1996 Plymouth Voyager Driving Impressions Review at Automotive.com
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Plymouth
Voyager
1996

1996 Plymouth Voyager Review: Road Test

Below is a full, detailed 1996 Plymouth Voyager review and road test from New Car Test Drive. A full evaluation of price, equipment, the driving experience, and specs are all here in a structured, easy-to-navigate format from journalists with limitless ...     read more
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1996 Plymouth Voyager Review

Better than ever. Better than most.
Driving Impressions
The 1996 Chrysler minivan has achieved new standards in ride and handling. It is still

a box--it's tall and it leans--but it is a darned refined box.

For openers, it is far more maneuverable. By increasing the front track, the turning

circle on the short-wheelbase vans has been reduced 3 ft., making them more nimble in

parking lots.

The overall sense of stability is much improved. Torsional rigidity of the new 4-door

model is 50% better than the old 3-door models. Add that to reduced steering column

shake, more precise steering, less body roll, and less interior noise, and you have a

solid-feeling vehicle that has far more in common with a good sedan than a truck.

Powertrain choices for the Voyager and Caravan are better this year, too. The base

engine is an all-new 2.4-liter dohc 16-valve 4-cylinder model that produces 150 hp at

5200 rpm. It is a substantial improvement over last year's 100-hp 2.5-liter four,

which was barely adequate. People who don't live in hilly areas or haul whole soccer

teams regularly will probably find the 4-cylinder quite satisfactory.

Up from there are two V6s: a 150-hp 3.0-liter from Mitsubishi and a Chrysler-built

158-hp 3.3-liter engine. We tested the 3.3 and found it well-suited to the van. If you

want to step up to a V6, the 3.3-liter is the better choice for performance,

smoothness and durability. (It is available as an option only on the SE.) All the

engines have been refined to reduce noise, and provide a more refined experience.

Base Voyagers (and Caravans) are fitted with 3-speed hydraulically-operated automatic

transmissions. The SE has a 4-speed electronically-controlled automatic. The 3-speed

is not a bad transmission, particularly since the 4-speed is not a model of

smoothness. The biggest drawback to the 3-speed is the lack of an overdrive gear,

which means a little less fuel economy and more engine noise on the highway. Next Page


1996 Plymouth Voyager