Chrysler’s Town & Country is a vehicle you can live in, or at least have a fine family travel experience. The all-new version of the 25-year-old minivan features its clever “Swivel ‘n Go” middle-row seats that rotate to face the third-row seats while an included dining table can be inserted between the two rows.
There are three models differentiated mechanically by their engines: The base LX model comes with a 3.3-liter V6 making 175 hp, the midlevel Touring model comes with a 3.8-liter V6 making 197 hp and the top-level Limited comes with a 4.0-liter V6 producing 251 hp. The LX begins at $27,160 (MSRP). You can really outfit a Limited version with a twin nine-inch monitor DVD player for second- and third-row passengers, leather seats, sunroof and power-operated conveniences all available for your comfort.
While Chrysler’s traditional competitors have thrown in the towel in the minivan market, Chrysler continues to innovate its minivans, keeping them in front of those offered by Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Toyota.
The above-mentioned swiveling seats are just one innovation. Since the 2005 model year, the Town & Country has featured “Stow ‘n Go” middle-row and third-row seats, which disappear into the floor of the minivan so it can be configured to carry big cargo on the fly, and unneeded seats won’t clutter the garage. The seats are light enough to be extracted from their hiding places in the floor and folded into place using just one hand. That means it also takes just seconds to convert the minivan from a two-passenger cargo hauler to a seven-passenger minibus. Third-row seats, too, are available with electric motors so they can be folded while you’re standing under the rear hatch of the minivan.
Further innovations are a blind-spot warning system and a backup warning system, both based on radar. Chimes and lights built into the side mirrors alert you when vehicles approach the minivan when you’re changing lanes or backing up. Another system warns drivers through the instrument panel if there are objects behind the minivan when it is backing up. With these driver assists and the driver’s seating position relatively high, the result is good visibility not only of the road and outside environment, but also of the passengers themselves.
The optional dual nine-inch monitors can play video or games from different sources, and an optional connection with SIRIUS Satellite TV streams shows to the monitors. Concerned parents need not worry about over-saturating their kids with video—the systems can be controlled from the driver’s seat.
Want more features? How about LED reading lamps for rear passengers, a removable flashlight built into the tailgate, an umbrella holder for the driver and cupholders that will survive a trip through your home’s dishwasher?
The two smaller V6 engines are simple, capable single-cam designs that run quietly in the Town & Country while the largest engine, the 4.0-liter, is an aluminum overhead cam design. It is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that not only shifts smoothly, but also is geared optimally so the larger engine actually gets the best EPA highway mileage—25 mpg—of all of the 2010 Chrysler Town & Country minivan models.
This family-friendly hauler really shows its stuff with a test drive. Call us to arrange one at your earliest convenience.
