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Canadian families adore the Dodge Grand Caravan. Here’s why it offers great value as a second-hand minivan—and what to look for when you buy.
The Dodge Grand Caravan is a hardworking minivan that easily handles a variety of family duties and other needs, and it offers more room than most crossovers. Here’s why it’s on my list of the 10 best used cars in Canada.
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Seems that way, if the sales volumes are any indication. The Dodge Grand Caravan has been around for decades—refined for each generation—and it was the strongest-selling minivan on the market by a considerable margin.
The main draws of this vehicle are its size, space, features and flexible interior. Recent-model Grand Caravans come with plenty of features, too, including Dodge’s proven Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 engine, remote start, power sliding doors, a motorized tailgate, a heated steering wheel, a sunroof, rear-seat entertainment consoles, premium audio systems and multi-zone climate control (on some models).
The Grand Caravan also has enough storage bins, compartments, cup holders, power outlets and media hookups to keep the whole family organized, connected and charged up on the go. It’s hard to think of a more family-friendly vehicle.
The Stow ’n Go seats can flip, fold away into the floor or exit the vehicle altogether, easily turning it from a people mover into a cargo carrier in a jiff. Aside from family transportation, many owners use their Grand Caravan as a work truck, a delivery vehicle, a pet hauler, camping headquarters, a mobile office and more. Even pack rats will find a place to store all their stuff.
How does it drive? The Grand Caravan’s long wheelbase adds smoothness and stability, while stretching out the cabin to clear room for three rows of seats. Its suspension and ride are nicely suited to long-distance driving, though ride comfort stands up well on rougher roads, too. Drivers can expect a commanding driving position with a generous forward view—a perch that inspires confidence without towering above the road.
The minivan’s advanced safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, a backup camera, stability control, automatic high beams and a pre-collision warning system. Rear cross path detection, if equipped, alerts drivers to approaching vehicles as they reverse out of a parking space or into a laneway. Features like these add confidence for parents, as well as peace of mind when younger drivers start to borrow the family vehicle.
The used Dodge Grand Caravan you’re considering has a tried-and-true powertrain configuration that’s helped sell countless minivans. Under the hood is a V6 engine, connected to the front wheels by an automatic transmission.
Newer used Grand Caravans will run the 3.6-litre V6 engine. Dubbed the Pentastar, this award-winning engine gives the vehicle a 283-horsepower punch. All models come with automatic transmission, and all are front-wheel drive. The V6 engine is one of the most mass-produced engines on the road today, with millions of units built.
Dodge has been building and tweaking this powertrain team for many years. The same engine is also used in the automaker’s crossover SUVs and pickup trucks because it’s a time-tested workhorse.
If you use ECO mode and drive light-footed, there’s rarely a need to get this engine working hard—it’s set up nicely for low-RPM performance and maximum fuel efficiency. There’s generous punch available when needed, though mostly, the Grand Caravan’s drivetrain does its best work when being driven in no particular rush, as its fuel-saving tech works to minimize your gas bill.
Some competitor minivans are available with all-wheel drive (AWD), a feature that the Grand Caravan lacks. A key competitor, the Toyota Sienna, is one of them—it comes with a hybrid engine that drinks considerably less fuel, too.
For added safety in colder months, be sure to use quality winter tires—they’ll help the Grand Caravan’s traction and stability features work better, too.
Here are some guidelines to picking a used Grand Caravan that’s likely to give you years of trouble-free driving.
With some proper care and attention, as well as a thoughtful and patient test-drive, buyers looking for a used Dodge Grand Caravan should have few problems finding a top-notch model in their budget. With its car-like drive, unbeatable cargo and passenger volume, flexibility to spare and Dodge’s reputation as the market leader in family minivans, the Dodge Grand Caravan has earned plenty of loyal customers over the years.
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Affiliate (monetized) links can sometimes result in a payment to MoneySense (owned by Ratehub Inc.), which helps our website stay free to our users. If a link has an asterisk (*) or is labelled as “Featured,” it is an affiliate link. If a link is labelled as “Sponsored,” it is a paid placement, which may or may not have an affiliate link. Our editorial content will never be influenced by these links. We are committed to looking at all available products in the market. Where a product ranks in our article, and whether or not it’s included in the first place, is never driven by compensation. For more details, read our MoneySense Monetization policy.
Affiliate (monetized) links can sometimes result in a payment to MoneySense (owned by Ratehub Inc.), which helps our website stay free to our users. If a link has an asterisk (*) or is labelled as “Featured,” it is an affiliate link. If a link is labelled as “Sponsored,” it is a paid placement, which may or may not have an affiliate link. Our editorial content will never be influenced by these links. We are committed to looking at all available products in the market. Where a product ranks in our article, and whether or not it’s included in the first place, is never driven by compensation. For more details, read our MoneySense Monetization policy.
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