2008 Chrysler Town & Country
The current fifth-generation Chrysler Town & Country debuted for the 2008 model year. The Stow 'n Go seating system, the ultimate in minivan convenience is available on the Town & Country. This Chrysler minivan gets an EPA Fuel Economy of City: 16 – 17 mpg and Highway: 23 – 24 mpg. As always, the Chrysler Town & Country shares the Grand Caravan's equipment and features, though the exterior is distinguished more than ever. That said, you can see the relation clearly. The main difference is in the brand image; the Town & Country is more focused on comfort and amenities than on sport. It comes in three trim levels: the LX, Touring and Limited. The LX will almost certainly be priced at least a bit higher than the base Grand Caravan, and the Limited above that of the top-level Dodge. The highest-ranking member of Chrysler's family of front-wheel-drive minivans, the Chrysler Town & Country has long appealed to families and empty-nesters seeking a practical vehicle with a dash of luxury inside and out.
Chrysler Minivan Power
The new six-speed automatic transmission is a first in a minivan, and should provide both good acceleration and gas mileage, though figures aren't yet available. It comes with the two optional engines: a 197-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 and a 251-hp, 4.0-liter V-6. Standard is a flexible-fuel 3.3-liter V-6 that can run on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two. The gear selector, which looks like a center-console shifter but is located high on the dashboard, to the right of the gauges attempts to combine the benefits of a console shifter with those of a steering column-mounted type. For the optional AutoStick manual shifting mode, it's not a bad location.
Design of the Town & Country
The 2008 Town & Country looks like a mix between a traditional minivan and an SUV. Its higher hood, squared-off rear end and the most stealthy sliding side doors combine in a presence that's not too far from what passes as a crossover SUV nowadays. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard; 17-inch alloy rims are optional. The 2008's wheelbase and overall length are about 2 inches longer, but the van is narrower by a couple of inches. It's instantly recognizable as a Chrysler, as its nose resembles that of its Aspen, Pacifica and Sebring siblings.
’08 Town & Country Cabin
With the Town & country, it’s all about the cabin. Consumers looking for a minivan expect optimal convenience and storage features, ease of use, and rear seat entertainment. And the Town & County does it all. The Town & Country's standard and maximum occupant count is seven, which is probably the only truly comfortable and workable number even in vans and SUVs with eight positions. The seating flexibility and innovation is excellent. Having succeeded, in part, on the strength of its Stow 'n Go second-row seats — which fold into the floor — Chrysler brought the optional Swivel 'n Go: second-row captain's chairs that rotate 180 degrees to face the third row.
Rearward-facing seats allow passengers to face each other, and because the two seats rotate independently and slide fore and aft, even second-row passengers can face. For the first time, the Town & Country offers power-folding 60/40-split third-row seats with one-touch operation, up or down. As in the past, Chrysler has integrated a child seat into the second-row bench. The seats in this ’08 model come in three configurations: The standard second-row bench seat with a manual 60/40-split folding third row (with the bench, the same bins in the floor that would accept folded Stow 'n Go seats, were they installed, provide covered storage); Stow 'n Go second-row captain's chairs with the manual folding third row; or Swivel 'n Go rearward-facing second-row seats with the manual third row. The swivel chairs don't fold into the floor, so the bins are free for covered storage. The powered third-row seat is likely to be offered only in option packages on lower trim levels; it's standard on the highest trim level.
Conclusions
Standard safety features include side curtain airbags for all three seat rows, which also deploy in a rollover. There are also standard antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system. The Town & Country has many standard features such as power windows — in the sliding doors, too — with power sliding doors and liftgate optional. There are more storage nooks, pockets and bins than ever, including a dual glove compartment. The floor console between the front seats has removable, dishwasher-safe cupholders. An optional console has many sliding drawers that can open individually or together, including from the backseat. It contains a 12-volt outlet and is compatible with earlier vans, so current owners can buy it through Mopar. There are two options to ease backing up and parking: a sonar ParkSense audible system and the ParkView rearview camera. There have been four previous generations of the Chrysler Town & Country. The first-gen model was available only in 1990; the second generation spanned 1991-'95; the third, 1996-2000; and the fourth, 2001-'07.
