Buying Guide Index

Cars.comparison: Family Workhorses

By Mike Hanley and Joe Wiesenfelder

It's hard to find a better option than a minivan if much of your driving consists of chauffeuring your family members — and all their stuff — from one event to the next. While vans may lack the glamour of a crossover or an SUV, they make up for it in other ways, like ease of entry and improved gas mileage. The heavyweight in this comparison is the Dodge Grand Caravan, the best-selling minivan in the country. Read on to find out if the redesigned 2008 version has what it takes to top the nearly-as-popular Honda Odyssey and the Nissan Quest.

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The Contenders
2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT2008 Honda Odyssey Touring2008 Nissan Quest 3.5 SE
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Base MSRP
$27,140$40,010$34,450
Price as tested
$31,155$41,245$38,820
Drivetrain performance
The midlevel 3.8-liter V-6 provides more-than-adequate power and easily accelerates the Grand Caravan up to cruising speeds. It doesn't emit the most refined sounds, however, and the six-speed automatic made an ominous "clunk" at one point during the test. The Odyssey's V-6 is a smooth, strong performer, and the available cylinder-deactivation system provides seamless performance.The 3.5-liter V-6 is as strong here as it is in all the other Nissans it powers (and there are many), but torque steer tries to yank the steering wheel from your hands.
Gas mileage (city/highway, mpg)
16/23 17/2516/24
Ride and handling
The Grand Caravan provides the softest suspension tuning of these three vans. It travels where you point it, but does little to engage the driver. The Odyssey has firmer suspension tuning than the Grand Caravan. That, combined with its surprisingly responsive steering, means the driver will actually get some enjoyment out of piloting the Odyssey. (Imagine!) A 36.7-foot turning circle beats the others by full feet.Like the Odyssey, the Quest's suspension is tuned to let you feel the road. Unfortunately, its steering is more like the Grand Caravan's, providing minimal involvement ... unless torque steer passes for involvement. Also, the 40-foot turning diameter is a drag.
Parent-pampering front seats
The Grand Caravan's front buckets don't have much contour and are firmly cushioned; they're somewhat boardlike. The stain-resistant fabric feels durable, but it doesn't coddle like the Odyssey's leather. (Leather seats are optional.) Our top-of-the-line Touring trim treated front-seat occupants to comfy heated bucket seats finished in high-quality hides. It's like you never left the den.The Quest's leather seats look like they might be out of your den, but they're not all that comfortable; the curved backrest doesn't conform to your back, and there are no bolsters to keep you in place.
Backseat comfort
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The SXT trim has standard Stow 'n Go second-row seats that can fold completely into the floor. While innovative, the small seats aren't the most comfortable. There's a decent amount of legroom in the third row, though not much extra headroom.
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The plush captain's chairs in the second row offer nearly as much comfort as the large front buckets. Adults can even get comfortable in the third row with relative ease.
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There's plenty of legroom in the second-row captain's chairs, which offer better comfort than the front ones, but that says more about the latter than anything else. The seats' thin cushions make them more like Dodge's Stow 'n Go seats than easy chairs. Third-row comfort is only passable.
Electronic baby sitters
Both the Grand Caravan and Quest can have dual overhead DVD screens for the second and third rows, but only the Dodge's can show different programs at the same time. The Grand Caravan is also available with Sirius Backseat TV, which offers kid-friendly programming. With only one rear DVD screen (did we really just say that?), the probability of sibling conflict inside the Odyssey is likely higher than in the other vans, both of which offer two DVD screens. At least the conversation mirror lets parents stare down the brood if things get out of hand. The 3.5 SE is the only Quest trim that's available with two rear DVD screens, but unlike the Grand Caravan's system you can't play two different sources at the same time. Bonus points because the screens don't obscure the rearview mirror much.
Versatility
What costs it points in terms of comfort makes the Grand Caravan a winner when it comes to versatility. The hideaway second row and split-folding third row make it easy to change the layout of the van based on what you happen to be doing with it. It's easy to fold the 60/40-split third row into the floor when it's not needed, but to gain the maximum amount of cargo space this is the only contestant whose second-row captain's chairs need to be removed and stored. The second-row seats fold against the floor, but not into a well like the Grand Caravan's. Its one-piece third row, however, limits the number of ways the cabin can be configured.
IIHS crash-test ratings
As of publication, the Grand Caravan hadn't been crash tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but we expect it will be evaluated. An IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2008, the Odyssey received the best overall score — Good — in all of the Institute's crash tests, and it has a standard stability system.IIHS awarded the Quest overall scores of Good in its frontal-offset and side-impact crash tests, but the minivan received a Poor rating for its head restraints. Only the 3.5 SE trim has a stability system.
Overall value
All buyers assign value differently, but it's hard to overlook a roughly $4,000 advantage in the base Grand Caravan over the base Odyssey. Plus, if you're looking at entry-level vans, the Dodge has a 1 mpg mileage advantage over the Honda.The Touring is the highest Odyssey trim level and you'll obviously pay a premium for it, but you also pay more for any Odyssey up front — even if you choose one of the less expensive versions. Though the Quest's price is nearly as high as the Odyssey's, it doesn't feel as well-executed as the Honda. Poor reliability lessens its appeal.
 
Editors' choice
The new Grand Caravan is a big improvement over its predecessor, but its unique features aren't enough to put it ahead of the Honda in this contest. On top of its family-friendly features, the Odyssey is the best-handling and most comfortable minivan of this trio, which moms and dads will appreciate every day. Sometimes comparison tests involve furious note-taking and quibbling, but the Quest is immediately recognizable as out of date and out of its league here.
Posted on 3/24/08
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