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Few consumers are consider this short-wheelbase
version of Chrysler’s best-selling minivans, much less its base 4-cylinder
model. It lacks the power, space, and refinement that have come to be expected
among minivans today, lacks the flexible “Stow ‘N Go” seating of its larger
and more popular versions, and receives little marketing. It exists to satisfy
primarily the needs of fleet buyers, who wish to transport people or things as
cheaply and as efficiently as possible. And this Caravan can also meet those
needs for families on a budget. However, this Caravan does not hide its budget
intentions. The 4-cylinder engine, while reasonably economical, is noisy and
slow. The interior lacks the high-quality construction of many competitors,
including the Mazda5. For more cargo room, you carry out both the second and
third-row bench seats and find a place to store them, rather than folding them
flat as in the Mazda5 or in the long-wheelbase Grand Caravan model, among
others. But it has room for seven adults to sit in reasonable comfort, can
hold a fair amount of cargo behind the third row, and removing the rear
seating opens a vast cargo area.
The Caravan has a soft, comfortable ride. It
lacks the firm control of the Mazda5, and doesn’t iron out bumps as well as
longer-wheelbase models, but is absorbent and stable. Like all other minivans,
it clearly lacks any form of the agility found in the smaller Mazda5, but
handles competently enough in routine minivan conditions. Treat it
aggressively however, and it can distance itself even from other minivans,
with its body pitching and tires chirping. The steering is very light and
vague; even if the Caravan behaved well in fast cornering it would be
difficult to truly enjoy it. (This is the minivan norm that the Mazda5 sets
itself apart from.) The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder lacks power in Chrysler’s PT
Cruiser small car and Sebring/Stratus midsize sedans, and is overwhelmed in
this use by current standards. At least the Caravan is fairly light for a
minivan, but consumers used to the effortless power in many current V6-powered
minivans may declare this engine insufficient (a 3.3-liter V6 is also
available, but it can only make this car’s acceleration closer to adequate).
The engine whines loudly under any acceleration, and doesn’t quiet itself much
at steady speeds. Road noise is also audible. Fuel economy is at least good
for a minivan, just below the Mazda5’s but diminished by the demands made on
the overworked engine.
Inside, the Caravan’s front seats are high and
firm, though describing them as “shaped” would be too generous. The seats do
not adjust for height, and the standard setting put taller occupants’ heads
closer to the ceiling than they may expect. The standard two-passenger
second-row bench seat is high enough and roomy enough, but there are none of
the adjustments or separate seating found in the Mazda5. The third row bench
seat is not superb among minivans, but is far better than the Mazda5’s. Three
adults will fit, will sit elevated from the floor, and can be accompanied all
the while by their legs and feet, which the Mazda5 seems to encourage storing
elsewhere for suitable comfort. The
 interior is clearly
budget oriented, with cheap, solid gray plastics, though at least the trim
pieces fit together well enough. Unlike in the Mazda5, its general appearance
appears to be an afterthought. The instruments are well-placed and clear, but
the white-faced gauges could be larger and clearer. Entry/exit is easy to all
three rows of seats from the passenger side, but third-row access cannot be
accomplished from the driver’s side. Drivers sit comfortably, and the lack of
a telescoping steering wheel is compensated for by the available
power-adjustable pedals. Visibility is better than in the Mazda5. There isn’t
as much space behind the third row seat as there is in most standard-length
minivans, but far more than in the Mazda5. Remove the second-row seat and
relocate the three-passenger bench to the second-row position, and you have
more cargo space than in the Mazda5 with only two seating positions remaining.
The Caravan also has over three times the Mazda’s maximum cargo capacity.
The Caravan did well in crash testing. It earned
the maximum five stars for both the driver and for the front passenger in the
NHTSA frontal crash test, and four stars for the driver and five for the
second-row passenger in the NHTSA side crash test, tested without the optional
side airbags. The IIHS only subjected a heavier Grand Caravan to its offset
crash test, and even then before a standard knee-protecting airbag was added.
That vehicle was rated Acceptable, the second-highest of four ratings but an
unimpressive score for a current vehicle. Its head restraints were rated Poor,
the IIHS’s lowest rating.
The Caravan reviewed here came in at $18,354,
with many options added. Unlike the Mazda5, which came here equipped with no
optional equipment but its automatic transmission, virtually everything must
be added. Air conditioning, an automatic transmission, and a single-disc CD
player essentially comprise the standard features list, such features as
cruise control, power windows and locks, and curtain-style side airbags that
protect the heads of occupants in all three rows, and even a rear-window
defogger needed to be added at an extra cost. Also added were power-adjustable
pedals and satellite radio, exclusive to this vehicle. Antilock brakes are a
notable omission, available only on V6 versions of the Caravan.
Overall, the Caravan has many shortcomings,
particularly against the fun-to-drive Mazda5. But unlike that vehicle, it has
the space to be usable as a minivan, holding seven adults with space left for
cargo behind them. It is comfortable, economical, roomy, and inexpensive, good
basics for a family hauler. It lacks the many details of its closest
competitor, and the space, power, and refinement of larger, more popular
minivans.
In short, the Mazda5 is a better car at a
similar price. It runs circles around the Caravan in terms of driving
enjoyment and premium feel, and beats it in most other ways as well. It is a
terrific choice for consumers who may occasionally need a third row seat, but
an insufficient one for those who would need it often.
A popular, larger minivan is a better minivan
for more money. With more space, power, refinement, luxury, and most anything
else, there is little reason not to go with them on an unlimited budget unless
compact exterior dimensions are key.
But the Caravan is a better minivan than the
Mazda5, and less expensive than a good larger van. It has quite a list of
shortcomings, but its blend of rock-bottom pricing, fuel economy, and interior
space goes unmatched. And while it doesn’t have the same petite exterior as
the Mazda5, it is still appreciably shorter than most other competitors. It
belongs on the shopping list of consumers looking for those qualities. Most
everyone else would probably remain unimpressed with this Caravan’s lack of
power, refinement, and antilock brakes, but this comparison presents the
Mazda5 and Caravan specifically to bargain hunters. The Caravan isn’t a great
car, but it bring basic qualities at a bargain price.
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