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The highest-ranking member of Chrysler's family of front-wheel-drive minivans, the Chrysler Town & Country has long appealed to families and empty-nesters seeking a practical vehicle with a dash of luxury inside and out. Early T&Cs satisfied this desire with wood-grain decals, leather seats and a standard V6 engine, while the current model offers amenities like a navigation system, tri-zone climate control and a power-operated liftgate.

Over the years, some of the Town & Country's amenities have been truly ground-breaking. The T&C and its twin, the Dodge Grand Caravan, have been the first and only vans to offer Stow 'n Go, a seating system that provides fold-flat capability for both the second- and third-row seats, as well as in-floor storage compartments when the seats are occupied. They were also the first to offer driver-side sliding doors. T&C's features list includes essential features like stability control and a rear-view camera. Overall, the T&C may be one of the finest minivans on the market.

Current Chrysler Town & Country

The Chrysler Town & Country comes in three trims: LX, Touring and the premium Limited. Even the base model is reasonably well equipped, featuring the Stow 'n Go system as standard, though many buyers will want to step up to the midlevel Touring to benefit from additional amenities such as a power liftgate. With the Limited, you get additional luxuries like heated second-row seats and an eight-way power front passenger seat.

Powering the LX is a 3.3-liter V6 that offers 175 horsepower; it's paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Touring models get a 197-hp 3.8-liter V6, teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. The most appealing choice is the 4.0-liter V6 that powers Limited models. Paired with the six-speed transmission, the engine puts forth 251 hp and endows the van with respectable quickness. The list of standard safety equipment on all Town & Country minivans is generous, and includes stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist, and three rows of head curtain airbags.

One notable feature on the current T&C is Swivel 'n Go seating, which consists of second-row captain's chairs that turn 180 degrees to face the third row for card-playing and such. Entertainment options are abundant. A three-zone video entertainment system allows front, middle and rear-seat passengers to view or listen to separate entertainment sources, and passengers can enjoy Sirius Backseat TV as an available option.