2003 Chrysler Town & Country Minivan Reviews & Ratings

The Chrysler Town & Country is a comfortable place to spend some road time. It provides seating for up to seven people, and all positions are roomy and comfortable. That's something that can't be said for a lot of sport-utility vehicles. Cup holders are available at each seat, and the rearmost passengers each get their own storage console, though the plastic lid is flimsy. Seat belt anchors are height-adjustable in the front and middle rows. Our one complaint is that the center row isn't adjustable, and can be tight when the front seat is adjusted all the way back.

A low floor makes getting in and out through the side doors easy. Caesar, our 160-pound English mastiff puppy, requires a ramp to get into an SUV; but he stepped easily and without hesitation through the side door of the Town & Country. Judging by his expression, this is one of his favorite vehicles.

Access through the rear hatch is a bit higher, however. Caesar prefers a ramp to get in that way. Loading groceries is no problem, though. Plastic grocery bags can be looped onto special hooks on the backs of the rear seats. There's a fair amount of cargo space behind the third row, which is not true of the Voyager and other standard-length vans. An adjustable cargo organizer (optional on front-drive LX, LXi, and Limited) fits on the floor behind the rear seat and provides a bin for six grocery bags, handy for keeping things from sliding around in.

We found the second-row bucket seats and third-row split bench easy to remove. All or any one of the four seats can be popped out and rolled away in three quick steps, providing a wide variety of seating and cargo configurations. Reinstalling them takes a little more practice, as you need to learn how to line them up before snapping them into place. Each seat is heavy enough that care should be exercised when lifting it off the garage floor. The seats can also be folded down to form a continuous load floor for 4x8-foot sheets of plywood and other large items.

Many other features add day-to-day convenience. A time delay switch leaves the headlights on while you walk from the van to your door. Auxiliary outlets, two up front and one amidships, provide convenient power for gadgets. Four serious coat hooks make picking up the dry cleaning a more elegant chore; few manufacturers do coat hooks this well. Three dome lights illuminate the cabin well. An available overhead console houses power switches for the rear hatch and sliding doors, along with compass and outside temperature readouts. The rear quarter windows, as well as the front door windows, are power operated. Dark tinting on the side windows provides privacy.

A center console houses a cellular phone holder, power outlet, storage tray, light, tissue holder, and a map holder. The console is removable and can be placed between either the front or middle seats. The organizer inside the console seemed a bit high on the bogusity scale.

Small buttons make the audio system a challenge to learn and use while driving, and the column shifter blocks the driver's view of the volume knob and seek button. Steering wheel audio controls are available on selected models and should eliminate this problem. A new feature for 2003 is the availability of Sirius satellite radio.

Cruise control buttons are conveniently located on the steering wheel. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls are functional, but rudimentary, on the LX, with his and hers sliders for temperature control. Automatic temperature controls on LXi and Limited models are nicer. A separate knob controls the rear fan, a great feature for kids and pets on hot days. Handsome and straightforward analog instruments use black-on-white graphics that reverse at night. An electronic odometer doubles as the trip meter when a button is pressed. Turn signal indicators and warning lights reside in a thin hooded panel above the instruments.

Lots of glass means good visibility all around, though the thick A-pillars hamper front three-quarter vision. Rearward visibility is greatly enhanced by the big side mirrors, though third-row headrests block the rear-view mirror somewhat.

Driving the Chrysler Town & Country is pleasant and enjoyable. It rides smoothly and feels very stable at highway speeds. It handles competently and seems surprisingly nimble for its size. Its power-assisted steering is light, making it easy to maneuver and park in crowded lots, and the front air dam isn't so low to the ground that it scrapes on curbs. Careful suspension tuning, a new steering system and a rigid structure have raised the Town & Country's handling prowess to that of the leading minivans.

Our LX came with the base 3.3-liter V6. It delivered lively acceleration; we felt like we had plenty of motor to jackrabbit away from standstills or pull off that big pass. The engine is smooth and quiet when cruising, although it makes itself known under full-throttle acceleration.

Wind noise is minimal. Chrysler engineers worked hard on this, and as a result, carrying on a conversation inside the Town & Country is easy and pleasant. Special gaskets, re-engineered suspension attachments and other measures have resulted in a quiet cabin, even when cruising at 70 mph.

Four-wheel disc brakes stop the Town & Country quickly and without drama. Heavy-duty brake rotors and new calipers ensure strong braking performance, durability, and improved pedal feel compared to previous-generation models. ABS helps the driver maintain steering control in an emergency or panic stop.

Traction control (standard on front-drive eX and Limited, available on LXi) reduces front wheelspin on slippery surfaces. Even better is the available all-wheel-drive system, which redirects power to the tires with the best grip; all-wheel drive is a smart option for drivers who live in the Snowbelt or in the Pacific Northwest or anywhere it rains a lot. An automatic load-leveling system is available that automatically trims the Town & Country to a level ride height. That's nice when towing.

Midway through 2002, the Chrysler Town & Country line expanded to five trim levels, with the new high-value eL joining the existing LX, eX, LXi, and Limited. For 2003, the LXi and Limited are offered with either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive; all eL, LX, and eX models are front-wheel drive.

All models are built on a long, 119.3-inch wheelbase, making the Town & Country among the biggest minivans on the market.

The standard engine in the eL and LX is a 3.3-liter overhead-valve V6 producing 180 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque. A 3.8-liter overhead-valve V6 developing 215 hp and 245 lb-ft is optional in eL and LX, standard in eX, LXi, and Limited. All models come with a four-speed automatic transmission with adaptive electronic control (so it learns your driving style and shifts accordingly). All come with four-wheel-disc brakes and ABS (anti-lock brakes).

Retail prices range from $23,870 for the eL to $37,945 for the Limited AWD, the latter loaded with leather and other features. Chrysler's Town & Country Limited feels like a luxury vehicle that happens to be a minivan. In between, a broad range of models meet varying needs and price ranges.

The model lineup can be a little confusing, because the bargain-priced eL comes with some standard equipment (such as three-zone climate control) that the $25,165 LX does not. On the other hand the LX offers some options (including the rear-seat video system) that are not available on the eL. Both come with power windows, heated mirrors, cruise control, tilt steering, seven-passenger seating, multi-stage air bags and ABS. Both feature dual sliding doors, with power an option for the passenger side.

The eX ($26,315) represents a definite step up, with a power-up and power-down rear liftgate, dual power sliding doors, a removable powered center console, AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo with six speakers, second-row bucket seats and split 50/50 roller seats in the extreme rear, a power eight-way driver's seat, and three-zone temperature control. The eX also comes with traction control and 16-inch tires and aluminum wheels. Dual power sliding doors, a security alarm, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls have been added to the eX equipment list for 2003.

The LXi ($29,460) adds automatic temperature control, an air filtration system, 10-speaker Infinity audio, a universal garage door opener, an electroluminescent instrument panel, and, new for 2003, an Electronic Vehicle Information Center (trip computer, etc.), auto-dimming mirrors, third-row lamps and assist handles, and a roof rack. Color-keyed lower bodyside cladding distinguishes the LXi as an uplevel model.

Leather upholstery is optional on both eX and LXi. Options added last year include DVD video and remote audio for the rear seat passengers (complete with wireless headphones) and a tire-pressure monitoring system.

The ultimate-luxury Limited ($35,620) coddles its occupants with premium-grade leather, memory seats, and a six-disc CD changer. It is distinguished externally by its color-keyed roof rack and chromed aluminum wheels.

All-wheel-drive editions of the LXi and Limited list for $33,333 and $37,945, respectively.

Side-impact airbags are optional on all models ($390).

In addition to the Town & Country line, Chrysler also markets the Voyager minivan, which is built on a 113.3-inch wheelbase and, with more basic equipment and appointments, represents a strong value in the family-transport market. (See separate NewCarTestDrive.com review of the Voyager line.)