Chrysler Grand Voyager
The all-new Chrysler Grand Voyager now in the UK showrooms has been dubbed the most safest and luxurious seven seater family car to date.
Replacing the outgoing model, the new Voyager has not just had a quick lunchtime nip and tuck. It has had a full-blown surgery that sees new exterior and interior designs, updated petrol plus diesel engines with more than thirty new additions making it the ultimate family car.
Four variants are available, three to the 2.8 CRD diesel engine mated to a six speed automatic gearbox with a choice of three trims. Entry-level LX £25,995, Touring £27,995 and top of the range Limited £32,995. The only petrol engine is the mighty 3.8 V6 in the heart of the Limited costing the same as the diesel Limited that was in fact my test car for the week. I guess there has to be some incentive to buy such large petrol. However in these days of doom and gloom, only the brazen Americans seem to be able to get away with producing gas-guzzling machines.
The Grand Voyager Limited is a very large car. It has to be in order to fulfil its purpose of accommodating not just seven people, but the luggage as well. The exterior has lost some of its appeal by ridding the sweeping front windscreen to the bonnet. The new shape accentuates the length of the bonnet thus eluding a much bigger feel. There are some nice new touches such as chrome around the roof rack, and door handles in addition to body coloured door handles, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors with indicators but surprisingly no blind spot eliminators being such a long vehicle.
Inside is where the Grand Voyager absolutely excels over its competitors. New features include heated first and second row seats; rear-view interior conversation mirror; a removable torch in the rear quarter panel; electric windows in the power sliding second-row doors; directional LED reading lamps and automatic three-zone climate control for all passengers.
Time to send in the children to unearth the practicality of the Grand Voyager. I will admit to becoming a little concerned after twenty minute had gone by and not a peep out of them. So I went to investigate and there they were trying to squeeze into the two large deep storage spaces between the first and second row very nearly succeeding. If there is a space, Chyrser have turned it into a storage solution. Bottle holders and door pockets in all three rows, sunglasses holders, storage boxes in the roofline, just be careful to overfill for fear of the contents tumbling on top of you. Then there is the deep hence massive 756 litres of luggage area with all seven seats in place. This extends to over 2000 when four seats are in place of 3296 litres the seats if only the front two seats are left.
The seats are a breeze to operate thanks to the unique Stow ‘n’ go that transforms the seven seater into a two seater in under thirty seconds with all the seats folding flush with the floor line. Now Chyrsler have gone one better with their new Swivel ‘n’ Go that is an optional extra on the Limited trim to include the covered floor storage bins my children tried to hide in as well as the two second row Captains Chairs that swivel 180 degrees to face the third row seats for delightful children’s ‘conversation’. In your dreams. A removable table fits between the second and third rows while the latter seats can be adjusted four ways using the power recline switch.
To keep the children quiet for a bit is an optional dual-DVD system with not one but two screens available! So second-row passengers can play a video game or watch a different film to those in the third row.
That was the children taken care of what about the driver? I was a happy bunny with the MyGIG infotainment system that offers MP3 player compatibility, a touch screen and voice-controlled navigation system as well being able to store up to approximately 1600 songs on an integrated 20GB hard drive. Then I had electrically operated height adjustable seat and steering wheel with remote controls for the audio and cruise control. There was plenty of room to store my bits and pieces away from prying eyes and lots of room. What I did not like was the low placement of the automatic gear lever and handbrake. I found myself leaning down sideways to operate them where as they should be more higher for driver ease.
I was not overtly impressed with the ride and handling at low speeds coming from the Grand Voyager or ‘walloping whale’ as I re-named it. Yes, a big car needs a big engine and this 3.2 litre V6 came into itself eventually taking 12.6 seconds to reach 62 mpg with a top speed of 120 mph. The Grand Voyager is certainly not a car to whiz in and out of the bends but one that needs to be nurtured and early barking is essential before turning. However you do have precious cargo on board so chucking this car around is really not the order of the day. Frequent stops at the petrol station is however, as only 22.2 mpg is achieved even with my newfound eco driving skills while CO2 emissions are a frightful 302g/km.
The good news is that passenger safety is well catered for. ABS, Traction Control, ESP, Brake Assist tyre-pressure monitoring, front and all-row side-curtain air bags, as well as seven full-size seats with fixings for three Isofix child seats all come as standard across the range. Then there is Enhanced Accident Response System (EARS), pretensioning and load-limiting retractors for front-seat driver and passenger, ParkSense Rear Back-up System, ParkView Rear Back-up Camera, patented energy-absorbing steering column and the useful hazards flash when side doors are opened.
Securing the Grand Voyager is remote keyless illuminated entry with Sentry Key Engine Immobiliser theft-deterrent system thus falls into insurance group 13E.
I found the practical nature of the Grand Voyager unprecedented easily outrivaling its competitors. It is the little things in life that make such a difference like the second and third row retractable sunshades, the umbrella holder or the YES Essentials stain-resistant, odour-resistant, anti-static fabric seats. The Voyager was packed with everything a family needs to make any journey with the children harmonious apart from one thing. A glass partition between the first and second row!
Jackie Violet – Female First.
The all-new Chrysler Grand Voyager now in the UK showrooms has been dubbed the most safest and luxurious seven seater family car to date.
Replacing the outgoing model, the new Voyager has not just had a quick lunchtime nip and tuck. It has had a full-blown surgery that sees new exterior and interior designs, updated petrol plus diesel engines with more than thirty new additions making it the ultimate family car.
Four variants are available, three to the 2.8 CRD diesel engine mated to a six speed automatic gearbox with a choice of three trims. Entry-level LX £25,995, Touring £27,995 and top of the range Limited £32,995. The only petrol engine is the mighty 3.8 V6 in the heart of the Limited costing the same as the diesel Limited that was in fact my test car for the week. I guess there has to be some incentive to buy such large petrol. However in these days of doom and gloom, only the brazen Americans seem to be able to get away with producing gas-guzzling machines.
The Grand Voyager Limited is a very large car. It has to be in order to fulfil its purpose of accommodating not just seven people, but the luggage as well. The exterior has lost some of its appeal by ridding the sweeping front windscreen to the bonnet. The new shape accentuates the length of the bonnet thus eluding a much bigger feel. There are some nice new touches such as chrome around the roof rack, and door handles in addition to body coloured door handles, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors with indicators but surprisingly no blind spot eliminators being such a long vehicle.
Inside is where the Grand Voyager absolutely excels over its competitors. New features include heated first and second row seats; rear-view interior conversation mirror; a removable torch in the rear quarter panel; electric windows in the power sliding second-row doors; directional LED reading lamps and automatic three-zone climate control for all passengers.
Time to send in the children to unearth the practicality of the Grand Voyager. I will admit to becoming a little concerned after twenty minute had gone by and not a peep out of them. So I went to investigate and there they were trying to squeeze into the two large deep storage spaces between the first and second row very nearly succeeding. If there is a space, Chyrser have turned it into a storage solution. Bottle holders and door pockets in all three rows, sunglasses holders, storage boxes in the roofline, just be careful to overfill for fear of the contents tumbling on top of you. Then there is the deep hence massive 756 litres of luggage area with all seven seats in place. This extends to over 2000 when four seats are in place of 3296 litres the seats if only the front two seats are left.
The seats are a breeze to operate thanks to the unique Stow ‘n’ go that transforms the seven seater into a two seater in under thirty seconds with all the seats folding flush with the floor line. Now Chyrsler have gone one better with their new Swivel ‘n’ Go that is an optional extra on the Limited trim to include the covered floor storage bins my children tried to hide in as well as the two second row Captains Chairs that swivel 180 degrees to face the third row seats for delightful children’s ‘conversation’. In your dreams. A removable table fits between the second and third rows while the latter seats can be adjusted four ways using the power recline switch.
To keep the children quiet for a bit is an optional dual-DVD system with not one but two screens available! So second-row passengers can play a video game or watch a different film to those in the third row.
That was the children taken care of what about the driver? I was a happy bunny with the MyGIG infotainment system that offers MP3 player compatibility, a touch screen and voice-controlled navigation system as well being able to store up to approximately 1600 songs on an integrated 20GB hard drive. Then I had electrically operated height adjustable seat and steering wheel with remote controls for the audio and cruise control. There was plenty of room to store my bits and pieces away from prying eyes and lots of room. What I did not like was the low placement of the automatic gear lever and handbrake. I found myself leaning down sideways to operate them where as they should be more higher for driver ease.