We were surprised that we found so much to write about on a minivan, and very little of it involves complaining. The Dodge Grand Caravan, updated for 2008, proved very drivable and came loaded with plenty of tech for our entertainment.
The standard engine for the SXT trim level is a 3.8-liter V-6, but for $630 you can option it up to this 4-liter V-6, a much more efficient power plant. The 4-liter puts out 251 horsepower, while the 3.8-liter engine only makes 197 horsepower. Both engines get the same EPA-rated fuel economy.
We never got over the novelty of opening the side doors with the key fob buttons. We found them especially amusing when colleagues would reach for the door handle, only to have the doors preempt them.
The plastics and color scheme around the dash make the interior of the Grand Caravan fairly bland. But we like that the interior and map lights are LED. There is also ambient lighting.
The shifter for the six-speed automatic is mounted high on the dashboard, next to the wheel. For manual gear selection, you move the shifter left to downshift and right to upshift.
One of the most novel features on the Grand Caravan is the Sirius satellite TV. But channels are limited--there is only one package available, and it only has three channels.
The optional MyGig entertainment system gives you a 20-gigabyte hard drive with about 15 gigabytes of usable space. Plug a USB drive into the port, and you can transfer music and photos to the system.
Our Grand Caravan also came loaded with UConnect, Dodge's hands-free Bluetooth cell phone integration. This voice-controlled system works well, although it doesn't let you access your cell phone's phone book.
