Driving Impressions: Chrysler Grand Voyager

The Chrysler Grand Voyager was a well built MPV that met most of my requirements with a decent price, good user-centric design features, and an excellent reputation in the USA. the basis of competitive pricing, strong options list and excellent design. So, this MPV merits serious consideration. Now the big question is how does it drive?

Naturally, one must temper one's expectations when driving a big van such as the Chrysler Grand Voyager. Drive like a small car, it certainly will not. Stepping into the driver's cabin, the proportions of the vehicle around you is very obvious. This thing feels like a barge in dimensions. The driver's seating position and all round visibility is excellent. Being on the tall side (I am 1.84m), I am happy to say that the leg room is pretty good and I could find a comfortable position quite quickly. The driver controls are relatively intuitive and need little trouble getting used to.


Source: Chrysler China

Stepping on the accelerator, the MPV takes off at a smooth leisurely canter after hesitating for a moment. No push or sudden acceleration even when I push the pedal to persuade the MPV to move with greater urgency. A wafter would be the word to best describe the Chrysler Grand Voyager. However, this is not a negative. This is precisely what I am looking for a sedate cruiser that wafts from point to point, providing the maximum comfort for the occupants.

I picked a stretch of road that had humps and tested out the Chrysler van's handling of the speed humps. Oh dear. This van really does behave like a barge and rocks sideways like the best of them. The suspension was overly soft and I think I would be happy to sacrifice a bit of comfort for some sanity. The rocking was literally making sea-sick. On the turns, I could feel the size of the car working against me and I felt like a bus driver. The thing about this is, I have been in cars that are as big as this Chrysler and yet not feel the size as keenly as I did here. My Audi A6 is 5035mm long x 1855mm wide, compared with the Chrysler at 5096mm long and 1997mm wide. I have also driven the Audi Q7 (5086mm × 1983mm × 1737mm) a fair number of times and neither of them felt as big and cumbersome as the Chrysler. All is not lost, but I will have to do some homework on the internet to see if there are suspension kits available as well as strut braces and tie bars to correct this handling deficiency.

Attempting quick braking, I felt the brakes were soft and the response slow. However, the front and rear disc brakes were adequate for the job since I do not expect to be moving very quickly on this MPV in the first place.

Overall, the Chrysler Grand Voyager was comfortable and a pretty decent ride for passengers, as long as you live in a place where the roads are straight and smooth and you take corners very slowly. Passengers would be very comfortable as the car is well insulated and road noise is kept to a minimum at city driving speeds. I did not get an opportunity to test the MPV on an expressway to see how bad the wind noise and tire noise is going to be at speeds above 100 km/h. I would expect the noise to be much more intrusive though. But this, I believe, can be corrected with appropriate soundproofing work.


Source: Chrysler China

Finally, in the showroom, the Stow 'n Go option on the Chrysler looked and sounded brilliant. In practice, I hated it. On the road, the combination of flaps and hinges under your feet in the passenger row was not at all reassuring. The flex and the squeaks made me feel like the floor would collapse any time. I am not very heavy, a mere 80kg. But I shudder to think if some of my larger friends were to be seated in the middle row. The floorboards will not break, but the squeaking will definitely drive me and anyone else insider the car completely insane before the end of a trip to the supermarket is up.

So, would I buy this car? Or at least seriously consider buying this car? This is the first that I have driven and will serve as a benchmark. I would give it a half-hearted maybe as I would have to add the cost of the modifications to the consideration as well as to find out if the modifications I would require are at all available, since the market for MPV modifications is tiny. And no, as wonderful as the Stow 'n Go option is, I shall give that option a miss as well. So I do not have high hopes of success in this respect.