First Drive Review
All in all, these are interesting times for a boring segment. Chrysler, the company that invented the modern minivan back in 1983, is fully expecting to continue its run of excellence-the Dodge Caravan has been the minivan sales leader for 24 years-with the fifth generation of its people movers, even as competitors such as Ford and General Motors vociferously exit the segment.
Honda is putting finishing touches on a refresh of its stellar Odyssey, and Toyota appears to have retreated to the drawing board before launching an all-new Sienna, likely in 2010. Hyundai is a new player with its Entourage, and Volkswagen and maybe even Subaru are only a year from entering the segment that sees about 1.1 million sales annually in the U.S.
Although Chrysler calls them all-new minivans-and they do get new exterior styling-the floorpan (the largest piece of sheetmetal in the vehicle) is a holdover, which makes possible the popular Stow 'n Go seating system, where the second- and third-row seats disappear into giant tubs in the floor. The floor wells serve as storage when the seats are upright. Stow 'n Go was introduced for 2005 to compete with the Odyssey and Sienna, which had similarly disappearing third rows.
Stow 'n Go Gets a Friend: Swivel 'n Go
Stow 'n Go breathed new life into Chrysler minivan sales and essentially gave the automaker a head start on the 2008 model that takes innovation a step further with its patented Swivel 'n Go that transforms the van into a dining car. The second-row bucket seats pivot (seatbelts are mounted to the seat structure) to become rear facing, allowing passengers (adults fit, but not always gracefully) to belly up to an optional removable table for a rousing game of euchre with those in the third row. When not in use, the table stores in the floor.
The trade-off: You have to choose between Swivel 'n Go's table and plusher second-row seats that do not stow and the functionality of Stow 'n Go (less comfy on long rides). You can't have both.
Chrysler executives admit Swivel 'n Go has the wow factor to draw people into the showroom and solidify Chrysler's minivan leadership, but the majority are expected to buy Stow 'n Go. Available with both is a slick power-folding third row. With the press of a button, the two parts of the split third row assume a normal seating position. Another touch and one or both sections fold quietly into the floor. Press a third time, and the seats perform water ballet, gracefully somersaulting and flipping to assume the tailgate position, facing rearward.
A third seating option is a conventional second-row bench seat and stowable third row. Our (large) tester child, at six-foot-two, fit in all seating positions and pronounced them comfortable. The swivel seats are fatter and more luxurious, but Chrysler has improved the less-comfy Stow 'n Go cushions as well, although they must remain leaner to be able to fold away
