MSRP: $18,380-27,100
Invoice: $17,341-24,789
Class: minivan
Value In Class: 9 out of 10
--------------------------
Trim Name
Retail
Dealer Price
Invoice

SE regular length 4-door van $18,380, $17,341
SXT regular length 4-door van $22,320, $20,480
Grand SE 4-door van $23,015, $21,614
Grand SXT 4-door van $27,100, $24,789
--------------------------
2006 Dodge Caravan: Highlights

Dodge's popular minivan is built from the same design as Chrysler's Town & Country. It comes as the regular-length Caravan or extended-length Grand Caravan in SE and SXT trim. All have 7-passenger seating. The regular-length SE has a 2.4-liter 4-cyl engine or an optional 3.3 V6. Regular-length SXT and Grand SE have the 3.3 V6. Grand SXT gets a 3.8 V6. All come with automatic transmission. Traction control is standard on Grand SXT, unavailable elsewhere. No antiskid system is offered. ABS is standard on Grands, optional on SXT regular. A driver knee airbag is standard on all, and head-protecting curtain side airbags that cover all three seating rows are optional on all but the 4-cyl SE. Also available is a tire-pressure monitor.
Standard on the Grand SXT is Dodge's Stow 'n Go 2nd- and 3rd-row seats that fold into the floorwells. With the seats raised, the wells provide covered storage space. Other available features include power sliding side doors, power liftgate, power-adjustable pedals, rear DVD entertainment, navigation system, and Chrysler's UConnect hands-free cell phone link. Newly available is an AM/FM/DVD radio that plays CDs, CDs with MP3 files, and DVD-Audio discs.

Competition

Consumer GuideĀ® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Long the choice as the family hauler, Minivans are easily the smartest use of space for passengers and cargo. These vehicles offer a fantastic blend of comfort, convenience, and safety features for the modern family.

Our Best Buys include Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, and Honda Odyssey. Our Recommended pick is Toyota Sienna.

Kia Sedona is new or significantly redesigned.

News

Chrysler Group is determined to protect its dominant share of the minivan market. That's why it spent a reported $400 million on making extensive underskin changes to accommodate the new Stow 'n Go seats. Will the company spend still more to put Stow 'n Go in its regular-length minivans? We're doubtful, because the shorties generate far fewer sales than the extended models, so any investment would take longer to recoup. Still, it could happen.

What will definitely happen, say our moles, is some sort of makeover for all Chrysler/Dodge minivans come 2007 or '08. This could amount to a clean-sheet redo, which would be in line with Chrysler's reported goal of improving its minivans' performance in government crash tests.


Standard Equipment
SE regular length
Powertrain
2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed automatic transmission

Safety
dual front airbags, driver-side knee airbag

Comfort and Convenience Features
front air conditioning, power steering, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, 2nd- and 3rd-row bench seats, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, variable-intermittent wipers, map lights, visor mirrors, intermittent rear wiper/washer

Appearance and Miscellaneous
215/70R15 tires, wheel covers


SXT regular length adds to SE regular length:
Powertrain
3.3-liter V6 engine

Comfort and Convenience Features
tilt steering wheel, cruise control, dual-zone manual climate controls, 2nd-row bucket seats, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, tachometer, rear defogger, floormats, automatic-off headlights

Appearance and Miscellaneous
theft-deterrent system, rear privacy glass, 215/65R16 tires, alloy wheels


Grand SE adds to SE regular length:
Powertrain
3.3-liter V6 engine

Safety
antilock 4-wheel disc brakes

Comfort and Convenience Features
tilt steering wheel, cruise control, 3rd-row stowable split folding rear seat, rear defogger


Grand SXT adds to SXT regular length:
Powertrain
3.8-liter V6 engine, traction control

Safety
antilock 4-wheel disc brakes

Comfort and Convenience Features
tri-zone manual climate controls (including rear controls), rear air conditioning and heater, leather-wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls, 8-way power driver seat, 2nd-row stowable bucket seats, 3rd-row stowable split folding seat, power sliding rear doors, trip computer, universal garage-door opener, illuminated visor mirrors

Appearance and Miscellaneous
roof rack, fog lights


------------------------

Engines
Dohc I4 ohv V6 ohv V6
Size, liters/cu. in 2.4/148 3.3/202 3.8/231
Horsepower @ rpm 150 @ 5200 180 @ 5000 207 @ 5000
Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm 165 @ 4000 210 @ 4000 238 @ 4000
Availability Standard1 Standard2 Standard3
EPA city / highway mpg
4-speed automatic 20/26 19/26 18/25


Crash Ratings
Front Impact, Driver 5
Front Impact, Passenger 5
Rollover Resistance 4
Side Impact, Driver 5
Side Impact, Rear Passenger 5



-Matt-