14 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 2, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Large family, small budget, Dodge has a big solution By Jim Robinson ROAD WORTHY EVERYTHING Auto your guide to everything auto in Oakville INSIDE: Caravan Canada Value Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 16 2006 Ford Focus . . . . . . . .Page 15 For more than two decades, Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth minivans have been the gold standard by which all other minivans have been judged. Not only did Chrysler invent the original "Magicwagons" as they were called, but Chryco has always come up with the next big thing in minivans, more laterally a rear power liftgate and the innovative Stow-N-Go seating system that lets the second and third row of seats fold under the floor line for a flat cargo area. But where Chrysler also has always set benchmarks is in pricing. While the competition has been chasing Dodge/Chrysler minivans upscale in size, amenities and utility, Dodge has not forgotten where it all started and that brings us to the 2006 Dodge Caravan Canada Value Package. Here is a full, seven-seat minivan with two sliding panel doors, a V6 engine, four-speed automatic transmission, with air conditioning for $16,952. That's less then some threedoor subcompacts on the market today. Now the Caravan Canada Value Package is not new. It was already offered at $17,995. But what is new is a price drop to $16,952. This sticker lowering is part of an annual Dodge sales campaign to move product. And at a time when interest seems to waning across the minivan spectrum, there's nothing like a grand off to perk up interest. The Value Van is based on the regular ERYTHING wheelbase (2,878 mm/113.3 in) Dodge Caravan with a 3.3-litre, V6 producing 180 hp and 210 lb/ft of torque mated to the fourspeed electronic automatic driving the front wheels. It is equipped with disc brakes at the front, drums at the rear with 15-inch, all-season tires on steel wheels with alloy-look plastic wheel covers. Inside, the Value Van has captain's chairs for the driver and front passenger with a second row, two-seat bench and a third row, three-seat bench. Both bench seats have backs that fold forward and both have Dodge "Easy Out Roller Seats" that are simple to remove for big cargo. These seats have grocery bags hooks that increase the usability of the interior. In terms of hauling everything from those few bags of groceries to several sheets of drywall, the Value Van does what the whole segment was created for and that's a multi use interior. There is 433 litres (15.3 cu ft) of cargo space behind the third row bench, 1,291 litres (45.6 cu ft) behind the second row bench with the third row removed and no less than 4,145 litres (146.7 cu ft) of space with both rows of seats removed. In order to keep costs down, a lot is either not built into the Value Van or deleted. It is not festooned with cup and drink box holders although there are a few. Likewise there are no map or water bottle flaps in the doors There are, however, two 12V DC outlets for charging cellphones, etc. One is placed on the centre stack with the HAVC and radio controls while the other is conveniently placed in the B-pillar, perfect for any gamer seated in the second row. Power windows and locks are not included nor is a tilt steering wheel. My tester came with the standard cloth seating in a light grey colour with whitefaced gauges that worked well with the Midnight Blue Pearl Coat exterior. Not having power windows and locks takes some getting used to, but all the cars I owned up Continued on Page 16