2010 Chrysler
Town & Country
The Town & Country is Chrysler’s prized minivan, a vehicle which over
the years has introduced amenities that have been truly ground-breaking.
The T&C and its cousin, the Dodge Grand Caravan began a minivan
convenience revolution, when they introduced Stow 'n Go, a seating
system that provides fold-flat capability for both the second- and
third-row seats, as well as in-floor storage compartments when the seats
are occupied. Today they are still the only minivans that offer this
identical feature. They were also the first to offer driver-side sliding
doors. The Chrysler Town & Country comes in three trims: LX, Touring and
the premium Limited. Even the base model is reasonably well equipped,
featuring the Stow 'n Go system as standard, though many buyers will
want to step up to the midlevel Touring to benefit from additional
amenities such as a power liftgate. With the Limited, you get additional
luxuries like heated second-row seats and an eight-way power front
passenger seat. Chrysler puts a luxurious spin on the minivan with the
Town & Country. Innovative seating and upscale features inside and out
set this van apart from the competition. Chrysler’s new YES Essentials
seat trim that repels all but the most caustic stains, is another small
detail that makes this a truly family-friendly vehicle. The Town &
Country carries-over with minimal changes for 2010.
Powering the T & C
The base trim is powered by a 3.3-liter V6 rated at
175 horsepower mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The Touring
model uses a more powerful 197 horsepower 3.8-liter V6, while the
Limited is equipped with a 251 horsepower 4.0-liter V6. Both the Touring
and Limited use a six-speed automatic. The Town & Country's best engine
is found in the Limited model. Its 4.0-liter makes 251 horsepower, which
puts it in the ballpark with the V6s offered by Nissan, Honda and
Toyota. With the 4.0-liter V6, the Town & Country has EPA fuel economy
ratings of 16 mpg City and 23 Highway. The available 3.8-liter V6 offers
plenty of pep for daily commutes and most needs. Teamed with a six-speed
automatic transmission, this powertrain is fairly responsive. The
3.8-liter V6 has the same EPA ratings as the 4.0. The base 3.3-liter V6
uses the old four-speed automatic. While the EPA fuel economy numbers of
17 mpg City and 24 Highway are respectable, they are little better than
the bigger engines and the 3.3 is overmatched in this large vehicle.
2010 Town & Country Design
The 2010 Chrysler Town & Country is offered in one
long wheelbase body style, and the Town & Country's size is comparable
to several competitors. The Nissan Quest, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey, and
Toyota Sienna are all within two inches, plus or minus, in overall
length. Cargo room is comparable as well. The Town & Country's styling
is somewhat boxy, with a pronounced front end that offers a hint of an
SUV-like appearance. The roof is wide at the top, also contributing to
the boxy look. The snout features a large grille heavily influenced by
that of the Chrysler Sebring and Pacifica. The body sides have a clean,
simple design, as the last model's side strakes have been eliminated.
The rear liftgate is available with power operation, which is handy, but
the rear glass doesn't open separately. Chrome accents on the front and
rear fascias, door handles, belt molding, and mirrors lend an upscale
appearance.
Driving the Chrysler Minivan
The Chrysler Town & Country drives like you'd expect
given its shape and desing. Drive it hard into a turn and it prefers to
keep going straight rather than reacting quickly to steering inputs.
Turns and changes of direction prompt copious body lean. Still, it never
feels like it's going to tip over. The ride quality is quite good.
Inside the Town & Country
The Town & Country without a doubt excels most with
its cabin; after all, a family hauler is more about convenience, ease of
use, a space than looks and performance. The gauges are easy to spot and
the various controls are clearly marked. The radio and/or UConnect
Tunes/GPS system is set high on the center of the dash for easy access.
With either system, the controls are easy to use, but those on the right
side are a bit of a reach for the driver. Buyers can opt for UConnect
Tunes or UConnect GPS, that latter adding a navigation system with voice
activation and real-time traffic. Front-seat room and comfort are
typical for a minivan. For storage, Chrysler provides two glove boxes
and some cubbies in the center stack for small items storage. A total of
13 cupholders are found throughout the van. All Town & Country models
have a deep well behind the third row. With the rear seats in place,
there is an impressive 32.3 cubic feet of cargo room. All models have a
60/40 split folding third-row bench seat that folds into the floor. A
great option is the power folding third row seat, which can be set to
four positions, including what Chrysler calls the tailgating position.
And then, of course, there are the middle row Stow n’ Go seats, which
easily fold right into the floor.
2010 Town & Country Lineup
The 2010 Chrysler Town & Country is available in three
models, base LX, well-equipped Touring and top-of-the-line Limited. The
LX comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning with three-zone manual
control, tilt steering wheel, front center console, stowable second-row
bench seat, stowable third-row split folding bench seat, power first-
and second-row windows, power third-row vent windows, power door locks,
power exterior mirrors, remote keyless entry, four-speaker AM/FM/CD
stereo, trip computer, conversation mirror, outside temperature display,
and P225/65R16 tires on steel wheels with wheel covers.
The Touring model adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio
controls, two additional speakers, Sirius satellite radio, eight-way
power driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, power adjustable pedals,
overhead storage bins, 115-volt power outlet, heated exterior mirrors,
power sliding rear doors, power rear liftgate, universal garage door
opener, automatic headlights, fog lights, roof rack, and aluminum
wheels.
The Limited model gets tri-zone automatic climate control with rear
controls; interior air filter; leather upholstery; eight-way power
passenger seat; heated first- and second-row seats; memory for the
driver seat, mirrors, and pedals; 506-watt audio system with 10
speakers; Chrysler's UConnect Tunes 30-gigabyte hard-drive radio;
removable, sliding front console; rear park assist; remote engine
starting; auto-dimming driver's side and rearview mirrors; second- and
third-row sunshades; mirror-mounted turn signals; rain-sensing wipers;
rearview camera; xenon SmartBeam self-dimming headlights; and P225/65R17
tires on chromed aluminum wheels.
Conclusions
The highest-ranking member of Chrysler's family of front-wheel-drive
minivans, the Chrysler Town & Country has long appealed to families and
empty-nesters seeking a practical vehicle with a dash of luxury inside
and out. Early T&Cs satisfied this desire with wood-grain decals,
leather seats and a standard V6 engine, while the current model offers
amenities like a navigation system, tri-zone climate control and a
power-operated liftgate. Since its introduction for 1990, the Chrysler
Town & Country has shared all of its mechanicals with its less upscale
Dodge siblings, the Caravan and Grand Caravan, and that carries through
to the current generation. For 2010, the Town & Country continues to
offer an impressive cabin, and while performance is not its strong
point, the features and amenities that make family travel so easy are
worth it for many consumers.