CARLSBAD, CALIF. -- You won't find the proverbial sink in Chrysler's new minivans, but there is a kitchen table and a whole lot more.
That includes 13 cup holders, dual pop-down television screens, three seating configurations, an adjustable centre console that is shared with the second row, stain- and odour-resistant Yes Essentials fabric, Swivel 'N Go seating, Stow 'N Go seating, and an electric-powered third row that not only folds completely flat with the touch of a button, but also flips over to create a stadium-type seat that faces an open tailgate.
Believe me, if there is a future for minivans in the face of this tsunami of crossover wagons - wagons that perform like minivans, look like SUVS and cost a lot more - then these fifth-generation minivans from Chrysler are the reason.
Chrysler, newly freed of its German-based parent and now the private domain of the leveraged buyout artists from Cerberus, is bolting out of the gate to corporate freedom with the most important product in the history of the company.
If these vans aren't a hit, Chrysler will take a huge one and may not survive the decade. That's how critical they are.
For Chrysler, the good news is that the vans are better than good and very likely to grab the attention of buyers who pay close attention to sticker prices.
With more room, more features and more power, the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan are the answer to the minivan owner's prayers. But are there enough people praying for the next new thing in minivans?
Chrysler officials think so. Just to be sure, the pricing is also compelling. It had to be. For most of this year and last, Chrysler's minivans have been the poster child for discounted passenger vehicles. It has been possible to get a nicely equipped Chrysler family van, the short-wheelbase version, for well under $20,000. That's a deal.
For '08, the shorty is going away, but the pricing, the basic sticker pricing, is still pretty aggressive. The Chrysler types say feature-for-feature, sticker prices are down on average $4,000, though no one in Canada has paid sticker for a Chrysler minivan in recent memory.
Nonetheless, a Grand Caravan with lots and lots of family-friendly features officially will start at $26,495, while the Town & Country base model will be $35,995 in the fall when these minivans hit dealerships.
The pricing, the styling, the cool features and the vastly improved road manners should and will have the competition's attention. Those would be the auto companies that make the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest, Kia Sedona, Hyundai Entourage and General Motors' Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6. Could a price war be in the offing? Good news for consumers, bad news for car companies.
The headline feature in Chrysler's new vans, the doo-dad none of the others have, is a small table that attaches to an aluminum pole and can be affixed easily to the floor. Once up, the table feels solid and it's easy to store in the floor bins. Very cool.
Did I say doo-dad? I meant doo-dads. Here is another: swiveling second-row captain chairs that easily turn to face the rear. The seats also turn to face the sliding door. You parents with young kids will like this. Being able to buckle up a youngster while directly facing the seat is a major plus. No more of that nasty, back-breaking twisting and lifting and climbing and bending.
Stow 'N Go remains, too. These are the ingenious second-row seats that allow this minivan to go from a seven-person hauler to a two-person cargo van. In half a minute, if you're quick.
Entertainment systems? Chrysler has them in spades. If you are in the good, ol' U.S.A., the optional dual video screen arrangement means you can tune into the Cartoon Network via Sirius satellite radio. Or watch a DVD. You see, second-row passengers can watch one channel while third-row passengers watch a DVD or play a video game.
The TV viewing feature is not available in Canada. Nonetheless, it is possible for each row to watch a different movie. And front-seaters can tune in, too, as long as the minivan is in Park.
By the way, passengers in the back wear wireless headsets, while the driver can listen to music through the optional 506-watt stereo. Good luck figuring out how to make all these systems work at the same time without a hitch.
Not to be lost here is the fact these are essentially cars and that means you drive 'em. If you are a loyal Chrysler minivanner, the first trick you'll spot is the gear shift mounted on the dash. How smart is this? Very. It is an ergonomic triumph and totally sensible.
The rest of the controls and instruments are sensible and well considered, too. You will not struggle to find anything and the important controls can be operated while wearing winter gloves. And the cabin design is a really solid, up-market effort.
The exterior styling may prove more controversial. Ralph Gilles, the hot-shot Canadian designer who is being fast-tracked at Chrysler, took the lead here and it shows. Gilles, as you will recall, was in charge of styling for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum.
You will not need to look hard to see design keys from those two in the new minivans.
Obviously the two flavours of Chrysler's new vans are somewhat similar, though Gilles is quick to point out that the styling of each draws out a particular brand character.
The Caravan's front end is more aggressive, Dodge Avenger-like. The headlights push out and the Dodge badge on the cross-haired grille is three times bigger than before. A bit of chrome here and there adds some sparkle.
The Town & Country aims to look richer, but this is a tough assignment for a minivan. I mean, luxury minivan does seem to be a bit of an oxymoron. It is not surprising that of the tens of thousands of minivans Chrysler sells in Canada every year, just a few hundred are Town & Country models.
Chrysler wants to change that. So the designers and engineers and marketers are doing their best to make the luxury case for the Town & Country.
It starts with design. The Chrysler looks more sophisticated than the Dodge, from its chrome door handles - apparently lifted straight off the 300 - to the fancy headlights and notably superior interior.
For power, well, Chrysler has three options: a 3.3-litre, V-6 with 175 horsepower mated to a four-speed automatic transmission; a 3.8-litre V-6 with 197 horsepower and a four-litre V-6 with 251 horsepower, both mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The most powerful V-6 is reserved for the T&C, further differentiating it from the Grand Caravan.
The base engine might turn out to be a little underpowered if you're the type who loads up with people and gear, or if you climb a lot of hills. And there is only a four-speed automatic transmission with the base engine.
If power is what you want, get the up-level V-6 in the Grand Caravan. Or perhaps a T&C is what you want, though it's a big step in price. Both come with a new six-speed and it's very good.
The gutsier V-6s have plenty of power. The biggest engine in the T&C is rated at 13.3 litres/100 km city and 8.7 highway. The less powerful V-6s are a bit thriftier, but all use regular fuel or even Ethanol E85 if you can get it - which is almost nowhere in Canada.
And another thing. The various models share the same basic chassis, but handling, steering and braking differs. The top-of-the-line T&C is the best of the bunch, firm but comfy, well planted and something close to fun when driven in some fairly demanding twisty bits. On the freeway, this van is a dream.
At the other end of things, the more basic Dodge models are not quite as quiet, nor do they feel quite so refined. Not bad, but not as good as the T&C.
Chrysler has done what needed doing here and for now it seems all that is left is the sink.
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