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Chrysler Town & Country AWD paces the pack as elite minivan
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CASTLE ROCK, Utah -- We're cruising through thin air at high altitude on an interstate slab flowing out of Wyoming, beating a snaky path through Echo Canyon, etched in the Big Piney Mountains of the Wasatch Range, and heading toward the airport in Salt Lake City.
A drizzling mist generated from low-slung clouds coats the pavement ahead of us, setting up potentially dangerous driving conditions with unseen slippery spots which can spin a tire and send a lesser vehicle flying for disaster in an unplanned rendezvous with a ditch.
That's not the way my cushy test vehicle plays it, though, due to the sure-footed grip set automatically in place by a full-time all-wheel-drive system that distributes engine torque to front and rear wheels after sensing which tire set maintains stable traction.
This allows a driver to plow through the uncertainties of a slick roadbed with relative confidence and for one tester means I'll probably make my flight on time after all.
Considering the comforts packed aboard this top model in Chrysler's line, it also signifies that we're traveling with the kind of luxuries usually encountered only in the finest of limousines.
What a smooth ride it delivers: Refined with fancy passenger comforts, liberated with exacting handling mechanisms, enthused with V6 horsepower.
There's irony in that statement, however, because no one expects to feel pampered, much less luxurious and secure, in that proverbial box-on-wheels known as a minivan.
Yet that's what you get with deluxe editions of Town & Country by Chrysler, the company that pioneered the minivan concept in 1984 and set the competitive pace thereafter.
A dramatic remake of Chrysler's minivan in 1995 produced stunning changes with new people-pleasing features, and now a new version appears with all-wheel-drive traction.
Why apply traction to all four wheels?
The simple answer comes from a single word: Security.
By channeling power to all wheels, the vehicle moves with superior stability on wet as well as dry pavement. Straight-line acceleration improves, agility increases when tackling a set of road curves, and when maneuvering up an incline like a steep mountain grade all four tires remain rooted to pavement with seemingly more muscle applied.
Chrysler's all-wheel-drive device centers on an inter-axle viscous coupling which automatically channels engine torque to front and rear axles.
Under normal driving conditions, the viscous coupling distributes about 90 percent of the power to front wheels, so the minivan behaves similarly to the front-wheel-drive model. Yet when on-board sensors detect wheel slippage at front wheels, the coupling instantly transfers some of the power -- up to 100 percent, depending on amount of slippage detected -- to rear wheels.
What's so convenient about the Chrysler all-wheel-drive system is its automation. It's always engaged, so the driver never has to flip a switch or pull a lever or even think about any required action.
The new all-wheel-drive feature shows up strictly in the extended-wheelbase version of Town & Country, which is available in the two trim designations of LX and LXi.
This minivan functions like a big car but measures small enough to park in a home garage. It looks smallish, too, although Town & Country seats up to seven and can carry everyone in the family, with space left over in the rear bay for luggage and vacation gear.
It wears smoothly shaped exterior elements that flow from one panel to the next in streamlined fashion so the overall package doesn't seem bulky -- or even boxy.
The most striking exterior feature concerns the expanse of glass that rings the cabin. A front cowling dips to enhance driver's forward vision, and side glass sheets extend boldly vertical to bring panoramic views for riders.
Forward visibility, expanding through the massive tinted windshield, encompasses the road scene in an ideal design. The steering wheel feels of fine leather, as does the chair-like driver's seat. A cupholder with ratchet grip keeps the coffee mug within easy reach.
In the cabin, a low platform affords minimal step-up height which compares to a sedan so it's easy to climb aboard. Also, the floor slopes up from front to rear in theater fashion so rear seats rise above front seats to enrich views.
A sliding slab door on each side immediately behind front hinged doors allows easy entry for back-seat riders.
Second and third tiers of bench or bucket seats can be removed for additional storage space. Following the flick of a switch, seats roll on floor tracks for easy removal.
With all seats aboard, Town & Country LX can carry a party of seven; with rear tiers removed, you can haul furniture.
Best of all, this minivan seems so easy to drive.
My tests put me in several of the 1997 Town & Country AWD editions, including the ultimate LXi with leather-wrapped bucket seating for six. Utah driving routes ranged from fast-paced freeway transits and urban arteries of Salt Lake City to 2-lane twisty roads wrapped through the Rocky Mountains east of the capital.
Across these diverse routes, Town & Country performed sedan tricks in the quick and easy way it slipped through traffic, thanks to responsive systems like power-assisted rack and pinion steering, plus the malleable suspension which produces a living-room smooth ride quality.
The minivan's wide front track sets up a turning circle that's significantly short. This in turn enables it to navigate paths as tight and narrow as those in a shopping center's parking lot, which always rank as a challenge.
For power, the AWD LXi draws from a 166-hp 3.8-liter V6 that's optionally available with LX trim. As the largest V6 offered for Chrysler's minivan fleet, this plant feels gutsy and lively in all gears of the 4-speed automatic shifter.
Standard for LX is a 3.3-liter V6, rated at 158 hp.
Both trims carry safety gear like dual airbags and 4-wheel anti-lock brakes. Twin children's seats, folding out from a second-tier bench, show up on the list of options.
The new AWD equipment loads $2,275 to list prices, which begin at $29,685 for LX and $33,740 for LXi.
1997 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AWD
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AWD Specs |
| Description: |
Compact luxury minivan |
| Model Options: |
Compact luxury minivan |
| Wheelbase: |
119.3 inches |
| Overall Length: |
199.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 3.8-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
All-Wheel-Drive |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
16/22 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 30,000 to $ 35,000 |
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