Chrysler Grand Voyager vs VW Caravelle: 2008 twin test
The Chrysler Grand Voyager and VW Caravelle clash in the large people carrier market
IT’S all kicking off in the large people carrier market. In recent years this sector has been slightly neglected, as firms have concentrated on producing models to fight it out in the lucrative compact MPV arena.
But now it’s time to swing attention back towards the premier league of people carriers. Chrysler’s Grand Voyager has long been a popular choice for transporting large families, although it came in for criticism last year, when it fared poorly in Euro NCAP crash tests. It achieved only two stars for occupant safety, and none at all for pedestrian protection.
So this new model is crucial, as it promises to retain the flexibility of its predecessor, but improve on the shortcomings in other areas. Billed as more sophisticated and refined than before, it’s clearly at the luxury end of the market.
But is it the ultimate people carrier? That’s what we intend to find out as we pitch it against the Volkswagen Caravelle, another equally cavernous and upmarket MPV.
Available with up to eight seats, its robust build quality and bulletproof reliability are strong selling points, while the spacious and flexible interior is luxuriously finished.
So if you have half a football team plus kit to transport to an away match, which will cope best? We put both through their paces to find out.
Verdict
People carriers don’t come much bigger than these two. Although Volkswagen also offers the Touran and Sharan, neither can rival the Caravelle for sheer size. The model’s minibus styling won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it means acres of space inside. It’s incredibly comfortable, too, and as family transport for long journeys and holidays, it’s ideal. The sliding and swivelling seats, plus the clever folding table, only add to the appeal.
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Cash £28,220It’s not ultimately as versatile as the new Grand Voyager, though. While it has a boxier profile than its predecessor, the Chrysler has lost none of its clever cabin tricks – in particular the superb Stow ‘n Go seating layout.
We’ve yet to see a system that can match it. Not only is it quick and easy to use, it means you don’t have to remove the seats in order to get a flat load space. As we found in the Caravelle, this is an awkward and back-breaking job.
That’s why the Chrysler takes the honours – it’s the better all-rounder. As the ultimate test, we asked the members of our football team to pick their favourite – and the Grand Voyager won the day.
First place: Chrysler Grand Voyager
It was Chrysler’s best-selling model, but the outgoing Grand Voyager wasn’t without its faults, not least when it came to its poor crash test record. That might explain why the new car is even bigger than its predecessor, and measures well over five metres long.
Chrysler claims it is safer and more luxurious, yet still provides plenty of space. We’re surprised by the bodywork, though. The US firm seems to have ignored the current trend for stylish MPVs, such as the Ford S-MAX and Citroen C4 Picasso.
Instead, it has gone for a boxy design reminiscent of the American minivan of the Eighties. It’s a huge departure from the rounded shape of the old car, and the Grand Voyager seems much bigger in the metal than the pictures suggest.
The Chrysler’s size is evident as soon as you open the sliding side doors. It has a higher roofline than the old model and is more spacious inside. A contemporary black finish replaces the grey upholstery of its predecessor, and there’s cool blue mood lighting from the overhead console. This also houses two useful drop-down cubbies, as well as optional DVD screens.
But the best thing about the rear is the Stow ‘n Go seating system. This allows you to fold all five chairs into the floor to create a flat 3,296-litre load space. That’s well behind the Caravelle’s 5,474-litre maximum, but the ease and speed of the seat folding system is impressive.
All the chairs can be slid fore and aft, and legroom is superb – the second row offers 750mm, while the rearmost seats provide 790mm. And when the seats are in place, the compartments they stow into double as additional underfloor storage areas.
Shoulder space is a little cramped with three people in the rearmost seats, but it’s far from claustrophobic, and boot capacity with all the chairs in place is another strong point, at 756 litres. Handily, the back seats can also be reversed – useful if you want to watch your kids’ football match in comfort under the cover of the tailgate! A Swivel ‘n Go system, which features two rotating captain’s chairs in the second row, is available as a £750 option.
The driving environment is much better than in the old model. It’s still not perfect – some of the plastics feel brittle, it’s quite cramped and we’re not fans of the tacky wood trim. Also, there’s still no reach adjustment on the wheel. But there are improvements. A floor-mounted gearlever replaces the column change, the layout is more attractive and overall the Grand Voyager is better built.
The 2.8-litre CRD diesel has also been updated. It’s quieter and smoother than before, but it’s not as punchy as the VW’s unit – a 0-60mph time of 11.8 seconds is a second slower. In-gear acceleration is quick enough, but the Chrysler can get a little coarse at high revs.
On the road, the Grand Voyager is composed, but far from exciting. Body control is kept in check considering its size and weight, and the suspension soaks up bumps and potholes with ease. Wind noise is low, and a stiffer body means there’s minimal vibration in the cabin, even over rough roads.
Our top-spec model costs £32,995 and comes well equipped, with eight airbags, electric sliding doors and leather seats as standard. But does all this kit help make it a class leader?
Details
- Price: £32,995
- Model tested: G Voyager 2.8 CRD
Economy
Neither car is especially frugal, but the lighter Grand Voyager fared better, with 25.8mpg. That’s impressive given Chrysler’s official 30.4mpg claim. A large tank means a 431-mile range.
Residuals
Bosses will be hoping the new Grand Voyager can perform as well as the 300C second-hand – and improve on the previous generation’s 36.1 per cent residual value.
Servicing
If Chrysler wants to appeal to more premium buyers, its garages must improve. They came 22nd out of 32 in our Driver Power 2007 dealer survey. Three services cost £1,070.
Tax
Filthy emissions mean both cars sit in the top bracket for company car tax. But due to its lower price, the Chrysler is slightly cheaper to run – lower-band owners will pay £2,541 annually.
Second place: Volkswagen Caravelle
The Caravelle can trace its roots back to 1950, when the first Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter was introduced. In fact this was the German firm’s second model after the Beetle. Five generations later and having gained fame as a camper van, it has become a legend of automotive history.
As with its predecessor, the latest Caravelle is available as a motorhome, van or even nine-seat minibus, which is badged Transporter. All use the same platform, but what may come as a surprise is that the Caravelle shares some major chassis parts with the Porsche Cayenne!
However in terms of styling, the VW couldn’t be further from the high-performance SUV. The boxy shape is indistinguishable from its predecessor, which was first launched in 1990, and shuns the current trend for sporty looks, sticking to a traditional van-like shape.
Get into the back, and it’s clear this is more than simply a commercial vehicle with windows, though. The Caravelle has always been popular with upmarket taxi and limousine firms, and it’s no surprise to find that quality is excellent. The part leather seats are plush and comfortable, and there’s masses of room, thanks to the high roof.
The wide-opening electric doors make getting in simple, and there’s a variety of seating positions, thanks to the four sliding rails set into the floor. The two individual chairs in the second row slide and can swivel to face backwards, but the rearmost one-piece bench is awkward and heavy to remove.
There’s a handy central table which folds down and has a host of cup-holders and cubbies. In fact there are lots of stowage areas in the Caravelle, including clever underseat trays and even a removable bucket! But when it comes to versatility, it can’t match the Chrysler – moving the seats is difficult as they are heavy and don’t slide particularly well, while creating a flat load floor involves taking them out completely. That’s not easy, considering their bulk and weight.
Build quality is excellent, however, and everything feels robust. It’s the same story up front, thanks to a simple dash with chunky switchgear. The driving position is high but comfortable and there’s plenty of steering adjustment. However, the design is starting to look dated, especially the optional sat-nav, which is slow and fiddly to use.
Under the bonnet, the 2.5-litre diesel isn’t the last word in refinement. The five-cylinder unit is noisy, especially at high revs, but the 172bhp version (there’s also a 128bhp model available) is punchy and provides surprising pace. A 0-60mph time of 10.9 seconds was a second quicker than the Grand Voyager’s, helped in part by the quick, smooth-shifting six-speed Tiptronic auto.
Dynamically, the Caravelle is composed and safe, but the steering lacks feedback. Our Executive model was fitted with sports suspension, but this makes the ride too firm over bumpy surfaces and it can become crashy and noisy. The VW is far happier at a steady cruise, where the power advantage over its rival is clear.
At £33,895, the Caravelle is slightly more expensive than the Grand Voyager, but it’s still a lot of MPV for the money. This top-spec model comes with electric doors, privacy glass and swivelling captain’s chairs as standard. There’s also an extensive options list, which includes a mattress that fits over the rear seats when folded down.
Details
- Price: £33,895
- Model tested: Caravelle Exec. 2.5 TDI
Economy
In our hands, the Caravelle returned 24.7mpg – not bad when you consider how heavy it is. The fuel tank is bigger, at 80 litres, so the VW will go 435 miles between fill-ups
Residuals
Our experts don’t provide residual values for the Caravelle, but it’s likely to perform similarly to other VW MPVs. The Sharan TDI retains around 42 per cent.
Servicing
The Caravelle is only available via selected car dealers and VW Van Centres – in all, 80 UK sites. Each offers good value services, with three checks totalling £580.
Tax
More powerful, but less frugal, the VW costs lower-band fleet drivers £2,460 annually – that’s £69 more than the Chrysler. High emissions mean road tax of £300 a year.
