1996 Dodge Caravan Review

Specifications

Going Practical Doesnt Mean Getting Boring

In 1995 I was driving a 1990 BMW 525i, but being that I owned an industrial linen supply business and often needed to transport large supplies of coveralls to companies up north, the BMW wouldnt do. Having few alternatives, the reality of moving up to a minivan took hold.

What possible minivan could offer anywhere near the style Id grown accustomed to, plus driving dynamics even remotely close to my BMW? Fortunately for me, Dodge was just launching its completely revised 1996 Caravan, relative to the Plymouth Voyager and upscale Chrysler Town & Country. Having poured more than 4 billion of research and development costs into maintaining top market share position, or so the salesman said, the new Chrysler Group vans not only looked the part but offered new features never before seen in the segment.

Remember the TV ad featuring kids throwing snowballs through both sliding side doors? I made sure my new Caravan had the double door option, an extremely handy convenience throughout my ownership. Now there isnt a minivan made, bar the VW Eurovan, that doesnt feature dual sliding side doors. The Chrysler vans featured a track that was virtually hidden amid the lower frame of the rear window, a clever design element. The doors also latched open, no matter the incline, not sliding forward until released.

Being that my van was to be a work/family truck, I didnt sign up for a lot of fancy options. I purchased an upgrade featuring power windows, power door locks with remote access and air conditioning - top-tier vans featured automatic climate control with separate driver/front passenger controls, among other luxury and convenience options. With extras in mind, I wish I had sprung for the top-line Infiniti audio system having heard it in a friends van, but to be fair my stock system was fairly decent.

I was also surprised at how comfortable the seats were. Sure they werent quite as form fitting as those in the 5-Series, but for the most part not too far off. I especially appreciated the adjustable shoulder belts and headrests for all outboard occupants. The vans tall seating position was better for posture overall, and visibility was superior to anything Id ever driven. In actual fact, the new van boasted a 30 percent increase in glass area compared to the old 95 model.

The 96 through 00 vans were the glory days for cupholder fans, with the two that slid out from the center stack large enough for big gulps, let alone regular cups of hot chocolate. Whats more, the big brutes kept drinks from tipping over even with me at the wheel - an amazing feat indeed. Altogether the 3rd generation vans featured up to 12 cupholders, almost two per occupant! Since Chrysler came under the control of Daimler management, however, the cupholders have never been quite as good.

The rest of the interior was first rate, with much better plastics quality than the majority of domestic products at that time and excellent fit and finish. Little things, such as a new seamless passenger front airbag, situated behind an elegantly designed dash and center console, improved the interior styling. Convenient features such as 12-volt DC power outlets on the dash and in rear cargo area made plugging in accessories easy, plus the electric defroster at the base of the windshield thawed out snow and ice build-up quickly.

Dodge offered dual bucket seats for the middle row, or a single bench. I opted for the bench to save money. It looked just fine as it matched the rear seat bench. While the Caravans ads spoke of how light and easy to manage the new seats were, and the latch mechanism was truly a masterful piece of work, I defy anyone to pull out the rear one on his/her own without breaking a sweat. It took all the energy I had to tug it out, but thankfully once on the ground it was equipped with tiny wheels to make rolling it into the garage easier. Due to its mass, the rear seat stayed in the garage for almost the entire three years of ownership. When it wasnt in the garage, it was often found in my office standing in for a couch or around the fire pit in the backyard - watch out for sparks if youre getting any ideas.

When all seats were removed the Caravan was large to say the least, 20 percent larger than the rival 1996 Ford Windstar. Even in my short wheelbase (SWB) model, at 113.3 inches, there was ample room behind the rear seats, improved by 40 percent over the old van. Long wheelbase (LWB) vans, featuring wheelbases of 119.3 inches, improved rear cargo capacity by 33 percent. Altogether LWB vans grew by 25 percent over the outgoing 95 vans compared to 27 percent in SWB guise.

While there were four alternative engine choices, I opted for the smallest V6. The 3.0-L SOHC Mitsubishi sourced engine made 150-hp and 176 lb-ft of torque, good enough for relatively quick acceleration in the lighter short wheelbase configuration. As important, it offered decent fuel economy and trouble free driving.

What other engines were available? Base models came with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder mated to a 3-speed automatic. While small in displacement compared to the V6 engine, its identical 150 horsepower made for fairly decent get-up-and-go, only down 9 lb-ft of torque over the smallest V6 and a giant leap forward for those moving up from 1995 2.5-L 4-cylinder vans that featured 50 percent less power.

Higher on the desirability scale than my 3.0-L V6 was Chryslers 158-hp 3.3-L with 203 lb-ft of torque, as well as the 180-hp 3.8-L with 240 lb-ft of torque, both featuring a 4-speed automatic transmission - the 3.0-L V6 made do with a 3-speed auto gearbox. For the most part, all V6 engines carried over from the 1995 vans. Also, in 1997 an AWD model became optional on LWB models, a unique feature in the minivan market.

To be reasonable the 96 Caravan didnt handle quite as well as my BMW, but just the same it was no slouch when the road started to bend. Being relatively light, and due to a fairly wide front and rear track, it took to the curves with surprising agility. But just because it offered sporty maneuverability didnt mean I was shortchanged when it came to ride quality. The Caravan was superb, soaking up the bumps even when seated in the very back. It was quiet too, benefiting from slick aerodynamics, good sound deadening materials and a tight overall structure.

Speaking of quiet, during my last year with the van I lived in a hopelessly recluse seaside community just outside of the city, part way to a ski resort. Its location gave me much opportunity to test the Caravans mettle through a winding and undulating stretch of highway. As mentioned its power and handling were more than adequate, but it was the vans braking ability that thoroughly impressed. On and off the pedal the brakes never faded, at least not noticeably so, offering strong performance assisted by ABS when necessary.

While its usually a good idea to stay away from the first year of any new model, I made the exception after learning just how much R & D time and money Chrysler Group put into its 1996 minivan lineup. Other than a strange and unexplained two time occurrence during my first month, when the engine and all associated power stopped while traveling at highway speeds, it ran without fault. In three years I ramped up more than 100,000 miles, with only replacement tires needed. Nothing at all went wrong.

While I got out of minivan life when my needs changed, Ive since missed having something so practical in the driveway. Now, when the moment arrives to move something large or carry a bus load of relatives who are visiting from out of town, Im left calling the rental agency if my attempts at booking a press vehicle dont bare fruit.

Of all the minivans available in 1996, Chryslers were the most advanced. From these a bevy of competitive products introduced copycat sliding side doors, luxury features such as dual air conditioning, and sport sedan-like handling and braking. The Chrysler vans, nevertheless, held their strong market share leadership, a position that still remains today, albeit eroded somewhat.

As far as buying used goes, you shouldnt experience much trouble finding a Caravan as millions were sold over the models five year lifespan. Prices are all over the map, ranging from as low as $3,000 for a 96 to $20,000 for a 00 model. But dont just think newer is going to be more expensive as the 2000 model year low was a mere $5,000 and the 1996 high a lofty $10,500, with prices fluctuating depending on condition and options. Somewhere in the middle is probably your safest bet.

In the end my experience with the Caravan makes it easy to recommend. I couldnt recommend purchasing another pre-owned van higher. The 1996 through 2000 Chrysler minivans were the clear class leaders, and your best bets in their sector.