2005 DODGE CARAVAN SWB NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE

What's New for the 2005 Dodge Caravan?
According to Dodge, the 2005 Caravan receives a "minivan first" with the addition of a knee-blocker airbag for the driver, and later in the model year side curtain airbags for all three rows will be optional. A door alert system is also added to the 2005 Dodge Caravan, illuminating signal lights when the side doors are being used to warn that passengers are entering or exiting the van. SXT models can be equipped with a removable second-row center console, and an entertainment option package adds a DVD player to keep the kiddies occupied on road trips. Tweaks to the engine mounts, suspension, door seals, and aerodynamics reduce noise, vibration, and harshness in the Caravan. Styling is freshened inside and out, and new colors for the interior and exterior summarize the changes to the 2005 Dodge Caravan.

Advantages of the 2005 Dodge Caravan:

• One of the few remaining short-wheelbase minivans on the market
• Genuine fun to drive
• Extremely comfortable front seats
• Optional side curtain airbags

Objections to the 2005 Dodge Caravan:

• No fold-flat third-row seat
• Some cheap interior materials
• Second-row seats offer no fore-and-aft adjustment to expand legroom

Editor's Advice:
Dodge once ruled the minivan marketplace with the Caravan and Grand Caravan, but market share has taken a significant beating in recent years as competitors from Japan have not only decoded the automaker's secret recipe for success, but also improved upon it. With fat rebates and low interest financing available, the 2005 Dodge Caravan appeals to those who don’t need the functionality and utility of features like a fold-flat third-row seat or sliding door windows that roll down. However, our pick among minivans this size remains the Mazda MPV.