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This report provides a quick overview of the features and specs for the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. Get our expert review of the Dodge here.
By Joe WiesenfelderCars.com
April 18, 2007
Shortly after GM canceled plans to revamp its minivans — and just days after Ford unexpectedly stopped building its Freestar and Mercury Montego for good — Dodge took the wraps off its fifth-generation Grand Caravan. Unlike GM and Ford, minivan-originator Dodge — along with Chrysler and its Town & Country — has held its own against the competitive likes of Honda's Odyssey and Toyota's Sienna. Those models sit on one end of the minivan spectrum, with low-cost alternatives like the Kia Sedona at the other end. Dodge hopes to retain or gain in its share of the van pie with fresh styling, new drivetrains and innovative seating arrangements in two trim levels: the SE and SXT. What you won't see is the short-wheelbase Caravan, which has been discontinued. You might say that now all Caravans are Grand. Their Town & Country sister, also in the longer size, offers more luxury at the top end but otherwise differs mainly in its target buyer — older, on average, and more interested in comfort and amenities than in sport. Cosmetically, it's more distinguishable from the Dodge than ever, with different sheet metal, grille, bumpers and lights, plus a distinct interior design, including its own instrument panel. Exterior The Grand's wheelbase and overall length are about 2 inches longer, but the van is narrower by a couple of inches. Dodge really hit the mark with the new styling. It didn't go overboard trying to make it look like something other than a minivan — yet its higher hood, squared off rear end and the most stealthy sliding side doors we've seen all combine for a presence that's not too far from what passes as a "crossover" SUV nowadays. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard; 17-inch alloy rims are optional. Interior Likely buyers aren't too concerned with how the minivan looks on the outside. It's the inside that counts, particularly the seating. The standard and maximum occupant count is seven, which is probably the only truly comfortable and workable number even in vans and SUVs with eight positions. The Grand Caravan doesn't disappoint when it comes to seating flexibility and innovation, with lots of options to change things up. Having succeeded recently in part on the strength of its Stow 'n Go second-row seats — which fold into the floor — Dodge now brings you optional Swivel 'n Go: second-row captain's chairs that rotate 180 degrees to face the third row. Rearward-facing seats are long overdue. They let passengers face each other, and because the two seats rotate independently and slide fore and aft, even second-row passengers can face each other and talk or play patty-cake ... whatever it is that family types do. Sitting backward is actually safer in a front-end collision, so as long as the seats face fully forward or fully back, there's no great safety concern. More in question, however, is the included table that can be positioned between the rows — mainly because it might induce people to take off their seat belts. For the first time, the Grand Caravan offers power-folding 60/40-split third-row seats with one-touch operation, up or down. There's also optional seat heaters for the front and second-row seats, both in stain-resistant cloth and leather. As in the past, Dodge has integrated a child seat into the second-row bench. A new optional integrated booster, for larger kids, is offered in Swivel 'n Go. Neither comes with Stow 'n Go. The seats come in three configurations: The standard second-row bench seat and a manual 60/40-split folding third row (with the bench, the same bins in the floor that would accept folded Stow 'n Go seats, were they installed, provide covered storage); Stow 'n Go second-row captain's chairs with the manual folding third row; or Swivel 'n Go rearward-facing second-row seats with the manual third row. The swivel chairs don't fold into the floor, so the bins are free for covered storage. The powered third-row seat is standard on the highest trim level, and is likely to be offered only in option packages on lower-priced trims. Naturally, the Grand Caravan also has power windows — in the sliding doors, too — with power sliding doors and liftgate optional. There are more storage nooks, pockets and bins than ever, including a dual glove compartment. The floor console between the front seats has removable, dishwasher-safe cupholders. An optional console has many sliding drawers that can open individually or together, including from the backseat. It contains a 12-volt outlet and is compatible with earlier vans, so current owners can buy it through Mopar. Under the Hood The new six-speed automatic transmission is a first in a minivan, and should provide both good acceleration and good gas mileage, though figures aren't yet available. It comes with the two optional engines: a 197-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 and a 251-hp, 4.0-liter V-6. Standard is a flexible-fuel 3.3-liter V-6 that can run on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two. Aside from being the least powerful engine — 175 hp when burning gas — it comes with a four-speed automatic, surely making the base trim level the pokiest van. One feature that's sure to spark controversy is the gear selector, which looks like a center-console shifter but is located high on the dashboard, to the right of the gauges. It attempts to combine the benefits of a console shifter with those of a steering column-mounted type. For the optional AutoStick manual shifting mode, it's not a bad location. Safety Standard safety features include side curtain airbags for all three seat rows, which also deploy in a rollover. There are standard antilock brakes, plus traction control and an electronic stability system. There are two options to ease backing up and parking: a sonar ParkSense audible system and the ParkView rearview camera.
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