2009 Chrysler Town & Country - Endless Versatility for the Entire Family

For 2009, the Town & Country, Chrysler's feature laden minivan, has a starting MSRP of $26,340 - $36,780.  The greatest benefits of the Town & Country are its seating versatility, its family and kid friendly features, and its excellent storage solutions.   And although the 2009 Chrysler minivan may have a rather rough ride on pavement, some low quality cabin pieces, and a small navigation screen, it knows what it takes to make a vehicle work for today?s American family, and that is no small feat. The Town & Country gets an EPA mileage of 16 - 17 in the city and 23 - 25 on the highway.  The 2009 Chrysler Town & Country is available in three models, base LX, well-equipped Touring and top-of-the-line Limited.  Chrysler puts a luxurious spin on the minivan with the Town & Country. Innovative seating and upscale features inside and out set this van apart from the competition.

Minivan Drive

The Town & Country is not a thrilling vehicle drive, but it is sufficient for everyday purposes.  Performance is not a top priority for minivans, and this shows with the Town & Country.  However, acceleration with the 4.0 liter V6 is excellent.  As far as gas mileage goes, each trim is different.  The base LX gets a four-speed automatic.

Chrysler Cabin

The Town & Country's can carry seven passengers. A big part of this minivan is its Stow 'n Go second-row seats, which fold into the floor. Chrysler also offers optional Swivel 'n Go: second-row captain's chairs that independently rotate 180 degrees and slide fore and aft to face the third row. There is also an included stowable center table that can be positioned between the rows. The Town & Country offers power-folding 60/40-split third-row seats with one-touch operation, up or down. This feature is included in the Premium Group option package on the Touring model and is an option on Limited models. There are also optional seat heaters for the front- and second-row seats, both in stain-resistant cloth and leather. An optional integrated child booster seat, for larger kids, is offered in Swivel 'n Go but not with Stow 'n Go seats.

Town and Country Design

The 2009 model has a nose resembles that of its Aspen, Pacifica and Sebring siblings. This is definitely a vehicle with traditional minivan looks, yet its higher hood, squared-off rear end and the most stealthy sliding side doors all combine in a presence that's not too far from what passes as a crossover SUV nowadays.  The Town & Country's new styling is boxier than the previous generation, with a more pronounced front end With its 2008 redesign, the Town & Country dropped its short wheelbase body style, opting for three long-wheelbase models. The Town & Country measures 202.5 inches long, 78.7 inches wide and 68.9 inches tall. Even with its recent size increase, the 2008 Town & Country's size is comparable to several competitors. The Nissan Quest, Chevrolet Uplander, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna are all within two inches, plus or minus, in overall length. Compared to the Dodge Grand Caravan, The Town & Country's exterior is more distinguished.  The rear liftgate is available with power operation, which is handy, but the rear glass doesn't open separately.  Chrome accents on the front and rear fascias, door handles, belt molding, and mirrors lend an upscale appearance.

Town and Country Power

The 2009 Town & Country comes standard with a flexible-fuel 3.3-liter V-6 that can run on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two.  The higher trim levels come with a 3.8-liter or 4.0-liter V-6. The gear selector, which looks like a center-console shifter, is located high on the dashboard, to the right of the gauges.  The base 175-horsepower engine that is standard is a bit under powered.  The other engines, which put out 197-horsepower and with251-horsepower, respectively, perform well.

Features and Options

The LX model comes with Yes Essentials cloth upholstery that Chrysler says is stain and odor resistant, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, front bucket seats, front center console, second-row bench seat, third-row stowable split folding bench seat, power front windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, four-sp eaker AM/FM/CD stereo, conversation mirror, and P225/65R16 tires on steel wheels with wheelcovers.

The Touring model adds tri-zone manual climate control with rear controls, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, two additional speakers, cruise control, eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, power adjustable pedals, Stow 'n Go second-row stowable bucket seats, overhead storage bins, removable rechargeable flashlight, heated exterior mirrors, power rear windows, power sliding rear doors, power rear liftgate, trip computer, universal garage door opener, automatic headlights, fog lights, roof rack, and aluminum wheels.

The Limited model gets tri-zone automatic climate control with rear controls; interior air filter; leather upholstery; eight-way power passenger seat; heated first- and second-row seats; memory for the driver seat, mirrors, and pedals; 506-watt audio system with 10 speakers; Chrysler's MyGIG Multimedia Entertainment System with 20-gigabyte hard drive; Sirius satellite radio; removable, sliding front console; rear obstacle detection; remote engine starting; auto-dimming driver's side and rearview mirrors; outside-temperature indicator, compass; second- and third-row sunshades; xenon headlights; and P225/65R17 tires on chromed aluminum wheels.

Stand-alone options include two integrated child seats ($225) for the second row, UConnect cell phone link ($275), sunroof ($895), a power-folding third-row seat ($595), and Sirius Backseat TV ($495). Several of the higher line standard features are also available for the lower line models.

Summary

The most important feature, both from a usability stand-point and competitive stand-point, is that this van features Stow'n Go seats. What that means is that all the seats can be folded into the floor. No more fumbling to release and remove awkward heavy seats and then try to find a suitable place to store them. Combine this with Chrysler's new YES Essentials seat trim that repels all but the most caustic stains, and you have a truly family-friendly vehicle. For another view on the Town and Country check out Motortrend's review.  The 2009 Town & Country is certainly loaded with all types of cool features and storage and organizational options.  If this is what is important and takes priority, than this is the vehicle for you.  However, when it comes to other aspects such as performance and handling, there is certainly room for improvement.  Safety equipment includes dual-stage front airbags, head-protecting curtain side airbags, tire-pressure monitor, ABS with brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability control. For more information on Town and Country models, click here.