2016 Chrysler Town and Country Review

The 2016 Chrysler Town & Country is available with an Anniversary Edition package that adds extra features on top of the mid-tier Touring-L trim.

The 2016 Chrysler Town & Country is a good choice for minivan shoppers looking for luxurious accommodations at an attractive price. A rough ride and unrefined powertrain prevent it from achieving a top ranking, however.

Chrysler's Town & Country has brought a touch of luxury and class to the minivan segment for more than two decades now. That original Town & Country built upon the related Dodge Grand Caravan by adding wood-grain decals, leather upholstery, dual-zone air-conditioning and power windows and locks. It might seem a little quaint today, but features like those helped the Town & Country become one of the most luxurious minivans of its day.

The long-lived Chrysler Town & Country will soon pass the baton to the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.

For 2016, the Chrysler Town & Country still comes standard with features that other minivans often charge a premium for. Leather seats, power-sliding doors, a power liftgate and a touchscreen interface with a rearview camera are all standard. On the higher trim levels, you can get features like xenon headlights, a premium sound system and a Blu-ray-based rear-seat entertainment system. Unique to the Town & Country (and its Dodge sibling) are second-row "Stow 'n Go" seats, which easily fold into the floor for a flat load area behind the driver.

But the competition from Asia has turned up the heat on the latest Town & Country since it was last fully redesigned in 2008. The Honda Odyssey is one of the best in the segment, offering versatile seating arrangements and superior handling and refinement. Our other top pick, the Toyota Sienna, is equally as polished, and offers available all-wheel drive, making it a great choice for those who reside in northern climes. There's also the recently redesigned Kia Sedona to consider, which makes for a smart value-oriented alternative. Nonetheless, the 2016 Town & Country is a worthy pick, particularly if you want an upscale, competitively priced seven-passenger vehicle that can turn into a cargo van on the fly.

Every 2016 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 below the class average at 20 mpg combined (17 city/25 highway).

The 2016 Town & Country employs a 283-hp V6 engine that provides perfectly adequate acceleration.

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 2016 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 above average braking distance for a minivan.

In government crash tests, the Town & Country received four out of five stars for overall protection, with four 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."

The 2016 Chrysler Town & Country's 3.6-liter V6 engine generates satisfying acceleration for most situations, while 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 more unsettled when driving over larger bumps as compared to rivals like the Odyssey or Sienna.

Step into the 2016 Chrysler Town & Country and you'll know you're not entering a strictly for-the-school-runs hauler. With a standard touchscreen interface and leather seating, the high level of content is immediately evident. Some of the interior plastics are a little underwhelming to the touch, but the cabin is generally appealing and upscale in appearance.

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. Outward visibility is 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 that the deeply reclined seatback cushions in the second and especially third rows can make for an odd seating posture.

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.