1996 Chrysler Town and Country Review

Chrysler's Town & Country LX minivan blurs the line between a minivan and car. It's for those who don't want the ``domesticated'' image most minivans radiate.

For starters, the LX has the slick new styling of Chrysler Corp.'s more car-like, second-generation minivans: the front-wheel-drive Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager.

Chrysler is the big player in minivans, and its Town & Country is the upper-crust version--with more equipment than the Dodge and Plymouth models. But all have a solid, stiff chassis and either short (113.3-inch) or long (119.3-inch) wheelbases.

The Town & Country LX has the shorter wheelbase and items such as pinstriping, larger tires on alloy wheels and an elegantly sporty interior with sports sedan instrumentation, including a tachometer.

The LX really stands out from the minivan crowd when set off with the optional $200 Candy Apple Red paint that covered the LX I recently tested. The LX also had a sporty looking leather interior, although it's a bit pricey at $890.

The $24,675 LX fits between the base $24,690 long-wheelbase Town & Country and the $30,280 top-line LXi model, which also has the long wheelbase.

Standard for the LX is a 3.3-liter, 158-horsepower V-6. But this model really should be ordered with the smoother, quieter, 3.8-liter, 166-horsepower V-6, which powered the LX I recently tested.

The 3.8 V-6--standard on the LXi--costs only an extra $305 for the LX. Both V-6s have been tuned to provide a broader torque curve, and thus provide more snap when the throttle is floored at lower engine speeds.

However, while the 3.8 provides lively performance below 60 m.p.h., it loses steam on highways. For instance, the 65-75 m.p.h. passing times are just average with this engine, although the LX 3.8 easily cruises at 75 m.p.h.

Both the 3.3 and 3.8 V-6s are hooked to one of the smoothest four-speed automatic transmissions in the minivan field. Both engines deliver an EPA-estimated 18 m.p.g. in the city and 24 on highways. But real-world driving will give the 3,863-pound LX a slight edge in economy--at least in town--because it is lighter than the long-wheelbase version.

No matter what the wheelbase, all Chrysler Corp. minivans are packaging masterpieces. For instance, the Town & Country models comfortably seat seven adults, who have a tour-bus view through tall side windows. The low minivan is easy to enter and leave--especially with the wildly popular optional driver-side sliding door.

That easy-rolling door is new for 1996, and accompanies the standard sliding passenger-side door. It's $595 extra for the base and LX models and standard for the LXi.

However, the LX doesn't have as much cargo area as the long-wheelbase Town & Country models when the second- and third-row seats are in their normal positions.

Dashboard switches and the shift lever have a silky motion, and Chrysler took pains to make sure instrumentation can be easily read and that controls are within close reach.

The LX has an edge in handling over its long-wheelbase siblings because a shorter wheelbase results in better maneuver- ability. At 186.3 inches, the LX is about a foot shorter than the long-wheelbase models, making it easier to park and garage.

The standard Town & Country suspension provides a supple ride and excellent handling, but the optional ($60) Touring Handling Group option improves LX roadability. The option only costs $60 and includes upgraded front struts and rear shock absorbers and a rear stabilizer bar.

The rack-and-pinion steering is fast and accurate, although a bit too light at highway speeds. Braking is quick and sure, with good pedal feel. All Town & Country models have dual air bags, anti-lock brakes and five-m.p.h. bumpers.

All also are loaded with standard equipment--including power steering, air conditioning, cruise control, tilt steering column, reclining front bucket seats, AM/FM/cassette, power windows and door locks, remote keyless entry system, heated power mirrors and rear defogger.

The LXi adds items such as the 3.8 V-6, rear air conditioning, dual sliding side doors, eight-way power front bucket seats, leather upholstery and a souped-up sound system.

All Town & Country models are pretty well-rounded. But it's the LX with the 3.8-liter V-6--and that Candy Apple Red paint--that can make your heart beat faster.