2007 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan. 5th generation
The Dodge Caravan is a minivan manufactured by Dodge since 1983. In 2007, the fifth generation Caravan entered the market. A ‘simple’ Caravan became too small for American families with their increased level of well-being, and they were ready to pay a couple of thousand dollars for the same car, but bigger and more powerful. Therefore, back in 2008, an ordinary minivan became a thing of the past, and the long-wheelbase Grand Caravan replaced it.
Design
The fifth-generation Dodge Grand Caravan minivan debuted at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. Previous generations, starting with the second, had a neutral design, fully compliant with the concept of a family minivan, a functional, pragmatic and simple vehicle. However, the fifth generation was created by genius designer Ralph Gilles. He managed to create a truly attractive design without going beyond functionality. Unlike its predecessor that looked like an average hard-working sturdy fellow in blue overalls from a comfortable, but not wealthy suburb, then Gilles’s Caravan is the same sturdy fellow, but engaged in a healthy lifestyle, bodybuilding and self-care. Of course, there were those who didn’t like the new image of the car. According to those people, the Caravan used to be a model of practicality, which was one of its major advantaged, but now it looked like a wedding bus.
In 2010, the Grand Caravan finally knocked out the GM and Ford minivans from the American market, making Dodge the only national minivan manufacturer.
In terms of marketing, however, it was a good move, as those who loved the Caravan for other qualities, and not the design alone, still bought it, and now those who previously didn’t fancy the Caravan paid attention to the new minivan. In 2010, the Grand Caravan finally knocked out the GM and Ford minivans from the American market, making Dodge the only national minivan manufacturer. And design played an important role in this.
Particular features of the latest generation
The new Dodge Grand Caravan is a minivan built on the Chrysler RT platform, 5.1 meters long, 1.9 meters wide, 1.7 meters high, weighing 1.9 tons. The first representative of the fifth generation was equipped with 3.8-liter (197 hp) and 4.0-liter 6-cylinder engines (251 hp), coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission. A 3.3-liter (175 hp) engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission was also available in Canada. The debut model was distinguished by the original Swivel’n Go seating system, which allowed the two second-row seats swivel to the third row, enabling you to have small scientific conferences inside or play face-to-face Preferans. The system existed as a pre-installed option for only two years, but the ability to swivel the second-row seats was preserved.
In 2009, the car started featuring a blind spot monitoring system and intersection detection options. A year later, the minivan acquired three-zone manual climate control. In 2011, the Dodge Caravan underwent major changes. It started featuring an enlarged front anti-roll bar, a new rear anti-roll bar, a new steering gear, a lower ground clearance, a higher rear roll center. All of the changes were aimed at improving the handling of an almost two-ton car. The Caravan was equipped with a new progressive 3.6-liter Pentastar 6-cylinder engine with 283 hp, accompanied by a 6-speed automatic transmission.
In 2018, the Caravan became the best-selling car of the Dodge brand.
Until 2016, the Dodge Grand Caravan didn’t experience any particular life changes, but in 2016, the new Chrysler Pacifica entered the market. The Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica were similar as brothers, but the Dodge was positioned as a cheaper alternative to the Pacifica. However nobody knew what to do with the minivan, even Sergio Marchionne, the head of the FCA Group, which then owned the Dodge brand. Theoretically, the Pacifica was supposed to outcompete the Caravan, but in 2016 the sales of the Caravan grew by 20% compared to the previous year and, moreover, the minivan became the second most popular in rental cars services. In 2017, the production of the Caravan was suspended due to flaws in the vehicle’s security system. And in 2018, the Caravan became the best-selling car of the Dodge brand. However, it was decided to stop the production of the Caravan. And that’s why:
- By that time, the Dodge Grand Caravan was primarily bought only by car rental companies;
- The model was clearly outdated, and it would take more money to update it than to develop a new model;
- The Caravan had not undergone radical modernizations since 2008 and did not comply with environmental and safety standards;
- The minivan segment was gradually losing its positions to SUVs, the best days of the Caravan were over;
- The Chrysler Pacifica (now Chrysler Voyager), an SUV transformed into a minivan, was quite successful, taking 20% of the US minivan market in 2016.
2020 Caravan, trim levels
The last year of release of the Dodge Caravan is 2020. Of course, it is still on sale and will be on sale for a long time, as it remains inexpensive, roomy and powerful enough. The minivan is offered in three trim levels: SE, SE Plus and SXT. All of them are equipped with a 3.6-liter 6-cylinder engine with 283 hp, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
- The entry-level SE comes with 17-inch steel wheels, heated side mirrors, three-zone manual climate control and air conditioning, a rearview camera, self-driving second-row seats, a 6.5-inch touchscreen and a six-speaker sound system;
- SE Plus has everything offered by the previous version, except that it offers 17-inch alloy wheels, plus automatic headlights, fog lights, remote engine start;
- SXT features everything from previous trim levels, but also chrome exterior trim, roof rails, power sliding rear doors, three-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and overhead storage.
If you decide to buy a Dodge Grand Caravan, then you need to know that it has low rating in IIHS crash tests, it does not have modern driving assistance systems that are standard for minivans of other brands, including American ones. In general, although this is a classic ‘old school’, reliable and durable car, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, as they say. But it will obviously be getting cheaper.
