Dodge Grand Caravan Crew

    I recently had the privelege of driving the new Dodge Grand Caravan Crew model. This was my first experience driving a minivan with the girls for an extended period of time. We rented it on our recent trip to Florida. First of all let me say, minivans are the greatest invention for families! We normally drive a small SUV that seats 5 adults, but, with 2 car seats inside it really only seats 2 adults. I was so thrilled when my wife, the 2 car seats, our huge B.O.B. stroller and all of our luggage fit comfortably inside the van!

     As hard as it is to admit as a man, a minivan has been my dream car for about 4 years now. They are so practical and the design of them lately is really cool. I've always kind of had my eye on the Honda Odyssey but I must say I was very impressed with the new Dodge Caravan. The exterior design is very nice and not too boxy. The model we rented had the push button side doors which I highly recommend. Several times I had my hands full and was able to simply push a button allowing the girls easy access to the van. It also sits low to the ground so both girls were able to climb right in by themselves. Another feature I really liked was the many different possibilites for seat rearrangement. When the back row of seats is in place there is a deep storage bin that is exposed. You can also fold the middle and back rows completely into the floor to make a nice large flat area for luggage and things.

     The model that we had did not have all the bells and whistles but I was impressed that even such a "basic" model had so many ameneties. we had all power windows and doors, even the rear tilt windows were power. The interior was very sharp and stylish. I really liked the Ebony wood grain dash panels. There were tons of storage compartments which I loved! They were everywhere, in the ceiling, on the walls, in the floor, it was great! Finally, even though it was a "basic" model, I loved the very large screen back-up camera that automatically comes on when in reverse. I very much enjoyed my week as a minivan Daddy in the new Dodge Grand Caravan. I would highly recommend this van as a family vehicle. It was fun to drive, had plenty of space, the seats were very comfortable and it was great on gas.