2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan Review: Still the Most Versatile

Despite its advanced age, the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan remains unrivalled in terms of versatility thanks to its Stow ‘N Go seats in the middle and rear rows.

Summary of the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan

• The Chrysler Grand Caravan is a less expensive version of the Pacifica, replacing the Dodge Grand Caravan.
• This model is offered in a single trim level powered by a 3.6L V6 engine delivering 287 horsepower to the front wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission.
• The average fuel consumption announced by Transport Canada is 10.6 L/100 km; I obtained 10.0 L/100 km on a mostly highway route.
• Stow ‘N Go seats in the second and third rows are standard.

Pros

• Unbeatable versatility
• Very comfortable front seats and ride
• Comprehensive equipment for an entry-level model

Cons

• Unpleasant transmission
• Very soft brakes
• Price is rather high

Once the quintessential ally of North American families, the minivan has been sidelined in favour of midsize SUVs over the last twenty years. Nevertheless, they remain the most practical vehicles on the market for drivers who need to transport both passengers and cargo, thanks to their sliding doors, low floors, and modular seats.

However, not all minivans are created equal, and none are more versatile than the models produced by Stellantis: the Chrysler Grand Caravan and Pacifica.

That is why my friend and I chose the Grand Caravan to hit the road for a vacation this fall—a small road trip from Montérégie to Jacques-Cartier National Park, with a stop at Parc naturel régional de Portneuf.

An Elegant Silhouette, but Bland Styling

In my opinion, Chrysler minivans are currently the best-looking on the market. Their lines are more elegant than those of the Kia Carnival, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna, while remaining sufficiently modern despite a design that now dates back a decade in the case of the Grand Caravan.

Indeed, this more affordable minivan from Chrysler (called Voyager in the United States) was introduced in 2020, just as the Pacifica was about to receive an aesthetic update the following year. To distinguish the two models visually, Chrysler chose to keep the original styling for the Grand Caravan, meaning its design goes back to 2016 without any major changes.

As mentioned, the Grand Caravan’s silhouette is aging well and is still current, but one must admit that its incandescent headlights, the lack of chrome on the front fascia, and the availability of only black, white, silver, and red give this minivan a “low-rent” look that is better suited to a commercial fleet vehicle. My friend and I actually got mistaken for park employees at one point…

Since only one version of the Grand Caravan is offered in 2026, you will have to spend more and turn to the Pacifica if you want a more attractive minivan while staying in the Chrysler family.

The Most Practical Cabin on the Market

The biggest selling point of the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan remains the versatility of its cabin, which is quite simply the most practical offered in any vehicle on the market.

The secret to this unrivalled versatility lies in the Stow ‘N Go bucket seats in the second row, which can fold into bins under the floor. Combined with the rear bench seat that also folds flat—which other minivans have offered for many years—this allows the Grand Caravan to transform into a spacious cargo van in a matter of minutes.

The greatest advantage is that you can benefit from maximum cargo space without having to leave seats at home, allowing you to configure the cabin according to your needs. The process is a bit complex, particularly with the set of rubber floor mats in my test vehicle, but it remains much simpler than having to remove heavy, bulky seats.

With all the seats hidden, our Grand Caravan made short work of our two bikes and all the gear needed for a few days’ stay in a remote cabin.

When in place, the rear seats offer perfectly acceptable comfort, and the third row is more spacious than in the Honda Odyssey and Kia Carnival. The center buckets can also move out of the way to facilitate access to the third row, even if baby seats are installed.

However, it should be noted that the Grand Caravan and Pacifica only offer a 7-passenger configuration; those needing a vehicle capable of carrying 8 people will have to look elsewhere.

Up front, the dashboard of the 2026 Grand Caravan picks up the same theme as the exterior—that is to say, it is elegant, but a bit bland due to an abundance of black.

The partially digital instrument cluster presents a host of information on a configurable screen between two large analog dials with a blue glow. Storage spaces abound, with pockets in the doors and bins in the center console, in addition to an open space at the front of it.

Since 2024, the Grand Caravan has benefited from the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, the latest of its kind at Stellantis. Housed in a 10.1-inch screen, this system seemed more intuitive to me than in some of the manufacturer’s other vehicles, possibly due to its more conventional horizontal layout.

Of course, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions are included as standard, and you can connect two devices to Bluetooth simultaneously, allowing you to use one for navigation and the other for music, for example.

The first two rows have folding armrests, and middle-row passengers have access to tri-zone automatic climate controls as well as sunshades, which, however, do not cover the entire side windows.

A Comfortable Drive, Marred by the Transmission

When you hit the road in the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan, you immediately notice the comfort of its front seats and suspension, which absorbs road imperfections without flinching.

This further contributes to making Chrysler minivans ideal companions for long-haul trips, but it is also appreciable for families who have to put up with the potholed roads of large cities, often with children sleeping in the back.

While the suspension is rather soft, the Grand Caravan’s well-calibrated steering gives the driver a good level of confidence in curves, and the vehicle displays good stability on the highway, even in crosswinds.

The 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine still does an admirable job despite its age, and its smoothness suits the relaxed character of the drive well. When you press the accelerator, its 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque are present and allow for perfectly satisfactory acceleration and passing power, even when the vehicle is loaded.

Even in terms of fuel consumption, it doesn’t do too badly, with an average announced by Transport Canada of 10.6 L/100 km in combined driving, placing it on par with the Honda Odyssey and ahead of the Kia Carnival. After our trip of over 1,200 kilometers on highways, rural roads, and in the city, the trip computer showed an average of 10 L/100 km, which seems honest to me.

Unfortunately, my test vehicle’s transmission is so unpleasant that it spoils the driving experience, except during long highway stretches.

In fact, it works smoothly and competently about 80% of the time, but if the driver has the misfortune of releasing the accelerator just as it is about to shift gears, the box responds with a violent clunk that raises doubts about its longevity.

This is all the more annoying because, with 9 gears to go through, this situation occurs more often than one might think… Similar jolts are also felt a few times during deceleration and when engaging reverse.

It should also be noted that the brakes inspire no confidence because the pedal is so soft and transmits no sensation. However, you end up getting used to this peculiarity, and the braking force itself cannot be faulted.

Another oddity that makes driving the Grand Caravan less pleasant is the excessive response of the adaptive cruise control, which floors the accelerator and revs the engine to over 4,000 rpm as soon as the car ahead moves away a bit, before having to brake a few seconds later to maintain a safe distance.

Fortunately, it is very easy to switch to traditional cruise control, but one wonders why this system acts this way, especially since it is not a common characteristic of other models from Stelantis.

The 2026 Grand Caravan can tow up to 1,633 kilos (3,600 pounds), which is a bit more than other V6-powered minivans.

Things to Watch For

2025 Chrysler Grand Caravan Top 3 Highs and Lows: Still Hauling, But with Some Baggage

The other element that discourages the purchase of a 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan is the reliability reputation of its manufacturer. Indeed, Stellantis (and FCA before it) does not always design the most solid vehicles in the industry…

In the case of the Grand Caravan and the gas-powered Pacifica, which share the same powertrain, problems with the transmission, engine oil cooler, and head gasket have been reported, in addition to a few electronic glitches.

The Grand Caravan seems less problematic than the Pacifica Hybrid, however, and the age of the powertrain plays in its favour, as major defects have been resolved or are at least well known to mechanics. Online forums are also well-informed about the various ailments that can afflict these vehicles.

Regarding recalls, Transport Canada lists six campaigns, two of which apply to 2025 models. These are part of 4 campaigns concerning airbags. The other two are related to the traction control system and the rearview camera.

Unsurprisingly, resale value suffers from this reputation, and the Grand Caravan retails at a much lower price than the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey on the used market.

Of course, many owners also report having no issues with their vehicle, but rigorous maintenance is strongly recommended, and an extended warranty could be a wise investment if you choose the Grand Caravan.

Price of the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan

Offered in a single version called SXT, the 2026 Chrysler Grand Caravan retails starting at $49,995 on the Canadian market.

Chrysler offers a few accessories for the Grand Caravan, but no conventional options. Due to black paint billed at $495, my test vehicle cost $50,490.

This makes it about $5,000 more expensive than the entry-level Kia Carnival, and much less affordable than the Dodge Grand Caravan it replaced five years ago.

When you look closer, however, you find that the Grand Caravan remains a good value in its segment, as its equipment is rather complete.

For example, all models include leatherette upholstery, power sliding doors and liftgate, Stow ‘N Go seats, a 12-way power driver’s seat, adjustable seatbelt anchors in the first two rows, heated steering wheel and front seats, Uconnect 5 infotainment, tri-zone automatic climate control, remote start, the full suite of driving assistance and active safety features, steering wheel audio controls, and rain-sensing wipers.

To get comparable equipment, you have to choose the LX+ version of the Carnival at $48,216, or the EX at $51,116. At Honda and Toyota, entry-level versions are similarly equipped, but they start at $54,543 and $52,374, respectively. Let’s not forget either that it will certainly be possible to negotiate a substantial discount on a Grand Caravan, something that’s unlikely with the Japanese minivans.

Conclusion

Despite its advanced age and fairly high price, the Chrysler Grand Caravan remains pertinent in 2026. Indeed, its spacious cabin, comfortable ride, and above all, its highly modular seats make it an ideal choice for those who need to transport both passengers and cargo. Unfortunately, its unpleasant transmission and unenviable reliability reputation make it difficult to recommend, especially since other minivans are not devoid of qualities either.

Model	Chrysler Grand Caravan SXT	Honda Odyssey Sport	Kia Carnival LX+
MSRP (Canada)	49 995 $	54 543 $	48 216 $
Powertrain	3,6 L V6 / 9-speed auto, front wheel drive	3.5 L V6 / 10-speed auto, front wheel drive	3.5 L V6 / 8-speed auto, front wheel drive
Horsepower	287 hp	280 hp	288 hp
Torque	262 lb-ft	262 lb-ft	260 lb-ft
Average fuel consumption (NR Can)	10.6 L/100 km	10.6 L/100 km	11.1 L/100 km
Towing capacity	1 633 kg (3 600 lb)	1 587 kg (3 500 lb)	1 587 kg (3 500 lb)
Headroom (front/middle/rear)	1 020 mm / 1 006 mm / 984 mm	983 mm / 995 mm / 973 mm	1 039 mm / 1 003 mm / 981 mm
Shoulder room (front/middle/rear)	1 622 mm / 1 602 mm / 1 555 mm	1 603 mm / 1 564 mm / 1 525 mm	1 630 mm / 1 606 mm / 1 511 mm
Legroom (front/middle/rear)	1 045 mm / 992 mm / 929 mm	1 040 mm / 1 038 mm / 967 mm	1 044 mm / 1 029 mm / 903 mm
Cargo space (behind first/second/third rows)	3 979 L / 2 478 L / 915 L	3 973 L / 2 452 L / 929 L	4 110 L / ND / 1 139 L