2008 Chrysler Town and Country Review

The Town and Country is a minivan that debuted in 1992. Based on the Dodge Caravan, it adds a more luxurious feel. An additional sliding door was added in 1996. A brand new Town and Country debuts for 2008.

The BuyingAdvice Team Says:

The Chrysler Town and Country, after years of getting trounced by imports, is back. With a host of innovative, family-friendly features, the Town and Country is a package any family will love. While it may not win any points for style, it makes up for it in substance, including a quite comfortable ride with lots of technology like Sirius TV and DVD players.

What's New For 2008:

The Town and Country is all-new for 2008. It now features Swivel 'n Go seats, a power folding third row, removable cupholders, heated seats, and a built-in flashlight. Side airbags and stability control are now standard. The exterior is all-new, and is powered by a 4.0-L V6 with 240 horsepower.

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Vital Stats

Starting MSRP:
$23,415

Rebates & Incentives:
no

Seats:
7

Gas Mileage:
17/24

Engine:
3.3L V6

Horsepower:
175@5000RPM

Torque:
205@4000RPM

Transmission:
4 Speed Automatic

Drive:
FR/FWD

Fuel Capacity:
20

Fuel Type:
gasoline

Basic Warranty:
36/36000

Powertrain Warranty:
0/Unlimite

Rust Warranty:
60/100000

What is the Predicted Reliability:

J.D. Power gives the Grand Caravan 3 stars for overall quality. Problems with the last generation included steering play, vehicle noise, water leaks, coolant leaks and failing remote starters. Two major recalls were issued for breaking wipers and improperly manufactured seatbelts. Expect average reliability. The basic warranty lasts for three years or 36,000 miles.

Analysis Of Safety Ratings And Features:

The Town and Country earned perfect government crash test scores. Other information is unavailable. Anti-lock brakes, brake assist, full side airbags, and stability and traction control come standard. A parking camera and sensors are included with the Limited but otherwise optional.

Pros and Cons:

Pros
+ Comfortable
+ Innovative features
+ Luxurious for a minivan

Cons
- Mediocre reliability
- Lower engines not as powerful
- Some cheap parts

Head-To-Head Competition:

The Dodge Grand Caravan is nearly identical, but costs a few hundred less. The Honda Odyssey EX adds a CD changer, standard third row, and over 200 more hp, but costs several thousand more. The Toyota Sienna adds AWD, a CD changer, and a standard third row, but costs several thousand more.

What Others Are Saying:

"Perhaps the exterior fails to prompt any huzzahs from the peanut gallery, but people looking for an exciting family hauler ought to check out the 300C SRT8. Those who need uncompromised room for seven or eight people and all the accoutrements of suburban life can do no better than a minivan, especially if that minivan has not one, but two DVD entertainment systems, allowing the middle and back seat occupants to watch different movies. Pimp that, Xzibit. Or, if all the kids are watching the same movie, when it's over, the middle seats swivel 180 degrees, allowing everyone a nice face-to-face discussion of the subtleties of plot and theme." - Car and Driver

"The new Chrysler Town & Country packs many innovative features and ably competes with minivans from Honda and Toyota." - Forbes

"The interior surfaces, particularly in the Town & Country, aren't as depressingly cheap as some of the company's recent efforts. Overall, the new minivans make modest strides in refinement and design but significant upgrades in family-friendly features. At a time when Chrysler's corporate ownership is in flux, it's nice to see this once-again-American manufacturer return to form as an innovator in the segment it created." - Automobile Magazine

Read more about the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country at the Chrysler manufacturer web site.

Published on Sunday, February 10, 2008 - Email to a friend

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What do you think?

Road Test: Chrysler Town and Country
Read User Comments

The Chrysler Town and Country makes a strong case for sensuality. The minivan market has long been feature-driven. That's really one of the few ways to distinguish one from the other. So, the new Town and Country loads up even the base models. This year, the van received a ground-up redesign, a new 6-speed automatic transmission standard on the larger engines, "Swivel 'n Go" seating, standard three-row side curtain air bags and electronic stability control.

Chosen Model Trim:

The Chrysler Town and Country comes in 3 available trims: LX, Touring and the Limited. I test drove the Limited which comes with everything you could ever want-rear back-up camera, satellite radio, heated leather seats, remote start, power windows, power locks, dual DVD screens for the rear seats, CD player and the list just goes on and on. Honestly, the thing that really wowed me was the correction of a major oversight in the original design of all minivans-fixed middle seat windows. Those middle windows now open and I almost bought a new van right then and there.

Exterior & Interior features/comforts:

The inside of the van looks huge. Heck, it is huge. Nevertheless, I felt a bit cramped getting in and fastening the seat belt. The middle console is just enormous and got in the way. The upside is that there's lots of room for my CD's and DVD's. The middle seats can swivel around to face the rear or can be Stow 'n Go. The rear seat is removable for transporting larger items. There's also a central light strip that provides a low-level of illumination when the headlights are on as well as focused map lights for all of the seats.

Driving Experience:

With its robust 6-cylinder 4.0 liter engine, this minivan has the power to get you where you're going even when towing a load. Acceleration was great and the ride was smooth. If you expect the performance of a race car you'll be sorely disappointed. If you want a safe, comfortable, effortless driving experience then you're in real luck. I was thoroughly impressed. Even the smaller 3.3 liter V-6 on the base model is adequate for street and highway driving.

Summary and My Opinion:

Since this is a major overhaul of the Town and Country, reliability information is not available. That being said if you want a minivan that offers all of the features that you can imagine, an inviting interior, flexible configuration, and a smooth ride this would be a great choice.

User Comments

2008 Chrysler Town and Country Review discusses one of the most popular minivans.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

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2008 Chrysler Town and Country Review