2008 Chrysler Town & Country Preview

Chrysler Town & Country Preview – 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Nothing beats a minivan for practicality. SUVs, wagons, crossovers? They each have strengths, but when it comes to carrying people and cargo, none can do it like a minivan. We can thank Chrysler for introducing us to this multi-purpose vehicular invention more than 20 years ago, spawning a field of competitors that has grown fat and, more recently, a bit thinner with the announced departure of GM and Ford models. Unlike those domestics, Chrysler continues to fight on with the Japanese and Koreans, packing an especially powerful punch with the 2008 Town & Country’s new engine, new styling, and one of the most versatile interiors ever offered. Models go on sale this fall.

Why it Matters

Fewer folks are buying minivans these days, due largely to the mommy-mobile stigma and proliferation of crossover models. Couple that with new or redesigned models from the Japanese and Koreans, and it’s easy to comprehend how hard Chrysler has to work for each minivan sale. They’ve trudged along with some interior innovations and robust incentives, but a redesigned vehicle is what has really been needed. The 2008 Town & Country, host to a bevy of unique interior features and a new style, should not only spell relief for Chrysler van fans waiting for a new look, but also may give pause to shoppers ready to drop ink on a Honda or Hyundai.

What’s Under the Hood

Chrysler and Dodge are offering the 2008 line of minivans – the Town & Country and the Grand Caravan – with three engine choices. They include a 3.3-liter, flex-fuel V6 that’s good for 170 horsepower and works with a four-speed automatic transmission; a 3.8-liter V6 that produces 198 horses and is mated to a six-speed automatic tranny; and a new 4.0-liter V6 that pumps out 240 horsepower and is mated to the six-speed transmission. The all-wheel drive option has been dropped, so all of the new vans put power to the front wheels only, which depending on the trim level, will measure 16 or 17 inches in diameter.

What it Looks Like

The face is taller, the headlights more rectangular, and the short wheelbase version has been scrapped. Along the flanks, designers have added more pronounced wheel flares, less curvaceous sheet metal, and what looks to be a higher beltline. The tailgate is flatter, offering less visual detail, and is offset by square taillight lenses which replace the wedged lamps of the 2007 model. Compared to the model it replaces, the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country has an extra two inches of wheelbase, is two inches longer, is more than an inch narrower, offers nearly the same cargo space, and compares evenly in terms of interior room (except for losing more than an inch of second row leg room).

What’s Inside

Inside is where you’ll find the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country’s golden jewel. It’s more of a collection of goodies rather than just one item. Take, for instance, the optional Swivel ’n Go second row buckets that can be turned 180 degrees to face the power folding and stowable third row bench and available center activity table, the front sliding console, the integrated second row child booster seat, the adjustable LED reading lights, the stain-resistant cloth seats (leather optional), or the dishwasher-safe cupholders. That’s in addition to a DVD system that can simultaneously play two videos, three-row side-curtain airbags, available Stow ’n Go seating, rear power windows, and an available 506-watt stereo that promises to drown-out noisy kids (“Sorry, Mommy can’t hear you!”).

What Chrysler Says

George Murphy, senior vice president of Chrysler Group Marketing, says, “The 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan offer the best amenities for today’s busy families. With a dual DVD system that plays different media at the same time, pinpoint LED lighting to red by, a table to play games or finish homework, a voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic, power sliding doors and liftgate and YES Essentials cloth seats, every member of the family will enjoy their journey.”

What We Think

With the exception of the 300 sedan, which has been on the market for quite some time, Chrysler is running a little lean on hits. The Dodge Durango-based Aspen SUV isn’t exactly flying off the lots, and the redesigned Sebring has received mixed responses, with the pendulum swinging toward the negative. We’re expecting the 2008 Town & Country to receive a much more favorable reception, not necessarily because of its boxier styling, but because of the engineers’ ability to provide innovative interior design without drastically changing existing dimensions. This new version matches the competition and then some, and remains one of the premier examples of practical family transportation. Now, if they’d work on pumping out more than 240 horses….

Photos courtesy of Chrysler