2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Grand Caravan, and includes Dodge Grand Caravan safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

With its corporate parent’s bankruptcy in the past, and significant help coming from its new partner, Italian automaker Fiat, Dodge has reinvigorated its lineup for 2011. The Grand Caravan has benefited from this turn of events, as it enters the 2011 model year with a new V6 engine that replaces the previous trio of six-cylinder offerings, an interior that demonstrates a renewed focus on quality craftsmanship, a retuned suspension and steering, updated styling, and what Dodge claims are more comfortable Stow ‘n Go seats. Fitted on top of the van are new Stow ‘n Place roof racks that can be locked into a more aerodynamic position when not in use, and buyers can choose from a new array of trim levels including Express, Mainstreet, Crew, and R/T. Swivel ‘n Go seats are no longer available.

After years of faithful service, it’s time to bid adieu to the Grand Caravan SE and SXT models, as well as the short-lived Hero model. They’ve officially been scrapped for 2011, replaced by a foursome that starts off with the all-new Express variant. Essentially the lineup’s base model, the Grand Caravan Express is equipped with power windows, power door locks, power heated mirrors, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, Stow ‘n Go seats, an auxiliary audio jack, a CD player, and front-seat side-impact and side-curtain airbags. Dark tinted rear glass, triple-zone air conditioning, floor mats, and cruise control are also standard. Key options include Bluetooth and a reversing camera.

The second member of the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan team is the Mainstreet model, which brings it’s “A” game with alloy wheels, power windows for all three rows (vented only in the third row), and additional body-color trim. The main reason to get the Mainstreet model is that it provides a pathway to options that are unavailable on the Express, such as power sliding side doors, a power liftgate, power adjustable pedals, remote engine starting, a premium front console, and a hard drive-based entertainment system.

The Grand Caravan Crew, big brother to the Express and Mainstreet, plays host to electric sliding doors, 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, chrome exterior accents, automatic climate control, a power driver’s seat, and power adjustable pedals. The Crew is also equipped with overhead storage consoles, so-called mood lighting for the interior, a Super Console for the front seats, a HomeLink universal remote, and a 30-gigabyte hard drive connected to a multimedia system with an in-dash touch screen. Options that are exclusive to the Crew include upgraded information and entertainment systems with navigation, real-time traffic and weather reports, and Bluetooth streaming audio; an Infinity premium sound system; a load-leveling suspension; heavy-duty mechanical upgrades for towing; a heated steering wheel; heated second-row seats; and second-row sun shades. The Crew can also be outfitted with the Safety Sphere Group, which has rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, a rear parking assist system, blind spot monitoring, and cross-path detection technology. We highly recommend this option.

Steering things in a decidedly unminivan-like direction is the 2011 Grand Caravan R/T. Those of you familiar with Dodge will immediately associate that trim name with performance, though that’s not really the case here. Granted, the R/T does sport a performance-tuned suspension and tires slightly more aggressive than the regular all-season rubber, but the real differentiators are the body-color exterior bits, polished alloy wheels, leather seats, a power front passenger’s seat, and high-output Infinity sound system. Options mirror those offered on the Crew model.

Until this year, buyers had the option of choosing between a 3.3-liter, 3.8-liter and 4.0-liter V6 to power their Dodge Grand Caravan. For 2011, the lineup consists of one option, a “Pentastar” 3.6-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Despite its smaller displacement, this new six-cylinder engine delivers 283 horsepower, which represents a 32-pony gain over the old 4.0-liter. Torque measures 260 pound-feet and fuel economy is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Dodge’s revamped Grand Caravan delivers a high degree of crash protection, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That organization offers its highest Good rating for the minivan’s performance in front- and side-impact tests, as well as for injury protection in a rear-impact crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has typically published similar results, though due to the introduction of new testing methods and procedures, data for the 2011 model were not available at the time of this writing (a four-star rating for rollover has been carried over from 2010).

Because so much has changed for the Grand Caravan this year, Consumer Reports is not yet making predictions for the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan’s reliability as this review is written. However, J.D. Power and Associates has announced that it expects buyers of the updated model will experience average dependability.

We spent a week driving a 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew, toting a family and running errands in suburbia, and we can say that this minivan is dramatically improved in terms of its driving dynamics and its interior quality.

Starting with the cabin, the redesigned dashboard, the upgraded materials, and the revised Stow ‘n Go seating make the Grand Caravan feel much closer to worthy of its price tag, even if there’s still some work to be done. The driving position still feels cramped for taller and larger drivers, with the seat positioned too close to the steering wheel and dashboard even when it’s moved all the way back in its tracks.

The rear seats, especially the second-row captain’s chairs are more comfortable than before, but retain their narrow dimensions and substantial thigh support, byproducts of design necessitated to fold and store in the floor. We’re ambivalent about Stow ‘n Go. On the one hand, anyone who has needed to wrestle a seat out of a minivan loves this convenience. On the other hand, total cargo capacity is so infrequently required that the comfort compromise doesn’t seem worth it. And why is it that other auto makers can design a third-row seat that flips into the floor without angling the bottom cushion to such a degree that it’s almost impossible to hoist yourself out unless you’ve got abs of steel.

Moving on, the really impressive news pertains to the Grand Caravan driving experience. Previously, lackluster and fuel guzzling V6 engines were combined with truly awful suspension tuning and terrible tires. As a result, the Grand Caravan was slow, always felt like it had underinflated tires, and never met a gas pump it didn’t like.

The new Grand Caravan is a completely different driver. The 3.6-liter V6 is more powerful, more refined, and more fuel-efficient. The suspension actually communicates information about the road surface to the driver, and no longer wallows about like the shocks are filled with Jello. It can even go around a corner without wailing in protest. The steering offers greater heft and more response to inputs, now fed by a redesigned steering wheel with a rim that wouldn’t be out of place in a sport sedan.

Of course, you don’t want to drive this minivan like a sport sedan. Its handling limits remain lower than some competitors. But in terms of daily driving dynamics and interior packaging and quality, the Grand Caravan is competitive. If you like the styling, the only question left unanswered pertains to reliability. For a decade, the Grand Caravan’s dependability ratings have been in the basement. Will the 2011 update change that? Only time will tell.

A renewed focus on quality and innovation has elevated the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan to a status it hasn’t fully enjoyed in quite some time: Competitive. Last year’s model showed improvement, and this year’s van has built upon that momentum. If Consumer Reports ultimately predicts impressive reliability, the Grand Caravan just might find itself the subject of a comeback story. That would be good for Dodge, but more importantly, it’d be good for minivan shoppers.

By Thom Blackett and Christian Wardlaw