Franklin Sussex Auto Mall Blog

From the KickingTires Blog at Cars.Com … 

Minivans and cars with all-wheel drive are two of the most popular topics over at Ask.cars.com. In keeping with the popularity of both, Chrysler is adding two new safety systems to its 2009 minivans, the Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, as well as adding a fuel-saving feature on the all-wheel-drive 2009 Chrysler 300C.

Two new detection systems, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Path, will keep Chrysler minivan drivers aware of what’s happening outside their vehicle. Blind spot detectors are commonly found on luxury and near-luxury cars, not necessarily minivans. Like the current systems available, Chrysler’s will warn drivers with an icon that illuminates in the side-view mirrors when a passing vehicle enters their blind spot.

The Rear Cross Path feature also warns drivers of passing vehicles, except it does so when a vehicle is crossing the rear bumper in tricky situations, like exiting a parking space with poor visibility.

On the all-wheel-drive front, a new device on Chrysler’s rear-wheel-drive-based cars — starting with the 300C and potentially moving to the Charger — will disconnect the front drive wheels from the all-wheel-drive system when not needed, transferring power 100% to the rear wheels and saving fuel. Chrysler claims an additional 1 mpg can be gained on the 300C AWD’s 15/22 city/highway mpg rating.

Another feature slated to appear before the end of 2008 is an aftermarket wireless internet system — as if Chrysler’s minivans needed one more multimedia outlet on top of their dual-rear LCD screens, in-dash audio storage, DVD player and satellite television. Available through Chrysler’s accessories division, the system will create an internet hot spot for laptops and other devices.

The sister vehicle to the 2008 Chrysler Town And Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan, was recently reviewed by Harvey Schwartz over at AutomotiveAddicts.Com. His opening line is the perfect statement for this incredible vehicle …

The all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan re-writes the book on minivans.

Over the years, Dodge’s hauler has faced increased competition from import-brand minivans. In some ways, it has risen to the challenge, offering groundbreaking features that have served to separate it from the pack. The Chrysler/Dodge minivans were the first to offer driver-side sliding doors. They are also the only vans on the market to offer Stow ‘n Go seating. Eliminating the need to remove the seats and then find someplace else to store them when not in use, this system enables owners to quickly and easily fold both the second- and third-row seats into the floor, or flip the third-row split bench completely rearward to provide tailgate seating. New Swivel ‘n Go allows you to turn the middle captain’s chairs around to face the third row for a family-friendly conversation seating setup.

To continue reading his outstanding review, be sure to check out his blog post. If you are interested in finding out more about the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, check out our inventory on the website for Franklin Sussex Automall.

The new Journey is one of those vehicles that wants to look like an SUV, haul stuff like a station wagon and ride like a passenger car!

Known by the code name JC49 for months, the Dodge Journey is actually based on an Avenger chassis with a wheelbase lengthened 4.9 inches. That provides extra room for an optional third-row seat for “occasional use”. The Journey also includes some clever features like a large storage bin beneath the front passenger seat cushion, as well as two in-floor bins behind the front seats big enough to carry a 12-pack each and some ice.

Here are some remarks from the latest press release …

Dodge designers and engineers have answered the needs of the global passenger car market, as well as the needs of individual drivers, and delivered the all-new Dodge Journey: a global vehicle that meets life’s changing demands by offering a unique combination of versatility and flexibility in a sporty, sexy package. This all-new vehicle takes the practicality of a minivan, the capability of a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) and the overall efficiency of a passenger car and blends all the best attributes of each into an all-new “right-sized” crossover for the Dodge brand.

The Dodge Journey is built on the company’s global D-segment platform and is designed to meet the needs of customers ranging from young singles, couples and families with small children to mature families who want the flexibility to do more in terms of seating people or storing gear. Clever, flexible seating and storage combinations include standard five-passenger seating with spacious cargo room and available 5+2 seating, for times when additional passengers are along on the journey. Spacious storage bins, hidden in the floor and under the front passenger seat cushion, combined with a variety of fuel-efficient and powerful powertrain options, make Dodge Journey flexible, functional and fun-to-drive.

Dodge Journey features several different engine/transaxle combinations designed to meet the needs of the diverse mid-size crossover buyer. These include a fuel-efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine, a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) 2.7-liter V-6 engine that can run on E-85, an available 3.5-liter V-6 engine coupled with a six-speed automatic transaxle with Auto Stick for the United States and Canada and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine equipped with a six-speed manual or automatic transaxle for markets outside North America.

Dodge Journey’s standard 2.4-liter World Engine provides an estimated fuel economy of 19 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 25 mpg on the highway (approximately 9 liters per 100 km on the European combined cycle), as well as solid, quiet performance. Journey’s 2.4-liter World Engine is coupled with a standard four-speed automatic transaxle in the United States and Canada, as well as a five-speed manual transaxle in most markets outside North America.

Dodge Journey SXT and R/T models sold in the United States and Canada equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine also offer AWD capability. Journey’s all-wheel-drive system works on demand, driving only the front wheels until power to the rear wheels is needed. AWD also is used on dry pavement between speeds of 25 and 65 mph (40-105 km/h) to enhance handling during performance driving. This system provides added traction on snow, ice and other low-traction surfaces without having to be switched on and off.

The Chrysler Town and Country, and its sibling, the Dodge Grand Caravan, are the most family friendly minivans on the market, if not the best driving. The many unique and handy seating and storage options make them worth a look.

The Town and Country’s entertainment and seating options are the best in the class, matched only by the Dodge Grand Caravan. The available Stow ‘n Go seating tucks the second-row seats nicely into the floor, and when those seats are up, the floor bins offer storage space. The rear seats fold into the floor on all models, allowing a perfectly flat, voluminous rear storage area that can accommodate items such as couches, 4×8-foot sheets of plywood, and most any other item you might need to transport. In addition, there is a handy well behind the third row that offers lots of storage space even with the seats up.

The new Swivel ‘n Go option will be great for family trips. The second row turns to face the third row with a table in between. It will help keep the kids entertained with games of checkers, a place to draw, or any number of other possibilities. And if that’s not enough, the Town and Country offers single and dual screen rear DVD entertainment systems, plus newly available Sirius Backseat TV with three kid-friendly channels. The dual screens allow different viewing options for kids that can’t agree on what to watch. And for the adults up front, Chrysler’s new MyGIG hard drive radio stores up to 1600 songs.

Overall, the 2008 Town and Country does what a minivan should. It is a great vehicle for families that need to haul kids and cargo on a regular basis. And the seating and entertainment options will prevent a lot of the fights that inevitably accompany road trips.