It was summer 1999 and we needed to upgrade to a bigger family vehicle. We looked at all minivans on the market within the $15-18K range. We decided to hunt for the 96-98 model year of the Plymouth Grand Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country, or Dodge Grand Caravan (since they are all basically the same design). The first vehicle we found in the local paper was a 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. Well, wouldn't you know, we bought the first one we found. This van also has integrated child seats in the middle row, which we used for our youngest kids.

The Grand Caravan's styling is good. It's about as good as a minivan can look. It is well rounded and has a very aerodynamic appearance. It looks simple, yet elegant.

The interior is very inviting. Seats are very comfortable and easily adjustable. The middle row is a little bit too upright for comfort in the default position, but reclining it just a smidge fixes that. The seat layout is two captains in the front, a two-seater bench in the middle, and a three-seater bench in the back. The seats are somewhat of a pain to juggle when removing and replacing, they weigh about 60-70 lbs. each, and aligning the wheels into their channels is kind of a pain, but this seating configuration is a piece of cake compared to a few other vans I have dealt with (i.e. Chevy Venture). The passenger seat is very comfortable, in my opinion; it's the ideal place to be in the van. The driver's seat is within easy reach of all controls; the display is easy to read day or night. And there is no distracting tachometer unlike some other vans, because what's the point of having a tach in an automatic? Visibility is outstanding! The windshield is huge, and the view doesn’t allow you to see the hood, which I think is a plus. Mirrors are pretty big, which is good when driving… not so good when parking in narrow garages or parking spaces. A/C is cold, and the heat is nice and toasty. On those hot summer days that you park in a sunny parking lot, the van is comfortable within 90-120 seconds after starting. Standard sound system isn’t Bose quality, but it does provide ample sound throughout the van. Interior lighting is pretty good, the only problem is that the passengers in the rear rows do not have control over the dome lights; they have to make a request to the driver to turn them on/off. Trunk space in the Grand Caravan is the most spacious of any minivan I’ve seen, and for those occasional times that you need an extra few inches in the back, the rear seat can be adjusted forward.

The Grand Caravan performs fairly well for a minivan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not sports car. But, for being as heavy as it is, the 3.0 liter V6 does an admirable job, although you wouldn’t think so. I think it out performs most other minivans in its class. But… it’s no mustang, so don’t expect to win any drag races. Steering is very responsive. On the highway, the ride is pretty smooth and quiet, although don’t expect to be driving and have a conversation with the person in the back seat without having to strait to hear.

I must say that this is a pretty reliable vehicle. We have had very few problems with it. It has a few minor recalls, but we took care of those asap. Plus, parts are fairly cheap since it’s a pretty popular vehicle.

Fuel economy isn’t so great. I drive about 40 miles a day and have to fill up on an average of once a week. You can probably expect 16city/23hiwy. I guess I can’t complain when comparing this to SUVs. But, on the other hand, they have a big powerful V8. So, I guess it’s a wash.

I would strongly recommend the Grand Caravan to anyone with two or more kids. It’s a great family vehicle, and everyone will love it.

Amount Paid (US$): 17,000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1997
Model and Options: SE