Along with Honda and Toyota, Chrysler's dominance of the minivan market has been so thorough that GM and Ford have simply given up. Of course, GM and Ford have dropped their minivans in favor of more crossover SUVs, which have been gaining in popularity. Seen in that light, their retreat is more of a strategic redeployment to where the customers actually are.
Chrysler, meanwhile, remains king of minivan island. And even though the minivan market is declining, it's not a position Chrysler can afford to lose.
Redesigned Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan minivans are coming out soon. Changes are subtle on the outside. The lines are sharper but certainly won't surprise anyone.
Inside is where you'll find the new stuff. Chrysler has added a nifty feature it calls "Swivel-n-go" seating. The second row seats can be turned around to face toward the third row seats and a table, stored under the floor, can be set up.
Whether that, and more subtle changes, will be enough to continue competing against Toyota's vaunted reliability and Honda's famously sporty ride and handling remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Korean cousins Hyundai and Kia have also entered the market with lower-priced products.
