Chrysler Voyager Interior Review
Sliding doors on both sides of the Voyager make getting in and out a breeze. Once you've had two sliding doors, you'll never go back to one, whether you're moving toddlers, teens or tools. The speed and convenience of loading cargo from the driver's side makes the optional sliding driver's door well worth the extra $590.
The Voyager is spacious, particularly after the second- and third-row seats are removed. Removing those seats required a yeoman effort in years past, but it's much easier now. The SE's available center-row bucket seats can be unlatched and removed via the sliding side doors. A solid yank on a lever pops the third-row bench seat up onto a set of wheels, allowing it to be rolled backwards and removed via the tailgate. However, it's still a two-person job as those seats, like most car seats, are heavy.
For smaller loads, the seat backs can be folded down, affording enough room for the proverbial sheet of plywood. Head and legroom are quite sufficient, in both the front bucket seats and the second-row seats. Although Chrysler says the Voyager's rear bench can seat three, one of them would have to be a child. Head restraints for the middle and rear seats are standard.
The optional front-seat cargo net is quite useful for hanging onto odds and ends while running around town. Although it was not offered on our base Voyager, a trip computer was introduced last year that's available on the Voyager SE.
Chrysler Voyager Road Test
The Voyager rides as smoothly and as quietly as many sedans. When it was redesigned in 1996, it got a revised suspension that makes it handle much more like a sedan. Its rigid chassis works with the suspension to keep the tires firmly planted in corners. That's definitely a benefit in the Voyager, which, at 68.5 inches tall, tends to lean a bit in corners. Even when it leans, however, the Voyager feels solidly planted. Power rack-and-pinion steering adds to the responsiveness during abrupt lane-change maneuvers. In 1998, the Voyager's ride quality was improved and road noise was reduced.
The Voyager 3.0-liter V6 engine, coupled with a 4-speed automatic transmission, performs admirably, delivering sufficient power in all situations, whether launching from a standing start or passing slower vehicles on the highway. At higher engine speeds, the engine is a bit noisy, but it offers strong low-rpm torque for towing light trailers. If you feel you need more power, we recommend the 3.3-liter V6, especially for the bigger and heavier Grand Voyager.
Brake performance is always critical, but especially in larger vehicles that may be carrying a heavy load or a lot of people. The Voyager brakes brought our Voyager to a controlled stop, without grabbing or pulling.
Chrysler Voyager Lineup
Like all of DaimlerChrysler's minivans, the Voyager comes in a variety of flavors. They come in two trim levels: base Voyager and the more well-appointed SE.
Two sizes are available: the short-wheelbase Voyager and the long-wheelbase Grand Voyager. The Grand Voyager is more than a foot longer than the Voyager and offers more cargo space.
The Voyager line ranges in price from $18,850 for the shorter, base-model Voyager to $24,245 for the Grand Voyager SE.