2019 Dodge Grand Caravan

Is the Dodge Grand Caravan a Good Van?

The Grand Caravan is not a good minivan. Having gone more than a decade without a full redesign, its cabin is starting to show its age, and that includes generally unimpressive interior materials. This minivan lacks modern infotainment and driver assistance features as well. The Grand Caravan’s powertrain, ride, and handling are fairly unrefined, resulting in lackluster overall performance. And like some other Dodge vehicles, this van suffers from a subpar predicted reliability rating.

Positives of the Grand Caravan include a low price for the class and Stow ’n Go seats that easily collapse into the floor to expand cargo space. Ultimately, though, you’ll be better served by just about any other minivan. Most rivals have been updated more recently and come with more features and more-comfortable cabins.

Should I Buy the Dodge Grand Caravan?

The main reason to buy this van is its affordability. With a starting MSRP of about $27,000, the Dodge Grand Caravan is one of the least expensive vehicles in the class. However, some rivals cost only a little more and provide better value. The Chrysler Pacifica has the same Stow ’n Go storage capabilities but in a nicer interior with newer tech features. The Honda Odyssey delivers more engaging driving dynamics and a smoother ride. Either of these competitors are worth buying over the Grand Caravan if you have a little room in your budget.

Compare the Grand Caravan, Pacifica, and Odyssey »

Should I Buy a New or Used Dodge Grand Caravan?

The Grand Caravan isn’t quite as old as the dinosaurs, but it’s getting up there in years. Dodge hasn’t given it any significant updates since the 2017 model year, when a touch screen and a rearview camera became standard. However, those features were still available in older models. You could go as far back as a 2011 Grand Caravan and still get essentially the same vehicle. This generation actually dates back to the 2008 model year, but 2011-and-newer models have a stronger engine and refreshed exterior styling. The only reason to buy new is if you desire a new-car warranty. Otherwise you can save thousands of dollars by buying an older model.

To research some other models in this generation, check out our reviews of the 2016, 2017, and 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan. If you decide an older model is right for you, visit our Used Car Deals page to learn about savings and discounts on used vehicles.

Compare the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan»

We Did the Research for You: 73 Reviews Analyzed

Our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make car shopping a breeze. You'll find everything you need to know about the Dodge Grand Caravan in our comprehensive review. It combines concrete data (like fuel economy estimates, safety scores, and cargo space dimensions) with professional evaluations from 66 automotive sources. This Dodge Grand Caravan review incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation.

Why You Can Trust Us

We’ve been reviewing cars since 2007, and our Best Cars team has more than 75 years of combined automotive experience. We also award the Best Cars for the Money, Best Cars for Families, and Best Vehicle Brands on an annual basis. To ensure our impartiality, a third party handles our advertising, and we don't accept expensive gifts from automakers.

How Much Does the Dodge Grand Caravan Cost?

A new Grand Caravan has a starting MSRP of $27,040. That’s more affordable than most of its rivals. Even the top-of-the-line Caravan SXT ($32,540) costs thousands of dollars less than the top trims of other minivans. However, some of the advanced safety and convenience features you can find in other vans – such as a surround-view parking camera, forward collision warning, and even a built-in vacuum – are not available in the Grand Caravan.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Dodge dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Dodge deals page.

Dodge Grand Caravan Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Dodge Grand Caravan or Chrysler Pacifica?

Chrysler revived the Pacifica nameplate for the 2017 model year, but this time it was nothing like the SUV it retired as in 2008. Instead, the Chrysler Pacifica debuted as an all-new minivan that replaced the aging Chrysler Town & Country. It has similar cargo volume to the Dodge, and the two even share the praiseworthy Stow ’n Go seating system. The base Dodge van is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the Chrysler. In most other areas, though, the Pacifica is the superior vehicle. It has a longer list of standard and available features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, a built-in vacuum, and two 10-inch rear-seat touch screens as opposed to the Grand Caravan’s single 9-inch one. The Chrysler also has more available safety features and a nicer cabin lined with high-quality materials. Go with the Chrysler.

Which Is Better: Dodge Grand Caravan or Honda Odyssey?

The Honda Odyssey was fully redesigned for the 2018 model year and is a much more modern and family-friendly minivan than the Grand Caravan. The Odyssey has a refined, well-built interior with straightforward infotainment functions and roomy, comfortable seats. It also has engaging handling, and it provides a pampering ride.

We named the Odyssey our 2019 Best Minivan for the Money because it has the best combination of quality and value in its class. We also named it our 2019 Best Minivan for Families because of its superior cargo and passenger space, safety and reliability ratings, positive reviews from automotive journalists, and family-friendly features.

Compare the Grand Caravan, Pacifica, and Odyssey »

Dodge Grand Caravan Interior

How Many People Does the Grand Caravan Seat?

The 2019 Grand Caravan seats seven people on standard cloth upholstery. Sliding rear passenger doors and third-row Stow ’n Go seats are also standard. Power-sliding rear doors, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, second-row Stow ’n Go seats, leather upholstery, and a heated steering wheel are all available.

The front seats are mounted high, giving the driver good visibility. Head- and legroom is plentiful in all three rows, meaning that even the third-row seating in the Grand Caravan offers adult-friendly space for short trips. Since they fold into the floor, the available second-row Stow 'n Go seats are slim on cushioning, making them uncomfortable to sit on for prolonged periods of time.

Grand Caravan and Child Car Seats

There are three complete sets of LATCH connectors for securing child car seats in the Grand Caravan. Two are for the second-row seats and another is for the middle seat in the third row. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the system the second-highest rating of Acceptable for its ease of use. The tether anchors can be hard to find, and the lower attachments are set deeply in the seats.

Grand Caravan Interior Quality

The Grand Caravan is an aging van, and that’s reflected in its interior. Soft-touch materials are present, but so are several hard, cheap plastic sections. The cabin is durable, but most rivals, such as the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica, have higher quality materials.

Grand Caravan Cargo Space

With a maximum 140.3 cubic feet of cargo space, the Dodge Grand Caravan doesn’t offer as much storage as some of its rivals. However, the Stow ’n Go seats make loading cargo much easier than many of those same rivals. Instead of removing seats from the van, you can simply fold them into the floor. The Chrysler Pacifica minivan is the only other vehicle in the class with this pragmatic storage option.

Grand Caravan Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

A rearview camera comes standard in the Grand Caravan, along with the UConnect infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen and a six-speaker stereo. A navigation system, USB input, Bluetooth, satellite radio, remote start, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system are available.

The Grand Caravan offer fewer tech features than rivals like the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica, which both offer Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. It also has a dated and sluggish infotainment system with disappointing graphics and sluggish responses to inputs.

Read more about interior »

Dodge Grand Caravan Performance

Grand Caravan Engine: Potent but Rough

A 3.6-liter V6 engine comes standard in the Grand Caravan, and it produces 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

This may not be the most refined powertrain in a minivan, as it tends to groan under heavy acceleration, but the Grand Caravan has one of the most powerful V6 engines in the class. It deftly propels this minivan’s heft along on the highway or from a stoplight. The automatic transmission is sometimes caught searching for the right gear though.

Grand Caravan Gas Mileage: Not so Grand

The Grand Caravan gets an EPA-estimated 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. That’s a little below average for the class, but it’s not bad for a van. Rivals such as the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey earn slightly higher estimates.

Grand Caravan Ride and Handling: Less Grand Than Rivals

Many people buy a minivan for the promise of a comfortable ride. In that respect, the Grand Caravan falls short of its competitors. Its suspension smooths out most bumps along the way, but other rivals provide more cushioning. This van isn’t as agile as its counterparts either, even by minivan standards. Like most rivals, the Grand Caravan only comes with front-wheel drive. Those seeking an all-wheel-drive minivan should look to the Toyota Sienna.

Grand Caravan Towing Capacity

When properly equipped with the trailer-tow prep package, the 2019 Grand Caravan can tow up to 3,600 pounds.

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Dodge Grand Caravan Reliability

Is the Dodge Grand Caravan reliable?

The 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan has a below-average predicted reliability rating of 2.5 out of five from J.D. Power.

Dodge Grand Caravan Warranty

Dodge covers the 2019 Grand Caravan with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Most minivans have similar warranties.

Read more about reliability »

Grand Caravan Safety

Grand Caravan Crash Test Results

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2019 Grand Caravan four out of five stars in frontal crash and rollover tests and five stars in side crash test for an overall four-star rating.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Grand Caravan the highest score of Good in four crash tests but the lowest score of Poor in the driver’s side small overlap test. The van’s headlights also received a rating of Poor for how well they illuminate the road ahead.

Grand Caravan Safety Features

Aside from near universal features such as side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control, a rearview camera is the only standard safety feature in the 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan. Rear parking sensors are available. Most minivans offer more driver assistance technologies, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view parking camera.

Read more about safety »

Which Dodge Grand Caravan Model Is Right for Me?

Dodge offers the 2019 Grand Caravan in three trim levels: SE, SE Plus, and SXT. Most shoppers will want to avoid the base SE. It lacks many tech features commonly found in other vehicles, such as a USB port and Bluetooth. The midlevel SE Plus is a better bet because it has such features. However, the best value may be the SXT, which costs only a little more than the SE Plus. The SXT adds greater practicality with its second-row Stow ’n Go seats and power-sliding doors, and greater comfort with its leather upholstery. All models can be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system with a 9-inch screen and wireless headphones for around $1,000.

Dodge Grand Caravan SE

The 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan SE has an MSRP of $27,040. It comes with remote keyless entry, tri-zone manual climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a rearview camera, third-row Stow ’n Go seats, and the Uconnect infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen and a six-speaker stereo.

Dodge Grand Caravan SE Plus

The 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan SE Plus starts at $29,805. It adds Uconnect voice command, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB input, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, premium cloth seats, and fog lights. Stow 'n Go second-row seats are optional for about $1,400.

Dodge Grand Caravan SXT

The SXT trim starts at around $32,540 and offers dual power-sliding rear doors, a power liftgate, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather upholstery with suede inserts, and second-row Stow ’n Go seating in addition to the already standard third-row Stow ’n Go function.

For about $1,000, you can get the Driver Convenience Group package. It features tri-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, second-row window shades, and overhead storage bins.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Dodge dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Dodge deals page.

See 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan specs and trims »

The Final Call

The 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan aims to be a budget-friendly family vehicle. It has low prices across its trim lineup and useful standard features like Stow ’n Go seating. However, this van feels very old. Most rivals have been redesigned more recently and offer a better value, with smoother and livelier rides, nicer interiors, and more tech features. There’s little reason to consider the Grand Caravan over any other class rival.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• "The 2019 Dodge Caravan is a no-nonsense minivan. At base trim levels, it offers a low price and a list of functional equipment. Seven-passenger seating, typically enormous minivan space and adequate power mean it's a totally competent family hauler, even on road trips. It's low on frills, which means it's priced less than rivals and your wallet will thank you for that in the long run." -- Edmunds
• Thanks to often-generous incentives, the Grand Caravan may sell for thousands of dollars less than its rivals. Still, you get what you pay for." -- Consumer Reports (2018)
• While the 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan offers a versatile interior and a wide range of comfort and convenience features, the van seems pedestrian next to top models from Nissan, Toyota and Honda." -- Autotrader (2015)