2016 Chrysler Town & Country vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

Minivans are family wagons first, cargo haulers second, but the best of them perform both duties at the flip of a seat.

The Chrysler Town & Country has one of the most flexible interiors, and its safety and infotainment features are among the best in the segment.

The same things are true of the Dodge Grand Caravan, its lower-priced near-twin, which is available with the cloth seats that some minivan buyers will prefer.

Both the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna have great crash-test scores and big-screen DVD entertainment systems like the Chrysler/Dodge twins, but they're pricey, and neither has a fold-away second-row seat.

One thing the Honda has that others don't is an integrated vacuum cleaner; it's included only on the most expensive trim level.

The Nissan Quest can't hold as much cargo because of its odd shape and size, as well as seats that don't fold away into the floor, but it handles better than the Chrysler.

Finally, there's the Kia Sedona, which was new for 2015; it's a heavy-handling minivan with a somewhat flexible sliding-seat system and lots of luxury touches and good crash-test scores, but it's no longer the bargain it once was.