- minivan 82,315
- 11,995 high price
- Salem, OR
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- autoshopper.com
- minivan 82,315 flex fuel white automatic
2011 dodge grand caravan review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Updated and fully competitive in the class. introductiondodge grand caravan has been substantially revised for the 2011 model year, and we think the changes elevate this minivan on the consideration scale. The dodge grand caravan and chrysler town & country offer class-leading interior convenience. the 2011 dodge grand caravan benefits from an extensive midcycle update. Changes for 2011 include revised styling, a new engine, an upgraded suspension, and a reworked interior. for 2011, grand caravan has been repositioned to sell mostly below $30,000 while its chrysler counterpart, the town & country, is packaged to sell above $30,000. For the grand caravan, that means several features are no longer available, including sirius backseat tv, flotv, a power third-row seat, a dual-screen rear dvd entertainment system, and swivel 'n go seating with second-row seats that turn rearward to face a table that stows in the floor. However, the key features that make the grand caravan a compelling purchase as a people mover remain. the new engine for 2011 is a 3. 6-liter v6 that replaces three archaic v6s from 2010, offering more power and improved fuel economy. The new engine fixes a weak point and makes the dodge competitive with the toyota sienna and honda odyssey. This fine new 3. 6-liter v6 is mated to a mediocre 6-speed automatic transmission, resulting in a combination that delivers adequate response for most drivers. the 2011 grand caravan suspension is stiffer than before and the van rides lower, making it more responsive to driver inputs than the 2010 model. Gone are the annoying wallow and float characteristics we noted with the 2010 model. Yet ride quality is still quite smooth. Like all modern minivans, the grand caravan is big, so it can be a beast to handle in tight quarters. Grand caravan, sienna, and odyssey are all the same size: extra large. Indeed, we should call these vehicles midi-vans or vans because there is nothing mini about them. for 2011, the interior of the grand caravan is upgraded, and we find the new look far more attractive. The materials are richer, though, like most of its rivals, hard plastic dominates the dashboard. Still, the new soft-touch door tops, redesigned gauges and nice bits of trim are welcome. grand caravan is about usable space. Super stow 'n go is standard. The third-row seats fold into the well behind them, and with all the seats down the grand caravan can accept a 4x8 sheet of plywood. the grand caravan's unique cargo and entertainment features make it a strong contender in the minivan class, and the 2011 changes only make it better. Families will like it, especially because those entertainment features will make for more enjoyable family trips. That is, after all, the reason the grand caravan remains so popular. While some options are gone, there are plenty of entertainment features that will help keep the kids occupied. They include three types of hard-drive radio, sirius satellite radio, rear dvd entertainment, a wireless cell phone link, and a mobile internet hot spot. Its designers focused on interior creature comforts, such as the popular stow 'n go seating system. Stow 'n go consists of bins in the floor behind the first row of seats, and second-row seats that can be folded into those bins, resulting in a flat load floor for easily carrying larger objects. Options include a rearview camera, rear park assist, rear cross path and blind spot alert. All-wheel drive is not available. walkaroundthe dodge grand caravan is attractive, as minivans go. The look is less boxy for 2011, as dodge has softened the lines a bit while adding a touch of sportiness. for starters, the 2011 grand caravan sits an inch lower than before. Up front, it has a sportier fascia with mesh inserts, a revised version of the dodge crosshair grille, a slightly reshaped hood and quad headlights. At the rear, the liftgate is slightly modified to accept new dodge lettering, there is a body color roof spoiler, the fascia is new, there a step plate with chrome trim, and the taillights add leds. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard. We think the available five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels look better. a minivan shape does not lend itself to artistic sculpture. A description of the overall shape of this current generation of the dodge grand caravan wouldn't sound too much different from a description of the 1982 model. There is a big box behind, where all the people and cargo fit, and a smaller box in front, for the engine. That very efficient outline defines every minivan on the road. all the leading minivans, including toyota sienna, honda odyssey, and chrysler town & country, are within an inch or two of the grand caravan in overall dimensions. The grand caravan has a 202. 8-inch overall length and a 121. 2-inch wheelbase. these so-called minivans are quite large. However, they share their basic architecture with cars, using unit-body structures and front-wheel-drive platforms, with the engine mounted transversely. Conversely, full-size vans, such as the chevrolet express, are built on truck platforms, with body-on-frame structures, rear-wheel-drive platforms and giant, longitudinally mounted v8 engines. Minivans are lighter, more fuel-efficient and offer more responsive handling than the full-size vans. interiorthe 2011 grand caravan gets a new interior design, and it's a considerable upgrade versus the 2010 model. The dashboard is still hard plastic, but that's the norm for the class. The look and feel is much better, with a more flowing, one-piece design. The door tops are now padded, adding a touch of comfort, and the cloth and leather upholstery are upgraded. We liked the stain-resistant cloth seats on last year's models, but the cloth seats on the 2011 models look quite good as well. up front, the instrumentation is changed for 2011, with bigger black dials offset by blue-tinted graphics and chrome trim. The shift lever sticks out just to the left of the center stack, an efficient location. the steering wheel is new on the 2011 model.
11,995 Salem, ORSalem, OR at autoshopper.com