SOME manufacturers struggle to create attractively- styled vehicles while others have the knack of keeping eye-catching designs flowing.
Without opening a discussion on the good, the bad and the ugly, suffice to say that Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge fall squarely into the latter category. Take MPVs for example.
As these vehicles are mostly boxy, all most companies do is play around with the head- and tail-lamps, colour schemes and smatterings of chrome, but the Grand Voyager is definitely one of the more pleasing designs.
Although exterior changes are not extensive when compared with the previous model, the more squared-off look works well to provide a strong, up-market appearance. But it doesn’t end there.
Chrysler deserves all the awards that followed the introduction of its innovative Stow ‘n Go seating design system that is the trump card of the Grand Voyager. Using a 2:2:3 seating arrangement, there is 424 dm3 of boot space behind the rearmost seats if items are stacked to the top of the backrests.
Pulling a couple of straps releases the rearmost seat (in two sections, split 60:40) down into a bathtubshaped compartment, resulting in a flat floor and a huge 1 160 dm3 of load volume. This still leaves four individual seats, all with folding armrests and the second row facing fold-away trays in the back of the front seats.
The middle two armchairs offer added comfort and, with head restraints and armrests retracted, can also be tumbled into covered compartments in the floor to free up a van-like 2 720 dm3. With the more expensive Limited model, a further option is Swivel ‘n Go where the centre seats can be turned through 180 degrees. Rear row seat cushions are set at an angle, but comfort is not a problem.
Upholstery is a stain-repellant, anti-static cloth. The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable and the steering wheel is manually adjustable for rake and reach. Unfortunately there are no steering wheel-mounted controls on the LX model tested here. A folding centre armrest adds comfort.
To help create the space for the disappearing act for the rearmost seats, the spare wheel is positioned under the body in the vicinity of the front seats. To get to the spare wheel, one has to remove the centre console, a task requiring some effort. A crank is then used to lower the cage that holds the temporary wheel.
With all the seats in use, the seat stowage areas make excellent under-floor luggage compartments, able to hold and hide quite large items. Electricallyoperated sliding doors (optional on this model for R9 900) and rear tailgate can be operated from the key fob or by using the buttons at the doors. Consequently, entry to the rear is easy from either side and there is plenty of room all round.
Drinkholders are provided for rear passengers and the driver and front seat passenger can keep an eye on what is going on at the back via a panoramic mirror built into the overhead sunglasses holder.
Windows for the sliding doors are large, electrically-powered but only drop two thirds of the way. The rearmost windows can be partially hinged open via switches on the driver’s door.
Apart from the seating, another unique feature (standard on the LTD model and available as a retro-fit on the LX for R15 000) is the MyGIG audio system that includes, apart from a six-CD front loader, a 30 GB hard drive for storing music, downloaded from a flash drive into the USB port. Both touch screen and voice commands can be used to switch between the different media.
If you want more, you can also specify the optional MyGIG infotainment package that includes two DVD screens, one each for the second and third seat rows, including satellite navigation and rear-view camera. The facia has been re-designed with horizontal, realistic-looking wood trim strips instead of the previous vertical elements, and all the controls have a solid feel to them.
The VM Motori-derived 2,8-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine mates happily with this vehicle, providing smoothness plus a fair blend of torque and economy, with maximum torque of 360 N.m delivered from 1 600 to 3 000 r/min.
Pullaway is sluggish, mainly due to the amount of travel needed on the accelerator and the torque converter slip before one gets going. Once you have learnt not to be economical with your foot, the 360 N.m soon takes over and provides enough oomph for most purposes. Although the camshafts are belt driven, change intervals are now 140 000 km – good for many years of normal driving.
We noticed something that happens a lot with gearboxes housing more than five forward ratios – it spends quite a while in first, but jumps quickly through second to third and fourth.
Nothing wrong with that, but it seems as if third is superfluous. Manual shifting can actually be quite fun and the shifts are cleaner, but the lever is way down on the floor to aid passage from front to the rear, so it’s not a convenient option.
Chrysler has, amongst all the infloor seat/storage compartments, managed to find space for a 75,7-litre fuel tank that will allow you to avoid the petrol stations for just under 700 km. Expect overall fuel consumption to be about 11 litres/100 km.
Top speed is more than enough at 186 km/h, sprint time from zero to 100 km/h is 12,77 seconds and cruising at 120 km/h is where the Grand Voyager is at its happiest, particularly with cruise control selected.
Top gear is set so high that it will not auto-select until your speed is above 80 km/h and 120 km/h equates to only 2 100 r/min. Ride comfort is spot-on for a large MPV, with bumps being well absorbed without feeling sloppy. Even handling is impressive, though there is some early tyre squeal.
NVH has been improved by component redesign, enhanced aerodynamics and thicker carpeting. Sound levels are low, the only exception being the usual idling noise from the diesel engine.
Handling is not bad for an MPV with quite supple suspension, and it’s only tyre squeal that tells you the vehicle is taking some strain around the bends at speed.
TEST SUMMARY
Very well thought-out design, good looks and a decent balance of torque and economy for a heavy body all add up to a package that is much more impressive than the previous model.
