Cheers to the minivan

2016 Chrysler Town & Country Touring L Anniversary Edition

For more than 30 years, Chrysler has dominated the minivan segment. It’s a segment that’s seen highs and lows. Now there are fewer competitors left in the minivan segment. And Chrysler is still standing, or rather sitting, in comfort with ample legroom.

My tester this week is the 2016 Chrysler Town & Country Touring Anniversary Edition. The Anniversary Edition package is what’s new this model year for the minivan. I don’t quite know why it’s called Anniversary Edition since it’s not celebrating a milestone, but hey it sounds good, and surviving in a segment for more than 30 years is quite an accomplishment, so why not celebrate with an anniversary edition?

How does a minivan celebrate its anniversary? By adding a power sunroof, heated first- and second-row seats, a heated steering wheel and even special anniversary badging. Cheers to Chrysler on the many happy years.

As for the rest of the Town & Country, it’s been well maintained over the years. What works best for it is that it doesn’t try to disguise what it is. The Town & Country has handsome styling but is definitely a minivan. A longer hood fits proportionally to the rest of the silhouette. The same styling on the hood carries along the side panels. The middle is the longest part, with an abrupt, sharp, upright back end. This is no SUV or crossover; this is a van.

Inside, you know it’s a van, too! I’ve never understood why families migrated away from minivans toward SUVs. Most SUVs don’t have nearly the useful and comfortable interior space that a minivan does. The Town & Country is a perfect example. With seven-passenger capabilities, it is excellent as a people hauler. With the patented Stow ’n Go system, the second-row seats can be folded flat into the floor with just the pull of a lever. The third-row seats fold flat, too, giving a cavernous amount of cargo room. Total cargo area is 143.8 cubic feet.

Beyond that, with all seats upright, the Town & Country is still well suited for families. Rear legroom measures 36.5 inches and head room is 39.3 inches. The third row is easily accessible, even for mom and dad. However, with limited legroom it’s best to keep that area for the little ones. Otherwise, all seats are comfortable, and the heated options for the rear passengers is nice. Overall touch points are improved from the previous generation Town & Country. Attention to detail has improved as has overall materials used. Road noise is still an issue especially as it comes noticeably through the sliding door area.

The Town & Country has a 3.6-liter V6 engine that contributes to some of the road noise. It’s a louder engine in general. It makes 283 horsepower, which is ample. Minivans don’t need to be fast off the line, and this engine serves its purpose, despite its loudness. Also, a six-speed automatic transmission seems outdated and struggles at times to keep up with the engine. The Town & Country is composed in its drive performance. While there’s nothing particularly inspiring about its overall performance, it handles well for such a long vehicle. It drives smaller than it is and feels more like a crossover from behind the wheel.

The Town & Country has an EPA rating of 17 mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway. In a week’s worth of driving, I averaged 21 mpg. This is below the average within the minivan segment. Perhaps adding a better transmission could eek out a few more miles per gallon in future models.

From a consumer standpoint the Town & Country has numerous options and six trims to make this van what the buyer wants it to be. My tester was Touring-L. This trim comes with a DVD entertainment system as well as second- and third-row window shades. This is an underrated feature. Keep the sun out of your little one’s face with these easy up/easy down shades.

The Anniversary Edition comes as an optional package and has a price of $1,500. This is a reasonably priced upgrade considering all that comes with the celebratory package. Base price of the Touring-L is $35,595. My tester loaded with extras had a final MSRP of $41,175. The base LX starts right around $30,000, making the Town & Country a more affordable option to its competitors, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

Through the years, the minivan has evolved, and Chrysler has been there all along. It seems loyal, stout and resolute, like a good spouse. In 2016, the Town & Country celebrates many happy returns with a special anniversary edition. Here’s a toast to this classic minivan.

Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside