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2009 Chrysler Town & Country Review
America's family friendly minivan.
2009 Town & Country Review Summary & Specifications
The Chrysler Town & Country, and its sibling, the Dodge Grand Caravan, are the most family friendly minivans on the market, if not the best driving. The many unique and handy seating and storage options make them worth a look. Drivers hoping for a carlike ride, sporty handling, or state-of-the-art engines will be best served by the Japanese competitors. Prices are up for 2009, and adding options can push the price over $40,000, so equip yours carefully.NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Kirk Bell filed this report from Chicago.
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| Vehicle Category | Minivans |
| Editor | Kirk Bell |
| Model Lineup | Chrysler Town & Country LX ($26,430); Touring ($29,395); Limited ($36,530) |
| Engines (standard) | 4.0-liter sohc 24-valve V6 |
| Engines (optional) | 175-hp 3.3-liter V6; 197-hp 3.8-liter V6; 251-hp 4.0-liter V6 |
| Transmissions (standard) | 6-speed automatic |
| Transmissions (optional) | 4-speed automatic; 6-speed automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | dual-stage front airbags, head-protecting curtain side airbags, tire-pressure monitor; ABS with brake assist, traction control, electronic stability control |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | rear park assist, rearview camera, Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path |
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Windsor, Ontario, Canada; St. Louis, Missouri |
| Manufacturer Phone | 800-CHRYSLER |
| Manufacturer URL | www.chrysler.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 26430 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Chrysler Town & Country Limited ($36,530) |
| Standard Equipment | leather upholstery; tri-zone automatic climate control with rear controls; interior air filter; leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with radio controls; removable, sliding front console; eight-way power front seats with driver's side lumbar adjustment; memory for the driver seat, mirrors, and pedals; heated first- and second-row seats; stowable second-row bench seat; stowable third-row split folding bench seat; power first- and second-row windows; power third-row vent windows; second- and third-row sunshades; power door locks; power heated exterior mirrors with turn signals; auto-dimming driver's side and rearview mirrors; remote keyless entry; remote engine starting; power adjustable pedals; power rear liftgate; overhead storage bins; 115-volt power outlet; power sliding rear doors; 10-speaker, 506-watt AM/FM/CD stereo; Sirius satellite radio; Chrysler's UConnect Tunes 30-gigabyte hard-drive radio; trip computer; conversation mirror; outside temperature display; universal garage door opener; automatic headlights; fog lights; roof rack; rear park assist; rain-sensing wipers, rearview camera, xenon SmartBeam self-dimming headlights, and P225/65R17 tires on chromed aluminum wheels |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | Entertainment Group 3 ($2,020) with two rear DVD players, two screens and Sirius Backseat TV; UConnect Multimedia Suite ($1,300) with navigation system, rearview camera, and UConnect phone hands-free cell phone link; sunroof ($895); power-folding third-row seat ($595) |
| Destination Charge | 820 |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Price as Tested | 42160 |
| Horse Power | 251 @ 6000 |
| Torque | 259 @ 4100 |
| Fuel Economy | 16/23 |
| Wheelbase | 121.2 |
| Length/Width/Height | 202.5/76.9/68.9 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 39.1 |
| Seating Capacity | 7 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 39.8/57.6/40.6 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | 39.7/64.8/36.3 |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 37.9/48.7/31.8 |
| Trunk Volume | 140.1 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | 3600 |
| Front Suspension | independent, MacPherson strut with coil springs over shocks and stabilizer bar |
| Rear Suspension | twist beam axle with coil springs, track bar, shocks |
| Ground Clearance | 6.1 |
| Curb Weight | 4621 |
| Stock Tires | P225/65R17 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | disc/disc with ABS and Brake Assist |
| Fuel Capacity | 20.0 |
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2009 Chrysler Town & Country
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