2015 Chrysler Town and Country

The 2015 Chrysler Town & Country receives a new, entry-level LX trim level, while the former Limited trim is split up in to the Limited and Limited Platinum trim levels. As a result, there is some minor rearranging of feature content.

With its comprehensive equipment and nifty Stow 'n Go seats, the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country looks great on paper, but rival minivans are a little more refined on the road.

With so many vehicles now trying to "cross over" to be everything to everybody, true people- and cargo-hauling utility doesn't get much more honest than a minivan's. And since Chrysler more or less invented the minivan concept, it's only natural to assume its Town & Country would be a no-brainer choice in that segment. But you'd only be half right.

No question, the 2015 Town & Country is a well thought-out vehicle. Chrysler's long experience almost guarantees you won't be disappointed, either with the Town & Country's design and family-friendly touches, or with its value. Even the new base LX model comes almost lavishly equipped with life-easing standard equipment such as power sliding doors, leather seats, Chrysler's still-brilliant Stow 'n Go disappearing second-row passenger seats and a touchscreen audio interface.

Yet despite all that content and clever design, a husky V6 engine and its valuable heritage, the Town & Country loses the refinement game to its rivals from Japan. Honda's 2015 Odyssey and Toyota's 2015 Sienna are quieter, nicer to drive and slightly more fuel-efficient, the Nissan Quest has perhaps the segment's highest-quality interior furnishings and Kia's all-new 2015 Sedona looks great and is worth considering, too.

Nonetheless, the 2015 Town & Country covers all the bases and does so at what is generally a great value. We think the value quotient, plentiful content and that extremely useful Stow 'n Go seating certainly justify placing the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country on your consideration list.

Every 2015 Chrysler Town & Country is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 that generates 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. EPA-estimated fuel economy is decent at 20 mpg combined (17 city/25 highway), though the Odyssey and Sienna squeeze out 1 or 2 more mpg.

During Edmunds testing, a Town & Country in Touring-L trim went from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, which is average for the minivan class.

Standard on the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country are antilock disc brakes, stability control, active front head restraints, front seat side-impact airbags, a driver knee airbag and full-length side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is also standard. Blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-path detection system are standard on the Touring-L, Limited and Limited Platinum.

In Edmunds brake testing, the Town & Country came to a stop from 60 mph in 120 feet, an impressive braking distance for a minivan.

In government crash tests, the Town & Country received five out of five stars for overall protection, with five stars awarded for overall frontal-impact protection and five stars for overall side-impact protection. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the Town & Country earned the top score of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset impact test as well as the side-impact, roof-strength and head restraint (whiplash protection) tests. In the IIHS crash test for small-overlap frontal impacts, though, the Town & Country received the lowest possible score of "Poor."

Take a test-drive in the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country and you'll find the 3.6-liter V6 engine generates satisfying acceleration for most situations, while the Chrysler's handling is stable and sure. It's the T&C's overall refinement that runs behind the smoother Japanese competition. There is more ruckus from the V6, and its automatic transmission doesn't always shift as smoothly as we'd like. The van's ride quality can also get a little coarse at times. The Japanese minivans seem to have more thoroughly integrated all the moving parts, though this nuance can be difficult to notice.

Step into the 2015 Town & Country and you know you're not entering a strictly-for-the-school-runs people-hauler. The comfort of the leather upholstery and the high level of content is immediately evident. Some of the interior plastics are a little mundane to the touch, but the cabin generally is appealing and upscale in appearance.

We've found some drivers may have a hard time settling on an optimal seating position, however, as the relationship of the seat to the pedals and steering wheel seems a bit off-kilter. The power-adjustable pedals may help in this respect, but you can get them only with the Limited Platinum trim, unfortunately. Front-seat sight lines are excellent, though, and the gauge cluster is simple, uncluttered and easily read.

One of the Town & Country's strongest selling points is the Stow 'n Go functionality of the second-row seats, allowing them to fold flat into the floor at the simple tug of a lever. The 60/40-split third-row seat also folds flat (power-folding capability is optional), and it can also be flipped backward to create handy seating for tailgate parties. Seat comfort is acceptable, but some may find the deeply reclined seatback cushions in the second and especially third rows can make for an odd seating posture that adults, in particular, might find difficult to take for the long haul. Only those still growing will find adequate headroom in the third row, though such is the case for most minivans.

With all seats folded flat, the cargo area measures 143.8 cubic feet, a competitive figure for a minivan. With the seats in place, there are still a healthy 33 cubes behind the third row.