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By
EWAN KENNEDY
25 August 2008
Chrysler's Grand Voyager was one of the early runners in the
people mover market and remains a major player in its home market
in the USA today. While a relative newcomer in Australia, only
dating back to 1997, it has won plenty of admirers in this
country. While they realise the Grand Voyager is far from being
the lowest cost vehicle, buyers who like minivans in the American
style swear by them.
In
particular they love the easy going nature of the big V6 petrol
engines and the comfortable ride that’s aimed at running on the
American interstate freeways.
The
latest-generation Grand Voyager was introduced in April 2008 and
we have just spent a week living with one, carting kids, going
shopping, cruising on the weekend and carrying out all sorts of
routine motoring acts.
Our
Voyager was fitted with a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
engine designed by Mercedes-Benz and installed in the Chrysler
before the two companies split up. The engine is a relatively old
unit, though it has been freshened over the years, it wasn’t as
smooth and quiet as most of the latest turbo-diesel units. It’s
certainly far from being noisy, it’s just that we have become
accustomed to diesels that are virtually indistinguishable from
petrols under most operating conditions.
But
the Grand Voyager turbo-diesel focuses on economy, which is why
you buy a diesel in the first place. Keeping in mind that we were
carrying up to seven people at times, the motorway fuel
consumption of just eight to nine litres per hundred kilometres
was pretty impressive. Certainly substantially lower than that of
a petrol model. Even around town it was unusual to see the diesel
consuming in excess of 11 litres per hundred, making it a money
saver for the cash-strapped family.
However,
the current spike in the price of diesel compared with petrol
should be taken into account before making your purchasing
decision.
Performance,
once the inevitable turbo lag has been overcome, is pretty good
and the Grand Voyager’s engine gets away smartly from the
lights, as well as having the punch needed to overtake in a
minimum distance to enhance family safety.
The
real beauty of the latest Grand Voyager is on the inside. Because
there's lots of inside; the latest Grand Voyager has been expanded
in length, wheelbase and width to give it more leg-, shoulder- and
hip-room. Clever engineering means that while it has been lowered
slightly, interior height has been maintained by using a
form-fitting ceiling. The reduction in height is there to improve
stability as well as to give a sleeker, more aerodynamic move
through the air.
Our
Grand came with the extremely clever, Stow ‘n’ Go seating
system. All seats behind the driver’s area can be quickly folded
down to give a flat floor that gives what is virtually a van
interior capable of carrying a surprising amount of bulky gear.
When these seats are in use the areas from which they have been
unfolded can be used to stow a substantial amount of small and
mid-sized items.
Chrysler's
impressive MyGig system with its inbuilt 20 Gb hard disc for
storing music and photos was installed in our test vehicle. There
are also input jacks for iPods and other MP3 players. There are
DVD screens that can show movies and be connected to Playstations
as well as Xboxes.
Ally
these with cordless headphones and the kids may not want you to
get to the of the journey too quickly. How good is that!
Grand
Voyager is set up for safety, with multiple airbags, including
side-curtain units that protect all three rows of seats. A
reversing camera lets you keep an eye out for the kiddies, as well
as items they may have dumped in your driveway.
New
Grand Voyager proved to be smooth and comfortable to ride in, with
handling that’s safe and predictable. Noise and vibration are
generally kept under control, though the turbo-diesel engine
doesn’t have the refined feel you get with the petrol engine.
Ergonomics
aren't as good as in the typical European or Asian people mover.
Which may come as a surprise to Aussies, but it seems that a good
feel and controls that are intuitive to reach and operate is of
less importance to Americans than it is to us.
The
sheer size of the Chrysler can be a hassle in tight parking areas
but that size is needed to get the very spacious interior, so is
more than acceptable. And the aforementioned reversing camera
certainly makes life simpler in parking stations.
Whether
you have large family in your own right, or a blended family – a
combination of children from two different previous marriages –
the big Chrysler Grand Voyager will move them in style and
comfort. The diesel variant is certainly work consideration as it
trims not only the fuel use, but also puts out fewer emissions.
AT
A GLANCE
MODEL
RANGE
Grand Voyager LX V6 3.8-litre petrol: $56,990 (automatic)
Grand Voyager LX CRD 2.8-litre turbo-diesel: $59,990 (automatic)
Grand Voyager Touring V6 3.8-litre petrol: $62,990 (automatic)
Grand Voyager Touring CRD 2.8-litre turbo-diesel: $65,990
(automatic)
Grand Voyager Limited V6 3.8-litre petrol: $72,990 (automatic)
Grand Voyager Limited CRD 2.8-litre turbo-diesel: $75,990
(automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in all models
Air Conditioning: Standard in all models
Automatic Transmission: Standard in all models
CD Player: Standard in all models
Central Locking: Standard in all models
Cruise Control: Standard in all models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in all models
Stability Control: Standard in all models
Traction Control: Standard in all models
SPECIFICATIONS
(Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8-litre turbo-diesel five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.768 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 17.5:1
Bore/Stroke: 94.0 mm x 100.0 mm
Maximum Power: 120 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque: 360 Nm @ 1600-3000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Six-speed
Final Drive Ratio: N/A
DIMENSIONS,
WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 5143 mm
Wheelbase: 3078 mm
Width: 1954 mm
Height: 1750 mm
Turning Circle: 11.9 metres
Kerb Mass: 2100 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 75 litres
Towing Ability: 1600 kg with braked trailer
SUSPENSION
AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent MacPherson strut, coil springs, gas
charged shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Twist-beam axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: N/A
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 9.3 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000 km
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Marque Publishing Company
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