2000 Dodge Caravan: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

A new Sport model joins the lineup of Dodge's popular minivan for 2000, while air conditioning and dual sliding doors are now standard on the lowest-priced Caravan. Caravan shares its design with the Chrysler Town & Country and the Chrysler--formerly Plymouth--Voyager. All come in extended-length models, with Caravan and Voyager also offering regular-length versions. And all three will be redesigned for 2001, with fresh styling and new features, including two power sliding side doors and a power rear liftgate.
Base and SE Caravans come in both body lengths. LE, ES, and the new Sport are extended-length Grand models. Standard seating includes front buckets with second- and third-row benches. Second-row buckets are available, as are two integrated second-row child safety seats. All configurations seat seven. Two sliding side doors are standard, even on the base regular-length Caravan, where the driver-side slider had been optional.
Regular-length Caravans use a 4-cylinder engine or optional V6s of 3.0 and 3.3 liters. Grands get the 3.0 and 3.3, plus a 3.8-liter V6. The 4-cylinder comes with a 3-speed automatic transmission, V6s with a 4-speed automatic. ES models get the 3.8 and Chrysler's Autostick transmission with a separate gate for manual shifting. Front-wheel drive is standard. Traction control is standard on ESs and optional on 3.8-liter LEs.
All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on LE and ES Grand Caravans and is standard on the Sport. The Sport also includes the 3.8 V6, load-levelling suspension, fog lights, and a rear spoiler. Antilock brakes are optional on base models, standard on other Caravans. AWD models have 4-wheel discs. Standard on ES models and optional on SE models are 17-inch wheels and tires, the largest on any minivan.
A $1500 option on Town & Country, Caravan, and Voyager is a dealer-installed rear-seat video entertainment system that includes a VCR, 6.4-inch liquid crystal display screen, headphones, and remote control.

COMPETITION

Chrysler started the minivan trend back in 1984, and they remain one of our Best Buys today. Though the competition has heated up, we still feel that the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Voyager are two of the best you can buy. They offer all of the creature comforts in a pleasing package at a fair price. Our other Best Buy is the Honda Odyssey. It's a little bit smaller than the Chryslers, but more sporty to drive, and it has a super-convenient flip-and-fold-away rear seat.
Trailing at a close second are the Recommended Chevy Venture and Ford Windstar. Though these vans are comparably priced and offer loads of neat features, we feel they can't match the road manners of our Best Buys.