[throwback]

Actually I doubt you can stow the swivel seats. If you look at the various pictures of the interior you will see one shot of the mirror that shows the second and third row seats - which are sto-n-go. The second row seats are very different than the swivel captains chairs. I suspect you will have an option of either seats. The nice thing is that you still get the storage bins with the swivel captains chairs. Many people complained that the sto-n-go second row seats were too small and uncomfortable for adults - so this option should put Chrysler on par with Honda that has the regular seats plus storage in their minivan - but still offer the stowable seats if you want them.

Personally I would choose the full size swivel captains chairs with the storage bins over the full sto-n-go 7/8ths scale second row seats.

It seams Chrysler is intent on offering just about every combination of utility a buyer would want. Good job.

Yes i see that now. I assume the 3rd seat will be stow n go regardless. I would also choose the swivel, I suspect this may prove more popular for the 2nd row than stow n go. Kudo's to DCX, versatility and choice are what these vans are all about. As you said if you have 2 or more kids in car seats min-vans are the best way to go.

 

[boblutzfan]

Well, come over here and purchase one of those.

I love it when people post things on this thread and talk about some vehicle that sells in another country that isn't competition to the USDM vehicle...

The 2008 Chrysler vans are very innovative for their home market...

 

[boblutzfan]

Yes i see that now. I assume the 3rd seat will be stow n go regardless. I would also choose the swivel, I suspect this may prove more popular for the 2nd row than stow n go. Kudo's to DCX, versatility and choice are what these vans are all about. As you said if you have 2 or more kids in car seats min-vans are the best way to go.

Yes - it looks like the 3rd seat will be stow-n-go on all models. Like you said - kudos to DCX for the versatility and choice in seating options. I suspect the second row swivel and storage bin option may be a surprise hit. But by offering both - they can still claim a class exclusive on seating options.

 

[Ming]

The idea for such seats isn't new, but they've always been ruled out by the complications of making the seats safe in both directions.

Makes me think of Disco Vans with molded white plastic chairs custom added in the mid section, or even some of these (look carefully at the Ford one below):

 

[Quickening]

The interior looks great and nice features, but the exterior really needs help.

 

[boblutzfan]

The interior looks great and nice features, but the exterior really needs help.

It is on par with most other minivans on the market. Remember - it is the interior that sells these things - minivans that is.

 

[saturnsteve]

It has power Stow N Go too! Man, I sure hope GM has not made a mistake at getting out of the MiniVan market.

 

[camaro_freak]

Because the minivan was too sick when Bob Lutz joined the team. GM never had a good minivan platform - the CSVs and their dust buster predecessors were too narrow and the Astros were too big and clunky for the minivan segment. GM sat and watched for 24 years while Chrysler consistently turned out the product that the buying public wanted. Honda and Toyota first tried to compete with their idea (Japanese - too small) version of a minivan - but it wasn't until they copied the Chrysler formula that they found success. And then there is KIA - they found the right size on just their second generation...four years and they got it right.

Why couldn't GM and Ford for that matter quit trying to be unique and just try and compete with Chrysler head on. They could have done it...instead they walked away and lost millions of successive sales in the process. How many people trade in their Honda or Toyota minivans for GM product? Minimal I suspect - they buy another Japanese product. Same goes for Chrysler. Many like my parents keep buying Chrysler minivans - long after the kids grow up and leave home - because they love the vans - cult like almost.

GM really dropped the ball on this one.

Exactly.. no excuses can be made for GM on this one...

 

[boblutzfan]

It has power Stow N Go too! Man, I sure hope GM has not made a mistake at getting out of the MiniVan market.

If you look at Honda and Toyota - they are models for business success. They have grown their product mix to reflect their buyers purchasing desires. They also make money hand over fist - no huge losses like the domestics. They also have grown market share at GM and Ford's expense. That said - why would GM walk away from this segment? If Toyota and Honda are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a dead segment - yet both companies are making a profit and increasing market share...maybe they know something GM doesn't...

Bash Honda and Toyota all you want - but they know what they are doing. When GM walked away from this segment - it just means more money for DCX, Honda, Toyota and KIA. The lag in the segment is partially due to the fact that the #1 seller had an eight year old design. I'm sure this new DCX van will stimulate sales and stop the slide.

Yes - GM made a mistake by walking away from this segment. If you can't study a subject for two decades and still not figure it out - there is a major problem.

 

[nadepalma]

I'm incredibly impressed by this minivan. The functionality of the table and the chairs being able to swivel around is great -- though I wonder how you store the table. Kids will love that for long trips. And the interior looks like it has some quality materials as well. And moving the gear lever right next to the I.P. is really smart and different too.

Very well done indeed. I hope Chrysler sells a tone of them.

 

[Titanic]

Absolutely spot on perfect product, in terms of interior at least (which is what these vehicles are all about).

Chrysler really put in the effort, and it makes me happy to see them not just give up on a segment because of some foreign competition.

Compare this effort to GM's "Luxury" Buick Terazza or Ford's Upmarket "Monterey."


And glad to see I guessed correctly about the seats!!

 

[soloyosh]

Didn't VW offer this on the Eurovan MV in the US already? Was this a suggestion from VW since they're new vans will be based on this?

 

[john1701a]

I can see a dual-mode hybrid T&C in about 2 years, which will give DCX even more of a unique product over Toyota and Honda.

Nope. Toyota already has a "full" hybrid minivan: Estima.

It has been available in Japan since this last summer. So the odds of Toyota bringing that to the US or implementing HSD in Sienna are better, making it a matter of keeping up for GM & DCX rather than getting ahead.

JOHN

 

[oppositelock]

Every time Chrysler looks like they're about to wither away and die, they come out with something like this. This is not quite the homerun that Stow-and-Go was (is) but it is still a fantastic idea and it looks well executed in those photos. This is definitely a huge selling point and many consumers will be drawn to purchase a Chrysler minivan solely based around this feature. Well done Chrysler! This is the way it's done.

 

[boblutzfan]

And glad to see I guessed correctly about the seats!!

Explain.

 

[boblutzfan]

Didn't VW offer this on the Eurovan MV in the US already? Was this a suggestion from VW since they're new vans will be based on this?

Yes - the VW van from the 80's offered rear facing second row - but not really a minivan - and the van is long gone.

I doubt that these seats on the DCX van were a VW suggestion as VW came into the deal after this van was well underway in its development. Chrysler had all the pieces in house to do this - the integrated seat belt has been in use on Chrysler products for over a decade.

 

[boblutzfan]

Every time Chrysler looks like they're about to wither away and die, they come out with something like this. This is not quite the homerun that Stow-and-Go was (is) but it is still a fantastic idea and it looks well executed in those photos. This is definitely a huge selling point and many consumers will be drawn to purchase a Chrysler minivan solely based around this feature. Well done Chrysler! This is the way it's done.

Chrysler has lived and died (nearly) based on the quality of their minivan offering. This new van will surely guarantee their success for the near future. I hope they keep innovating and don't let this van get as old as they did with the last model before replacing it.

The fact that Chrysler survived the exploding transmission from the 90's era vans and have continued to be the #1 seller in the face of stiff competition from Honda and Toyota is admirable. These vans are just the thing they needed to wear their crown proudly.

Congrats to Chrysler on these vans.

 

[sepi]

Now tell me why GM couldn't have done this?

a. It would be evidence of thinking at GM.
b. It would take some initiative from GM leaders Lutz and Wagoner.
c. It would have required money to be spent on something other than Lutz's blog bandwidth.
d. It wasn't invented here.
e. All of the above.

Pretty much sums up why GM didn't do it.

 

[throwback]

Nope. Toyota already has a "full" hybrid minivan: Estima.

It has been available in Japan since this last summer. So the odds of Toyota bringing that to the US or implementing HSD in Sienna are better, making it a matter of keeping up for GM & DCX rather than getting ahead.

JOHN

I am aware of the Estima. I have not heard of Toyota doing a hybrid Sienna. Actually I am surprised they have not done one as yet, probably due to capacity. They may beat DCX to it, but I suspect DCX will under cut them on price.

 

[boblutzfan]

Absolutely spot on perfect product, in terms of interior at least (which is what these vehicles are all about).

Chrysler really put in the effort, and it makes me happy to see them not just give up on a segment because of some foreign competition.

Compare this effort to GM's "Luxury" Buick Terazza or Ford's Upmarket "Monterey."

Yes - glad to see that DCX didn't fold up and go home like GM and Ford. Since it is interior innovation that sells these vans - Chrysler is destined to sell tons of these vans.

Speaking of the interior - did you notice that even with the dark factory tinted windows - it appears there are integrated rear window shades - supper privacy. I question the need - but it is a nice luxury touch that shows that Chrysler didn't want to leave anything out that the competition might offer.