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Looking back through the Chrysler minivan generations starts with the models that started the minivan segment nearly 40 years ago up to present day.
A Look at Chrysler Minivans Through the Years
For going on 40 years, the various Chrysler minivan generations have ebbed and flowed from kicking off the minivan segment to becoming a rental fleet icon to returning as an innovation machine with the current hybrid-powered models. We’ll get into the particulars of all six Chrysler minivan generations, but first a quick history.
In the late 1970s, Chrysler began development on what they dubbed a “magic wagon” intended as a “garageable van” that handled like a car. Famed auto industry executive Lee Iacocca, whose bio you can read here, was responsible for green-lighting the “T-115” program in 1979. By 1984, Chrysler was rolling out the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager into a newly created “minivan” segment.
Generation One Chrysler Minivans: 1984-1990
Featuring unibody construction, the first-gen Chrysler minivans consisted of a Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager in classic Detroit badge-engineering style. A commercial-oriented Dodge Mini Ram Van was also offered. Known as the S platform, these original minivans shared powertrains with the Chrysler K-cars but not a chassis.
- From 1984-1987 Chrysler Minivans featured a base 2.2L K I4, with 96 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque or an optional 2.6L Mitsubishi G54B I4 engine that made 104 hp and 142 lb-ft of torque. Mid 1987-1990 Chrysler Minivans featured a 2.5L K I4 engine which generated 100 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque.
- From mid 1987-1988 Chrysler Minivans featured the 3.0L Mitsubishi 6G72 V6, 136 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. From 1989-1990 an upgraded 3.0L Mitsubishi 6G72 V6 generated 142 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque.
- In 1990 Chrysler replaced the Mitsubishi V6 engine with their own 3.3L EGA V6 engine. The Chrysler-made V6 created 150 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque.
- From 1989-1990 a more powerful 2.5 L Turbo I4 with 150 hp and 180 lb-ft for torque became available.
- Transmission options included a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual with a MacPherson strut front suspension design and beam rear axle with leaf springs.
- Though engineers wanted sliding doors on both sides, due to cost only one side had a sliding door.
- The Grand Caravan and Grand Voyager arrived in 1987 with a 7-inch longer wheelbase and 14-inch longer overall length versus standard models.
- In 1990, the Chrysler Town & Country debuted as a luxury minivan. That same year the Chrysler minivan trio sold two million units since inception and helped the automaker move strongly back into profitability.
Generation Two Chrysler Minivans: 1991-1995
The second-generation Chrysler minivans arrived as an evolution of the prior model, now riding on the AS platform. As with the original lineup, 5- and 7-passenger seating was available along with the same model names and wheelbase variants. New for 1991 was an optional AWD system.
- Driver airbags became standard and a 3.3L V6 became standard equipment on the Grand models and Town & Country.
- For the 1992 model year, woodgrain exterior panels on the Town & Country became optional as the style began to fall out of favor.
- That same year, the first battery-powered electric Chrysler minivan arrived as an experimental low-volume model for fleet buyers.
- A mid-cycle refresh in 1994 added dual front airbags, four-corner disc brakes with ABS, and side-impact safety beams all to comply with then-new US federal safety standards. The 1994 models included a standard 3.8L V6 engine.
Generation Three Chrysler Minivans: 1996-2000
Riding on a new NS platform, the third-gen Chrysler minivans boasted the first ground-up redesign since 1984. All K-car componentry was gone, a new cab-forward style added a more modern vibe, and dual sliding doors were adopted as part of a development program costing nearly $3 billion at the time.
- Model designations and overall lengths remained the same across the lineup.
- A new 2.4L inline-4 replaced the old 2.5L unit. V6 options still included 3.0L, 3.3L, and 3.8L variants, but the manual transmission was no longer offered.
- Dual-zone automatic climate control and adjustable cupholders were seen on a minivan for the first time.
- For this generation, the Voyager was positioned as entry-level and the Caravan saw its first use of the Dodge crosshair-style front grille.
- By 1999, a sliding driver-side rear door was optional on all models. The following year, the Voyager name moved over to Chrysler as the Plymouth brand was retired.
Generation Four Chrysler Minivans: 2001-2007
Chrysler’s now famous “Stow ‘N Go” seating system arrived with the fourth-generation lineup. This innovation allowed the second and third-row seats to fold down into underfloor compartments for a completely flat cargo bay. Now known as the RS platform, model shuffling resulted in a short- (SWB) and long-wheelbase (LWB) Dodge Caravan, an SWB-only Chrysler Voyager, and LWB-only Chrysler Town & Country.
- Upgrades over the prior generation included available remote power-operated sliding doors and liftgate, triple-zone automatic climate control, and side airbags.
- Powertrain options remained the same but the top-spec 3.8L V6 bumped output to 200 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque.
- Model year 2003 was marked by the retirement of the Voyager nameplate and the return of a Grand Caravan Cargo Van (C/V) option. The 10-million-unit production mark, combined, was hit that year.
- A mid-cycle refresh in 2005 brought fresh exterior styling and a redesigned cabin. Full-length side curtain airbags were also added to the mix along with Uconnect Bluetooth phone pairing.
Fifth Generation Chrysler Minivans: 2008-2020
All new, the RT series of Chrysler minivans reverted to a boxier profile under designer Ralph Gilles. Sharing little with the prior generation, the fifth-gen lineup would become LWB-only with the then-new Dodge Journey crossover filling the SWB slot.
- For this generation only, the badge-engineered Volkswagen Routan was sold. Intended to pump up VW’s American sales figures, the Routan featured unique styling and a different suspension tune, but no option for Stow ‘N Go seating.
- Additions to the lineup in 2008 included a 4.0L V6 rated for 251 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque, a removable two-part sliding console, power outlets in the C-pilar, and optional heated seats for the first and second rows.
- Stow ‘N Go became standard equipment on the Dodge and Chrysler minivans along with an optional swiveling setup that enabled the second-row captain chairs to rotate and face the third row.
- For 2009, a 25th-anniversary model was offered; the following year, a Wi-Fi hotspot was added to the list of amenities.
- A major mid-cycle overhaul in 2011 brought fresh sheet metal and a dramatic shift in the powertrain department. All four previous engine options – one four- and three six-cylinder mills – were replaced by a Pentastar 3.6L V6. Rated for 283 hp and 260 torques, it paired with a 6-speed automatic.
- Additional 2011 changes included standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, a revised suspension front and back, more sound insulation, and acoustic-laminated glass.
- Mild upgrades would show up through 2020 but the sixth-gen Pacifica arrived concurrently in 2017 as a far improved option.
Sixth Generation Chrysler Minivans: 2017-Present
In 2017, the Chrysler Pacifica minivan – unrelated to the prior crossover of the same name – debuted as a Town & Country replacement. At that point, the Dodge Grand Caravan continued to be sold, in its fifth-gen form, until 2020. It was then replaced by the Chrysler Voyager, a vehicle we evaluate here, which was effectively a base model Pacifica that itself would become fleet-only as of 2023.
- When the latest generation Chrysler minivan arrived in 2017, it was called the Pacifica. Highlights included a fresh design aimed at the SUV segment, loads of new advanced safety systems, and a heavily revised powertrain lineup.
- The 3.6L V6 was now paired with a 9-speed automatic with a slight power bump and could also be had as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) configuration. A first for the minivan segment, the Pacifica PHEV came with an EPA-estimated 84 MPGe combined versus just 22 for the standard model.
- New features included a dual-screen rear entertainment system, integrated vacuum cleaner, forward collision mitigation, a lane-keeping system, adaptive cruise control, and remote vehicle connectivity.
- Over $2 billion was spent on this new Chrysler minivan platform that also brought hands-free sliding doors and a standard backup camera.
- In 2021, a mid-cycle refresh offered AWD in combination with the Stow ‘N Go seating system, something previously unavailable. Other highlights of this upgraded model included an Android-based Uconnect 5 infotainment system, wireless connection for Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and an available “FamCam” interior camera system.
- Today, the Pacifica competes in a shrunken minivan field with the likes of Toyota’s Sienna, which is one of our favorite family vehicles. For the latest Pacifica information, check out our 2023 model year review here.
