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Walk Around

The Chrysler Town & Country is offered in one long-wheelbase body style, and its size is comparable to several competitors. The Nissan Quest, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna are all within a few inches, plus or minus, in overall length. Cargo room is comparable as well.

The Town & Country's styling is somewhat boxy, with a pronounced front end that offers a hint of an SUV-like appearance. The roof is wide at the top, also contributing to the boxy look.

The snout features a large grille with ties to other Chrysler products. The body sides have a clean, simple design. The rear liftgate is available with power operation, which is handy, but the rear glass doesn't open separately, which isn't. Chrome accents on the front and rear fascias, door handles, belt molding, and mirrors lend an upscale appearance.

Interior

2010 Chrysler Town & Country

The Town & Country's competitive advantage can be found on the inside. While ambiance and materials quality are not tops in the class, thoughtful features are.

Hard plastic dominates the dash and doors. The only padded surfaces are found on the captain's chairs' fold-down armrests, and they are an unimpressive looking rubberized material. The gauges are easy to spot and the various controls are clearly marked.

The radio and/or UConnect Tunes/GPS system is set high on the center of the dash for easy access. With either system, the controls are easy to use, but those on the right side are a bit of a reach for the driver. The CD/DVD changer is also set low, making it a possible distraction to use while driving. The gearshift is mounted between the radio and the instrument panel. It's an odd position, but it works and there is an electronic gear readout in the instrument cluster.

Buyers can opt for UConnect Tunes or UConnect GPS, the latter adding a navigation system with voice activation and real-time traffic. Both systems have a 30-gigabyte hard drive to hold music, pictures, and, with the navigation system, navigation map information. Both systems are capable of holding thousands of songs.

Front-seat room and comfort are typical for a minivan. The front captain's chairs afford an upright driving position with an SUV-like view of the road. There is plenty of head room, and leg room will only be lacking for the tallest drivers. A tilt steering wheel and available adjustable pedals should help most drivers tailor a comfortable seating position, but we'd still like the steering wheel to telescope.

The clever features start with the storage solutions. Chrysler provides two glove boxes and some cubbies in the center stack for small items storage. A total of 13 cupholders are found throughout the van, so the whole team has a place to put the root beers after the little league game. The standard console has four integrated cupholders and a small storage bin. The premium center console is more impressive. It has four cupholders and a small bin on top. This top level slides back to reveal a larger storage bin below it. The lower bin also slides back. With both layers pushed back, the top level moves back a total of 21 inches, which allows parents up front to prepare lunch for the kids and pass it back in a safe manner. The premium console is also removable.

The rear seating solutions are better yet. All Town & Country models have a deep well behind the third row, which is a great place to put groceries so they won't slide around. With the rear seats in place, there is an impressive 32.3 cubic feet of cargo room. All models have a 60/40 split folding third-row bench seat that folds into the floor. Three straps are attached to the back of each seat and they're marked 1, 2 and 3. To fold the seats into the floor, first pull strap 1, then pull strap 2. You have to give strap 2 a good yank and help the seat along with your other hand. It can require leverage that some moms might not have. Strap 3 pulls the seats back up. A better option is the power folding third row seat, which can be set to four positions, including what Chrysler calls the tailgating position. In this position, the seatbacks act as seat bottoms and the bottoms act as backs facing the rear of the van for those parking lot tailgate parties at sports functions.

The popular Stow 'n Go setup has second-row bucket seats that fold into the floor. The front seats must be moved fully forward to allow the second-row seats to fold into the floor and folding the seats requires two hands and a little dexterity, but it's hard to argue with the result. When not in use for the seats, the under-floor bins can be used for storage.

With the second- and third-row seats folded, the Town & Country has a flat load floor, an impressive 140.1 cubic feet of cargo volume, and enough space to fit a 4x8-foot sheet of plywood.

The optional Swivel 'n Go seating also uses second-row buckets. These seats can rotate 180 degrees via a lever at the base of each seat to face the third row. A removable table is also provided that can be installed between the second and third seating rows. The table is stored under the floor and is fairly easy to access. The Swivel 'n Go feature also has the under-floor storage bins, but the seats don't fold into the floor. This type of table has been used in campers for years, and now it works well in a minivan.

If you want to use your van to haul cargo, the Stow 'n Go setup is your best option. Swivel 'n Go, on the other hand, is the choice if you use your van for a lot of long trips with the family.

The Town & Country offers single and double rear DVD entertainment options. The single screen is available only in the LX model and is located in the second row. The double screen version adds a second screen for the third row. Both are available with Sirius Backseat TV. The TV has three channels, all aimed at kids: Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon. Four sets of headphones are provided, and with the dual-screen system, one screen can be tuned to TV while the other can play a DVD. Front passengers can listen to the radio while rear occupants watch a DVD or TV, and with the car in Park, front passengers can watch TV or a DVD on the dashboard screen.

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