This is what minivans are all about: Space, space, and more space. Six passengers are
treated like royalty in the Chrysler minis, and a seventh can be accommodated with
minimal discomfort. Even better, the wide portals make getting in and out a snap.
Style doesn't stop with the exterior. Every surface has been sculpted to give the
interior a fresh, modern look. And it's efficient; control placement is superb, with
every button and switch set exactly where it should be. In the large center console,
climate controls are simple and easy to use, radio buttons are slightly more complex
and fiddly, but good nonetheless.
Our Town & Country tester was also leather-lined and had the top sound system the
company offers, including a CD player.
In addition to comfort, these vans are well conceived to keep their drivers happy,
too. A high seating position and low cowl set up a near-perfect driving position, and
instruments are clearly marked.
There's storage space everywhere, with little bins, map pockets, cubbies and
cupholders all strategically placed. In a word, the Chrysler minivan cabins are
friendly.
Seat options give owners plenty of latitude to configure the T&C for optimum use. The
front seats are always buckets, but the center position can be filled with either a
pair of captain's chairs or a wide bench. The rear seat is always a bench-type. When
the center bench is installed, its back folds rearward to make a bed-like surface;
when either center bench or buckets are folded forward, their backs form a table top,
complete with cupholders.
Center and rear seats are easily removable, the center(s) by unlatching and sliding
out the side door, rear by unlatching and rolling--on built-in rollers--out the
tailgate. When they're gone, there's 167 cu. ft. of carrying space available.
All three Chrysler minivan brands also offer the option of a pair of integrated child
safety seats.
Between them, the three Chrysler minis run the gamut from basic to lavish, which is
where the Town & Country fits in. The T&C carries a full load of standard equipment,
almost all of which can be applied to Caravan or Voyager. You'll pay extra for air
conditioning, an uplevel sound system (three are available), child seats
(short-wheelbase models only) or the various power assists, upholstery upgrades and
other T&C niceties when choosing Caravan or Voyager, but they are available, as is a
handy roof rack that adds even more storage capacity.
In essence, the Chrysler minivans drive, ride and handle like passenger cars. Good
ones, at that. We found the Town & Country's suspension soft but well-controlled, its
power steering precise, and its brakes--with standard ABS regardless of model--bring it
to a safe halt with no fuss.
There's some body roll when the road starts getting twisty, but nothing out of the
ordinary for a minivan. In fact, we think the handling of these vans is just about the
best in the category. And on certain models a heavy-duty suspension reduces roll
without much degradation of ride quality.
We were also impressed by the near-absence of road and wind noise inside our test
van's elegant cabin. Chrysler's hard work with aerodynamics and sound isolation pay
major dividends here. The only other minivan that comes close to this level of quiet
operation is the Ford Windstar.
Engine choices are at the heart of the T&C's good road manners. All the Town & Country
models are powered by one of two V6 engines, a 158-hp 3.0-liter supplied by Mitsubishi
in the basic LX version, and a 166-hp 3.8-liter that was standard in our LXi tester.
Both are good, with a slight edge in performance, smoothness and load-hauling
capability going to the larger unit.
Caravan and Voyager have standard 4-cyl. powerplants. Though improved over the
previous 4-cyl. engine, these are a bit noisier, less able to cope with full loads or
hills, and in base form are saddled with a 3-speed automatic transmission.
It's also worth noting that the all-wheel drive system available on long-wheelbase
versions of these vans is not for off-road use, but adds an extra dimension of
security during bad-weather driving. This is a full-time system that is totally
transparent to the driver.