It may come as a bit of a shock to some and will likely be old news to others, but back in May of last year Fiat-Chrysler Automobile

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

(FCA) announced plans to eliminate the Dodge Grand Caravan. This current 2015 model will be the last of an era that’s run more than three decades, the first ever Dodge Caravan arriving on the scene in 1983 along with its Plymouth Voyager counterpart.

Many reading this will know why the Voyager was discontinued. It had to go because the entire Plymouth brand was put to rest in June of 2001, but the Dodge brand isn’t being discontinued so why would FCA kill off the Grand Caravan? Are sales low? Not exactly. Sales of minivans are much slower than they were at the height of the ’90s when they were the darlings of so-called soccer moms (a much-maligned term but seemingly fitting in this review), with one in almost every suburban driveway and every automaker rushing to market with some sort of sliding side-door alternative to the Caravan, the one that got the entire minivan movement

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

started. Still, as slow as sales are compared to crossover SUVs that effectively replaced minivans, the Grand Caravan (the short-wheelbase Caravan was deleted years ago) is still the number-one seller with numbers that dwarf the competition.

Last year the Windsor, Ontario-built Grand Caravan sold 51,759 units in Canada and 134,152 in the U.S. These two numbers say a lot about FCA’s decision. While 185,911 unit sales in Canada and the U.S. is significant, the U.S. market normally accounts for about 10 times our sales no matter the vehicle, but the Grand Caravan’s grand total south of the 49th wasn’t even good for three times our sales.

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

So far this year Canadian sales remain strong, FCA having sent 3,716 units down the road during the first month of 2015. When compared to its rivals the Grand Caravan continues to be the absolute runaway hit its always been, the next-best Toyota Sienna only ringing in 11,596 sales for the 2014 calendar year, or about one-fifth of the Grand Caravan’s volume. The next-in-line Honda Odyssey manages a close 11,480 deliveries, while the Kia Sorento hardly comes close with a mere 708 sold. Meanwhile, the Nissan Quest was so poorly received, with only 63 sales throughout 2014, that it was pulled from the Canadian market (I’m guessing that the latter number has something to do with its availability here in 2014, as its previous year saw 662 sales). Even the Chrysler Town & Country pales in comparison to the Grand Caravan and its two main Japanese rivals with only 8,944 sales. So what gives?

As

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

part of its five-year product plan, FCA said that it wants to reduce internal rivalries between Dodge and Chrysler by making the brands more distinctive, positioning Chrysler as a mainstream volume brand and Dodge with a sportier performance image. A minivan certainly wouldn’t fit such a sporting mold, even the racy red and black example I tested here. As for Dodge’s hopes of repositioning what has long been the bargain brand of the Chrysler threesome into a sportier performance marque, all I can say is it will take a lot of time and dedication to turn around long held perceptions, or perhaps they’ve forgotten how well the attempt at turning Chrysler into a premium brand went.

Back to Dodge’s current brand image, it at least seems fitting that I review one of the sportiest versions of the Grand Caravan lineup as it heads out to pasture. I’m guessing that Chryco van fans will happily drive away with a Town & Country rather than a Grand Caravan

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

as long as it’s priced similarly, and if so the T&C’s sales will quickly rise up above all rivals while the GC fades into the sunset. Some might call FCA’s plan a risk, but I doubt we’ll see a flood of GC owners wandering over to Toyota or Honda showrooms anytime soon, unless of course one of the two import brands figures out a way to make Stow ‘n Go seats without infringing on any FCA patents.

Stow ‘n Go seats are the reason I love the Grand Caravan and will keep on loving the Town & Country (to be honest, I prefer the looks of the T&C anyway). FCA (formerly Chrysler LLC and before that Chrysler Group) has always been an innovator when it comes to the minivan line. The list of firsts is way too long to relate entirely, but a shortlist of highlights includes front-wheel drive (1983); a selection

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

of engines and long-wheelbase version (1987); a luxury counterpart with the introduction of the Town & Country (1990); a standard driver-side airbag, four-wheel ABS, integrated child seat, child safety locks on sliding door, second-row captain’s chairs (1991); a standard passenger-side airbag, ULEV certification (1994); Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) certification, electric-powered EV option (1995); driver-side sliding door, dual-zone temperature control, roll-out seats, adjustable cupholders, capability of transporting 4′ x 8′ building material on top of folded seatbacks or with seats removed and liftgate closed (long wheelbase Grand Caravan) (1996); rear seatback-mounted grocery bag hooks (1998); manual-mode transmission (1999); wireless headphones for in-vehicle entertainment (2000); a powered liftgate, powered dual-sliding side doors, obstacle

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

detection, three-zone temperature control, 50/50 split rear seats (2001); second-row seats that completely fold away under the floor (Stow ‘n Go), third-row easy entry system, a driver-side inflatable knee blocker, overhead rail system (2004); second-row swiveling seats (Swivel ‘n Go), dual DVD system that can play different media at the same time, six-speed transmission, 115-volt inverter, moveable LED interior lighting, rear backup camera, second-row heated seats (2007); SIRIUS Backseat TV with network programming (2008); blind spot monitoring, rear cross path detection, automated high-beam, iPod control through the radio head unit (2009), and the list goes on and on and on. Even after cutting more than half of its minivan-class firsts, it’s easy to see why FCA vans have remained number one over the years, they’re simply way ahead of the game when it comes to the types of features minivan buyers want. The next first will be for

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

the next-generation Town & Country, which will be available as the first plug-in electric hybrid (PHEV) minivan. We’ll have to see if that’s something families are willing to pay for, but as a journalist it certainly sounds intriguing.

Today’s 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan hasn’t changed one iota from last year’s version, and like last year we’ve tested the unique Blacktop trim level that sits just above the mid-grade SXT Premium Plus and just below the Crew. For 2015, Grand Caravan trims include the Canada Value Package, SE Plus, SXT, SXT Plus, SXT Premium Plus, Blacktop, Crew, Crew Plus and R/T. That last model, the R/T, is the sportiest Grand Caravan, while the Blacktop is sport on a budget. And after you stop laughing, don’t worry I realize the oxymoron in using “sport” and “minivan” in the same sentence. Not to knock the GC or T&C, but Toyota has done the

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

best job of any automaker when it comes to sporting up a minivan with its almost cool SE, but at least FCA is smart enough to realize that if you hung Kyle Lowry’s Raptors uniform on a pack animal it might look a little better (or not) but it’s still a pack animal. The minivan after all is the modern day mule, ox or camel, depending on your family’s history. It was never meant to be sporty and any attempts to do so somehow appear comical.

Nevertheless the 2015 Grand Caravan Blacktop gets a special gloss black grille, black headlight bezels, fog lights with gloss black surrounds, matte black window trim, purposefully black mirror caps (although these would look less like base model items if they were gloss black too), a black bumper protector, 17-inch alloys with gloss black painted pockets, an all-black interior with really nice looking

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

brushed aluminum accents, a black leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, black cloth seats with silver accent stitching, tri-zone manual temperature control, and a super console, which is a lower console that connects up with the dash.

All the blacked out trim definitely looks different on a van, especially with its Redline Pearl paint, but this combination is for the select few who want to draw attention to the fact that they’re driving a minivan. Most minivan buyers are simply content to be making an intelligent, practical decision about transportation needs, although for those who want to shout out to the world that they’re practical and proud of it, Dodge has a bright red minivan available that quite honestly might make them look more like they work for Rogers Communications than particularly sporty people. Fortunately the Blacktop can be ordered in seven alternative

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

colours and shades, all more conservative than Redline Pearl.

As mentioned earlier, the reason I love the Grand Caravan has nothing to do with this sporty trim level, but rather its best-in-class practicality. Stow ‘n Go is the best seating system available no matter which family hauler you put up against it. It lets you do a David Copperfield on the rear seats, completely hiding them beneath the floor, so you can always take advantage of that fabulous deal on new deck furniture that you absolutely must remove from the store immediately, even if

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

you didn’t plan ahead. With any other minivan you’d either need to leave the deal or your second row of seats behind. Or alternatively you can plan to drop off the kids at their friends house and pick up building materials at the hardware store on the way back, rather than go all the way home to drop off the seats and then drive back to the hardware store. No other minivan is as flexible to the challenges of family life, and I haven’t even started talking about how heavy and awkward most minivan seats are to remove. No, Stow ‘n Go is a no-brainer. Unless you’re buying a minivan solely to haul people and never any sizable cargo, don’t even bother looking at anything else.

Fortunately the Grand Caravan offers a lot of additional benefits, so it’s not as if you’re forced to make a sacrifice to get Stow ‘n Go. The base model is the Canada Value Package with an MSRP of $27,995 plus $1,695 for freight and pre-delivery prep (although Dodge is showing a pre-discounted price of $19,895 on their website),

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

but I’ll warn you now that it doesn’t include those fancy folding second-row seats. It does however include cloth seats, a second-row bench seat, and a 60/40 split-folding third row with tailgate seating, plus keyless entry, power locks and powered front windows with one-touch driver up/down, power heated outside mirrors, tilt and telescoping steering, the Uconnect media centre with a four-speaker audio system, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, dual-zone air conditioning, three 12-volt power outlets, an overhead console, two glove boxes, outside temperature display, front map lights, 17-inch steel wheels with covers, trailer sway control and enhanced accident response system (EARS). Along with EARS the base Grand Caravan comes with all the usual safety gear, such as ABS-enhanced four-wheel disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

and emergency brake assist, traction and stability control and all the expected airbags.

For an extra $1,795 you can add SE Plus trim to the CVP, although it makes me wonder what happened to the SE trim level that this “Plus” package adds to. Still, you get powered front windows, second-row and rear quarter-vented windows, sunscreen glass and 17-inch alloy wheels, most of which the majority of people would not want to live without.

SXT trim, at an MSRP of $33,595 (or a pre-discounted advertised price of $25,795), is the one to consider if you wanted the aforementioned Stow ‘n Go flexibility, as these magic seats come standard along with body-colour door handles and bodyside mouldings, a

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

black roof rack, a front floor console with cupholders, floor mats, and sunscreen glass.

For $1,500 more there’s SXT Plus trim that adds all of the same features as the SE Plus upgrade along with a body-colour sill appliqué to the SXT, although all of these items come standard with Crew trim that starts at an MSRP of $36,695 (or discounted price of $28,995) and also adds fog lamps, body-colour side mirrors, bright bodyside trim and roof rack, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, electronic vehicle information centre, six-speaker audio, power adjustable pedals, an eight-way powered driver’s seat, three-zone automatic climate control, super console, and illuminated front-door storage.

The

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

“Plus” in the Crew Plus trim level means you get a lot of extra kit for its $39,695 price tag (discounted to $31,995 as per Dodge’s retail site), such as leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, Uconnect 430 media centre, satellite radio, backup camera, a garage door opener, 115-volt power outlet, power-operated sliding doors and tailgate, sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors, overhead storage bin, single rear overhead console, rear swiveling reading lights, and ambient lighting.

Lastly the $41,895 R/T (only $34,195 you know where), the sportiest version I mentioned before, adds a body-colour grille, black headlight surrounds, satin carbon aluminum wheels, an all-black interior except for the red stitching on the unique black leather seats, remote start, Bluetooth, a heated steering wheel, nine-speaker

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

audio with a subwoofer and amplifier, heated second-row seats, second- and third-row window shades, and performance suspension.

I have to say that my Blacktop trimmed example struck a nice balance between the rather basic CVP and the nice but pricier Crew Plus, and its as advertised $28,690 price makes it a highly affordable alternative. My tester also included the optional $850 Uconnect Hands-free Group that added Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, satellite radio with a one-year subscription, a USB port, steering wheel mounted audio controls, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with an integrated microphone; the $1,500 Power Convenience Group with its two powered side sliding doors and powered tailgate; the $1,925 Single DVD Entertainment Group with its second-row overhead DVD console and nine-inch VGA

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

video screen, wireless headphones and remote control, while up front it gets a Uconnect 430 CD/DVD/MP3/HDD 6.5-inch touchscreen display audio system upgrade with its high-definition multimedia interface, 40-gig hard drive with 28-gigs available for download, aux and USB ports, six speakers, ParkView back-up camera system, and 115-volt power outlet; and lastly the $700 Trailer Tow Group with its Class II receiver hitch, load leveling and height control, plus trailer tow wiring harness that allows for a maximum trailer weight of 1,632 kg (3,600 lbs).

Towing isn’t much of a problem due to the Grand Caravan’s superb 3.6-litre Pentastar V6, a jewel of an engine that makes 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque for impressive power off the line or while passing on the highway and sounds like a sport sedan while doing so. The front wheels are supplied power via a

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

six-speed automatic transmission that’s ideally smooth, while offering the advantage of manual-mode for those moments when you want to get sporty with your minivan, or more likely when you want to short-shift in order to save on fuel.

On that last point the Grand Caravan isn’t bad on fuel, with a Natural Resources Canada EnerGuide rating of 13.7 L/100km in the city and 9.4 on the highway. If you notice these numbers are higher than last year’s GC, take note that Canada upgraded its testing process to be more realistic, moving from a two-cycle system to a new five-cycle one, so the new numbers you see are much more achievable than last year’s 12.2 city and 7.9 highway rating.

Practicalities in mind, once you tumble those Stow ‘n Go seats into the floor you’ve

Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

got a gargantuan 4,072 litres (143.8 cubic feet) of potential space to load all of your gear into, which is more cargo capacity than any crossover or SUV. Pull the second-row captain’s chairs out of their handy covered bins (which is a process that’s almost as divine as flipping them into those cubbies in the first place) and there’s still a sizable 2,359 litres (88.3 cubic feet) of luggage space in behind, or leave all the seats in place and you’re left with 934 litres (33.0 cubic feet) in back to stow your stuff. Are you gaining respect for minivan owners yet?

The fact that Grand Caravans won’t exactly carve corners like a BMW, no matter how much red paint and glossy black trim getting added on, is hardly the issue. When I traded in my five-year old 5 Series for a brand new short-wheelbase Caravan way back in 1996 I knew it wasn’t going to be as fun to drive, but my family life got a lot easier and my business benefited from its cargo advantage so I didn’t care. Eventually we all grow up and face the music of family life, and Dodge has long made the music especially sweet thanks to the Caravan. I, for one, will miss it, although like so many other consumers, if I get the craving for another minivan in my life I can always turn to the Town & Country.
©(Copyright Canadian Auto Press)