Chrysler Grand Voyager Limited

FamilyCar Rating: Model Reviewed: Grand Voyager Limited Petrol 6 speed automatic $72,990* Other models priced from: LX Petrol Auto $56,990* LX Diesel Auto $59,990 3 word summary: Family, Friendly, Luxury

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Review

The Grand Voyager has been a popular car for Chrysler with over 11,000 models cruising around on Australian roads. The all new Grand Voyager hit Australian dealerships this month with 3 model variants (LX, Touring and Limited) as well as a choice of petrol or diesel, for the first time. Its styling has changed considerably from an “egg” shape to more of a “box shape”. But this doesn’t mean ugly and boring. There is a sense of style while taking on sporty styling cues from the 300C, such as the front grill.  The model reviewed is the top of the line 3.8 litre petrol Limited that has an outstanding array of goodies for the whole family.

Driver Comfort & Visibility

The driver and passenger seats are like good looking Jason recliners - supportive and comfortable. But Chrysler goes a step further than your lounge chair. The heated seats can be electrically adjustable 8 ways with the driver seat having a memory feature.

The high up seating position gives the driver great visibility out of the front and side windows. To assist when reversing, rear parking sensors (with visual and audio warnings) and a reverse parking camera are standard on all models.

The instrument panel is easy to read and controls are in easy reach with cruise control and audio controls mounted on the steering wheel for even greater convenience. To keep in theme with the leather seats, the steering wheel and gear knob are leather bound.

Safety

Safety is an important consideration for Chrysler which is why there are a huge number of safety features standard across all of the Grand Voyagers. There’s ABS, ESP with Brake Assist. All of these give you greater control under emergency situations. There’s a full complement of airbags (a total of 10) including front passenger and driver front and side airbags and curtain airbags for all 3 rows.

Seating

There’s plenty to write about on this topic, so you might want to grab a seat to take it all in! The front seats are large, comfy lounge chairs that provide the support required for the rush to school drop off or for the holiday road trip. In the second row there are 2 styles of seating available; the Sto ‘n Go and the all new Swivel ‘n Go seating system. Let’s start with the first which is standard on all models. The Sto ‘n Go system was introduced in the Grand Voyager in 2004 and is the only people mover to offer 2nd and 3rd row seats that fold into the floor. The third row is a 60/40 split seat with a power incline. It can also be folded so that you can sit in the boot on a comfy seat while looking out of the rear at a sports game or chatting with your friends. The second row has 2 bucket seats complete with arm rests for greater comfort.

The Swivel ‘n Go system is a new feature and offered as an option on all models later this year. This is where the 2nd row has 2 bucket seats that can swivel around to face the rear. You also get a removable table to eat and play games on when the picnic weather turns wet and cold.

Comfort

In the Limited, you’ve got power everything. Power steering, power heated door mirrors and power windows in the front and second row. Both sliding side doors are power operated as is the boot. When the sliding doors are in operation, the hazard lights flash, warning other drivers that someone could be entering or exiting the vehicle. To stop anyone getting jammed in the boot, the door automatically stops if it detects an object when closing. There’s climate control air conditioning with vents and temperature controls in all 3 sections of the car.

There are plenty of storage options with a large glove box, door pockets, storage pockets on the rear of the front seats and very handy storage bins located in the floor in the 2nd row. There are cup holders in the front as well as for rear passengers.

Kids’ Comfort

There’s plenty to talk about here as this is the ultimate family car. For a start, there’s room for 5 in the back. This is great for large families or for separating kids on long (and short) trips. In the Limited there is a great entertainment system which includes 2nd and 3rd row overhead 8” screens, 5 wireless headphones and a video remote control. There’s also an additional DVD player. This means that your middle row passengers could be watching Dora while your rear passengers could be watching High School Musical. Your 2 middle row passengers have door pockets and trays on the back of the front seats (available later this year). There are also sunshades in the 2nd and 3rd row to keep the sun off your sleeping passengers or improve the picture on your screens.

There are 4 child restraint anchorage points to give you multi options for securing your children safely in the car. All passengers have 3 point seatbelts for optimum safety.

Green Factor

Being a larger petrol car, the fuel efficiency is not so good. It consumes about 12.3 litres per 100kms, which is only slightly better than the Kia Grand Carnival (12.8 litres per 100kms). If economy is an important feature for you, consider the 2.8 litre turbo diesel which has a fuel consumption of 9.3 litres per 100kms.

Overall View

The new Grand Voyager drives more like a car than its predecessor, however there are some handling traits, such as “loose cornering” that are still evident to the discerning driver. Whilst its fuel economy has improved slightly over the previous model, the petrol is still pretty thirsty. It has a great array of features that will satisfy even the fussiest of travellers from cup holders throughout to the entertainment system that caters for everyone’s needs.

Features of Model Reviewed

Airbags:	10 Including driver and front passenger front and side airbags, curtain airbags from front to rear
Seats:	7
ABS:	Yes
EBD:	Yes
ESP:	Yes
Driver visibility:
Storage compartments:
Drink holders:	8
CD player:	6 disc CD changer in dash, 2 x DVD players
Air conditioning:	Yes, tri zone climate control
Power windows:	Yes
Power steering:	Yes
Power door mirrors:	Yes
Child restraint anchorage points:	4
Transmission:	6 speed automatic
Engine capacity:	3.8L V6
Fuel type:	Petrol
Fuel consumption:	12.3 litres/100 km
Greenhouse rating#:	3.5/10
Green Vehicle Guide rating:
Warranty:	3 year/100,000km
Price:	$72,990*

 

* Excludes on road costs
# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating.  For more information, click here.
Information is correct at the time of the review. Please check with your local Chrysler dealer for the most recent information.