Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Bentley
BMW
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
FIAT
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Honda
Hyundai
INFINITI
Jaguar
Jeep
Kia
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lotus
Lucid
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
MINI
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Polestar
Porsche
RAM
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
Convertible
Coupe
Crossover
Hatchback
Sedan
SUV
Truck
Van/Minivan
Wagon
HUMMER
Isuzu
Mercury
Oldsmobile
Plymouth
Pontiac
Saab
Saturn
Scion
Suzuki
smart
Electric
Hybrid
The Dodge Grand Caravan has some of the best street cred of any minivan, as it can trace its roots back to 1984. Not much, though, has changed for the current iteration of the Grand Caravan, which appeared on the scene in 2008 as the fifth generation of the vehicle. While the majority of its more modern rivals outclass the minivan, the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is a bargain for consumers willing to look past its flaws.
What's New for 2018
Last year's GT trim is no more, which means buyers no longer have the option to upgrade to advanced features like blind spot detection. There's also a new color this year: Indigo Blue.
Choosing Your Dodge Grand Caravan
All Grand Caravans come with one powertrain, which features a 283-horsepower, 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Power goes down to the front wheels, while fuel economy for the minivan is rated by the EPA at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, resulting in a combined rating of 20 mpg. The minivan doesn’t mind doing heavy-duty tasks either, as the Grand Caravan, when equipped with an optional package, is capable of towing up to 3,600 pounds.
The Grand Caravan might be showing its age, but that doesn’t mean the vehicle’s out of tricks. The minivan features a two-two-three seating arrangement that offers a capacious amount of room for seven passengers. But the nifty thing about the minivan has to do with its Stow 'n Go Seating and Storage System that allows owners to get the most out of the vehicle.
The minivan's second and third row of seats can disappear into the floor, leaving a flat area of approximately 140 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The ingenious part of the system, though, is it can still be used if the seats are in place, providing owners with 12 cubic feet of hidden cargo space. In addition, the Grand Caravan’s 60/40-split folding third-row seats can turn 180 degrees, allowing individuals to sit comfortably in the seats while looking out the rear of the vehicle.
The Grand Caravan is available in three forms:
SE
The entry-level Grand Caravan is the SE trim that costs $27,595 (prices include the $1,345 destination fee). Standard exterior features on the SE trim include 17-inch steel wheels, daytime running lights, body-color door handles, heated exterior mirrors, and a black grille. On the inside, the SE trim features a second row bench seat, a 60/40 Stow ‘n Go Bench seat for the third row, cloth bucket seats, remote keyless entry, a 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, three-zone manual air conditioning, an interior observation mirror, power windows, a six-speaker audio system, a rearview camera, and a 6.5-inch touchscreen display.
Available packages on the SE trim include the Uconnect Hands-Free Group ($690) that adds Bluetooth Streaming Audio, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a remote USB port, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, steering wheel mounted audio controls, Uconnect Voice Command with Bluetooth, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. The Single DVD Entertainment package ($995) adds a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet, an overhead 9.0-inch video screen for the second row, a second-row overhead DVD console, a high-definition multimedia interface, a remote USB port, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, a video remote control, and wireless headphones. Lastly, the Premium Edition Group by Mopar ($350) alters the minivan’s exterior with Mopar door sill guards, slush mats, and splash guards.
SE Plus
Moving up to the SE Plus version of the SE costs $30,360. The Plus comes standard with the Blacktop Appearance package, which brings 17-inch aluminum wheels with black pockets, a gloss black grille, and an all-black interior. The trim also adds body-color exterior mirrors and a rear fascia scuff pad on the outside. The majority of differences between the two trims can be spotted on the inside, where the SE Plus comes with second row Stow n’ Go seats, third-row tailgate seats, premium cloth bucket seats, second-row bucket seats with fold-in-floor seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, silver accent stitching, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth streaming audio, a remote USB port, and Uconnect Voice Command with Bluetooth. The SE Plus trim has a lot of the same optional packages as the SE trim.
SXT
The SXT trim starts at $33,790 and adds a variety of exterior and interior features over lower trims. The exterior of the minivan features 17-inch wheels, a power liftgate, automatic headlights, and integrated roof rail crossbars. The interior is a little more comfortable than lower trims thanks to an eight-way power driver’s seat and a power sliding door.
The SXT shares a lot of the same available packages as the SE Plus trim, but adds the Blacktop Package ($695) as an option, as well as the Driver Convenience Group ($995). The Blacktop Package adds 17-inch gloss black wheels, black headlamp bezels, black interior accents, fog lights, a gloss black grille, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a rear fascia scuff pad, and silver accent stitching. The Driver Convenience Group brings second-row window shades, three-zone automatic temperature control, cup holders with overhead illumination, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, illuminated front door storage, overhead ambient surround lighting, overhead storage bins, rear swiveling courtesy lamps, a single rear overhead console, sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors, a universal garage door opener, and third-row window shades.
While the 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan is an excellent choice when it’s at its cheapest, the SXT trim adds a few convenience features that'll make living with the minivan more enjoyable. Things like a power liftgate, a power sliding door, and power seats will surely come in handy. Minivans may not been known for having an aggressive look, but the Blacktop Package does make the Grand Caravan look like a muscular machine. But the better decision would be to go with the Driver Convenience Group, as it adds a few luxurious touches.
