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Despite the growing popularity of crossover utility vehicles, which in many cases are nothing but minivans without the sliding doors, there are some consumers for whom only minivans will do.
Even though sales of these once quite popular family haulers have receded somewhat in the past couple of years, they still make up a key segment of the U.S. auto market, and can be a profitable item for an automaker if they’re done right.Doing minivans right is what Chrysler is all about, and the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country is no exception. Along with its Dodge Grand Caravan sibling, this is the best minivan to come along since Chrysler created the era of the modern minivan in the mid-80s.And even if Chrysler eventually is broken up or merged with Fiat, it’s clear that the company’s line of minivans will continue. Along with the Jeep brand, minivans are part of what’s still quite valuable and viable about Chrysler.Our test vehicle, the Town & Country Limited (base price $36,780 plus $820 freight), is arguably the perfect family vehicle, geared toward transporting kids to school and after-school activities, taking the whole brood on extended road trips, and providing a great platform for hauling groceries, sports equipment or even purchases from Home Depot or favorites antiques stores.I’ve been a minivan fan for years, and there’s really no vehicle available that’s quite as versatile. I learned to drive on my parents’ 1962 Corvair Greenbrier, the first American minivan (although the term "minivan" wasn’t used then), and I’ve owned a variety of these family haulers from such automakers as Chevrolet, Dodge, Volkswagen and Toyota.Today’s minivans are the most-refined ever, and are great for couples with kids as well as empty-nest baby boomers. They appreciate the roominess of the vans, which allows them to take friends and grandkids along, or to use the cargo-carrying capacity for weekend or cross-country trips. Minivans are comfortable and more fuel-efficient than most SUVs, and more economical and easier to drive than even the smallest motor homes.The Town & Country entered its fifth generation for 2008, once again raising the bar in the modern minivan market created by Chrysler with the introduction of the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager 25 years ago. The Town & Country and Grand Caravan are the only American-brand minivans left.The only others remaining in the minivan segment are the best-selling import, the Honda Odyssey, along with the Toyota Sienna, Nissan Quest, Hyundai Entourage and Kia Sedona. But all of those are at a disadvantage when compared with the Town & Country Limited.This minivan has it all, from middle-row seats that swivel to face the third row, to the new Sirius live satellite TV system, which plays the favorite kids’ channels.Chrysler spent more than $500 million to upgrade its Canadian plant for the new vans, which include many upgrades and innovative features that the imports don’t have.
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