Dodge could easily be considered the inventor of the modern day minivan. It’s original Dodge Caravan was rolled out for the 1984 model year. The minivan evolved over many years, and in 2008 this Dodge model was totally redesigned with a new look, new features, and new technology. Since the 2008 model year, the van has been sold exclusively under the Grand Caravan nameplate. While the Caravan was topped ranked for years, with little true competition, the 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan faces some worthy opponents. One of those is the Honda Odyssey, which, itself, has achieved a place in the top ranking minivans.

The Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country twins are the last remaining minivans offered by an American automaker. The Grand Caravan’s maximum seating capacity is seven, which is probably the only truly comfortable, workable number even in vans and SUVs with eight positions. Honda’s minivan offers comfort and convenience for up to eight passengers. Four trim levels are offered: LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. Having succeeded in the past thanks in part to the strength of its Stow ‘n Go second-row seats — which fold into the floor — Dodge also brings you optional Swivel ‘n Go: second-row captain’s chairs that rotate 180 degrees to face the third row. The Odyssey, which can be found at your local LA Honda Dealer, offers seating for seven consists of bucket seats in the first and second rows and a 60/40-split third-row bench that folds into the floor. The Grand Caravan comes with three available V-6 engines. The standard 3.3-liter V-6 comes with a four-speed automatic transmission, while the larger engines come with a six-speed automatic. The 2010 Odyssey the top two trim levels use a version of Honda’s 3.5-liter V-6 that shifts automatically between six-, four- and three-cylinder operation in response to driving conditions, in order to save fuel.The Grand Caravan offers two rare safety features for the minivan segment. One is a blind spot warning system that notifies drivers of passing vehicles using icons in the side mirrors and a driver-selected audible chime. The other is a rear cross-path warning system that alerts the driver to oncoming traffic while backing out of a parking space.