2008 Chrysler Town and Country/ Dodge Grand Caravan (Still Cool!)

[YSSMAN]

...And to think that there was a time in which I hated minivans? This thing is actually pretty darn cool, and I'm very interested in seeing one in person...

Chrysler will use the Detroit auto show to reveal its all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country (a.k.a. Voyager) minivan. Specific details of the new model are not known, but the new van gets a completely revamped exterior, plus an all-new interior. The Town & Country will be offered with a new 4.0-liter V6 in the range-topping U.S. model. More details are expected in the coming days.

...Thinking that this is indeed the VW/DCX shared design for their new van, I do have high expectations for this. Let me be first to say that it looks surprisingly good, almost shockingly good for a minivan. Generally speaking, I wouldn't be embarrassed to be inside of one. Added to that, the interior looks great (despite low-quality plastics already spotted), and appears to have a lot of neat little things to make it stand out in the segment.

Who knows? Maybe this could take the spot away from the Entourage as "my favorite mini-van."

 

[Jim Prower]

The thing is, are they still using the leaf springs they've been using since the '80s?

 

[TheCracker]

I think, apart from the modern Chrysler detailing, the thing looks straight out of the 80's shape wise

 

[YSSMAN]

The thing is, are they still using the leaf springs they've been using since the '80s?

I don't think so, as I doubt VW would have bought into the production of the platform if that was the case. My guess is McPherson struts up front, and probably some kind of load-leveling independent coil-over in the back. Of course, I'm giving Chrysler the benefit of the doubt there, so they could go a bit more low-tech than that.

...I'm interested in what VW will do with the platform now. Although I doubt we're getting the Microbus that we were promised oh so long ago, I'm hoping for something kinda cool...

 

[TopHat]

Very classy, has an analog clock in the dash... Very good for Chrysler and Dodge.

 

[Jim Prower]

I don't think so, as I doubt VW would have bought into the production of the platform if that was the case. My guess is McPherson struts up front, and probably some kind of load-leveling independent coil-over in the back. Of course, I'm giving Chrysler the benefit of the doubt there, so they could go a bit more low-tech than that.

...I'm interested in what VW will do with the platform now. Although I doubt we're getting the Microbus that we were promised oh so long ago, I'm hoping for something kinda cool...

Well, they ARE using the 4.0l instead of that...3.8, is it?...that they've been using since minivans had only one sliding door. including theirs.

I guess the minivan is the one thing I've been really furstrated at Chrysler with for awhile, now. (The Caliber and Nitro are new concerns...) We've owned several Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge minivans, and the basic platform they've been using until now is NOT getting any younger. (basically the same as the original Caravan) If this one's on an all-new platform, It's about time.

Interesting to see that VAG did some help on this; I mean, VW's 1.6 WAS (According to my father) used in the Omni for a time. Could Chrysler be shoved into VW's arms?

Waaaaaaaaaay too early to tell.

(P.S.: Here's to hope that the Dodge version doesn't get beat with the same ugly stick that bashed the Caliber and Nitro, too...)

 

[Omnis]

Too bad the front is hideous, even though it's a huge improvement inside and out. They finally got rid of that axe-head of a seatbelt catch; the one that would snap your arm in half god forbid you get hit from the side. It also looks like they got rid of the bonehead-engineered switch clusters off of the sides of the doors. (Who decided to put all of these edges adjacent to your body parts, anyway?)

How does that rear-facing seat-arrangement work? Can they be mounted both ways? I think the table setup is awesome

 

[V1P3R]

I'm not sure if I like direction Chrysler is taking there general design to.

 

[Tornado]

Holy damn, After tripe like the Aspen, this is an amazingly nice (and clean) design. So what if it has cues of retro in it? At least they are subtle.

 

[Philly]

I liked the outside of the outgoing model better, even though it needed an update. This sheetmetal looks somewhat bland.

But that interior. That is AMAZING! That will probably be a key sellings point. It looks way above the price range the previous vans were selling for.

Those backward seats... I'm not too sure about them. Chrysler does not seem to have experience with those. It looks like they were designed to accommodate 1 adult facing either direction. Our VW bus has about twice as much space between seats in that configuration. We have issues.

 

[YSSMAN]

Well obviously the seats aren't always facing rearward, but I believe that it is an easy conversion to get them to face that way. Basically, think Stow-and-Go simplicity in getting the seats into that position, and as for the table, my guess is that it is optional, and somehow folds into the floor as well.

My favorite feature has to be the way the overhead console lights up. That would be really cool during long-drives, getting some comforting light in the back, kinda similar to riding in an airplane in an overnight flight.

...A good guess may be that a feature such as that may show up in minivans in the near future...

 

[YSSMAN]

The Dodges are coming! The Dodges are coming!

Huh, I'm pretty surprised by the looks of the Grand Caravan. It looks surprisingly good, if not overly tough by just a smidgen. If the Chrysler doesn't command too large of a premium, I think it is the better choice on looks, however neither are all too bad.

...Check the shifter too, that is pretty cool...

Oh, and about the seats:

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.

...I think that is still a pretty awesome idea, and it may sell a few vans in the near future. This may be the sign of the apocalypse, but in some strange way I kinda want one of these now...

 

[TopHat]

I'll take one in VW form please. Light blue, with a white roof. ( Oh you know there will be two toning on the VeeDub.)

 

[niky]

I've seen those outside pics before, and as before... *yawn*

But the interior is very good looking, very nicely done.

The captain's chairs are probably swivelling chairs, like on many minivans. Looks like it'd be hard to do with people sitting in them, as they're pretty chunky.

 

[Tornado]

And Dodge doesn't overdo the front end! A miracle!

 

[harrytuttle]

The thing is, are they still using the leaf springs they've been using since the '80s?

A feature that has proved important in what high-performance minivan?

I think, apart from the modern Chrysler detailing, the thing looks straight out of the 80's shape wise

A shape that has proved to be impractical when?


It's a minivan. It gets lots of people from A to B. It doesn't look cool, it doesn't move quickly, it just has lots of space and hopefully lots of comforts. This one looks cool as hell inside. That table is aces. Believe me, if I should ever lose my mind and end up with 4 kids, this minivan would be high on my list of valid group transportation.

Because I sure as hell would have to get something cheap enough to allow me to have a real car to drive myself.

 

[JohnBM01]

Dreaded minivan this... dreaded minivan that... I was never an SUV guy. And if turns out that I have children or people to take around, I'm a van guy. Only other alternative would be the wonderful Pacifica. Recent Chryslers have looked very classy. No more is this apparent than the inclusion of the (rear-wheel drive) Chrysler 300. I later heard of and seen that Chrysler Imperial concept car. My mother recently rented a new Chrysler Sebring while our van was (1995 GMC Safari) in the shop with transmission problems. That new Sebring is EXTREMELY classy for a car under $20K. It's kind of like a front-wheel drive, American Mercedes-Benz. Just amazing.

Now let me talk about this thing here. Most DaimlerChrysler models usually mix aggression with style. This one is no different. It has bold and edgy style for this luxury arm of DaimlerChrysler (or set me straight if I'm wrong). This thing has some sharp lines to it. You may need to carry some bandages and ointment being around this car's lines because they are sharp. The rear of this minivan is styled very nicely as well. The interior looks very classy. Maybe it's just me, but I usually prefer vans to offer a little of SUV toughness with luxury car style and comfort. This minivan seems to be the best of both sides.

I didn't really like this at first. But after really studying its looks for a few minutes, I actually like it. If I wouldn't want a Pacifica, then this Town and Country would be my next best bet. So out of 100% approval, I give this minivan an 88% approval rating.

 

[red70mach1]

My mom has a 2005 Grand Caravan SXT and I like shape of that one as opposed to this.

 

[GT4_Rule]

The Dodge has a pleasant front end. I'd be happy to be in one.

 

[Keef]

Wow, how much lamer could an exterior get? The Chrysler, though not a "bad" design, is miserably boring and sure to get nobody in a fuss. And could those taillights get any more rectangular? Along with the typical American horizontal and rectangular headlights and high nose, it just looks "normal". Better than the old versions, by far, but still boring.

The interior is nice though. I like the wood in the Chrysler, and the thin, tall center stack with the sat nav at the top is cool. I really like the placement of the shifter. The glowy lights on top are awesome, as is the table and swively center row chairs. If the suspenion is smooth enough, it'd be a great place to have a game of cards or read a magazine or get on the old laptop.

I wonder if it's sturdy enough to lay out the girlfriend? Hmmmm....

 

[ND4SPD]

Uhh, atleast it no longer looks like an oversized jellybean. The interior looks great, but I'm so-so on the exterior.

 

[Jim Prower]

A feature that has proved important in what high-performance minivan?

Oh, I don't know, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest. The old leaf-spring Chryslers don't ride all that well, believe someone who's spent quite a bit of time over the rear axle of one.

But the fact that this is an entirely new platform is a good thing, the little stroke of brilliance that will definitley help the Mopar clan.

Oh, the Dodge looks good. Glad they decided to shy away from the trucklike looks of Caliber and Nitro.

 

[harrytuttle]

Oh, I don't know, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest. The old leaf-spring Chryslers don't ride all that well, believe someone who's spent quite a bit of time over the rear axle of one.

You consider those "high performance" minivans? Anyway: Believe me, the general public wouldn't know a good ride if it ran over them. I have no doubt that ride quality is nowhere near being on the list of someone looking for a minivan.

 

[a6m5]

I drove the Honda from SF to Beaverton, Oregon in about 9 hours, including the stops. It was high performance on that trip.

As for the T&C/Caravan, they look OK, but average at best IMO. Rear facing seats are nice looking, but it would take a lot of guts to sit in one of those facing rearward. I don't see any leg-room down there either.

 

[Jim Prower]

You consider those "high performance" minivans? Anyway: Believe me, the general public wouldn't know a good ride if it ran over them. I have no doubt that ride quality is nowhere near being on the list of someone looking for a minivan.

Uh, no, it is.

I mean, people buying minivans these days are decking them out like luxury cars, (look at the Chrysler, see what I mean?) and expect them to ride like said sedan. The reason the pickup suspension lasted so long on the Chrylser minivans was because it was cheap to build, and thus cheap to buy. they depreciated like heck, though.

The minivan has, thanks to suburbia, become somewhat of a luxury vehicle, like the SUV. (I mean, hell, look at the Mercedes R-class. Ultra-lux minivan, awaaaay!) Poeple also tend to drive their minivans alot: when you spend a lot of time in an automobile, you want a nice ride to cushion your butt.

Ride is important, and a hayrack suspension isn't going to cut it in todays market.

 

[1X83Z]

Ride is important, and a hayrack suspension isn't going to cut it in todays market.

I don't think you know enough minivan owners.

By the way these things have Tiptronic!!!

 

[Jim Prower]

Mother=Minivan owner. four, and all chryslers.

We also don't have a whole lot of money, and only get what we can afford. thus, most of our chryslers have been used. HOWEVER, when the class leaders all have IRS, and seem to be solidly engineered, one must ask themselves, do the manufacturers think ride and handling are important in a minivan?

I ask you guys, have any of you driven/ridden in a late-model Chrysler Minivan? an early model even? they have the same rear suspension....

The other thing, especially on our '92 and '94 vans, was that they were pretty unreliable. I think the '94 Grand Caravan we had had an engine that quit. I replaced the 3-speed auto in the '92 Voyager, when I was driving it. No problems for the '01 T&C...yet...

 

[1X83Z]

I ask you guys, have any of you driven/ridden in a late-model Chrysler Minivan? an early model even? they have the same rear suspension....

I agree the suspension is weak - but I really, really think minivan owners aren't that into it.

The other thing, especially on our '92 and '94 vans, was that they were pretty unreliable. I think the '94 Grand Caravan we had had an engine that quit. I replaced the 3-speed auto in the '92 Voyager, when I was driving it. No problems for the '01 T&C...yet...

Never had a minivan, but I've been really close to minivan owners over the years. Never heard of any major problems. Obviously this is anecdotal though, so it's not relevant.

 

[Danoff]

Slap a RWD on that thing and I might be interested. But then it'd be called an SUV right?

 

[1X83Z]

No - then it'd be bolted to the showroom floor.