Dodge wasn't the first automaker to offer what is now called a minivan, the very first was Volkswagen's Microbus from the early 1960's. But Dodge did popularize the concept with the first front-wheel-drive family van in 1984, and the company's enduring connection with minivan customers has kept the brand in the game despite aggressive competition from Honda, Toyota and others.
In fact, Dodge and Chrysler are the only serious minivan offerings from domestic automakers. Both GM and Ford surrendered, claiming that SUVs had replaced the family-friendly, people haulers. But for those who have experienced van virtues, an SUV or crossover makes a poor substitute.
Dodge has exploited the architecture of the minivan just a bit better than its very worthy competitors. When other minivans add two sliding doors and a powered tailgate, Dodge countered with Stow `n Go seating, a feature that converts the second and third row of chairs into a flat floor. And this new generation adds Swivel `n Go, where the second row chairs swivel to face the third row and a table pops up from a covered storage bin. For families, only a popcorn maker might add more fun.
Of course, all the features in the world won't compensate for a product offering that has gone a bit too long from its last thorough makeover. So while Dodge and Chrysler vans had added useful new seating features, the Japanese competitors created an edge in smooth power delivery and superior handling dynamics.
The new Grand Caravan plays catch up in the important finesse category with a smooth, high-tech 4.0-liter V-6 connected to a new six-speed automatic transmission. There's a very modest $630 charge to upgrade to the new engine from the old 3.8-liter power plant with the benefit of more power while delivering the same fuel economy. I assume the only reason this superior engine isn't standard is to offer very inexpensive Caravan models.
Dodge continues the strategy of package and option pricing that converts a $27-grand Grand Caravan into a $37-grand van when all boxes are checked. But even my loaded unit with disappearing seats, two DVD players, leather and navigation was no more expensive than up-level Honda and Toyota models.
Although the exterior styling is conservative, the all-important interior is quite fresh and up-to-date. And though I'm still a bit bothered by the sheer volume of plastic surfaces in Chrysler products, I'll concede that it's the best solution for kids and pets. For the driver, controls are intuitive and easy to reach with a few nice surprises, like the gear selector with sport shift availability, mounted high in the dash.
I didn't have small kids or large pets to haul during my week in the Grand Caravan, but I did make a donation run to the local thrift shop. From the remote key fob, I opened all three loading doors, stowed the seats and created a cavernous Caravan interior to easily load the bags of our former belongings.
