Can you imagine what would have happened if Chrysler group had actually replaced the Grand Caravan with the Journey back

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in 2008 as was expected? They certainly would’ve sold a lot fewer vehicles, 333,800 since 2009 in Canada alone to be exact (and another 764,709 in the US, plus who knows how many more in the rest of the Americas and overseas?). The Journey does very well in its mid-size crossover SUV class, but it’s nowhere near as successful as Dodge’s trusty old family van north of the 49th. If we merely cherry pick calendar year 2014, which was hardly the Caravan’s best 12 months, Dodge sold 51,759 Grand Caravans to Canadian customers compared to just 24,715 Journeys, that last number making the crossover utility one of the top sellers in its mid-size class, yet dwarfed by the humble minivan, the fifth best-selling vehicle in Canada overall, incidentally. As of September this year it’s sold 34,762 units to the Journey’s 19,156, so all-round it appears to have been a decision well made.

This

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said, with Ram now a separate brand, Chrysler’s new owner Fiat, the group now called FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), is in the process of remaking the Dodge brand with a sportier performance image, and despite the GC making up more than half of last year’s 92,996 sales here at home, 2016 is slated to be its final year. Shocking I know, a decision we’ll have to judge sometime in the near future when the cold hard black and white facts of the sales charts become reality (although there’s still some hope it’ll survive in Canada, at least, if FCA CEO Reid Bigland has anything to say about it; he also happens to be senior VP of sales for FCA North America, head of the Alfa Romeo brand for FCA NA, and on the board for FCA USA, so he has a fair bit of clout within the automaker’s North American operations and is reportedly

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tight with FCA global’s passionate yet pragmatic Canadian-born global boss Sergio Marchionne).

Chrysler’s Town & Country, the subject of this review, didn’t exactly burn up those charts during the past year with only 8,944 units down the road, and that was its best year in a decade, although it sells almost dead even with the Grand Caravan south of the border, but either way the big question remains whether or not Grand Caravan customers will simply migrate across the showroom floor to buy into

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the automaker’s classier winged Chrysler brand, or wander across the auto mall to one of the imports.

When that time comes it will be an entirely redesigned 2017 Town & Country, a model that’s been promised to include a plug-in hybrid variant claimed to achieve just over 3.0 L/100km, while FCA will be sure to widen the conventionally powered T&C’s trim levels to allow for lower Grand Caravan pricing in order to prop up sales, although reports state that it won’t go quite as far down market, selling some $6k higher in the US than the current GC. Pricing aside, I’m willing to put a reasonably sized wager on the new T&C’s sales rising close to GC levels by default alone, and it should be an impressive vehicle if previous all-new Chrysler group vans are any indication.

Until

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then we still have both fifth-generation Dodge and Chrysler vans available for another year or so, their tenure having spanned seven model years over eight seasons so far. While we’re talking history, the Grand Caravan, which was originally introduced merely as the Caravan before a longer “Grand” version joined the fray and eventually took over completely, was the original modern-day minivan along with the now defunct Plymouth Voyager (although it’s still called the Chrysler Voyager in global markets, not to mention the Lancia Voyager; how far FCA has let that once glorious Italian brand fall). It took the family-hauler market by storm in 1983 as a 1984 model and did its part to restore the Auburn Hills, Michigan company to profitability. The Town & Country put its luxury spin on the first-generation of this practical van in 1989 as a 1990 model, and due to being

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priced somewhat higher than the automaker’s entry-level vans, it previously played third and currently second fiddle in sales.

Now, 32 and 26 years later respectfully, the Grand Caravan and Town & Country vans make up 40 percent of minivan sales in the US and 60 percent in Canada, leads that are so far in front of their imported competitors that you’ve really got to question what FCA knows that its rivals haven’t figured out. Many will point to the GC’s ultra-aggressive pricing strategy, and they’re no doubt partially right as low prices on entry-level vans have really made a difference, but the imports could’ve chosen to do likewise if they’d wanted to. No, in my very experienced opinion of living with every competitive minivan for weeks at a time over 15 years of covering the automotive sector,

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the GC and T&C are a combined number one because of one thing and one thing only, second-row “Stow ‘n Go” seating.

Ok, that’s two things, being that the T&C’s standard second-row seating system incorporates two bucket seats that magically fold and then flip downward into the floor in one effortlessly fluid movement, which together with a rear seat that does the same (all competitive vans have the latter) opens up a completely flat loading floor so you can drop the kids off at school and then head straight over to the building supply store, fold the seats beneath the floor, load in some drywall sheets, a stack of 2x4s, nails, some tape, putty, cans of paint, underlay plus a roll of carpeting and… a (wo)man cave in the making before the kids even get home.

Back

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to big-screen-in-the-family-room reality, the rest of the Town & Country is extremely good too. First off, I happen to like its styling more than the Grand Caravan, although it’s clearly not as cool (if you can use the word “cool” to describe a minivan) as Toyota’s Sienna SE or Kia’s new Sedona (Honda’s Odyssey doesn’t do much for me stylistically; to each his/her own I suppose), but all in all we’ve got to commend Chrysler for designing a van that’s clearly stood the test of time.

Before this current 2015 model year completely ends (there are still plenty left despite 2016 models rolling in) FCA thought it was a good idea to give me a nearly decommissioned Town & Country in new-for-2015 S trim, and knowing full well everything that I could get done with this fabulous beast of burden, how could I say no? Off to Chrysler I went,

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myriad plans of used furniture shopping and storage locker hauling on the brain.

T&C models are very well equipped even in base trim, with the latter options including Touring, Touring-L, S, and Limited versions. The new S was Chrysler’s chosen test model for obvious reasons, its standard features set including a very exciting sounding set of Hyper Black wheels that I less enthusiastically called “nice medium-grey painted 17-inch alloys” in my notes. Call them twinned five-spokes or 10-spoke rims if you like, but either way they do a good job of combining sport with elegance, a nice mix for a minivan. Along with these medium-grey wheels the S gets a black-chromed grille and gloss black headlight surrounds (which really are shiny and black), plus a black rear fascia scuff pad for protecting the bumper top

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when loading the van up with cargo, complete with nice glossy black edging. The chrome-enhanced lower fascia with its integrated fogs looks really good too, while the T&C gets appropriately blinged up with plenty of chrome around the sides and on back too, all tastefully done.

Inside, the S gets a near all-black interior with piano black lacquered accents, plus black leather seats with dark grey cloth inserts and silver stitching, the latter matching silver-stitched padded leatherette door armrests. Also on the menu is a premium leather-wrapped steering wheel (with black stitching), an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth hands-free, a remote USB port, a dual Blu-ray/DVD player, two nine-inch

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video screens allowing great sightlines in both the second- and third-row seats, a video remote control, wireless headphones, and an HDMI input.

Some items that get pulled up from lower trims to help make the S more comfortable and convenient include an eight-way powered front passenger seat, heatable front seats, remote start, second- and third-row window shades, a security alarm and a display for the tire pressure monitoring system from the Touring model, plus remote keyless access, powered sliding side doors, a powered liftgate, tilt-and-telescopic steering, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel spokes, an electronic vehicle information centre, power windows all-round, three-zone automatic climate control, six-speaker Uconnect 430 infotainment with an aux input and satellite radio, a backup camera, an eight-way powered driver’s seat with lumbar, dual glove boxes, an overhead console with storage, a dual-function

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rearview conversation mirror/sunglasses holder, a garage door opener, three 12-volt power outlets, a 115-volt power outlet, fog lamps, body-colour door handles and side mirror caps, a roof rack, an engine immobilizer, tire pressure monitoring, seven airbags including one for the driver’s knees, and last but hardly least, those second-row Super Stow ‘n Go and third-row Stow ‘n Go seats. That “Super” title is relatively new, but how can I disagree with FCA’s enthusiasm? As mentioned, this is the key selling point of any FCA van, even that Euro-only Lancia.

Like most in this segment, Chrysler doesn’t waste time or money with a soft-touch dash top, but the door uppers get a nicer than usual padded leather-like treatment

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while an even more padded leatherette fills the inserts to the halfway point of each panel, bisected by the same padded leatherette for the armrests that span the entire width of the door. The leather and grey cloth seats get a stylish embroidered “S” in their upper portions, while that piano black I mentioned before looks great all shiny and new, but be reminded this finish attracts dust like machine shop tailings to a magnet and tends to scratch easily too. My tester’s inlays, for instance, were already marked up after only 2,250 km on the odometer. Still, the glossy black treatment makes the steering wheel spokes almost appear sporty, this look helping to freshen up what has evolved into a rather dated interior, with some items, particularly the beautifully detailed chrome-rimmed primary instruments and especially elegant white-faced, chrome-embellished analog clock at dash central still looking very good, but others including

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the black and white multi-information display between the tachometer and speedometer, the smallish, so-so resolution and merely ok graphically infused infotainment system, and tiny LCD HVAC display appearing more than ready for an update. There’s so much I like about the T&C, mind you, that I can’t help enjoying time spent with it, but really it’s this van’s ever-practical personality that wins me over each and every time, a can-do attitude if ever I’ve seen one.

And yes, I’m mostly talking about those fabulous seats I mentioned earlier. When you lower the rearmost duo its cargo capacity increases from 934 litres (33.0 cubic feet) to 2,359 litres (83.3 cubic feet), while there’s up to 4,072 litres (143.8 cubic feet) available when you drop the “Super” Stow ‘n Go second-row seats into the floor. I should also note the bins they get stowed in are massive caverns of storage

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space when not in use, adding yet more capacity for road trips or alternatively great spots to store tools, safety kits, etc. Additionally, if you tend to tow small utility trailers, campers or boats, the T&C can handle up to 1,588 kilos (3,500 lbs) when properly equipped, my tester sporting the towing package sans hitch ball.

Hitting the road in mind, the Town & Country rides very well, this S variant specially tuned with a performance suspension to go along with those aforementioned alloy rims and as yet unnoted 225/65R17 Kumho Solus all-seasons (the base and top-line models get 17s too, by the way). I’m not going to say that this sport-tuned tweak has transformed the big family hauler into a canyon carver, the inherent challenges with its solid rear axle being what they are,

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therefore causing this somewhat top-heavy high-roller to suffer from a “hull speed” of sorts when pushed too hard, but it feels better through the corners than the last T&C I drove, while still just as comfortable around town and on the highway. This brings up an important point, however.

Auto journos often rate a vehicle by the former, giving it a thumbs up or down based on how it slices and dices through winding mountain passes or serpentine coastline two-laners, but that’s just not how most people drive, even those who buy sporty models from premium manufacturers, and it’s certainly not how the majority of minivan owners get around. I’ve owned a Caravan myself, and while I enjoyed the fact that it drove well and if necessary I could keep up and get past most of vehicles alongside me (more because of how folks drive than the cars they’re

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driving), I drove it at regular posted speeds nine times out of 10. For such duties the T&C is ideal, as its ride is extremely comfortable, capable of soaking up the worst of what my city’s irregular pavement and untoward back lanes can throw at a car, while its comfortable buckets, upright seating position, and superb visibility all-round will get you home a lot more relaxed and refreshed than vehicles with firmer suspensions, lower ride heights, and no doubt greater “cool” factor, that probably rarely ever find themselves out of gridlock as it is. Who’s cool now?

What’s more, you couldn’t ask for a better road trip vehicle than a Town & Country, as it tracks wonderfully at high-speed on the freeway where you can really hear its impressive 24-valve, SOHC, 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 sing (it’s a great sounding engine), its 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque delivering excellent passing

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power no matter your speed, its six-speed automatic with manual mode amply capable of quick downshifts yet optimized with a tall final drive, exactly why the T&C delivers its best fuel economy while cruising down four-laners plus.

That’s where it achieves a surprisingly good claimed 9.5 L/100km as per Canada’s new tougher five-cycle EnerGuide rating system, while its 14.1 city rating is only slightly higher than its V6-powered minivan competition, although it puts considerably more power and torque down to the front wheels than any rival so I’m willing to give it a bit of efficiency leeway. And then when considering fuel economy we also need to factor in the T&C’s lower average price point when compared to vans with similar features, plus its longer than average powertrain warranty, overall livability, etcetera, etcetera.

You

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can spend more, of course, the as-mentioned top-line Limited trim going for a classier approach with polished alloys, HID headlights, chrome door handles and side mirror caps integrating safer turn signal repeaters, plus power-folding capability with each and auto-dimming on the driver’s side, as well as passive keyless access with pushbutton start, power-adjustable pedals, a heatable wood and leather-rimmed steering wheel, Nappa leather upholstery, automatic high-beam, rain-sensing wipers, nine-speaker 506-watt audio, heatable second-row seats, rear parking assist, and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, but the price quickly approaches the $50k mark at $48,695 plus $1,695 for freight and pre-delivery prep, so it’s likely not Chrysler’s top-selling Town & Country.

Dollars

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and sense in mind it’s pretty easy to understand why the T&C doesn’t sell in the same numbers as the Grand Caravan, its base Touring starting point being a cool $42,695 plus freight compared to the GC’s base of $19,895 (yup, it’s more than twice the price before discount), while my S-trimmed tester will set you back $45,490 plus freight if you pay full retail. I recommend you don’t, especially for a 2015 model. And yes, it’s a great time of the year to strike a deal for any vehicle let alone a Town & Country, although FCA dealers are known for cutting way back on the profit margin while adding in every possible manufacturer rebate in order to make a deal.

As for which van to buy (GC aside), the T&C is hardly the most modern minivan on the market, but its V6 is better than the rest, its fuel economy is decent enough so as not to be a deal-killer, its safety rating is right on par, its cargo capacity

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superb, and most importantly its seating/cargo flexibility is without question leagues ahead of the pack, and isn’t that the real reason we buy a minivan? At the end of the day sales numbers prove this last point beyond any question, while we can all get some feel-good fuzzies for buying a major item that’s built right here in Canada, and therefore supporting our economy.

For me, the Town & Country’s Stow ‘n Go seats make it the hands-down minivan no-brainer, but this reality always leaves me dumbfounded that the competition hasn’t figured this no-brainer out for themselves and created something similar. Their loss, FCA’s gain, and yours too if you want to own the industry’s most livable minivan.
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