2009 Dodge Grand Caravan Review

PROS  Lots of passenger and cargo space, Perfectly suited to family living, Soft ride

CONS  No telescope steeering wheel, Smallish rear seat, Mediocre fuel economy

Big ones, small ones, tall ones, short ones, vehicles come in all shapes and sizes. That's because every buyer has unique needs. Some think they are A.J. Foyt and want a car that goes fast. Others want high mileage and shoot for hybrids and fuel-sipping economy cars. Still others haul their tools and materials to the job site and require large pickups.

Then there's the typical American family--two kids, a dog or cat, and a million things to do. Of all vehicles, perhaps no one is better suited to the tasks of the typical family than the minivan. Introduced in 1984 by Chrysler Corporation, the minivan quickly won over moms and dads across America with its versatility, cargo capacity, and car-like road manners.

Today, minivan popularity is waning against an onslaught of new vehicles called crossovers. Part SUV and part station wagon, these crossovers are nearly as versatile as minivans and look more rugged and modern. But there's still no better vehicle for todays on-the-go families than the minivan. It's wide-opening sliding side doors ease entry and exit, it's flip-and-fold seats make it a fantastic multi-use vehicle, and it's box-like design maximizes interior space.

The Dodge Grand Caravan and similar Chrysler Town & Country are the unquestioned kings of the minivan. They outsell the competition and offer a wide array of models, prices, and creature comforts. For 2008, Chrysler redesigned both Grand Caravan and Town & Country making them larger, giving them more powerful engines, and adding more than 35 new or improved features. The most prominent was the available Swivel 'n Go second-row seating, which rotate a full 180 degrees for face-to-face interaction between second- and third-row passengers.

For '09 Dodge augments the Grand Caravan with two new available safety features. Blind-spot alert and "Rear Cross Path, " which activate when the transmission is in reverse to detect any traffic moving towards the vehicle.

Two models are offered SE and SXT. Both seat seven passengers on front buckets, second-row buckets or bench seat, and a third-row three-passenger bench. Second-row bucket seats can be equipped as Stow 'n Go or Swivel 'n Go. The Stow 'n Go seats fold into the floor and the Swivel 'n Go seats face forward or backward. The second-row bench seat can be equipped with child-safety seats. The third-row bench seat folds into the floor and has optional power assist.

Three V6 engines are available. SE models have a 175-horsepower 3.3-liter. SXTs get a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter. Optional on the SXT is a 251-horsepower 4.0-liter. The 3.3 comes with a four-speed automatic transmission. The 3.8 and 4.0 engines use a six-speed automatic. All models come only with front-wheel drive.

Standard safety features include antilock four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist , stability control, tire-pressure monitor, and dual-front and curtain-side airbags. Rear park assist and rear-view camera are optional. Front-side airbags are not offered.

The SE model lists for $24,480 and includes front air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, second-row stowable bench seat, third-row stowable split-folding rear seat, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, conversation mirror, rear defogger, automatic-off headlights, floormats, theft-deterrent system, rear privacy, glass, and 225/65R16 tires.

The SXT starts at $28,575 and adds to the SE tri-zone manual climate controls, rear air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, eight-way power driver seat with lumbar adjustment, power-adjustable pedals, power sliding rear doors, satellite radio, outside-temperature indicator, universal garage door opener, 115-volt outlet, fog lights, roof rack, and alloy wheels.

Newly available for 2009 is Chrysler's uconnect multimedia system. It adds a Bluetooth cell-phone link, 30GB hard drive for storing music and images, and navigation system. Other options include a rear-seat entertainment system with two screens, sunroof, satellite television, power liftgate, and a storable table that can be positioned between second- and third-row seats on Swivel 'n Go models.

All Grand Caravans have an $820 destination charge and are assembled in Ontario, Canada.

Get Up and Go  The 3.8-liter V6 is powerful enough for most minivan duties. It provides good pull away from stoplights and adequate passing power. With a full load of passengers and cargo the engine strains to keep up with traffic and labors in highway passing situations. If you do a lot of full-load driving, it might be best to opt for the smoother and more-powerful 4.0-liter V6.

Neither engine is the quietest in the class, but they are acceptably quiet in routine driving and not overly intrusive in passing. The six-speed automatic transmission upshifts smoothly and downshifts quickly. It sometimes hesitates between gears when the vehicle is ascending mild grades.

Traction control is standard on all models, and all-wheel drive is not offered.

EPA estimates with the 4.0-liter engine are 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. In routine driving expect to average about 18 mpg. If you do a lot of highway traveling, 23 mpg is possible, but you have to drive with a light throttle foot.

On the Road  I'm always amazed when enthusiast magazines criticize minivans for sloppy handling. Minivan buyers don't expect sports-car handling. The key to minivan driving dynamics is a s-m-o-o-t-h ride without excess bouncing. The previous-generation Grand Caravan did offer a smooth ride, but it also bounced and bobbed a bit too much on bumpy roads. The '09 Grand Caravan offers a smooth and comfortable ride with considerably less excess bouncing. There's also less head toss than the previous model.

In the handling department, the '09 Caravan can run circles around the '07 model. That isn't to say it is going to win any parking-lot gymkhanas, but the '09 model certainly inspires more confidence when the road grows twisty. Body lean is still a problem, but the steering is more direct and natural, and the brakes have ample stopping power.

Dodge also paid a lot of attention to suppressing wind and road noise. Even at highway speed there's barely a hint of wind noise in the front seat. Road noise is also well isolated. Third-road passengers will note more of both, but the sound levels never grow objectionable. Sadly, the engine groans coarsely in hard acceleration.

Behind the Wheel  Arguably, the most important part of any minivan is the interior. Dodge has had years of experience in designing minivan interiors and its engineers clearly know what works and what doesn't. For example, the materials are rugged and durable, but not overly fancy, most cup holders are removable and dishwasher safe, and there are ample lock-out controls to prevent small children from messing with the radio and climate controls.

Gauges are right in front of the driver. Entertainment system controls are high in the center of the dashboard. A touch screen is available to help manipulate the myriad of audio and video options. You don't need to read the owner's manual for basic operation and simple controls like the station presets and volume controls have their own buttons. The climate controls are a bit low, but still easily accessible. Simple dials manage the temperatures in all three zones.

The rear-seat video screens aren't as large as in some competitors, but they are big enough and have a sharp picture. The available satellite TV works as advertised with hardly a hiccup in transmission. It makes great sense for short trips because you don't have to fiddle with menus or play buttons each time you stop and start.

Another great feature is the available sliding center console. It normally resides between the front bucket seats, but can slide back for second-row access. In addition, the top can then slide forward, leaving the bin open to the back, but the top toward the front. Dodge also redesigned the bin covers for the Stow 'n Go seats. You can now access that compartment more easily on the go.

Front seats are very chair-like and upright. They aren't too hard for long trips or too soft for twisty roads. In other words, they are just about perfect for a minivan. Power pedals and tilt steering wheel make it easy for the driver to get comfortable, but a telescope feature would be welcome. Visibility is great to the front and sides. The optional park assist and back-up camera are a great plus when parking.

Second-row seat comfort is a mixed bag. The Stow 'n Go seats are somewhat small and really only comfortable for kids. The available Swivel 'n Go seats are much more substantial and offer full-size-adult comfort. Both seats offer plenty of leg and head room, however. If you turn the Swivel seats around, you're fighting for legroom with the third-row seats.

The third-row seats are much more supportive than those in the previous-generation Grand Caravan. They do offer decent head and leg room, but they aren't quite long-trip adult comfortable. Getting to the third-row seats is a bit tricky unless you use the middle pass through.

Power second-row windows are a nice touch as are available second-and third-row sunshades. There is also a power option for the third-row seats. While this is a nice feature, it really only makes sense if you can't easily reach into the cargo area to flip and fold those seats.

Cargo capacity plays a huge role in the success of a minivan, and if that was the only measure, the Grand Caravan would win by a landslide. Not in overall cargo volume mind you, as the Caravan falls a few feet short of the class leaders, but in cargo functionality. The ace in the hole for Dodge are the Stow 'n Go storage bins. This gives Dodge a huge leg up when it comes to hidden storage.

In addition to a deep well behind the third-row seats, there are also numerous storage bins and cubbies and a number of overhead bins. The one-piece tailgate opens tall enough for an adult to walk under and the optional power-close button is located on the sidewall where it is easier to access for vertically challenged adults.

Bottom Line  OK. I'll admit it; I'm a minivan fan and have been ever since my wife had our second child. Over the years of driving thousands of different vehicles, I have come to the conclusion that there's simply no better and safer vehicle for a growing family than a minivan.

It is true the minivan has developed a well-deserved stigma as a boring mom-mobile. Yet, there is no doubting that people who reject the minivan because of what it implies rather than what it can do are posers who are more interested in massaging their egos than doing what's right for their family.

That said, Dodge knows how to build a great minivan and the Grand Caravan is perhaps the best minivans ever. They are quieter and more functional than any of their competitors and more than meet the needs of families without compromising on utility, safety, or economy.