Chrysler Town & Country reviews

2005 Chrysler Town & Country Interior Features

The Chrysler Town & Country is a comfortable place to spend time. It provides seating for up to seven people, and all positions, including the third row, are roomy and comfortable. That's something that can't be said for any sport-utility vehicle. Cup holders are available at each seat, and the rearmost passengers each get their own storage console, though the plastic lid is flimsy. Seat belt anchors are height-adjustable in the front and middle rows.

The seats in our 2005 Limited model were nicely finished in light-colored leather with suede-like inserts. The material is soft and appears to be durable. The seat bottoms are nicely finished on all sides; some manufacturers don't finish the inboard side panels and that leaves an unattractive, unfinished look that you don't notice until after you've bought the vehicle. Attractive sycamore wood and satin-silver trim warmed the cabin.

Chrysler's new Stow 'n Go seating system is the best on the market. The second and third rows of seats fold flat into the floor leaving a perfectly flat platform for cargo. Folding and unfolding the seats is a quick three-step process. Pull one strap to drop the seatback, then pull two other straps to tuck it into the floor. This leaves a perfectly flat platform. Very few seats fold perfectly flat and no one else (except Dodge) has a second row that does this. The system is also flexible. The third row is split and either or both of the second-row captain's chairs can be stowed. So, for example, you could stow the right one-third of the third-row bench and the right-hand second-row seat for loading something long, while still leaving seating for yourself and three or four passengers. Alas, the front passenger seat does not fold down, so you may want to secure that kayak to the roof rack. All of the long-wheelbase Town & Country models come standard with Stow 'n Go.

Our 16-year-old third-row tester said getting into the third row was a little awkward, but she didn't appear to have that much trouble, routinely choosing to walk between the second-row captain's chairs rather than flipping the seats out of the way as Chrysler intended. Once back there, she said the seating was very comfortable. She then put on her headphones and that was the last we heard from her.

The low floor makes getting in and out through the side doors easy. Caesar the 160-pound mastiff requires a ramp to get into an SUV, but he stepped easily and without hesitation through the rear and side doors of the Town & Country without such assistance. The low load height also makes loading cargo easier, and the Town & Country can carry more stuff and bigger items than any SUV. There's a fair amount of cargo space behind the third row. When the seats are in place for passengers, there are wells behind the third-row seats that are perfect for groceries. A pair of cargo nets can be hooked onto hooks, providing well-designed bags to keep your melons from rolling around. Another net can be secured between either the second-row or front-row captain's chairs. Hooks on the backs of the seats are useful for hooking plastic grocery bags and other items. There's also space in front of the center console for a purse or tote bag. When it comes to moving combinations of people and stuff, the Chrysler Town & Country has no peers.

Many other features add day-to-day convenience. A time delay switch leaves the headlights on while you walk from the van to your door. Auxiliary outlets, two up front and one amidships, provide power for gadgets. Four big coat hooks make picking up the dry cleaning a more elegant chore, and the coat hooks fold away when not in use; few manufacturers do coat hooks this well. Three dome lights illuminate the cabin well. An available overhead console houses power switches for the rear hatch and sliding doors, along with compass and outside temperature readouts. The rear quarter windows are power operated. Dark ti