2012 Dodge Grand Caravan Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Grand Caravan, and includes Dodge Grand Caravan safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Dodge created the modern minivan way back in 1983, and the Grand Caravan remains one of the best-selling minivans on the market.

Dodge’s marketing geniuses have decided that trim levels called “Express,” “Mainstreet,” and “Hero” don’t really resonate with buyers, and have reverted back to SE and SXT trim designations, which serve as the entry models under the Crew and R/T. The Grand Caravan’s price tag is lower, too. By removing standard features from the SE model in the form of a new American Value Package, the base price drops to less than $22,000, making the Grand Caravan SE-AVP the lowest-priced, seven-passenger minivan on the market.

Dodge also debuts new, more comfortable rear seats as part of its new Super Stow ‘N Go seating, which allows the second-row chairs to be dropped into their underfloor storage wells with one hand, and in less than five seconds. The Grand Caravan also gets a new Sapphire Blue interior lighting scheme for 2012, and the R/T model is offered with a new leather captain’s chair option for the second row.

The 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan lineup includes the SE American Value Package (SE-AVP), the SE, the SXT, the Crew, and the R/T.

Equipped with the lowest base price of a seven-passenger minivan in America, the SE-AVP is equipped with 16-inch steel wheels with plastic wheel covers, front air conditioning, power front windows, power heated mirrors, power door locks with remote keyless entry, cruise control, and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. Stow ‘N Go seats are standard, and the four-speaker stereo includes a CD player and an auxiliary audio input jack. The sole option on this model is a Uconnect Handsfree Group with Bluetooth, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, satellite radio, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

The Grand Caravan SE adds features like dark tinted rear privacy glass, triple-zone air conditioning, six stereo speakers, body-color door handles, floor mats, and a center console with four cupholders. The same Uconnect Handsfree Group is available on the SE, along with a roof rack.

Next in the lineup is the Grand Caravan SXT. The SXT doesn’t add much to the conversation aside from power windows for all three rows (vented only in the third row), body-color side mirror housings, and 16-inch alloy wheels. No, the purpose of the SXT is to introduce Grand Caravan buyers to a wealth of optional features.

The Uconnect Handsfree Group is available here, along with the Security Group (remote engine starting, security alarm), the Power Convenience Group (dual power sliding side doors, power liftgate, power adjustable pedals), and the Entertainment Group (satellite radio, upgraded audio system, rear-seat entertainment system, 115-volt power outlet). Additional options include a ParkView reversing camera, an eight-way power driver’s seat, and a premium sliding center console.

The Grand Caravan Crew includes the Uconnect Handsfree Group and the Power Convenience Group, and adds fog lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and extra chrome exterior trim. Inside, automatic climate control is standard, along with a 30-gig hard-drive music jukebox, power adjustable pedals, and an eight-way power front passenger’s seat. The Crew model gets a rear overhead storage console with LED and ambient lighting, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, a full vehicle information center, and a 115-volt power outlets, along with a HomeLink universal remote and a “super” center console design.

In addition to the options that are offered on the SXT, the Grand Caravan Crew is available with a Safety Sphere Group (Blind-spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-path Detection, ParkSense parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights), a Driver Convenience Group (Uconnect Phone with voice commands, a heated steering wheel, heated front and second-row seats, sunshades for the second- and third-row seats, and a removable and rechargeable flashlight), and a Trailer Tow Prep Group (load-leveling height-controlled suspension, heavy-duty engine cooling). Additional extras include a premium Infinity audio system and a Garmin navigation system.

The Grand Caravan R/T aims to blend luxury and performance in a minivan, the latter delivered by a sport-tuned suspension and softer-compound tires. Leather, Infinity sound, and an eight-way power front passenger’s seat are standard inside, while exteriors are dressed up with a body-color grille and polished 17-inch wheels. For the most part, options mirror those offered on the Crew model, the exception being a high-end entertainment system with GPS-based navigation, full iPod integration, Bluetooth music streaming capability, real-time traffic reporting, and Travel Link services.

Dodge makes it easy to choose an engine and transmission combination for the Grand Caravan, because there’s just one. Every one of these minivans has a 3.6-liter, 283-horsepower V6 engine driving the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. A “fuel economizer” mode modifies the transmission’s shift points in an effort to maximize mileage, and is controlled by the driver. Fuel economy ratings are 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Minivans are designed to carry families and, as such, are typically very safe vehicles. In the case of the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan, standard safety equipment includes seven airbags (including a knee airbag for the driver), traction and stability control, and four-wheel-disc brakes with brake assist. Safety-related options include rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and a Blind-spot Monitoring system with Rear Cross-path Detection, but Dodge offers these items primarily on the higher-end trim levels.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Grand Caravan an overall 4-star rating (out of five). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) was impressed by the Grand Caravan, naming it a 2012 Top Safety Pick for top ratings in front, side, rollover and rear-crash tests.

Unfortunately, predicted reliability ratings are scarce. As this review is compiled, Consumer Reports has not estimated the Grand Caravan’s potential for reliability. The 2011 reliability rating is not encouraging as Consumer Reports expects the Grand Caravan’s reliability to be much worse than average. Last year, J.D. Power and Associates predicted that dependability would be average, but the Grand Caravan’s performance in terms of initial quality was slightly below average.

One of the reasons you buy a minivan is to be able to haul stuff. Aside from its seven-passenger seating capacity, the 2012 Grand Caravan offers 33 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, 83.3 cu-ft behind the second-row captain’s chairs, and 143.8 cu-ft behind the two front seats. Towing capacity is 3,600 pounds.

No one buys a minivan for its driving characteristics and if you’re looking for the best-driving minivan, the Grand Caravan ain’t it. Most drivers would likely give the nod to the Honda Odyssey instead.

But most of us choose a minivan for its unparalleled ability to affordably and relatively fuel-efficiently ferry folks from place to place in great comfort. That’s why the Dodge Grand Caravan has been the first- or second-best-selling minivan for years.

Dodge offers Vehix the chance to drive their latest Grand Caravan each year and we have to say that the van (and its sales) continue to improve each year. We figure the best way to test a minivan is to load people inside and hit the road. That’s exactly what we did by piling six (and sometimes seven) passengers on the way to Moab, Utah for an annual spring break getaway.

A tilt and telescoping steering wheel allowed us to find a comfortable driving position. However, seat adjustments on our test Grand Caravan SXT were minimal. We could move the seat forward and back, but lumbar support was missing as was the ability to elevate or lower the seat. That’s one reason why Dodge allows drivers to adjust the brake and accelerator pedals forward and back to accommodate different body heights and types.

Once we were one the road, we averaged just over 25 miles-per-gallon in mostly freeway driving at speeds that averaged just over 75 miles per hour. Even more encouraging, on the way back from our 900-mile road trip, slower traffic forced us to stay in the 55 to 65 mph range and our fuel economy improved to 27 mpg. That will beat SUVs any day of the week, though you can likely top that score by 1 mpg or more in the Honda Odyssey.

We drove the very similar 2011 Volkswagen Routan on a 900-mile road trip during the fall of 2011 and averaged 30.2 mpg. Simply amazing fuel economy for a minivan. While we didn’t quite achieve that same score in the 2012 Grand Caravan, the sacrifice of bursts of power exacted by pressing the “Eco” button paid off in improved fuel efficiency. That means fewer trips to the gas station and more cash in your pocket.

The Dodge Grand Caravan features Super Stow ‘n Go second-row seats that allow you to fold the middle-row captain’s chairs completely into the floor of the van. We’ve never found a need to stow the seats, but we always use the two compartments in the floor just in front of the middle-row seats to stash valuables like video cameras, iPads, small backpacks and more. Lay the floor mats on top of the brackets in the floor and, voilà, you have concealed storage. It’s one of those features that may seem superfluous—until you have it. Then you want it on every minivan.

Quality has been a struggle for Dodge and big improvements are visible. However, our test vehicle that sported just under 3,000 miles had two noticeable quality issues. The first was that the key fob tended to get stuck in the ignition, making it difficult to remove. We’ve driven many Chrysler and Dodge vehicles with this standard key fob design and it’s the first time we’ve encountered this issue. Still, if you discovered this on your newly purchased vehicle, you might have some concerns about future glitches.

Secondly, an ambient light on the right passenger door became a flashing light during our night drives. On. Off. On. Off. All. Drive. Long.

Both issues would be covered by a new car warranty and are easy fixes but Dodge and the Chrysler Group must continue to avoid these issues if they hope to win over new buyers with their redesigned and much-improved vehicles.

Small quibbles aside, the Dodge Grand Caravan will work as a comfortable, competent minivan for most buyers. It’s not the most luxurious (Toyota Sienna). It’s not the most fuel efficient or fun to drive (Honda Odyssey on both counts). But it absolutely works for families who prize function over form and appreciate a minivan with a starting price that won’t immediately drain their bank account.

We’re holding off recommending the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan—for now—mostly due to poor historical reliability ratings and incomplete current reliability predictions. However, safety ratings are encouraging, and when you add all of the upgrades bestowed upon this perennial bestseller in the past couple of years, the Grand Caravan is competitive for the first time in a long time. Vehix suggests you test-drive a few competitors and choose the van that best fits your needs and budget.