Chrysler Town & Country

The Chrysler Town & Country vehicle is a family minivan designed and distributed by the Chrysler division of Chrysler Group LLC. It was originally introduced in 1989 as a traditional minivan, and has evolved through five generations. The Chrysler Town & Country received an 8.2 rating from U.S. News, and ranked 3^rd out of the 6 minivans rated by U.S. News. The general consensus among reviewers is that while the Town & Country is not a terrible minivan, other competitors can be purchased for a similar price and offer more features.

Performance

While the Chrysler Town & Country is not a bad performer, others in the class (like the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey) are simply better. It received a mediocre 7.4 performance rating from U.S. News which supports this consensus. The  Town & Country is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine that generates 283 horsepower and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The EPA estimates it gets 17 mpg for city driving and 25 mpg on the highway. While the handling is not poor, other minivans handle better, and the wide turning radius makes it difficult to drive in parking lots and other tight areas. Again, other minivans simply perform better in this area.

Interior

Similar to the performance, reviewers like the Chrysler Town & Country’s interior, but say other minivans have more to offer and are built with better quality materials. It received a 7.9 interior rating from U.S. News. The cabin is able to seat up to seven people, and the seats are comfortable enough to sit in for a long trip. The Stow n’ Go system is a widely praised feature; it allows the second row captain’s chairs to fold into the floor, creating more cargo space. Unfortunately, this means compromising on the seat padding, making the seats less comfortable than competitors. One of the cool bonuses the Town & Country offers is a rear-seat DVD entertainment system that comes standard on all trims. Other available features include a rearview camera, Sirius Backseat TV, navigation, Bluetooth, and uConnect, which transforms the cabin into a WiFi hotspot. It has 33 cubic feet of cargo space when all the seats are being used. This increases to 143.8 feet when the third row is folded down. It also has underfloor storage space to hold additional cargo.

Pros/Cons

Ultimately, while the Chrysler Town & Country is not a bad minivan, it does not stack up when compared to other competitors. The engine is not as responsive or dynamic as the class leaders, and tends to get loud when pushed hard. The fuel economy estimates are also lower than class leaders. While the engine provides decent power, it seems to feel weaker than the advertised 283 horsepower. Rivals like the Honda Odyssey are quieter, have less nosedive during stops, and corner with more confidence. It still has some positives to talk about, however. There are an abundance of storage spaces and family-friendly features. The rear-seat DVD entertainment system comes standard on all trims, which is a huge bonus for adults with young children. The navigation system is also very easy to use.

Other Features

The Chrysler website lists the base price for the Touring model at $30 630, and gives buyers the option to lease for $289 a month for 36 months. The Touring-L model starts at $33 495 while the Limited model starts at $37 495. The Chrysler Town & Country was named the IIHS Top Safety pick, and scored “good” across the board in each test category. It received a 9.4 safety rating from U.S. News. One of the impressive safety features is the ParkView rear backup camera, which is positioned in the tailgate, and activates when the van is in reverse. The driver is able to look at the touch screen and see what is behind them.