With the Dodge’s recent axing of the Grand Caravan, the SUV and pickup truck craze across the world claimed yet another victim. Although causing much less of a stir than when VW announced the base model Golf will be no more, it’s yet another indication that no one is safe from the crossover obsession that has its grip on the car world.
This also includes the Chrysler Grand Voyager, seeing its production version discontinued in favor of serving fleet operations from here on out. Although tasked with replacing the Grand Caravan, the Voyager was given two short production cycles before being nixed in favor of Chrysler’s Pacifica, essentially the more luxurious Voyager.
As the Voyager begins to bow out after its short return to the public, it finds itself becoming a great option for a low-budget minivan. With impressive performance, safety and technology options, and some of the best cargo space available, it’s no surprise that the rebranded Voyager, the Grand Caravan, was the best-selling minivan in Q1 2021. These are just a few of the reasons why we love the 2021 Chrysler Voyager.
The 3.6L V6 Pentastar Engine
What does the Voyager have in common with the Dodge Charger and Challenger? The 3.6L V6 Pentastar Engine, of course. Although it isn’t capable of the same 305-hp and 268 lb-ft of torque as its sport car brethren, it is however, capable of achieving 287-hp with 262 lb-ft of torque. Which is still very impressive when considering the Voyager weighs over 1,000 pounds more than the heaviest Challenger available, when comparing gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
That means the Voyager has a power-to-weight ratio of about 4.73 horsepower per ten pounds. That places it above a handful of small, yet awesomely fun cars such as the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta. This also means the Voyager is about 1-2 horsepower per ten-pounds less than some seriously legendary cars: Fiat 500 Abarth, Lexus IS300, and the Miata. This front-engine, front-wheel drive minivan, is basically a Volkswagen GTI when you boil it down.
It also might be surprising to hear, but the Voyager can also one of the best bang for buck options available. Finding an affordable example can be very easy, and with its 287-hp V6 engine, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get close to 300-hp for the price. Not to mention, the tuning capabilities of the Pentastar are boundless. With multiple superchargers available on the after-market (developed specifically for the Pentastar) in abundance, the Voyager can become quite the traffic-light sleeper with about 45%-50% more horsepower through simple bolt-on capability.
The Voyager's Safety And Practicality
With its seating of up to eight available, and some of the best safety tech available, the Voyager not only performs well, it’s able to be the family, cargo-hauler every minivan is meant to be. With its 32 cubic feet of space and 41” inches of legroom, the Voyager can comfortably fit everyone in the family, without the battle for arm and legroom. The Voyager also features Stow ‘n Go capability for the rear seats for stowing any extra cargo when all seats are occupied.
As for its safety tech, the Voyager offers forward collision warning plus, a new offering that not only alerts the driver of possible impact, but to generate automatic emergency braking, in addition to pedestrian detection. The voyager also offers blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection which alerts its driver if anything is lurking in its blind spots, whereas cross-path detection warns of any vehicles approaching when in reverse. Finally, the Voyager features ParkSense rear parking assistance, a standard feature in today’s cars that audibly beeps when getting too close to objects in reverse.
The Chrysler Voyager's Price
Finally, we make our way to one of the things we love about the Voyager the most, its budget-friendly price. Starting at just over $29,000, the base model Voyager is one of the cheapest minivans on the market. Although it is very limited in its features compared to its LX trim, it doesn’t seem like its cheaply made. The LX trim does make more of the safety features standard, with some entertainment options necessary for keeping the car in order, and with an MSRP of about $32,000 it still maintains its budget-friendly price compared to the remaining minivans on the market.
The truth of the matter is, the only ones in the market for a minivan are those that truly need it. Seen as the embodiment of what it is to be a family-hauler, it can be considered a major faux pas in the car world when having to trade in the coupe, for a minivan, as many have before us. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the new-found minivan life, however.
When viewed from the right perspective, the minivan is just an extended and slightly reshaped station wagon, especially when slammed on coils. Or, your new minivan might be the perfect blank canvas for a 4x4 overhaul, just waiting for family off-roading adventures. Who knows, you may even end up with a badass, modded minivan we’d want to drive.