It's hard to believe the minivan has surpassed the quarter-century mark. The year was 1984 and aside from an unfamiliar new president (I'd never seen his movies), I distinctly remember two vehicles that made impressions on me.
Both from Dodge, the Daytona was the cool-looking coupe while the Caravan was the, well, minivan. Shining some light on the practical decision-making process of a high school senior, the Daytona barely survived my matriculation through college, while the minivan survived to see me write about it professionally when I had a family to fit in it.
A wide-eyed student just getting used to the idea of owning a car, there was little the establishment could offer me worth adopting - but the minivan, it was something different, something strange. I didn't really want one, but I remember being impressed with all the room inside one.
Turns out most of those tricked-out Chevy van owners would slowly start to turn into Caravan owners. Those Daytona owners, well, they slowly started to watch "delamination" take hold and the exterior paint peel off their vehicle in sheets. Some might say we watched our president do the same.
I recently tested the Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, the top model in the iconic brand's lineup. While the SXT has all the bells and whistles, there are two lower lines that deliver great equipment and outstanding value in the class.
The Grand Caravan's appeal still begins with the base price of $23,175 (SE trim) equipped with the 175-horsepower 3.3-liter V-6 engine; there is also a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V-6 power plant.
My 2010 SXT Caravan featured the top-line 4.0-liter V-6 engine ($530) and started out at $26,730. Featuring a minivan first six-speed automatic transmission and an Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy rating of 17 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway, the Caravan delivers some exciting equipment packages in an effort to make the minivan experience a bit less vanlike.
One thing the SXT does deliver over the lower configuration is extra towing capacity. For a mere $600, Dodge will add a 3,000-pound towing capacity (compared to the SE's 1,800) convenient wiring harness, along with load leveling and height controls. This is a great deal if the Grand Caravan will be asked to pull Wave runners, a fishing boat or pop-up camper for weekend getaways.
My tester added a $2,760 customer preferred optional package that included 17-inch aluminum wheels, all-season touring tires, leather interior as well as eight-way power, heated front and second-row seats. Again, for the cost, this is a steal, and it makes the driving experience as pleasant as a minivan experience can be.
Inside the cabin of the Grand Caravan there is ample head and legroom. I found the cabin to be a cinch to move about from the front to the rear. If you include the second-row swivel chairs and hide-away table (either the Stow 'n Go or Swivel 'n Go seating and storage systems), long trips become even more enjoyable.
If you pony up for the $2,200 entertainment package, the 9-inch dual DVD backseat TV and a host of rear entertainment system features will keep the kids occupied and again make the cost melt away after just a couple long road trips. The wireless headphones and video remote control really make this a turnkey system to operate. You'll never know the kids are even in the vehicle.
The security group package ($1,030) offers an industry-first blind spot and cross path detection system that really gives the driver peace of mind while driving such a relatively big vehicle around in daily traffic. If there is a vehicle in your blind spot, a light illuminates on the rearview mirror and a chime sounds in the cabin.
There was little my SXT didn't have on it, and as far as I could tell it managed to serve every possible need I had with a full cabin of passengers and a long road trip to Iowa. Compare the package costs to other equipment levels in the remaining minivan class and you might be surprised just how good a value the packages are priced.
My tester had the new Sirius Backseat TV, a $495 expense that included one year of service. Unfortunately, I was never able to get all the stations to tune in, which really would have been a plus on the road trip.
Overall, the Grand Caravan is roomy and value priced for any level while allowing for families to add on equipment, performance and accoutrement levels as they deem fit for their lifestyle or travel patterns.
There is a reason that 1984 minivan outlasted the Daytona. Suffice to say, a 17-year-old knows little about value and has even less appreciation for form and function - the Grand Caravan is still the elder statesman as well as the value statement in the class.
2010 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SXT
ENGINE: 251-horsepower 4.0-liter V-6
TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic
DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive
FUEL ECONOMY: 17 city/25 highway
BASE PRICE: $26,730
AS TESTED: not available
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