The 2009 Town and Country offering from Chrysler isn’t significantly different from its cheaper brother-in-law, the Dodge Caravan. Unfortunately, the same problems with resale value and reliability that plague the Caravan are just as evident in the Town and Country. It’s as if they thought that by spreading the incompetence around enough it would all even out – nice try, but no dice, GM.
Reliability is a big bug-a-boo with the 2009 Chrysler Town and Country. Several national surveys have given the Town and Country poor ratings based on repair costs and overall reliability. There are also issues in quality control and durability, which is a tragedy, really – there are some really great things to be found in this car.
First, there’s the popular Stow ‘n Go seating and a rear entertainment system, with kid friendly dual screens and TV options piped in via Sirius Satellite TV. For the audiophile in the family, there’s audio storage on the van’s hard drive. It also has those great minivan attributes of abundant room for passengers and plenty of cargo space. That’s nice, because you may spend a lot of time sitting around in the Town and Country. Unfortunately, that may be when you’re sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck, instead of while you’re getting where you want to be.
And just like its corporate clone, the Dodge Caravan, the interior design is plain. There are some wood trim additions, but that’s no magic fix. In general, there’s nothing really wrong a plain design as such, but here it’s just another mark of a company that just isn’t trying anymore. Not that a significant design overhaul would radically improve the Town and Country. All the comfort and innovation in styling – none of which even touch this car – will be meaningless if you’re stuck on the side of the road.
When it comes to the technical specs, you can get either one of three V6 engine choices, a 3.3-liter V6 with an output of 175 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque, a 3.8-liter V6 with 197 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque, or a 4.0-liter V6 which gives you an 251 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, in spite the different power outputs; they all get about the same fuel economy – 17 miles in the city and 24 miles on the highway. While not bad for the minivan class, it’s certainly nothing to write home about – and it’s not enough to save this car from its existing problems.
In review, remember that generations of people preferred mules to racehorses because of their reliability. Minivans are a bit like that – you’re buying dependability and reliability for you and your family, and this isn’t it. There are other, better ways to spend your money. For example, try the Honda Odyssey or the Toyota Sienna – maybe even a Kia Sedona or its close cousin, the Hyundai Entourage. You could even step outside the minivan class and look at a full-size SUV crossover, like the Chevrolet Traverse. Just stay away from this one – it’s a problem waiting to happen.
