Used 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan SE for sale 

The 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan is a seven-passenger minivan that is available in four trim levels: SE, SE Plus, SXT, and GT. The base variant has some solid standard equipment like 17-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, tri-zone climate control, cruise control, rearview camera, and power locks, mirrors, and front windows. There are some infotainment add-ons like a six-speaker audio system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack which is controlled by a 6.5-inch touchscreen display placed at a reachable distance.

Switching to the SE Plus model will give you the above-mentioned equipment as standard, along with 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded upholstery, and trim, a front floor console, second-row captain's chairs with an additional floor console, and rear privacy glass. Based on which trim you choose you'll be able to avail of a host of option packages. For instance, if you go for the SE Plus or SXT trim then you'll be eligible to add a Blacktop appearance package to your car which would not only give silver interior accents and a black grille but also wheels and leather interior accents.

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Although the base Grand Caravan SE would suffice most needs you can consider going for the SE Plus if you want to get some extra features by shedding a few thousand dollars more. The exclusive second-row Stow 'n Go seats are very unique and are worth all your money. You'll also be able to make use of satellite radio and voice recognition. Go for SXT or GT models only if you crave added luxury. These trims would get you leather upholstery, power-adjustable seats, and many more features.

All the models of the Grand Caravan come with a single-engine variant which is a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

The front wheels draw their powers from a six-speed automatic transmission and the combination arguably makes it one of the best engines available in a minivan. It may not have the most refined engine and can feel rough when shifting under heavy acceleration.

Toyota Sienna, however, leaves its rivals far behind with a powerful engine that roars with 296 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque and is coupled by an eight-speed automatic transmission which is class-leading. Honda Odyssey is the least efficient among its peers with 248 horsepower being produced by its 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine.

2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Acceleration Performance

The Caravan minivan accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8 seconds, a respectable time for a vehicle of its class. The minivan feels adequately powered with its 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Most minivans in this category run in the low-seven-second club, the only exception being the 2017 Honda Odyssey which is able to muster 6.6 seconds from 0-60 mph nearing the acceleration levels of a hot hatchback.

Quite unsurprisingly, the Dodge Caravan is the slowest to speed up to 60 MPH, followed by the Kia Sedona, which takes 7.6 seconds to reach 60 MPH. However, the real vigor of the powerful V6 is visible when you throttle it up further. Dodge makes a brilliant comeback finishing the quarter-mile in just 15.1 seconds, beating the Kia Sedona and Toyota Sienna in their face. On the other hand, the Honda Odyssey just finishes 0.1 seconds quicker. 

2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Ride and Handling

Riding the Grand Caravan may not be the best experience as it lacks the highs and lows. The suspension of the minivan soaks most of the bumps faced in an uneven terrain but the larger ones may cause the vehicle to send a shudder across the cabin. It is able to manage body roll to some extent while remaining poised and calm through corners. Caravan's well-weighted steering gives its rider a sense of engagement and maintains a relaxing mode when cruising.

Sometimes outside noise can be a tad bit bothersome inside the Caravan and its peers are able to reduce that to a large extent. The 2017 Dodge Caravan comes up a bit short in overall driving performance but you can live with considering it a vehicle for everyday commuting. Nevertheless, Dodge’s 3.6-liter V6 is a wonderful engine, delivering 283 horsepower that is most welcome when trying to get a fully loaded van around slow-moving traffic or across high-elevation passes. Equip the Grand Caravan passenger van with the optional tow package, and you can pull up to 3,600 pounds.

2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Braking Performance

The Grand Caravan pulls up an average number in the panic brake test as it comes to halt from 60 mph in 137 feet which is ok for a minivan. The brake pedals of the Caravan are certainly firm and reliable underfoot but in real-world testing, some of the models have longer stopping distances.

The best performance in this section is given by the Kia Sedona which fares well in the emergency brake test-taking only 125 feet to come to a stop. A close second is the Honda Odyssey which has 12.6 inches of front brakes and 13 inches of rear brakes and taking mere 127 feet in panic brake testing.

Apparently, vehicles as heavy as these are used to consuming more fuel than expected. The estimated fuel economy by EPA for the 2017 Grand Caravan sites at 20 mpg combined mpg (17 city/25 highway), which is not that impressive. Even in the real-world highway fuel-economy test the Caravan fared poorly and trails behind most of its competitors.

Most of the minivans in its class have a couple of miles per gallon of the Dodge Caravan. Both Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna pull up identical mileage numbers with 27 mpg highway and 19 mpg city which is better than Kia Sedona and Grand Caravan.

The seat placement at the front is a bit awkward as the driver (especially the taller ones) may feel the pedals too close and it makes it a very uncomfortable driving position. Seats in the second-row are not well-padded and can feel unpleasant mostly during longer hauls.

The high-mounted front seats offer excellent outward visibility which is good news for minivan drivers. Cloth upholstery and a second-row bench seat come standard with the vehicle while some other luxury features for maximum comfort can be available on higher trims.

You may call it ugly, but there is no denying the convenience that the Dodge Caravan can provide. Of course, it is not the most generous of rides, but the Dodge Grand Caravan has been built to perfection with ample amount of space wherever necessary. On paper, it says otherwise though and the Honda Odyssey just approves why it is the leader of this pack. Some of the key interior features in the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan are:

• Audio And Cruise Controls On Steering Wheel
• Overhead Console With Storage
• Front Seatback Storage
• Cruise Control
• Front, Rear, and 3rd Row Cup Holders
• Power Steering
• Cargo Floor Mats
• Rear View Camera

2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Infotainment System

Most of the minivans offer optional infotainment features but Dodge Caravan chose to offer an infotainment feature as standard equipment. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer Android Auto nor Apple CarPlay even on its higher trims. Some of the features which come standard with the minivan:-

• USB
• Mobile WiFi
• Navigation
• Voice Recognition
• The 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display

2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Cargo Capacity

The super-useful Stow 'n Go second-row seats of the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan are hard to not fall in love with as it takes no time to disappear into the floor with the flick of a lever. This feature is standard on almost every model of the Caravan which can transform the minivan into a cargo hauler from a passenger carrier with minimum effort. The storage area behind the third-row seats is a decent 33 cubic feet which are only shadowed by Sienna's 39 cubic feet of space.

You can open a maximum of 143.8 cubic feet by dropping all the rear seats which are similar to most other minivans in its class. Toyota Sienna leads the class with its maximum capacity of 150 cubic feet of trunk volume which by far is the highest cargo area available in this segment.

The Grand Caravan certainly has a sense of machismo about it especially with the Blacktop appearance package it looks attractive. Staying with its boxy-roots the Caravan hasn't resorted to the fancy curves which its rivals have adopted.

The minivan can be called a big vehicle by its size but the special squared-off design makes the Caravan look tidier than most of its competitors.

The Honda Odyssey turns out to be the lengthiest minivan among the comparison, but the Dodge Caravan has the longest wheelbase, and also it is the heaviest model among the 4 minivans. Let's see what can we find outside this minivan:

• 17" Wheel Covers
• Spare Tire Mobility Kit
• Clearcoat Paint
• Body-Colored Front Bumper
• Body-Colored Rear Step Bumper
• Black Side Windows Trim and Black Front Windshield Trim
• Black Power Heated Side Mirrors w/Manual Folding
• Fixed Rear Window with Fixed Interval Wiper, Heated Wiper Park, and Defroster
• Variable Intermittent Wipers
• Galvanized Steel/Aluminum Panels
• Lip Spoiler

The new Dodge Grand Caravan was awarded a total score of four out of five in the government crash testing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, on the other hand, gave an overall top rating of Good in the moderate-overlap front-impact test as well as the side-impact. It, however, did receive the lowest rating of Poor in the small-overlap front-impact test from the IIHS.

• 2 Rear Headrests
• 4-Wheel ABS
• Rear Door Child Safety Locks
• Daytime Running Lights
• Engine Immobilizer
• Post-Collision Safety System
• Child Seat Anchors
• Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
• Stability Control
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• Rear Height Adjustable Headrests
• 2 Front Headrests

Kia Sedona vs Dodge Grand Caravan

The distinctive cockpit of the Kia Sedona looks more like a car than a minivan. There are a lot of features available even with its vase trim. The Sedona has a versatile second-row seat that can be used for various purposes.

The vehicle has been fitted with many sound-deadening materials which makes the cabin pleasantly quiet on the highways and city lanes. The biggest let-down of the Sedona is its unimpressive fuel-economy and limited cargo space compared to its rivals.

Honda Odyssey vs Dodge Grand Caravan

As the new Honda Odyssey has seen a massive overhaul this year it has turned out to be a modern incredibly well-rounded minivan. Although one of the most expensive entries in its class the Odyssey excels in many aspects when compared to the minivan and clearly comes out as a winner. Its cabin reflects high-end touches and the materials used in the vehicle can withstand regular wear and tear.

Some of the higher trims of Odyssey come with many first-class features like a built-in vacuum cleaner, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. In fact, the Honda Odyssey proves to be a better combination of quality and value compared to the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan.

Toyota Sienna vs Dodge Grand Caravan

The refined ride quality experienced inside the new Toyota Sienna gives it a confident feel from the driver seat. The materials used inside all of the models of Sienna are made up of high-quality materials. It gives a wide range of adjustment features for its second-row seat occupants.

Sienna is the only vehicle in its class that has the option of all-wheel drive. Arguably the Sienna has the maximum amount of luggage carrying capacity but the second-row seats of the vehicle are heavy and awkward to remove can be a deal-breaker for many.

Being a no-nonsense family hauler, the 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan is a decent minivan for buyers who are on a limited budget. As the car has been designed with a budget-minded approach it skips out on most of the luxury features that its rivals seem to offer. Even with a lower price, the Grand Caravan boasts of a punchy engine that delivers quick acceleration. Nevertheless, some of the materials used inside the minivan come off as cheap quality, and adding to the woes are the poorly padded seats. Caravan also lacks many state-of-the-art tech features which you can find in most of its competitors. Neither does the vehicle promise good ride quality nor does it provide composed handling as you'll expect from it.