2012 Dodge Grand Caravan consumer reviews

We bought this van new in April of this year, my wife has been asking for a mini van for years, i finally gave in, we were at the Toyota dealership about to sign for a new sienna , she then wanted to wait and look at the caravans cause they were much less expensive, it's her car so after all said and done we brought home this 2012 dodge grand caravan piece of junk!!!!... very bad transmission problems, jerks hard into gears, and shifts into them fast then once it's in i think 3rd or 4th i'm not able to accelerate, if i push on the gas peddle the van will not go, i have to push slowly or turn the vehicle off then restart again.. terrible for driving on the freeways and highways...very dangerous.....very disappointing

We are very happy with the car. Gas mileage is great for a minivan. The sto and go is a really nice feature. We now have two Caravans.

We purchased our new 2012 Caravan on the last day of 2011. Many things have impressed us with this van. Below is what I really like and things I would like to see better. In the really like section, first off is the amount of storage. Having a similiar rental over the Christmas holidays I was doubtful that we would get everything in but was pleasantly surprised that after filling all nooks, we were on our way. The Stow 'n Go is a great feature and allows you many options for carrying things. I love that the radio can be controlled from the steering wheel from different stations to the volume. The family likes the additional option to lower the side woindows in the passenger area. Air conitioning is strong and does not take long to cool down. If you can aford it, get the seperate dials to set A/C and heat in the passenger area. After a long 5,000km summer vacation trip, we got great mileage, comfortable ride, power to pass and overall pretty comfortable. Now, what would i like to see better. At now 20,000km I am starting to get that slight squeel hoping that it is not a sign that the brakes need attention. Remember, Caravans have historically had so-so brake systems. The thrird row seats are tilted back and after a long trip, you are going to feel a little uncomfortable at the back of your thighs. I find at times that the transmission is a little rough especially after reversing at low speeds then going to drive. The dark black material on our seats is an absolute magnet for dog hairs and not easy to vacuum. Finally, the optional voice recognition system to make hands free calls to does recognize voice commands very well. In closing, yes I would recommend this van to friends and others reading this view and thinking of buying.

bought our 2012 grand caravan new in late may. we took it on a 5000 km road trip in early july. had it loaded down with 3 teenage sons and my wife and i. also had a large roof top carrier and every nook and cranny filled with stuff. excellant seats no one complained of comfort, excellant ac with fast cool down. very steady road manners even with considerable weight and nasty wind we ran into. very good economy, got between 23.5 and 27 mpg depending on the very long mountain climbs we got into. engine was very strong and found the slap shift feature very useful in keeping the engine in its power range. excellent radio with very good sound. one feature i like is the radio controls in the steering wheel. stow and go is extremely useful. this is an extremely competant van, quiet and represents excellent value for the money. it goes about its business with little fan fare leaving me glad i purchased it.. cheers

This is the 6th Grand Caravan, starting with the first Dodge minivan in 2004, that we have owned. Most have served their purpose well, which is for a family to have confortable traveling experience with children and all their stuff. My wife loves to drive these mini vans. The last Grand Caravan that we owned was a 2010 model which we were very disappointed with the quality, drive and noise level. We did not keep this very long and considered never to purchase one again. However, after a little over a year, my wife missed her minivan, even though all of the children have been gone several years. She enjoyed the space to haul stuff and the driving of the minivan. The 2012 that we just purchased is by far the best that we have had. The ride is very smooth (we opted for the 17inch wheels), handling is good and it is a pleasure to drive. We also specifically wanted the stow and go feature so we did not look at other similar minivans. Hopefully, we will enjoy many good years from this Minivan unless one of our daughers needs it more for their family. At which time we will make then a deal and probably purchase another one if the quality continues to hold.

We've driven Dodge cargo vans for years and couldn't do without the roominess for golf clubs, bicycles, skis. luggage, etc. However, putting in and taking out the removable back seat when necessary was a pain, and getting in and out of the van became problematic as we became geriatric. The Dodge Grand Caravan with the five easy fold-away back seats was a perfect solution. Other makes also have that feature, but Dodge offered the most features for the least price. We also love the color, Copperhead. We call our new van Pretty Penny.

Normally I am a die-hard Chevy guy, but this time, family needs and strong input from my wife gave me reason to look at and buy the new dodge caravan. The comfort and performance was very similar to my Chevrolet Venture (no longer made by Chevrolet). The interior and exterior styling exceeded my expectations, but the feature that really got my attention, was the stow and go seating. What a concept. Pull a strap, push the seat into the floor of the vehicle and I have room to carry about anything I want, including my wife's mobility equipment. If you have a need for a good looking, snappy and versatile van in your life, Dodge deserves a look.

I have never disliked a vehicle as much as I do this van. It was a huge mistake--Had a 2005 that was fine. Drove it for 160,000 miles. This van kills your legs after driving half an hour. There is no leg room and I'm only 5'6". Long distance drives are torture. The econo button for the engine wipes out any power to even maintain speed up a short incline. Always have to put your foot into it to get it to go and then it shifts constantly. The transmission learches when starting from a stop light. Even with the Econo button off, the constant shifting is really irritating. Tried to get a new seat for it, but they are not available. Tried to get this seat remade--no one can do it. Asked the dealer about the shifting issue and they said that it is the way it is designed--it moves back and forth between 4 cylinders and 6. I have 7,300 miles and am ready to get rid of it. I have always kept cars for at least 5 or more years, but this one has to go after 6 months.

only had it 2 months but it has good mileage and supeior ride and comfort the price was more than i expected but i would do again.

after driving my new 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan twice the transmission began pouring fluid by way of a defective pump seal at 45 MPH. This is an obvious danger but neither the manufacturer or representative dealerships will stand behind their 5 year 50,000 mile drivetrain warranty. They wouldn't even agree to arbitration although they were the ones that included it in the contract. I would highly recommend that anyone considering the purchase of one of these vehicles perform extensive research to see how these dealerships and the manufacturer handles consumer complaints, recalls and defect investigations or you may find yourself borrowing a phrase from my mother: misery loves company.