1999 Plymouth Voyager Review

The popular Chrysler Town & Country is the plushest minivan, while the Plymouth Voyager continues as DaimlerChrysler's entry-level minivan.

But both minivans are essentially the same. They come with short or extended wheelbases and share the same body and mechanical components.

Both have front-wheel drive, although the Town & Country also is offered with an all-wheel drive system that provides slightly better handling and a superior grip on slippery roads.

Still, front-wheel drive provides both minivans with above-average grip, even in winter.

Town & Country base prices range from $27,385 to $36,140, while the Plymouth Voyager goes from $18,005 to $22,875.

Is the Town & Country worth the extra money?

The answer is ``no'' if you're a pragmatic vehicle buyer. But it's ``yes'' if you must have Town & Country features such as leather seats, gold-accented instrument cluster and chrome wheels. You can even get an umbrella and a leather child seat.

The Voyager is DaimlerChrysler's entry-level minivan and thus lacks many features of the Town & Country--or even of the automaker's mid-range Dodge Caravan minivan.

However, one still can get the Voyager in high-line SE form with standard items such as anti-lock brakes, cruise control, AM/FM/cassette, power mirrors and additional sound insulation.

The Town & Country is so posh--especially in higher-line Limited form--that many buy it as a roomy substitute for a big luxury car. The Limited is no ``soccer mom'' minivan.

Also, the Town & Country has an edge in the engine department over the Voyager; it's offered with DaimlerChrysler's largest minivan motor: a 3.8-liter, 180-horsepower V-6. The Voyager's biggest engine is a 3.3-liter V-6 with 158 horsepower and less torque.

The 3.8 V-6 provides stronger acceleration--particularly when loaded with occupants or cargo or both. But it still doesn't make the Town & Country a fireball because this is a heavy minivan, especially with the added weight of the all-wheel-drive system.

The extended-wheelbase Grand Caravan with the 3.3-liter V-6 I drove felt nearly as lively as the all-wheel-drive Town & Country when I was the only occupant in them.

With the Town & Country, it felt as if the engine always was fighting to overcome weight, which is a hefty 4,462 pounds for the Limited with all-wheel drive; even the base front-drive Town & Country SX model weighs 3,958 pounds, thanks to all that luxury equipment.

In contrast the Voyager weighs from 3,516 to 3,812 pounds.

Both minivans should have a V-6 with at least a 200-horsepower rating; the rival 1999 Ford Windstar minivan offers a 200-horsepower V-6 and the new Honda Odyssey features a 210-horsepower V-6, making it the most powerful minivan. The top engine in General Motors minivans provides 185 horsepower.

A minivan mostly is bought to haul lots of people and cargo. And, although they're not bought as high-performance vehicles, it would be nice if the Town & Country and Voyager provided livelier expressway merging and 65-75 m.p.h. passing times.

Acceleration is strong up to 65 m.p.h. with either the 3.3 or 3.8 V-6s. And both minivans are comfortable during steady cruising at 65-70 m.p.h. because gearing allows the engines to loaf at those speeds. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly and efficiently.

Fuel economy is in the mid- to high teens in the city and about 24 m.p.g. on highways with either the 3.3 or 3.8 engines.

All DaimlerChrysler minivans are easy to enter because they have low floors and can be had with sliding side doors--although a driver sits high for good visibility. They have carlike steering, ride and handling, with an easily modulated brake pedal.

Controls work smoothly, although the Town & Country's transmission shifter lever blocks some sound system controls, which are too small. Also, the shifters on both the Town & Country and Voyager move so easily that a driver in a hurry can find himself in the wrong forward gear.

These minivans offer seating for seven occupants, but long wheelbase models have more cargo room when all seats are in their normal positions. Loading is easy because the cargo opening is large and tailgates lift high.

These minivans also have the slickest styling, although wind noise is noticeable at highway speeds; they make the new Honda Odyssey look chunky.

The Town & Country has a richer looking interior than even the top-line Grand Voyager SE but still has too much marginal-looking plastic in the dashboard area.

Both vehicles show why DaimlerChrysler continues to dominate the minivan market, although new rivals such as the Odyssey will make things tougher for it.