When the minivan was born in the early-1980s, Chrysler brought this segment of the market to life and nurtured it.  The fifth

The Town & Country is stylish, for a minivan. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

iteration of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan, a model lineup initially introduced in 1990 and redesigned for the fourth time in 2008, could be the best ever.  I just hope it is available long enough for people who need a vehicle like this to discover the T&C.

The exterior lines of the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country are elegant and, rather than sloping to a close at the rear, have a more formal upright end cap at the hatch.  The front end has an aggressively formal look to it and the wide-mouth grille almost appears to be grinning.  There are plenty of bright, chrome-like accents everywhere, including the side mirrors with turn signals imbedded.

The slab sides have an upper accent line close to the window area to break up the sameness of the bodylines.  The visage is especially nice in the bright silver metallic

It's long, for sure, and its profile upright and honestly functional. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

paint featured on this Town & Country, as paired with the medium slate gray and light shale interior.

Because the Town & Country is top of the line, it has all the bells and whistles.  All 2009 T&C models have revamped brakes that seem willing to stop the 2,096-kilo (4,621-lb) vehicle, small isolation amendments to keep cabin noise to a minimum and, best of all, better fuel economy than last year’s model.

Chrysler also places rain-sensing windshield wipers on the Town & Country model for 2009, and uses “SmartBeam” headlights that automatically change both low- and high-beam brightness when needed.

I

A comfortable, accommodating ride after a long flight. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

picked up my test van at the Los Angeles airport, returning from a trip to Le Mans.  Immediately struck by the largeness of the vehicle, I experienced culture shock; although I did see one Chrysler minivan at the 24-hour race, it was an anomaly.

At once I noticed one of the best options I have seen in quite a while: Chrysler’s “blind spot and cross path detection” system in the side mirrors, which shows a yellow triangle until another vehicle is no longer in its sights.   It’s very helpful.

The 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Limited has a starting price of $45,045, including destination fees (although at the time of writing a $5,500 Chrysler promotion cuts the price down to $39,545).  I counted 11 extra cost items on the price tag (US vehicle), most of which a family that is looking for such an all-purpose vehicle of this nature might want.  Let’s take a look:

Chrysler’s

Swivel 'n Go is ideal for families that take long road trips together. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

has a Swivel ‘n Go seating group that includes removable second row seating and the ability to move those two captain’s chairs 180 degrees facing the third row.  It also has a table that stows in the floor just behind the first row of captain’s chairs.  If you don't take this no-cost option you'll get Stow ‘n Go by default, a seating system that makes for a completely flat load floor if needed.

A tow-prep package includes appropriate wiring harness, load leveling and height control suspension, heavy-duty engine cooling and radiator, plus a heavy-duty transmission oil cooler for $700.  Add to that an exterior appearance group by MOPAR, encompassing body colour running boards, bright doorsills, premium floor mats, and splashguards for $1,025.

The dual screen DVD entertainment system includes overhead 9-inch video screens for both second and third rows, an additional single disc DVD player, dual wireless headphones,

A Pixar moment in waiting... Chrysler makes one of the best and most user-friendly infotainment systems on the planet. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

video remote control in the overhead console and Sirius back seat television with one year’s service for $1,575, and it’s one of the easiest systems to use anywhere. And those second row swiveling bucket seats feature integrated child booster cushions, and the kids will enjoy the large one-touch power sunroof for another $1,250.

There is a power folding third seat (controls accessed from behind) for $650, while in the US, Chrysler fits its innovative uconnect GPS system for $1,300 USD that allows internet access from the van and has iPod interface and handsfree phone service, and includes the auto-dim rearview mirror with microphone, together with Sirius traffic info for an entire year. 

All of

Wireless for the road? Why not? Not only a family vehicle, but the ultimate mobile office. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

these options, together with the plethora of standard items – including navigation – that make up the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Limited, almost give the vehicle the feel of a road-going gaming room – and it might just be one.  Your personal preferences may vary.

It’s also an excellent performer over the road with its 4.0L SOHC V6 sprouting 251hp at 6,000 rpm and 251 lb-ft of torque at a usable 4,100 rpm.  The T&C gets off the line without apology and arms itself well for cut-and-thrust freeway operation.

The six-speed automatic transmission’s gearshift lever mounts high on the dash and includes manual mode.  At 70 mph (112.6 km/h), the T&C cruises happily at 2,000 rpm and promises 120 mph (193.1 km/h) on the speedometer.  Engine redline is 6,000 rpm, right at peak horsepower.  Gauges are silver and black during the day and a nice, soothing aqua at night.

I counted 11

Stylish wheels and decent rubber frame discs all-round, ABS, traction and stability control. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

cupholders, including one in each one-touch sliding side door; there are shades for all the rear windows.  Rear heating, air conditioning and ventilation controls lie above the second set of seats with closable vents in the roof.  I like the heavy rubber mats behind the front seats and the B-pillar buttons to close the side doors.  HID courtesy lights abound in the cabin.  Power rear vent windows are another nice touch.

The 2009 Chrysler Town & Country Limited rides on Bridgestone P225/65R rubber mounted on twinned, polished seven-spoke 17-inch alloy rims.  The ride is compliant but not mushy; you can feel the road beneath this people conveyor but it is never intrusive.  There are side curtain airbags for all rows of seating with advanced multistage bags for front seat occupants.

The antilock brakes with electronic stability program are good enough to be an afterthought for this article; steering is light but on-point and handles the winding roads of my local Laguna Canyon without complaint.  The turning circle is an excellent 11.6 meters (38 feet). 

Storage space? If you do a lot of hauling, you might want to consider Chrysler's Stow n' Go seating solution. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Parking is a whiz with the rear parking alert system and it is not intrusively loud.  Chrysler fits an engine immobilizer and has remote start from the multifunction key.

For the shorties among us, there are power adjustable pedals in the Town & Country that work in concert with the dual seat memories that need to be prompted at startup.  High intensity discharge headlamps, fog lights and tire pressure monitoring system complete the list of amenities.

Chrysler’s EPA-certified efficiency ratings for the 2009 Town & Country Limited are 13.8/9.4 city/hwy from the 77.6L tank and regular fuel is okay.  I averaged close to 11.7L/100km (20 mpg) during my short stint in this vehicle – we did just about 320 km (200 miles) and most of those were around town.  I did pack the T&C heavily during a shopping trip and its 915L (32.3 cubic feet) - 3,964 litres (140 cubes) max - were more than adequate.

The Town & Country Limited I drove had close to 7,000 media miles (11,265 km) on it (that would be closer to 40,000 in “real people” miles or 64,370+km) and was tight and rattle-free.

While I don’t normally go for minivans – much less minivans loaded to the gills with options – I find myself becoming more and more amenable to the idea of one all-purpose vehicle like this.  Chrysler continues to lead the way with its Town & Country Limited minivan – even if it isn’t “mini” anymore.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(ASL) Heated Seat Group

(AHT) Trailer Tow Group

(MRL) Body Colour Running Boards

(ALB) MOPAR Exterior Appearance Group

(AGV) Flexible Seating Group

(WFW) 17"x 6.5" Aluminum Wheels

(RBZ) Media Center 430 CD/DVD/HDD Radio

(AFF) Luxury Group

(AYY) Family Value Group

(AAM) Premium Convenience Group

(CY4) 2nd Row Swiveling Buckets with Boosters

(AJB) Security Group

(RER) Media Center 730N CD/DVD/HDD/NAV Radio

(GWA) Power Sunroof

(JRJ) Power Folding 3rd Row Seat

(AT2) Entertainment Group #2