A few years ago I wrote a little comparo of our Honda Odyssey (2011) minivan to the previous 2 Chrysler minivans (previous generations to the Honda). You can read that HERE
In short, I was not a fan of the Honda. I never could get comfortable in it, the fuel economy was no better than the Chrysler, and the VTECH-yo was a neat party trick the first few times you feel it, then it just means you have an underpowered and torqueless vehicle the rest of the time.
Fast forward a few years and we’ve been parolled from the Stupid Honda (that was what we called it for years) and have a Subaru so we can be ready for those south-Florida snowstorms I guess.
Recently though, I’ve added a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT 4.0 as my DD because it’s the pickup truck I need. Since the ’09 and ’11 vehicles are the same gen, I thought I’d toss my thoughts out there on the GC, and naturally do a little comparing to the Stupid Honda for any looking at a well-loved minivan to haul people or stuff.
The GC I bought has about 150K miles on it and was driven by a little old lady. The little old lady part is a blessing and a curse. It’s incredibly clean inside, has a few bumps outside, and had some deferred maintenance. I paid $4,800 for it. A Honda of similar spec and condition would have easily been $6,000.
Interior: The Honda had a more attractive interior with a better screen but a more annoying layout of buttons for radio and HVAC. The Honda had a better back up camera as well. The GC is WAY more comfortable and has a more (electrically) adjustable passenger seat than the Honda. The GC has an odd mix is features though. It’s the SXT model, top tier. It has power this and that, heated front AND middle seats, dual DVD system with CD / DVD changer, but no memory seats (no memory for the honda either). When your wife is considerably shorter than you, memory seats is a nice thing to have. The rear vent windows that open is a really nice thing to have on the Dodge, missed that on the honda.
Of course there’s the stow and go that is just a game changer, but the fact that the honda didn’t have it isn’t an oversight, they couldn’t do it due to patent infringements.
Exterior: This gen Chryco minivan has always been just meh to me. The honda looks better, but looks are subjective. There are better sightlines from the GC, that's a big deal.
Powertrain: I liked the honda 3.5 for a short time. It’s neat to rev it, I guess. The vtech is a nice party trick. But it’s such a gutless wonder you find that you have to ring it out to get any acceleration out of it. I found myself not pulling into holes in traffic that I would have in the old Chrysler minivans (3.8L) because I knew the honda didn’t have the balls to get out of it’s own way. Sometimes I'd turn the A/C off before pulling in traffic to regain the much needed hp. The honda had the most reluctant transmission I’ve driven since my ’89 Grand Wagoneer with the 3-speed auto. Gawd I hated the honda trans.
The 4.0L V6 is an absolute beast. It seems to like to rev as much as the honda, but it has torque as well. The 6-speed in the GC (4.0L only) is awesome. At part throttle you don’t really notice it’s there. At full throttle is shifts quick and firm. I didn’t know Chrysler had a FWD trans this good.
Utility: The GC is great with that stow and go. The bigger difference though is that, with the honda after you take those heavy middle row seats out and folded the rears down you had a lumpy load floor that was JUST over 4’ wide. That means you don’t really have enough room to get your fingers under sheet goods to get them out. And the cargo opening is shaped like ( ____) with the 4’2” opening about ½ way up. Meaning you have to levitate the sheet goods in the air to get them in the van, then drop them down on the floor where you have a VERY hard time getting them back out. Longer lumber will side under the front passenger seat, allowing you to take boards well over 8’ home. That wasn’t a possibility with the honda.
In all I think the Honda is a more modern appearing van, but if you need anything more than a large Accord, you'll be left wanting. It feels like it handles better, but since I'm not autocrossing it, I don't care. The Chrysler vans are just great vehicles. The designers know how these are being used, and build them to suit.
There you go, an opinionated old man blabbering on about 14-year old vehicles that aren’t enthusiast vehicles. But this being GRM, I figure I’m not the only one looking to press an inexpensive minivan into pickup truck duties.
