Test drove: 10/09/2007 to 10/23/2007

Minivan Class is in Session

By: Sara Lacey

Welcome, class, to Chrysler Town & Country 101. If you are in the wrong classroom, please take this opportunity to leave now, as I have a lot to say and cannot be interrupted once we start. Good. Just a few matters of housekeeping before we begin: Feel free to place your purse on the floor in front of the console where the gear shifter used to be. I know it’s weird, but we don’t want our passengers stuck with your diaper bags on their laps, now do we? Also, please set your beverages in any of the 13 cup/bottleholders in your immediate area. You don’t want that water bottle rolling all the way to the back of the minivan when you accelerate and rolling all the way back to the front when you brake, do you? That’s just annoying to your passengers, er, classmates. Please note that, for the sake of brevity, we will use the abbreviation T&C to represent the Town & Country.

Quiet down, class. I know you really only want to hear about the Swivel ‘N Go seats, but that comes later in the lecture. (It’s part of the advanced material, if you will.) To begin, a little history on the T&C: This minivan has been around for ages (since 1984) and has experienced several updates since then, including one for 2008. There’s a lot to talk about with this one. To sum up, there’s new exterior body styling (which I think could dress up as a mailbox for Halloween with nothing more than the attachment of a bright red flag), new interior comfort and convenience features, and entertainment options out the wazoo.

Most surprising is the 2008’s exterior styling. It looks like a historical reference to the 1984 version. It’s very boxy and edgy, not at all like the sleek crossovers this generation of families is starting to prefer. The T&C isn’t trying to come off as something it’s not. In fact, it’s proud of its heritage, calling itself a “family room on wheels.” Family rooms aren’t sleek, they’re comfortable and accessible (unless you don’t have kids). So, class, if you like the idea of taking your home with you everywhere you go, take lots of notes. Comfort is a major feature of the T&C.

The T&C is very easy to get into thanks to the automatic door-opening feature. Also, the captain’s chairs in the second row make getting into and out of the third row a cinch. The second-row windows roll down, and comfort in the driver’s seat is good in spite of the lack of a telescoping steering wheel. The previously mentioned space for a purse is a welcome relief to the bag-management issues prevalent in other vehicles. That does create a little visual weirdness with the gearshift on the dash, but I bet many people would be willing to make that trade.

Storage seems to be the modus operandi for the T&C; there’s so much space I feel like I could move in. In fact, I feel like I should move in. I need to go buy Kleenex packets to stash, wipes to store, snacks to tote and drinks to stow. I need to move in. There are two glove boxes, a huge console with three levels of organization, and bins in the second row for gear—or for another family to live in. Nets and pockets on the backs of the front seats are the perfect spot for pads of paper, books or magazines. Despite all that storage space for multitudinous activities, customers will find it difficult to do anything other than watch TV —yes, satellite TV that broadcasts Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network—in the T&C.

Why? Because there are three screens, including two in the rear. The third, up front in the dash, also displays images from the backup camera (movies and TV can only be watched when the vehicle is in Park). Please note, students, that the entertainment system remains a challenge for even the most techie-skilled moms and dads. Outlets are available for your own video games, as well. Dear pupils, can you tell me what results from entertainment options in a vehicle? That’s right, arguments about why we can’t watch “Finding Nemo” on the way to the grocery store. Now double it. No, triple it.

But the piece de resistance is the Swivel ‘N Go feature. Ads for the new T&C highlight this feature as the be-all, end-all to minivan functionality. The second-row captain’s chairs swivel around to face the third row, and there’s a table that can be set up between the rows. Chrysler marketing says families can have game night or dinner right there in the car, which may sound familiar to those who grew up with conversion vans. In any case, this is a fun, unique feature that everyone seems to be intrigued with. Yes, you can eat at the table or play a game (this researcher and her family found Trouble to be the best choice), but it’s not comfortable for a long meal, or a longer game, like Monopoly. Still, it is fun and would likely be used quite often.

There are some notable downsides, however. When the captain’s chairs are facing the rear of the vehicle, legroom for the front seats is limited. Visibility is also limited by the captain’s chairs’ headrests and integrated seat belts. Most importantly, however, no child seats (not infant seats, not convertible seats, not booster seats) may be used in the Swivel ‘N Go seats when they’re facing the rear of the vehicle. The only approved child seats are integrated booster seats that are a $225 option. Troubling? It was when this researcher’s kids wanted to ride backward.

The third row is just as fascinating and confounding. The seat splits 60/40, but the split in the seat and its light contouring prohibit boosters from fitting as nicely as I’d like them to. Also, the seat tilts back kind of far, preventing the seat belts from laying flat against my kids’ chests. Class, you surely already know that limiting the third row as a seating option leads to temper tantrums. Enough said.

Thankfully, convertible seats fit fine with the help of good Latch connectors. Another notable feature is the way the rear seat tilts backward to turn into a tailgating seat facing out the back. Be sure to tell the kids in advance that this is not an option when the vehicle is in motion. When the third row isn’t in use, it folds completely into the floor. Researchers love this.

The 2008 T&C is full of features, class. There are so many to list I can’t do it in one review. Please know that there is further research out there, and I have just touched on the major points. This vehicle must be studied extensively to understand its features and options. Any purchase would surely be followed by a long break-in period, during which the features would cease to be a novelty, but continue to be appreciated. Until that time, it is concluded that short trips require patience while young subjects explore all their travel options.

*For more information on the Chrysler Town & Country and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

• Posted on November 8, 2007
• Minivan
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