The 2009 Grand Caravan is an ace four-door seven-passenger Dodge minivan available in SE, SXT and CV trims. The Base SE gets Stow ‘n Go seating as standard equipment and the upscale SXT gains some new optional features for 2009.
The Grand Caravan is known for its loads of innovative and family-friendly features. It takes on many competitors like the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona/Hyundai Entourage and several full-size crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse.
The Grand Caravan has many innovative interior features. The most noteworthy are the various second-row seating choices: the standard Stow ‘n Go features a pair of captain’s chairs disappear into the floor (as the third row does) creating a perfectly flat load floor for up to 140 cubic feet of cargo room. The other innovative features are the two rear video screens (one that swivels), Sirius Satellite TV, ambient cabin lighting, a power-folding third row, huge under-floor storage, a pop-out cargo-area-mounted flashlight and a driver-seat umbrella holder.
Engine and Performance
The Base SE trim is equipped with a 3.3-liter V6 engine rated at 175 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic is standard. It delivers 17 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined which is actually disappointing.
With a 3.8-liter V6 that pumps out197 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque with a six-speed automatic transmission, the SXT delivers 16 city/23 hwy. A 4.0-liter V6 engine making 251 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque is optional on this model.
Electronic Stability Program (ESP) designed to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicles during extreme steering maneuvers is a standard feature. The ESP senses when a vehicle is starting to spin (oversteer) or plow (understeer), and attempts to correct the vehicle’s course by automatically controlling the throttle and applying the brakes at individual wheels. All trims are front-wheel driven.
Body and Styling
The 2009 Grand Caravan leads it class with innovative rear seating options, loads of space, powerful 4.0-liter V6 engine, better safety scores and kid-friendly entertainment options. 16-inch wheels are standard, while 17-inch alloy rims are optional. Compact spare tire is standard.
The appropriately clean and utilitarian interior comes with leather-trimmed bucket seats, cloth low-back bucket seats with stain repel, eight-way power driver and front-passenger seats, manually-adjustable seats, LATCH-ready child seat anchor system, second row buckets with fold-in-floor seats, second and third-row Stow ‘n Go with third-row tail gate seats, commercial seat delete, AM/FM radio with CD and MP3 players, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, four speakers, uconnect studios-SIRIUS satellite radio, six speakers, and air conditioning with three-zone temperature control. More storage nooks, pockets and bins are sprinkled in the interiors of the 2009 Dodge Caravan.
Safety Features
Antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, and full-length side curtain airbags, a rearview camera and a sonar ParkSense audible system.
The Parkview rear backup camera displays a wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the vehicle to assist the driver when backing up. The rear image is automatically displayed on the navigation screen when the transmission is shifted into reverse.
The available ParkSense rear park assist system uses sound waves to detect nearby obstacles in and near the rear path of the vehicle to help maneuver in tight spaces at parking speeds. Audio-visual indicators in the overhead display in the rear of the vehicle alert to the proximity of larger, stationary objects that might be outside the line of sight.
The Mopar Blind Spot Monitoring System and LED indicators, located on the outside mirrors, provide continuous visual feedback of approaching vehicles. A precaution that offers good peace of mind, Grand Caravan’s Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) alerts the driver of low-pressure tires via a warning light in the instrument cluster.
