2006 Dodge Grand Caravan

This review is based on my experience with several Dodge Grand Caravans at my workplace.

In some aspects, the Caravan is ahead of its competition. But in looking at the whole car, its definitely behind its competition - imports in particular.

In terms of performance, it seems like Dodge wanted to calm down parents while they're driving this vehicle. Remember the kids, Dodge says. It's not enthusiastic about peeling out, and to feel confident while passing, you really have to step on the gas. Revved over 3,000 RPM it gets excessively noisy. Speaking of noise, prepare to scream when you hit the gas station. According to the fuel consumption guide for 2006, the Grand Caravan will eat up about 2,000 litres of gas in a year. It's rated at about 12L per 100 km city and 9L per 100 km highway, but if fuel costs are something that is very important to you, tack on another 10-15%. Usually the ratings are flawed. Compared to some of its competitors, such as the Chevy Uplander(2200 L/year), Toyota Sienna (2100 L/yr) and the Odyssey(2,000L/year), Dodge's van isn't that bad.

Dodge's four speed automatic transmission, the only tranny offered in all of their Caravans, needs updating. I've mentioned in another review that if Honda can afford to put 5-speed autos in their Civics, so can the other manufacturers- especially in their more expensive cars.
Further, to give the van even more of an impression of being a granny-car, you must use a stalk to change gears. When the van changes gears you can tell - it's not the smoothest shifting gearbox every created, that's for sure. While on the clock, I've driven co-workers across town, and in my experience, passengers have never had any trouble falling asleep. To me, that says that the seats are comfortable enough, and the ride is quiet and smooth enough to make them happy. Take that for what you will.

When it comes to hauling stuff, you shouldn't have many problems. The stow and go system allows the second and third row of seats to fold flat into the floor, disappearing from sight. And that means that, if you wanted to smuggle a lot of people, the Grand Caravan would be a good option(smuggling not recommended). With just two front passengers, you'll have space for all the luggage you can ever imagine carrying, plus dozens of bags of groceries. It's another story if you have only one row of seats folded down, but there's still a good deal of space. By the way, folding the seats is quick and easy, and once you've done it a few times, you won't have to think twice about it. It won't take long before you'll be able to do it with your eyes closed. Another feature I like about the GC is the way the trunk opens. When closed, you just have to put your fingertips above the license plate onto a pad and apply light pressure, and the door will open. The doors to the second row open somewhat easily, and you could say they're partly automatic. There are times when opening or closing them that you have to use some force to get them rolling, but most of the time they'll close themselves when you've set them in motion. Just don't expect young kids to be able to access them.

The cars I've driven and sat in have all had cloth seats, which are not as comfortable as what I've experienced in any import cars by Honda, Mazda or Acura. Chrysler Dodge Jeep does know how to make good seats - you just have to look at the Pacifica's leather for a good example. And judging by some of their recent products, Mercedes' influence has seemed to be a good one on their products. The backlit dash is very ordinary, and the knobs for the air conditioning are also boring and simple in design. To me, they come across as cheap, considering you can get almost the same controls and dash in the Sebring, which is quiet a bit cheaper. There are separate driver controls for the climate control for the front and the back, but there's no digital readout. Furthermore, to use the HVAC controls located in the second row, the driver's set of controls must be on the 'rear' setting, otherwise your passengers won't have any control over the temperature. I should mention that the person behind the wheel has controls for the driver's side and front-passenger side in terms of setting the temp. I expect the next generation of Caravans to be a step ahead of what you'll find in showrooms now. Both the driver and the person beside him have power seats - I believe the driver's side is 8 way power adjustable, with the passenger only being forward and back if I remember correctly.

Safety wise, the GC is ahead of the competition. informedforlife.org has given this van an overall rating of 89(with side airbags), with a poor rating for rollover fatality risk. The Odyssey got a score of 57, the Sienna a 66, the MPV a 138, Nissan Quest 55, and the Kia Sedona got a 66. For reference purposes, the average van is 109. A very worthy option, if you ask me...it could mean the difference between life and death. ABS is standard on all Grand Caravans, but optional on regular Caravans. Another useful thing I've found is that whenever you have one of the rear doors open, the car's hazard lights activate. Nothing spectacular, but it might just alert drivers that weren't paying attention beforehand. Say you let your kids and your significant other out at the front of the supermarket, this might make other cars slow down as they pass, in case your kids step out unexpectedly. According to consumerreports.org, reliability for the Grand Caravan is now below average. They gave this vehicle a 59 rating overall out of 100. MSN users, however, have so far given it a 9.6 out of 10, with the majority of reviewers being very happy with their vehicle, as you might imagine.

Handling is positively van-like. It's a big car, and it really drives like it. In everyday traffic it's fine, but when you have to make a u-turn, or get out of a tight parking space, you have to be very careful. General visibility is good, although I find that I can never see the front of the vehicle, no matter how I adjust the seat. Seeing out of the back window can be tough, but just takes some getting used to. The GC soaks up potholes fairly well, although you can still tell they're there. But it's a world of difference from what you'd feel driving over the same bump in a Mustang. Ask someone with a bad back to come with you to test drive a new Mustang, and you'll see what I mean.

As the title states, don't expect to seat more than four adults comfortably at one time. The second row seats can move forwards and backwards, but for everyone to be comfortable, you should not carry a fifth body. Children under the age of 5 won't be short of space in the third row.

Pricing for the Grand Caravan varies in Canada from $27,000 to $30,000, excluding options. Personally, if I were in the market for a minivan, I would not pay more than around $20,000. I often see ads for these cars with them selling for less than MSRP, and a few times a year they can be had for the low 20's.

This is one van that you cannot call stylish. It's not ugly, and has its moments when viewed from a side-on perspective, but if you think it's handsome, please give your head a shake. Having said that, with a few minor touch-ups here and there, you can pimp your ride to look and perform like a monster. The Grand Caravan is a heavy, thirsty beast. And for what it'll cost you on a yearly basis to lease.maintain, insure and gas it up, while only hauling four people around, it isn't worth it in my humble opinion. As a stuff-hauler first, and a people-mover second, you will find the Caravan very useful - if it's reliable. The interior, transmission and engine all need updating. Having said all that, if you don't fancy paying (Canadian)$30k or more for a minivan, give the GC a look. For the price, it's well equipped, and if you're not someone who sweats the small stuff, this is a great option.