2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviewers say the newly-redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan offers good looks, a decent ride and handling, good visibility and an exceptionally family-friendly interior. Experts also appreciate the Chrysler Town & Country's roominess and novel cabin configuration, which includes optional fold-flat or swiveling second- and third-row seats. The 2008 Town & Country also has a lower base price than the class-leading Honda Odyssey (*est. $25,860 to $40,610) minivan -- in fact, a fully-optioned 2008 Town & Country has a slightly lower sticker price than a loaded 2007 Town & Country purchased new, even with all the ’08 model’s upgrades. Stability control and side-curtain airbags for all three rows of seats are now standard.

What the reviewers don't like:
Many experts still believe that the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country does not handle, accelerate or ride as well as competing minivans from Honda and Toyota. Others complain that some of the interior materials aren't of the best quality, and that the Town & Country is less fuel efficient than most other minivans. Base models are also underpowered. Long-term reliability for past years’ models has been below average.

2008 Chrysler Town & Country review highlights

The Chrysler Group has attempted to address a lot of the criticisms of past years’ models with the extensive redesign of the 2008 Town & Country, and preliminary reports are favorable. Many reviewers rave about the Town & Country minivan’s ingenious Stow ’n Go seating options (actually a holdover from previous model years), and express delight at the flexibility offered by the available Swivel ’n Go seats on the 2008 model (which can swivel to face front or back). Others note, however, that the Town & Country's handling, acceleration and braking still aren't quite on par with some of its competitors. Several reviewers like the new look and extensive list of optional features, including the class-exclusive Sirius Satellite TV, but note that long-term reliability for the Town & Country minivan has historically been below average. Editors at Kelley Blue Book expect resale value to be somewhat below that of the Odyssey and Sienna minivans.

The significantly redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town & Country receives thorough and detailed reviews at Edmunds.com and Consumer Reports, where editors compare it to competing minivans. Kelley Blue Book also posts a nice pro/con analysis of the Town & Country’s upgrades. Car and Driver magazine offers a “First Look” at the 2008 Town & Country minivan, giving interested readers a closer look at the amenities offered by this van. Sources CarCritic.com and ConsumerGuide.com use a slightly different approach to focus on less obvious influences on the Town & Country’s market position, such as reliability and value.

Also see full report: Minivans

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Edmunds.com
2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review
Editors of Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com doesn't test the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country head-to-head against other minivans, but its editors do make some casual comparisons with its leading competitors. They note that Chrysler’s extensive redesign has made the Town & Country one of the best minivans on the market for 2008. This is a thorough review that, while not especially comparative, does offer in-depth information about the new 2008 Town & Country's features and performance.

2. Consumer Reports
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2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review
Editors of Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports tests most minivans. Editors offer road-test results for the newly-redesigned Chrysler Town & Country, and include scores for predicted reliability based on reader survey data from prior model years. The analysis here focuses mainly on reliability, ride quality, handling and safety, but does provide an illustration of how the new Town & Country compares to other minivans Consumer Reports has tested.

3. CarCritic.com
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2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review
Don Vorderman

Rather than going into detail about performance and features, CarCritic.com's Don Vorderman focuses mainly on long-term predicted reliability based on owner surveys. In his short evaluation of the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country, Vorderman says the seating options are a highlight, but that two of the three available engines are too weak, and that reliability has been below average for previous versions of the Town & Country minivan.

4. Kelley Blue Book
2008 Chrysler Town & Country
Editors of Kelley Blue Book

This is a detailed, well-balanced review with good information on standard and optional features, as well as performance. While no formal comparison tests are conducted, editors do evaluate the Town & Country minivan against its competitors. They also note that, while they appreciate many aspects of the redesign and find the 2008 Town & Country “more satisfying” to drive than its predecessors, they also expect resale value to be below that of the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna.

5. Consumer Guide.com
2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review
Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

Consumer Guide breaks down its tests and ratings into charts and numerical scores and doesn't compare cars. However, there's great information on body style, options and engine information, along with pricing. Editors also offer “Best Buy” picks; the 2008 Town & Country is one of these.

6. Car and Driver
First Drive: 2008 Chrysler Town & Country Previews
Alisa Priddle
Aug. 2007

This review is detailed, but is heavy on descriptions of features and relatively light on its evaluation of the new Chrysler Town & Country’s driving performance. Author Alisa Priddle describes the Town & Country in glowing terms, and gives a nice overview on some of the highlights of the Town & Country’s redesign. As a whole though, the article doesn’t offer much information about areas in which this minivan underperforms, nor is it formally rated against competing models.

Also see full report: Minivans

2008 Chrysler Town & Country Review