1999 Chrysler Town & Country Review (continued)
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Walkaround

Four models are available: the $27,965 SX, the $28,240 LX, the $32,190 LXi and the $34,335 Limited. (All prices include the $580 destination charge.)

By comparison, Ford Windstar SEL is priced at around $31,000; the Volkswagen Eurovan MV is priced at around $32,000, the Toyota Sienna LXE is about $28,000 and the new Honda Odyssey EX is just over $26,000.

Two engines are available: A 3.3-liter V6 is standard on the SX and LX, while a 3.8-liter V6 is optional on the SX and LX and standard on the LXi and Limited. Four-speed automatic transmissions are standard on all models. All-wheel drive is optional on the LX, LXi and Limited; it's a $3175 premium on the LX.

The SX rides on a shorter wheelbase, (113.3 inches) than the LX, LXI and Limited (119.3 inches). It's also shorter from bumper to bumper-186.4 inches, compared to 199.7 for the big boys. The long-wheelbase models are about 125 pounds heavier than the SX, and the optional all-wheel-drive system adds an extra 300 pounds to the load.

We tested a front-wheel-drive LXi. It presents a sporty visage that is both elegant and slightly imposing. A steeply raked windshield blends into the sloping hood, finished with a sweeping grille and winged Chrysler badge. Rounded corners, sculpted body panels and understated side moldings add to the image, particularly in dark colors.

A base price of more than $32,000 may sound steep, but the LXi comes with a high level of standard equipment: anti-lock brakes, traction control, dual-zone air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, power eight-way front seats with memory, easy-out rear seats with rollers, adjustable driver's-seat lumbar support, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, keyless entry, overhead console trip computer, power garage door opener, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, rearview mirror with automatic day-night feature, AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo with equalizer, extra sound insulation and 16-inch gold wheel covers.

Side-door beams and dual airbags are standard and the driver gets a Next-generation airbag designed to deploy less forcefully in an accident. An accident response system unlocks the doors and turns on the interior lights whenever an airbag deploys. A reclining child seat was added to the middle-row bucket seat this year.

Interior Features

Sliding doors on both sides make getting in and out of the Town & Country a breeze. It sure beats walking around to the passenger side to get a toddler out.

LXi comes with heated leather front seats, which are an option on the SX and LX.

For smaller loads, the seat backs can also be folded down -- affording enough room for the proverbial sheet of plywood. The back seats can be removed for big loads. The center-row bucket seats can be quickly unlatched and pulled through the sliding side doors. A solid yank on a lever pops the third-row bench seat up onto a set of wheels, allowing it to be rolled backwards and removed via the tailgate. These seats are heavy, however, so it still takes two people to lift them out and store in your garage.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive and provide a panoramic view of the road ahead. There's plenty of head room and leg room, whether you're in the front seats or the second-row seats. Getting into the back seats is easy and they provide good comfort for adults. The rear bench can seat two adults or three children.

When you're spending $32,000-plus for a minivan, storage space isn't the most important factor, but it's still nice to know that the long-wheelbase Town & Country-along with its cousins, the Plymouth Grand Voyager and Dodge Grand Caravan-continue to offer more cargo space (168.4 cubic feet) than any other minivan on the market except for the Volkswagen Eurovan, which holds 187 cubic feet. GM's extended minivan family-the Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Montana-hold 156 cubic feet.