Overview Luxurious minivan with mass appeal
Pros Uconnect system, flexibility/space, overall comfort
Cons Rearward visibility, spotty fit and finish
Value for money Good
What would I change? Keep the Dodge derivative in the line-up beyond 2016
Lee Iacocca’s decision to build the original minivan rather than a mid-sized pickup truck was nothing short of a stroke of genius — it changed the automotive landscape and saved Chrysler’s bacon when it was launched in 1984. True, the original was rough around the edges, but subsequent generations along with the addition of the Grand Caravan in 1987 morphed it into a tried and true performer that can be ordered with as much or as little equipment as required. The constant in all of this is the versatility the Grand Caravan brings to the road.
2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew Plus
Graeme Fletcher, Driving
In this regard, little has changed over the years, however, a true innovation arrived in the form of Dodge’s Stow ’n Go seating. Aside from the fact there’s no heavy lifting, it is the seat comfort that continues to defy logic. To fit into the under-floor bins, the seat’s components were downsized — everything including the padding. The Crew’s leather seats proved to be surprisingly comfortable given the trade-off.
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The Grand’s power-sliding side doors and power tailgate gave access to an unprecedented level of flexibility — it went from seven-seat people carrier to cargo van in minutes and it did so without the usual mucking about. According to Dodge there are 81 different seating configurations. One is fishing — tilt the third backwards and it gives somewhere to sit while waiting for a nibble. With all seats in place, there are two large storage bins ahead of the middle row seats, a deep well behind the third row seat and 935 litres of storage space. Stow the third row, which is a simple task, and the cargo capacity jumps to 2,359L. Move the front seats fully forward (the only concession to the ease of transformation), lower the middle captain’s seats and the space blossoms to 4,072L. My first apartment had less room!
What goes unsaid is when the need to go back to the passenger format arrives the seats are aboard and not gathering dust in the garage.
The rest of the cabin is equally well thought through. In particular, it’s Dodge’s Uconnect infotainment system and optional navigation. It is, without question, the easiest to use regardless of manufacturer — so easy I flipped between the various infotainment, phone and navigation functions without having to think about it first. The 6.5-inch touchscreen also displays the back-up camera. It proved to be invaluable — the rearward sightlines are not the best and it’s a long way from the driver’s vantage point to the back bumper.
In terms of the drive, the 2015 Grand Caravan Crew is a very distant relative to the original. Many owners of those early mules still have nightmares about the spotty reliability — namely the wonky transmissions and dreadful engines. Today, it’s Chrysler’s 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 and a six-speed manumatic that provides the pick up. The engine delivers 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to bring a rewarding turn of speed regardless of the Crew’s load. Acceleration testing pegged the run from rest to 100 kilometres an hour at 8.4 seconds and it returned a six-second run between 80 and 120 km/h. Remarkably, it did this while returning surprising fuel economy — a test average of 12.1 litres per 100 kilometres surprised me given the less-than-aerodynamic form and large V6 engine. For those into economy, there is an Eco button that softens the throttle and forces the transmission to upshift early. It saw very little use during my time with the Crew.
2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew Plus
Graeme Fletcher, Driving
The touring suspension is on the soft side, which introduces some body roll, but given the fact it has to cover such a broad range of conditions — from just the driver to cushioning the contents of a small apartment — the comfort and overall driving dynamics remain class-leading. Some knock the suspension for becoming harsh on a rutted road — perhaps in Detroit, but I had no complaints. The plus proved to be understeer was minimal thanks to the P225/65R17 Yokohama tires. Likewise, the vagueness that defines the steering in most minivans was absent. No, you won’t think of the Crew as being remotely sporty, but the turn-in is crisp and the on-centre feel reassuring. The combination eliminated the usual minivan wander at highway speeds. More surprising was the fact it remained remarkably stable when blasted by a crosswind. Yes, a heavy gust moved it laterally, but given the side profile is sail-like in size it only required a minor correction to maintain the desired line.
Also read: Let’s stop calling it a minivan — it’s an adventure vessel!
The Dodge Caravan has ruled the minivan roost since the day it was introduced so many moons ago. Now in its fifth generation, it continues to lead the way. While many manufacturers have tried to keep up with Chrysler’s innovation, not one has succeeded. What surprised me about the Grand Caravan Crew Plus was the fact it brought just about everything the Chrysler Town & Country offers, but for significantly less money. This makes Chrysler’s decision to stop building the Dodge Grand Caravan in 2016 incomprehensible. Consider this: Sales of the GC were up 10.8% in 2014 for a total of 51,759 units. That represents 57.7% of the total minivan market!
2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew Plus
Graeme Fletcher, Driving
The Specs
Type of vehicle Minivan
Engine 3.6L DOHC V6
Power 283 hp @ 6,350 rpm; 260 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission Six-speed manumatic
Brakes Four-wheel disc
Tires P225/65R17
Price (base/as tested) $19,895/$35,885 (discount applied)
Destination charge $1,695
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 13.7 city, 9.4 highway
Standard features Tri-zone air conditioning with filtration, power locks, windows and heated mirrors, cruise control, leather seating, tilt/telescopic steering, power driver/passenger seats, heated front seats, Uconnect infotainment system with six speakers, AUX input and steering wheel-mounted controls, keyless entry, power sliding doors, power liftgate, Stow ’n Go second/third row seats, 115-volt outlet, intermittent wipers, rear wiper/washer, and more
Notable options Security group ($595), Driver Convenience group ($650), Safety Sphere group ($975), Navigation ($475), paint ($195)
