Yorkregion.com - Wheels - Chrysler makes the 2008 Town & Country Limited a plush place to be
Chrysler makes the 2008 Town & Country Limited a plush place to be
The 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Limited combines a huge list of standard features, innovative options and full seating for seven adults or a cavernous cargo area.
Leisure
Dec 13, 2007 10:43 PM
2008 Chrysler Town & Country Limited
By: Jim Robinson
Chrysler invented the minivan, and despite the best effort of its competitors, it has always been one or two steps ahead to the point that the words minivan and Chrysler have become almost interchangeable.
Here in North American there is now a trend to CUVs and SUVs as an alternative for those wanting seven-seat and/or cargo utility.
But compact and mid-size CUV/SUVs just can’t do what a minivan can and full-size ones are usually more expensive. Ergo, the minivan is going to be with us for a long time yet.
And for those who also desire all the comforts of a premium luxury sedan, the Chrysler Town & Country Touring or Limited (as tested) more than fills the bill.
There is, as one expects from a Chrysler minivan, a wide range of seating/utility/storage options. Chrysler has always led with “must have” innovations in this segment starting with the first dual sliding doors in the 1980s up to a power liftgate five years ago that has been adapted (read copied) by every other manufacturer around the globe.
On T&C models, Stow ’n Go seating is standard. Along with the third row bench that can be folded below the cargo floor in a well aft of the rear axle, the two second row captain’s chairs can be folded and fitted below the floor for a cavernous cargo area. The rear seat can also be flipped around to face rearwards for tailgate parties.
A new twist (no pun intended) for 2008, and fitted to my tester, is Swivel ’n Go. As a concept, it’s brilliant. In real life, there are some tradeoffs.
The second row captain’s cars swivel through 180 degrees so passengers to talk face-to-fact with those in the third row. There is even a collapsible table that fits between the second and third rows (or stows below the floor) so you can have game of euchre or share lunch.
In addition, the third row bench still folds to a position beneath the cargo floor, and you can have this with a one-touch power switch. And the second row seats have an integrated booster cushion that raises 100 mm (four inches) for kids too big for a safety seat, but too small to have the belt fit snugly.
But with the table up and the second row facing aft, it’s a chore to get in. If you try to seat four or five adults, the main drawback is there’s little room for their feet. You can do it, but it means legs at odd angles. Now if it’s kids, especially with the two overhead LCD monitors and 115V AC plug for video games, etc., it is perfect for keeping the small fry occupied..
With my wife driving and my bigger-than-me son on the front seat, we recently journeyed down to my daughter’s university residence to celebrate her 18th birthday. I wanted to try getting work done on the way, so I squeezed myself into the third row. Because the table is centred in the cabin, you have to angle yourself towards the laptop keys. Once I was settled, I got about three hours writing done. Thanks to the sunscreen nets that disappear into the sides of T&C on the second and third rows, I was able to see the screen with no problems. On the way back, I swiveled the second row forward and worked without incident.
Later, it occurred to me that, with the second row facing to the rear and the third row stowed, I could have had more legroom than any limousine.
Because it was a Limited, my tester had a fantastic number of standard features like full leather seating, remote start, tire pressure monitoring system, power adjusting pedals, removable centre console, illuminated cupholders, nine-speaker sound system, rear air with heater, dual power sliding doors, power liftgate and the ParkView rear parking system. And then there are little touches like universal garage door opener, 18-ounce carpeting on the Limited (10-ounce on the Touring), grocery bag hooks on the backs of the second and third row seats, rear swivelling reading lights, power windows on the panel doors and soft blue halo lighting on the roof mounted console like you find on a jetliner.
On top of all this, there were the options fitted to my tester. Chief among these was the MYGig infotainment System with GPS navigation. In addition to an iPod jack and Bluetooth connectivity, the 6.5-inch centre monitor supports a DVD video playback JPEG photo viewer. All you do is load the images for the USB port on the face of the unit. That’s in addition of 20 gigs of hard drive space for storing up to 1,600 music files. Oh yes, it can also be used for more mundane tasks like navigation screen in 2D or 3D, and all driver information functions in addition to SIRIUS satellite radio that is standard on the Limited. All this costs is $1,150 – that seems like the screaming deal of the year to me.
There was also the Swivel ’n Go option, trailer towing option and the premium entertainment system with two, eight-inch monitors that bumped the price of the “base” Limited from $42,895 to $49,370 including a $1,350 shipping fee.
So there’s lots of fun to be had in the T&C Limited, but what about the getting there.
The Touring comes with a 3.8-litre OHV V6 producing 197 hp and 230 lb/ft of torque. The Limited is fitted with a 4.0-litre SOHC V with 251 hp and 259 lb/ft or torque. Both vans have a six-speed automatic transaxle driving the front wheels with sequential manual shift mode. The Limited has a fuel rating of 13.3L/100 km (21 mpg) city and 8.7L/100 km (32 mpg) highway. In the real world, we made it from north of Toronto to London in under a half tank.
Despite its weight of 2,096 kg (4,621 lbs) at the curb, and more with three adults on board adding to the gross weight, the ride was very smooth on all but rippled pavement due to on-going construction. This was due in part the very long wheelbase of 3,078 mm (121.2 in). But credit must also go to the MacPherson independent front and rear load-leveling and height-control rear suspension, which comes with the optional Trailer Towing Package fitted to my tester. For $800, you get the suspension, heavy-duty engine cooling system with transmission oil cooler. Forget towing a boat, if you’re going to take a load of people, food and stuff for the cottage or beach, it’s $800 well spent.
And you can forget all that talk about vans going away.
There will always be the need for a vehicle that can carry up to seven people in comfort and style.
And when it comes to having the style to match the comfort, it’s hard to do better than the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country.
CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED 2008 AT A GLANCE
BODY STYLE: Full-size luxury minivan.
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front-wheel-drive.
ENGINE: 4.0-litre SOHC V6 (251 hp, 259 lb/ft).
FUEL ECONOMY: 13.3L/100 km (21 mpg) city, 8.7L/100 km (32 mpg) highway
PRICE: $42,895; as tested, $49,370 including $1,350 shipping.
WEB: chrysler.ca