2003 Dodge Caravan SE review from North America
"A great minivan at a bargain price"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Cluster light bulbs -- two were bad when I bought the car and one failed five months later. Cheap, easy repair.
Left headlamp burned out -- another easy repair.
General comments?
The interior is spacious and comfortable. Even though this van has the base trim with bench seats in the second and third rows, the seats provide good support for long drives. The third row that slides forward on rails to open up more cargo space is a nice touch.
The roll-out seats aren't quite as convenient as the fold-flat seats in some other minivans, but at least they're easy to remove and replace.
The van rides and handles very well and the V6 engine has plenty of punch. Gas mileage is a little lower than I expected, but still respectable at 17-18 mpg in mixed driving and the low to mid 20s on the highway. The 4-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly.
The interior is quiet, even with the heater fan on high. The loudest sound from the engine compartment is the A/C evaporator, which makes a slight hissing sound when the compressor cycles on and off.
The brakes stop the van well, but deposit a lot of dust on the wheels. The dust on the front rotors causes the brakes to squeak if too much of it builds up.
Recommended reviews
| It's a disappointment |
|
| I'd say that Minivan's are better than SUV's |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2003 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.3-liter V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 69200 miles |
| Most recent distance | 77000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Freestyle |
| Date of Entry | 4th January, 2008 |