2005 Chrysler Town & Country Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Chrysler updates its minivans for 2005, adding available curtain side airbags and fold-away 2nd- and 3rd-row seats, but dropping all-wheel drive. Town & Country is an upscale version of the Dodge Caravan. It comes in regular- and extended-length models, both with 7-passenger seating. Base regular-length and LX extended-length models have a 3.3-liter V6. Touring and Limited extended models have a 3.8 V6. All have automatic transmission. Traction control is available on extendeds. ABS is standard on extendeds, optional on regulars. Newly standard on all is a driver knee airbag. Newly available are head-protecting curtain side airbags that cover all three seating rows; they replace front side airbags and are standard on the top-line Limited model, optional on other Town & Countrys. A tire-pressure monitor is standard on Touring and Limited.

Exclusive to extendeds are Chrysler's Stow 'n Go 2nd- and 3rd-row seats that fold into floorwells. When the seats are raised, the wells become covered storage bins. Other available features include power sliding side doors, power liftgate, power-adjustable pedals, rear DVD entertainment, and navigation system. Newly available are rear obstacle detection; Chrysler's UConnect, which uses the audio system as a hands-free wireless link to cell phones; and ceiling tracks that allow moving and removing such items as storage bins, a CD holder, and a first-aid kit.

Competition

Consumer Guide® 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 the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, and Honda Odyssey. Recommended picks are the Mazda MPV and Toyota Sienna.

News

Those handy Stow 'n Go seats required extensive underskin changes that cost Chrysler Group a reported $400 million. That's a lot for vehicles redesigned just four years ago, but the company had little choice if it hoped to continue dominanting the minivan market. Will Chrysler spend still more to put Stow 'n Go in its regular-length minivans? We're doubtful, because the shorties aren't nearly as popular as the extended models, so any investment would take longer to recoup. Still, you never know.

What our moles do know is that all Chrysler/Dodge minivans will get some sort of makeover for 2007 or '08. This could amount to a full redesign, which would be the about the only way to satisfy Chrysler's reported goal of improving its minivans' performance in government crash tests.

2005 Chrysler Town & Country Road Test

Pros	Cons

Entry/exit	Fuel economy

Interior storage space

Passenger and cargo room

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Base	Touring	Class Average
4	5	4.2

The 3.3 V6 is adequate in the regular-length model, but feels overmatched in extendeds for anything but light-duty work. Smooth, strong 3.8 provides plenty of muscle for most any need. Transmission works well with both engines.

Fuel Economy

Base	Touring	Class Average
4	4	4

Test Touring model averaged 18.5 mpg. Overburdened 3.3 should average 15-17 mpg in extendeds, only slightly better in the base model. Both engines use regular-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

Base	Touring	Class Average
6	7	5.5

Extended-length models absorb bumps better than most minivans and ride about as comfortably as a large car. Base model's shorter wheelbase makes it jumpier, less forgiving on bad pavement.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Base	Touring	Class Average
5	5	4.4

Near-carlike stability in turns, fine around-town maneuverability. Good steering feel, good braking power and pedal modulation, though noticeable nosedive in sudden stops.

Quietness

Base	Touring	Class Average
6	6	5.4

Among the quieter minivans. Minimal wind, road, engine noise.

Controls

Base	Touring	Class Average
7	7	6.1

Generally clear, handy. Available "3-zone" climate system allows independent control of driver, front-passenger, rear-seat settings. Solid-feeling interior materials; decor ranges from plain cloth to supple leather.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Base	Touring	Class Average
7	7	6.3

Roomy, comfortable. Fine driver positioning. Adjustable pedals allow shorter drivers to sit farther from steering-wheel airbag.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Base	Touring	Class Average
6	7	6.7

Stow 'n Go seats reduce 2nd- and 3rd-row leg and toe room vs. standard seats in Grand Caravan, though still spacious enough for adequate adult comfort. Regular-length Town & Country tighter still in 2nd and 3rd rows. Step-in easy through wide sliding doors. Override feature allows power side doors to be easily closed or opened by hand.

Cargo Room

Base	Touring	Class Average
9	10	9.4

Regular-length model has tight cargo space with all seats in place. Stow 'n Go seats fold easily into front and rear floorwells to lay flush with floor, though front seats must first be moved forward to fold 2nd row. With seats in place, 2nd-row floorwells provide about 12 cu ft of handy, covered storage. Rear well a boon to cargo space with 3rd row raised. Available power liftgate useful, reverses direction at slightest obstacle.

Value within Class

Base	Touring	Class Average
7	9	5.8

Outstanding seating versatility and such safety features as curtain side airbags help Town & Country maintain its place among our Best Buy minivans. Comfort and luxury touches add to its appeal. The main differences between Town & Country and its Dodge Caravan sibling are the grille appearance and what prestige may be associated with the Chrysler badge. Both are fine performers, with Caravan's lower sticker prices balanced by Town & Country's slightly higher resale value.

Total Score

Base	Touring	Class Average
61	67	57.8

Scores for all Minivans

Low Score		45
Average Score		57
High Score		70

2005 Chrysler Town & Country Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 06/28/2005

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base regular length 4-door van	$20,925	$19,238	$715

LX extended length 4-door van	$25,275	$23,325	$730

Touring extended length 4-door van	$27,755	$25,532	$730

Limited extended length 4-door van	$35,630	$32,541	$730

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Base

Powertrain

3.3-liter V6 engine, 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, driver-side knee airbag, 4-wheel disc brakes.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Front air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, cupholders, 2nd-row bench seat, 3rd-row folding bench seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, variable-intermittent wipers, map lights, visor mirrors, rear defogger, intermittent rear wiper/washer, automatic-off headlights, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Rear privacy glass, 215/70R15 tires, wheel covers.

LX adds to Base:

Safety

Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes.

Comfort and Convenience Features

2nd-row stowable bucket seats, 3rd-row stowable split folding bench seat, heated power mirrors, illuminated visor mirrors.

Touring adds to LX:

Powertrain

3.8-liter V6 engine, traction control.

Safety

Tire-pressure monitor.

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, power sliding rear doors, power liftgate, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, trip computer, universal garage-door opener.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Roof rack, 215/65R16 tires, alloy wheels.

Limited adds to Touring:

Safety

Curtain side airbags, rear-obstacle-detection system.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Tri-zone automatic climate controls (including rear controls), interior air filter, leather upholstery, 4-way power passenger seat, heated front seats, power-adjustable pedals, memory system (driver seat, mirrors, pedals), navigation system, Infinity AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD/DVD changer, removable center console, automatic day/night driver-side and rearview mirrors, automatic headlights.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Fog lights, chrome alloy wheels.

Optional Equipment

Major Packages	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Popular Equipment Group I
Base	$990	$871
Dual-zone manual climate controls, overhead console, trip computer, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, heated power mirrors, universal garage-door opener, illuminated visor mirrors, additional interior lights, roof rack.

Entertainment Value Group
Base	$3,250	$2,860
Popular Equipment Group plus rear-seat DVD entertainment system, 8-way power driver seat, passenger-side power sliding door, 215/65R16 tires, alloy wheels. NA w/curtain side airbags.

Popular Equipment Group II
LX	$1,475	$1,298
Tri-zone manual climate controls (including rear controls), rear air conditioning and heater, heavy-duty alternator, overhead console, trip computer, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, universal garage-door opener, additional interior lights, roof rack.

Leather Interior Group
Touring	$2,100	$1,848
Leather upholstery, heated front seats, power passenger seat, tri-zone automatic climate control (including rear controls), overhead console, upgraded trip computer.

Luxury Group
Touring	$2,215	$1,949
Rear-obstacle-detection system, power-adjustable pedals, Infinity sound system, automatic day/night driver-side and rearview mirrors, removable center console, electroluminescent instrument cluster, overhead rail system, automatic headlights, theft-deterrent system w/alarm, lower bodyside cladding, fog lights. Requires Leather Interior Group.

Trailer Tow Prep Group
LX w/Popular Equipment Group, Touring, Limited	$600	$528
LX	$665	$585
Heavy-duty engine cooling, heavy-duty alternator and battery, trailer-wiring harness, load-leveling height-control suspension.

Safety
Antilock brakes
Base	$565	$497


Curtain side airbags
Base, Touring	$595	$524
LX	$1,385	$1,219
LX includes power sliding rear doors. LX requires Popular Equipment Group II.

Comfort and Convenience Features
Navigation system
Touring	$1,430	$1,258
Includes DVD player, in-dash 6-disc CD changer. Requires Leather Interior Group, Luxury Group.

Rear-seat DVD entertainment system
Touring	$1,150	$1,072
Base	$950	$836
Base w/Popular Equipment Group	$900	$792
Touring w/Luxury Group, Limited	$990	$871
Touring requires AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc DVD/CD changer. Base NA w/curtain side airbags.

AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc CD changer
Base	$350	$308
Base w/Popular Equipment Group and DVD system, Touring	$200	$176
Base w/DVD system	$300	$264


AM/FM radio w/in-dash 6-disc DVD/CD changer
Touring	$555	$488
Requires rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

Satellite radio
Base, LX, Limited, Touring	$195	$172
Includes one-year service.

UConnect
Touring w/Luxury Group, Limited	$275	$242
Base, LX, Touring	$360	$317
Hands-free cellular telephone link. Base includes automatic day/night rearview mirror, automatic headlights.

Power sunroof
Touring	$895	$788
Limited	$250	$219
Touring w/Luxury Group or DVD system	$735	$647
NA w/curtain side airbags. Deletes Limited std. curtain side airbags.

CYG 7-passenger seating
Base	$945	$832
Quad bucket seats, 3rd-row split folding bench seat.

CYR 7-passenger seating
Base	$225	$198
Front bucket seats, 2nd-row bench seat w/dual integrated child seats, 3rd-row bench seat.

Power-adjustable pedals
Base, LX, Touring	$195	$172
Std. Limited.

8-way power driver seat
Base	$425	$374
LX	$370	$326
LX requires Popular Equipment Group II.

Driver-seat lumbar adjustment
Base, LX	$35	$31


Passenger-side power sliding rear door
Base	$400	$352
Requires Popular Equipment Group I.

Removable center console
Base, Touring	$195	$172


Appearance and Miscellaneous
Roof rack
LX	$250	$220


Special paint
Base, LX, Limited, Touring	$150	$132


Special pearlcoat paint
Base, LX, Limited, Touring	$225	$198


Engine-block heater
Base, LX, Limited, Touring	$35	$31


Alloy wheels
Base	$535	$471
Includes 215/65R16 tires.

2005 Chrysler Town & Country Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Chrysler Town & Country 4-door van	Chrysler Town & Country (ext.) 4-door van

Wheelbase, in.	113.3	119.3

Overall Length, in.	189.3	200.5

Overall Width, in.	78.6	78.6

Overall Height, in.	68.8	68.9

Curb Weight, lbs.	3899	4239

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	146.7	160.7

Standard Payload, lbs.	--	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	20.0	20.0

Seating Capacity	7	7

Front Head Room, in.	39.6	39.6

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	40.8	40.6

Rear Head Room, in.	39.7	39.6

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	36.5	37.5

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	ohv V6	ohv V6

Size, liters/cu. in.	3.3 /202	3.8 /231

Horsepower @ rpm.	180 @ 5000	207 @ 5000

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	210 @ 4000	238 @ 4000

Availability	Standard	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

4-speed automatic	19/26	18/25

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Chrysler Town & Country 4-door van	Chrysler Town & Country (ext.) 4-door van

Front Impact, Driver	5	5

Front Impact, Passenger	5	5

Rollover Resistance	4	4

Side Impact, Driver	5	5

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	5	5

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	7/70,000	$100 deductible per visit.

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	5/100,000	--

Free roadside assistance	3/36,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: USA, Canada

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

< 2005 Chrysler Town & Country Photos

Also in the 2005 Chrysler Town & Country Review:

Chrysler Town & Country

Chrysler Town & Country Road Test

Chrysler Town & Country Prices & Equipment

Chrysler Town & Country Specs & Safety

Chrysler Town & Country Photos

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