2012 Dodge Grand Caravan vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

Every minivan on sale in America was revamped for the 2011 model year, and this year new safety scores are in.

The Grand Caravan tops the safety charts as does its slightly ritzier cousin, the Chrysler Town & Country, which really is just a Grand Caravan with more luxury features.

The Honda Odyssey is new, and now offers a class-leading wide-screen entertainment system and class-leading fuel economy--provided you pay top dollar for the top version's six-speed automatic.

The latest Toyota Sienna is new, too, and feels bigger, but it's also so refined, it may as well have a Lexus badge.

The Nissan Quest was new last year, and while it handles and steers well, its smaller cabin and door openings means it's a relative bust, especially for folks who carry lots of cargo along with people.

The Kia Sedona is due for a major change, but as it stands, has a decent portfolio of space and features; unfortunately its roof-crush ratings keep it from being a Top Safety Pick.

For an alterna-take on minivans, the Ford Flex has great features and styling, but no sliding side doors to match its huge interior.