Thursday, March 28

2016 Dodge Grand Caravan: The Stalwart of the Minivan World

12.10.15 - 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan

One of the first minivans that caught the attention of the world continues to be a fantastic performer on the market.  The Dodge Grand Caravan has been giving families what they want for many years including the Stow ‘n Go seating to allow for added storage or a place for the seats to go when they are not being used and the van is needed for carrying some cargo.  Not only do you see some great interior features and clean lines on the outside but the price for the Grand Caravan has always been part of why we love it so much.

When a minivan is the vehicle you need for hauling your family around this is the one to choose.  With a powerful engine and plenty of seating for all this van is versatile and easy for you to make use of for your family.  You can have the roof rack on top for added storage or put the seats away when you need to bring a project home from the hardware store.  The Grand Caravan is also a great vehicle for traveling with the family as it’s comfortable and spacious for everyone to enjoy.

Driving the Grand Caravan is one that isn’t going to give you the agility of a sports car or end up allowing you to feel as if it’s an exciting drive, but this is a minivan, it’s not supposed to be exciting.  The ride is smooth, enjoyable for your family and confident along any road.  With the power this van has for you the option is in place for you to add 3,600 pounds of towing capacity when the van is equipped which makes for an even better overall capability for this van.  A smooth ride with towing and the features your family loves will certainly give you a van that is right for you to enjoy.

Only one engine is available for the Grand Caravan, but it does the job well and offers you want you need from a minivan.  This engine is a 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine that offers up 283 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque.  Attached to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission this powertrain is exactly what you want in a fan and returns 17 city/25 hwy mpg of fuel mileage for you to have a reasonable amount of efficiency in this family hauler.

On the inside the Grand Caravan is comfortable for seven to ride along and enjoy.  There is some flexibility with the cargo space and if you don’t have seven riding along you can find many different configurations you can use to haul odd shaped or large items in this van.  Using upgrades your family can enjoy a pair of rear video screens and some other great features while you have one of the best cockpits in the industry to control the van from and keep your family safe on the road.  This has been a van that more of us have enjoyed over the years to be a great way for families to travel.

On the outside the Grand Caravan is instantly recognizable and lets you see its boxy shape which is meant to allow for more interior space.  The front of this minivan does have a gorgeous and imposing presence to let you see the well-styled grill and the bright headlights that flank the grill.  The wheels are another area where the style shows up as they are star shaped versions that look great and add some appeal to the van.  Of course added cargo can be enjoyed for those who choose the Grand Caravan with a roof rack on top.

At the base level the Grand Caravan comes equipped standard with the American Value Package which offers 17-inch wheels, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power windows, power locks, steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control, storage bins in the floor, electronic traction and stability controls, ABS and a full menu of airbags.  This gives any family a great minivan that certainly lets them have a place to enjoy the ride even at the base model that offers some great equipment for you to enjoy.

When you choose to upgrade your Grand Caravan you can move up to the SE model and add the Stow ‘n Go seating, tinted glass, tri-zone automatic climate control, second row power windows, the Uconnect voice command and Bluetooth connectivity.  The SXT model increases the features to add power sliding doors and a power liftgate.  Move up to the R/T and you add a monochrome exterior and some improved treatments inside the van.  Some stand-alone features you can add to any of these models include parking sensors, blind spot monitoring with cross path detection, dual DVD screens, Garmin navigation through the radio, a load leveling suspension, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and rain sensing windshield wipers.

With all the features mentioned, which are awesome on this van, the two that show up as favorites as reviewed by many customers for years are the engine and the price.  The engine is one of the most powerful for a minivan on the market today and with this powertrain the power is enjoyed right away.  As for the price, the Grand Caravan starts out extremely low and reaches near luxury looks and features without breaking the bank and costing way too much.

As mentioned, the price of this minivan makes it easy to own.  At that base AVP model the price starts out ad just under $23,000 to give you a van with some good features.  The SE will add $3,000 to that price and the SXT shows up at $28,600 to give you a great blend of features.  The R/T will cost you nearly $32,000 and with every box on the menu checked off you will spend close to $38,000 but you will have a minivan that has features found mostly on luxury cars that costs much more than this great, long running, minivan asks for.

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.

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