2011 Chrysler Town and Country and 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan: Car Seat Check

This Car Seat Check was first published in March 2011 on MotherProof.com.

The Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan received upgrades to both the exteriors and interiors for the 2011 model year. The minivan siblings each have their strong points. The Town & Country focuses on luxurious touches, and the Grand Caravan goes for a more aggressive, sporty look.

We installed child-safety seats in the Town & Country, but the results can be applied to the Grand Caravan, too. Both minivans have the same seating configuration, with two captain’s chairs in the second row and a three-seat bench in the third row.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

The booster seat also fit well in the third row, which has fixed head restraints and reclining seatbacks. However, the seat belt buckles are floppy, making it difficult for kids to buckle up independently.

How many car seats fit in the second row? Two

How many car seats fit in third row? Two

Editor’s note: For three car seats — infant-safety seat, convertible and booster seats — to fit in a car, our criterion is that a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat.