern than its predecessor. The Sienna and Odyssey do look much more modern than this one so I don't think anyone will exactly be "proud" to own one of these. These vans are generally reasonably priced so unless they muck up the price I don't think it will do badly. I do live in an area where Toyota and Honda are nearly guaranteed sellers despite premium price so I see many Siennas, Odysseys along with only a bit more Caravans.

[thedguy]

As much as I hate Chrysler products their earlier mini-vans with the non-electronic transmissions were decent vehicles.

For general hauling shit around I always felt vans were better, especially FWD ones. You get a low loading floor, big open spaces to shove shit in, and if you need to haul a lot, remove the seats. The best part is, you can leave it filled with shit and lock it at night, something you can't do on a pick-up. Another benefit is if towing a small trailer it tends to be quite a bit more stable.

[YF19pilot]

Originally Posted by FATMOUSE

I'm sorry, but THIS is the ultimate in family transportation:

Ah, but mine has racing heritage, therefore, this is the ultimate in family transportation:

[sonza68]

Originally Posted by Dsemaj

If you want the ultimate in minivan, I present the Honda Odyssey



This is a minivan even that I like! It's cool as all hell and I love it.

You guys must get a different Odyssey than we do, just like how the NA and rest of world Accords are different cars. Over here, it is just as anonymous as pretty much every other minivan.

North American Honda Odyssey: