The steering wheel controls are among the best we've seen. Cruise controls are on the front of the steering wheel and allow precise regulation of speed; an indicator on the dash tells the driver the system is on. Behind the steering wheel are audio controls that let the driver easily adjust volume, switch among pre-set stations, activate the seek function and switch between AM and FM bands. It's a brilliant design.
Controls for the sound system and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) are intuitive and easy to use. However, the audio system's on-off/volume knob is obscured by the gearshift lever when in Drive, and the separate button on the radio for setting a preset seems less convenient than the traditional method of holding the button down. Our test vehicle had the six-CD in-dash changer, a nice feature even though it is separated from the AM/FM/cassette unit by the HVAC controls. Three-zone temperature controls allow the driver and front-seat passenger to set their own comfort levels. There's a separate control for the rear of the cabin for the kids to fight over, though the driver has veto power.
Access to the middle and rear seats is easy, much easier than in a sport-utility. Power sliding doors, available for one or both sides, work very well. The driver can operate them by pressing buttons on the dash or on the keyless remote. Second-row passengers can operate them by pressing a switch on the B-pillar, but that function can be locked out for children's safety. Also for safety, the doors (and liftgate) will reverse if they strike an object when opening or closing.
Our Grand Caravan ES came equipped with bucket seats in the second row and a 50/50 split rear bench seat. The second-row buckets make the second-row passengers as comfortable as the front-seat passenger.
The third-row bench provides room for two adults, but is a bit short of shoulder room for three adult males. The split rear seat is easier to lift out individually than one big, heavy bench seat.
All of the seats are easy to remove. They come loose in three steps and roll out on sturdy wheels, facilitating the conversion of the van from people mover to cargo hauler. One person can lift the seats from the van to the garage floor, but they are heavy enough that it's easier on the back to have a little help. With both rows of seats removed, the Grand Caravan can haul 4x8-foot sheets of plywood. It offers 158.5 cubic feet of cargo space. That's 16 cubic feet more than the shorter Caravan.
Cup holders are everywhere. In the third row, there are even multiple holders for drinks of different shapes. Seatbacks can also be folded flat to make tables, complete with molded-in cup holders, just the thing for taking friends to the football game.
Our Grand Caravan was equipped with the optional power liftgate. The power doors may seem like an extravagance until your arms are full and it's raining. The power liftgate also keeps you from having to touch the outside of the van when it's covered with road sludge.
Optional pop-up grocery bag holders in the cargo compartment keep paper bags from tipping over. Standard are hooks on the rear seatbacks for those plastic grocery bags that otherwise scatter your oranges and rutabagas all over the place at the first corner or stop sign. A net fitted between the front seats is handy for keeping mail or other daily-chore items from sliding around on the van's flat floor. The optional moveable and powered center console is interesting; it can be placed between the front or middle-row buckets.
Dodge minivans come loaded with safety features. Side-impact airbags for the front-seat passengers are optional on all models. Front airbags are standard, as required, and feature multi-stage inflators designed to automatically compensate for the severity of the accident. Front seat belts use pre-tensioners to take up slack during a collision. Middle- and third-row seats include child-seat anchors for a more secure installation.
Nature didn't cooperate by giving us a snowstorm in which to test it, but the windshield wiper de-icer seems like an excellent feature for anyone who drives in wintry conditions. It comes with all Caravans from the Sport trim level up, and consists of heating elements on the glass where the wipers park.