Dewey Dodge Chrysler Jeep
3175 SE Delaware Avenue Ankeny, IA 50021Sales: (888) 236-7724
- Service: 515-289-8730
- Parts: 515-289-8740
"Zach Lewis was great to work with and after
explaining my situation he was great to show me the van I wanted to look
at and drive. He didn't pressure me and did what I wanted which made
this experience great! I will use Zach again in the future when I want
to trade in our Jeep Grand Cherokee. He is very knowledgeable and easy
to work with. Great job Zach!"
9/1/2011
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan IAThe Grand Caravan, Dodge's top family hauler, gets some significant revisions for 2011. The mechanical and design changes made to the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan are all for the better. It's much nicer inside, handles far better, is quieter and has more power with better fuel economy. Grand Caravan offers amazing versatility with one of the most convenient cabins. The flexible seating, abundance of storage space, and impressive entertainment options can make life easier for busy owners. The 2011 Grand Caravan suspension is stiffer than before and the van rides lower, making it more responsive to driver inputs than the 2010 model. Gone are the annoying wallow and float characteristics we noted with the 2010 model. Yet ride quality is still quite smooth. The 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan is all about transporting people comfortably, efficiently and safely, while keeping them entertained. Its designers focused on interior creature comforts, such as the popular Stow 'n Go seating system. Stow 'n Go consists of bins in the floor behind the first row of seats, and second-row seats that can be folded into those bins, resulting in a flat load floor for easily carrying larger objects. Or, when the seats are up in the normal seating position, the bins can accommodate toys, games, sporting gear, tools and other small cargo.
New Grand Caravan Power and Drive
Des Moines Dodge Grand Caravan 2011The new engine for 2011 is a 3.6-liter V6 that replaces three archaic V6s from 2010, offering more power and improved fuel economy. The new engine fixes a weak point and makes the Dodge competitive with the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. This fine new 3.6-liter V6 is mated to a mediocre 6-speed automatic transmission, resulting in a combination that delivers adequate response for most drivers. Though just as large, the 2011 Grand Caravan is much more controlled than last year. It still leans a bit in turns but acceptably so, and it gathers itself quicker to head back in the opposite direction. The new steering is quicker and more direct. It no longer feels like you're at the helm of a ship. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 17/25 mpg City/Highway, or 20 mpg Combined city and highway driving.
Design of the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan
The look of the Grand Caravan is less boxy for 2011, as Dodge has softened the lines a bit while adding a touch of sportiness. The Grand Caravan has a 202.8-inch overall length and a 121.2-inch wheelbase. Minivans of today may be quite large. However, they share their basic architecture with cars, using unit-body structures and front-wheel-drive platforms, with the engine mounted transversely. The 2011 Grand Caravan sits an inch lower than before. Up front, it has a sportier fascia with mesh inserts, a revised version of the Dodge crosshair grille, a slightly reshaped hood and quad headlights. At the rear, the liftgate is slightly modified to accept new DODGE lettering, there is a body color roof spoiler, the fascia is new, there a step plate with chrome trim, and the taillights add LEDs. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard. We think the available five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels look better.
'11 Grand Caravan Cabin
Des Moines IA Dodge Grand Caravan For SaleFor 2011, the interior of the Grand Caravan is upgraded, and we find the new look far more attractive. The materials are richer, though, like most of its rivals, hard plastic dominates the dashboard. Still, the new soft-touch door tops, redesigned gauges and nice bits of trim are welcome. The Grand Caravan's unique cargo and entertainment features make it a strong contender in the minivan class, and the 2011 changes only make it better. Families will like it, especially because those entertainment features will make for more enjoyable family trips. That is, after all, the reason the Grand Caravan remains so popular. While some options are gone, there are plenty of entertainment features that will help keep the kids occupied. They include three types of hard-drive radio, Sirius satellite radio, rear DVD entertainment, a wireless cell phone link, and a mobile internet hot spot.
Up front, the instrumentation is changed for 2011, with bigger black dials offset by blue-tinted graphics and chrome trim. There are big divisions so you can read each 5-mph increment on the speedometer. The shift lever sticks out just to the left of the center stack, an efficient location. The steering wheel is new on the 2011 model. It incorporates trip computer, phone, audio, cruise control, and, when ordered, navigation controls. That's nice because the 2010 model had the trip computer controls inaccessibly placed on the dashboard behind the left side of the steering wheel. It now telescopes as well, allowing more drivers to find an ideal seating position. As an added touch, its available heated, which is nice on cold winter mornings.
Conclusions
Safety features include dual front airbags, front side airbags, driver knee airbag, all-row curtain side airbags, active front headrests, tire-pressure monitor, four-wheel-disc ABS with brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability control. Options include a rearview camera, rear park assist, Rear Cross Path and Blind Spot Alert. All-wheel drive is not available. The 2011 Grand Caravan leads the minivan field when it comes to interior convenience, capability and versatility. Chrysler has been working to give its minivans a competitive advantage in these areas for a long time, and those efforts show. Visit the official Dodge Grand Caravan site for more information!
Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Des Moines
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan IAThe Grand Caravan, Dodge's top family hauler, gets some significant revisions for 2011. The mechanical and design changes made to the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan are all for the better. It's much nicer inside, handles far better, is quieter and has more power with better fuel economy. Grand Caravan offers amazing versatility with one of the most convenient cabins. The flexible seating, abundance of storage space, and impressive entertainment options can make life easier for busy owners. The 2011 Grand Caravan suspension is stiffer than before and the van rides lower, making it more responsive to driver inputs than the 2010 model. Gone are the annoying wallow and float characteristics we noted with the 2010 model. Yet ride quality is still quite smooth. The 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan is all about transporting people comfortably, efficiently and safely, while keeping them entertained. Its designers focused on interior creature comforts, such as the popular Stow 'n Go seating system. Stow 'n Go consists of bins in the floor behind the first row of seats, and second-row seats that can be folded into those bins, resulting in a flat load floor for easily carrying larger objects. Or, when the seats are up in the normal seating position, the bins can accommodate toys, games, sporting gear, tools and other small cargo.
New Grand Caravan Power and Drive
Des Moines Dodge Grand Caravan 2011The new engine for 2011 is a 3.6-liter V6 that replaces three archaic V6s from 2010, offering more power and improved fuel economy. The new engine fixes a weak point and makes the Dodge competitive with the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. This fine new 3.6-liter V6 is mated to a mediocre 6-speed automatic transmission, resulting in a combination that delivers adequate response for most drivers. Though just as large, the 2011 Grand Caravan is much more controlled than last year. It still leans a bit in turns but acceptably so, and it gathers itself quicker to head back in the opposite direction. The new steering is quicker and more direct. It no longer feels like you're at the helm of a ship. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 17/25 mpg City/Highway, or 20 mpg Combined city and highway driving.
Design of the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan
The look of the Grand Caravan is less boxy for 2011, as Dodge has softened the lines a bit while adding a touch of sportiness. The Grand Caravan has a 202.8-inch overall length and a 121.2-inch wheelbase. Minivans of today may be quite large. However, they share their basic architecture with cars, using unit-body structures and front-wheel-drive platforms, with the engine mounted transversely. The 2011 Grand Caravan sits an inch lower than before. Up front, it has a sportier fascia with mesh inserts, a revised version of the Dodge crosshair grille, a slightly reshaped hood and quad headlights. At the rear, the liftgate is slightly modified to accept new DODGE lettering, there is a body color roof spoiler, the fascia is new, there a step plate with chrome trim, and the taillights add LEDs. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard. We think the available five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels look better.
'11 Grand Caravan Cabin
Des Moines IA Dodge Grand Caravan For SaleFor 2011, the interior of the Grand Caravan is upgraded, and we find the new look far more attractive. The materials are richer, though, like most of its rivals, hard plastic dominates the dashboard. Still, the new soft-touch door tops, redesigned gauges and nice bits of trim are welcome. The Grand Caravan's unique cargo and entertainment features make it a strong contender in the minivan class, and the 2011 changes only make it better. Families will like it, especially because those entertainment features will make for more enjoyable family trips. That is, after all, the reason the Grand Caravan remains so popular. While some options are gone, there are plenty of entertainment features that will help keep the kids occupied. They include three types of hard-drive radio, Sirius satellite radio, rear DVD entertainment, a wireless cell phone link, and a mobile internet hot spot.
Up front, the instrumentation is changed for 2011, with bigger black dials offset by blue-tinted graphics and chrome trim. There are big divisions so you can read each 5-mph increment on the speedometer. The shift lever sticks out just to the left of the center stack, an efficient location. The steering wheel is new on the 2011 model. It incorporates trip computer, phone, audio, cruise control, and, when ordered, navigation controls. That's nice because the 2010 model had the trip computer controls inaccessibly placed on the dashboard behind the left side of the steering wheel. It now telescopes as well, allowing more drivers to find an ideal seating position. As an added touch, its available heated, which is nice on cold winter mornings.
Conclusions
Safety features include dual front airbags, front side airbags, driver knee airbag, all-row curtain side airbags, active front headrests, tire-pressure monitor, four-wheel-disc ABS with brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability control. Options include a rearview camera, rear park assist, Rear Cross Path and Blind Spot Alert. All-wheel drive is not available. The 2011 Grand Caravan leads the minivan field when it comes to interior convenience, capability and versatility. Chrysler has been working to give its minivans a competitive advantage in these areas for a long time, and those efforts show. Visit the official Dodge Grand Caravan site for more information!
Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com