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Chrysler Town & Country
(similar to Dodge Caravan / Chrysler Voyager)

Chrysler minivans have traditionally leapfrogged the competition with each new generation, staying just ahead until the next generation comes out. Now, with every major American and Japanese automaker having tested the minivan market, failed, and come back with a copy of Chrysler's own vans, the going is tougher. Yet, Chrysler still seems to have ended up ahead of the pack with their 2001 Town & Country, Caravan, and Voyager.

If reliability is your sole concern, the Toyota Sienna, while not a match for the Chrysler minivans in other respects, is top notch; while Chrysler and Honda seem to have acquired similar records so far in minivan building, according to a leading consumer magazine's annual survey.

The new generation of Chrysler minivans looks like the old one, just as the Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and Honda minivans look like the Chrysler models. New plastic appliques are used to create a sort of SUV effect, and a new door mechanism eliminates the "sliding door ridge." The Plymouth logo on the Voyager has been replaced by the Chrysler name, with the ill-timed elimination of the Plymouth brand. More to the point, all three doors can now be bought with power - a single key fob (or row of switches) can be used to open the rear hatch and both sliding doors. There are buttons next to the doors as well as in a front control panel, for added convenience. What's more, these must be the safest doors in the industry - they stop at a fairly light touch, so they are much less likely to injure children.

The Chrysler's instrument panel is classy, with chrome-ringed black on white gauges and Timex-style Indiglo backlighting. At night, there are no dark or light points. The gauges are very easy to read, and are very pleasant. The centers are white on black to provide metric numbers.

Each engine has had a power boost, with the base 3.3 (on Town & Country; short-wheelbase models have a 2.4 liter for the base) going up to a full 180 horsepower. The engines are quieter than before (at least inside the cab!), and don't seem to need to work very hard. Power is good, with smooth, quiet acceleration from any speed, even with the base 3.3. It had sprightly acceleration and good torque for acceleration while climbing hills with the air conditioning on.

The upcoming, top-of-the-line 3.5 liter, 230 horsepower engine should make the vans move like the old turbo models did.

The transmission is adaptive, and learns how you drive, becoming more efficient as it breaks in. Shifts are smooth and sure by default. The transmission does require special fluid, not expensive but something to remember.

Handling is excellent for a vehicle of this size. The minivan always felt comfortable and in control around turns, though screeching of tires told us when we were being foolish. The Town & Country is easily one of the most nimble minivans we've driven, including the smaller Nissan Quest, and it outhandles some cars. There was no feeling of top-heaviness. Even under heavy winds, the minivan did not feel pushed around by the wind, underlying a good suspension and some attention to aerodynamics.

Wind noise is louder than a car of the same price, quieter than the Honda Odyssey, acceptable except at irresponsible speeds.

Controls are clear and logical for the most part, and have a quality feel. Since all American minivans are automatics, Chrysler used a column shift; with the foot operated emergency brake, this saves space for the center console.

The Infinity stereo provides clear sound with speakers throughout the cabin with knobs for balance, fade, and volume, and sliders for bass, midrange, and treble.

The vent system, which has three zones - two for the front, one for the rear - was fairly easy to figure out, and controlled by infrared sensors. The rear vents can be shut off, left on automatic, or controlled from the rear passengers, via a simple knob. The fan is relatively quiet even at high speeds. Heat comes very quickly, thanks to a fast warmup. Airflow through the large vents is easily controlled.

Windshield washers are very effective, augmented in winter by both front and rear electric defrosters. Visibility is good in each direction, though the dark tint on middle-side windows can reduce vision.

The key fob, which controls two side doors, the rear door, and the locks, also blinks the doors on the side of the car where it is doing something - so if you open the right sliding door, it blinks the lights on the right side. Manually opening and closing the doors feels completely normal, as though there was no motor at all.

Each seat has at least one cupholder, as we expected, though we prefer the older cupholders. The entire van is well lit from a variety of dome lights, which are easy to switch on and off.

Seats are easy to adjust and remove, and the levers are numbered, to make removal easier for novices or people who just don't change their seats very often. The seats fold forward, so you can put large or heavy objects over them. Front seats, at least in our test model, had two-position seat warmers.

The center console can be placed in either of two positions - between the front seats and between the middle seats. It is easy to move from one position to the other. The console includes both a power outlet and an internal light. It has two separate compartments, one of which has a lock and a removable tray. The front compartment has a cell-phone holder. The clever touches continue with a tissue holder molded into the underside of the console lid.

Rear passengers also have their own vents, coat hooks, and dome light. Center passengers have vents, coat hooks, and personal lights, as well as handles to help them in and out of the minivan. The rear windows can be opened a crack.

The 2001 Chrysler Town & Country and its siblings have acquired many awards, and are generally seen as the best of the minivans - if by a smaller margin than before. We agree, and look forward to further refinements of this time-tested design.