Review of the new Chrysler Grand Voyager 25TH Anniversary Edition

MPVs are everywhere these days, large and small, hosting five, six, seven, eight or even nine seats, but in 1983, they weren't. Back in the early 80s, the idea of a vehicle devoted to family life had yet to catch on and car buyers seeking extra space and utility were forced to consider conventional estate cars. Then some bright spark at Chrysler had a eureka moment - probably while primping his bubble perm and watching Dallas on TV. By November 2nd 1983, that flicker of inspiration had come to fruition and the world's first MPV was rolling off the production line in Canada. To celebrate 25 years since Chrysler's origination of the MPV concept, it's launched a special edition version of today's Grand Voyager.

The Grand Voyager has come a long way since the early 80s when its ancestors amounted to little more than vans with seats installed and some additional glasswork. Modern MPVs have evolved to offer seats that fold, flip, swivel and come out completely to create multifarious interior combinations designed to solve any passenger-carrying conundrum. The Grand remains one of the top choices in the market for large MPVs and with family buyers never averse to a spot of added value, this 25th Anniversary edition should only increase its profile.

The only engine available with the 25th Anniversary Grand Voyager is the one that accounts for the majority of sales anyway. The 2.8-litre CRD diesel has proven a real winner for Chrysler and has been rolled out across a number of vehicles. It's not the most refined unit of its ilk but it's big-hearted and good to drive. Visibility out of the Grand Voyager is one of the best in class with big mirrors, short overhangs and narrow pillars.

You'd have to say that the Grand Voyager drives like the big American MPV that it is, so it's not the kind of car you'd chuck about the lanes. To be fair, it doesn't lean as much as you'd expect through the bends. This roll stiffness makes the steering quite precise, and the Grand Voyager can be hustled through twists with more vigour than you'd think. It's certainly comfortable on the straights and so long as you take things easy, will be more than adequate for family use.

"Chrysler invented the MPV 25 years ago and would quite like to remind everyone of that fact"

MPVs stand or fall on their practicality. There have been any number of attempts by manufacturers to hoodwink the buying public with 'family' cars that fall short on interior space and they invariably fail. Take a look at the sales charts for this sort of car and it's clear that size sells and on that basis, the Grand Voyager is off to a very promising start. It is seriously big, seating seven with ease and featuring the Stow 'n Go seating system which means that the vehicle can be transformed from a seven seater to a two seater in less than 30 seconds. Because all of the seats store in the floor, it's not as if you'll need to clutter your garage up with them either.

This generation Grand Voyager is bluffer and squarer looking than its rounded predecessor but looks a little more distinguished for it, distancing itself from the midsized sports-orientated vehicles like the Ford S-MAX and the Mitsubishi Grandis. It's not the most distinctive piece of styling but it caters to a buyer that wants the best without drawing attention to that fact.

The Grand Voyager comes well equipped in standard form but Chrysler seems intent on celebrating its 25th Anniversary in style and this special edition model comes fully loaded. There's leather upholstery, a satellite navigation system and voice recognition functionality but the piece de resistance as far as the kids will be concerned is the dual screen DVD entertainment system. All that hassle trying to get your offspring into the car will be come a distant memory but now you won't be able to get them out.

The 25th Anniversary edition underlines its generous internal specification with some nice external upgrades too. There are Xenon headlights featuring LED daytime running lights and the grille is picked out in chrome mesh. Buyers even get a commemorative engraved keyring. Only 100 of these Grand Voyagers are being made available in the UK and the price actually undercuts the Limited model from the standard range by £1,000.

The Grand Voyager is a big car but its big diesel engine does a commendable job of moving it around. Surely it would be too much to expect sparkling running costs as well, wouldn't it? How you view the fuel economy of the car depends on your perspective. 30mpg is nothing special in this day and age but when you consider the Grand's seven-seat capacity and all-round space. It's not too bad. Whether the Grand makes sense will depend greatly on how regularly you'll use its full capacity.

Depreciation is an area where the Grand Voyager is going to do reasonably well. It's helped in this regard by upfront pricing that looks very reasonable and by the fact the Grand Voyagers have traditionally been bought by individuals who have come to recognise that viable alternatives are few. Only the Renault Grand Espace and the various converted vans on the market can rival the Grand Voyager's interior space. As a compromise between the Renault's style and the internal acreage of the van conversions, the Grand Voyager has found itself in particular demand.

Chrysler invented the MPV 25 years ago and would quite like to remind everyone of that fact. As vehicle concepts go, it's certain to have far more longevity than the off-road coupe or the convertible pick-up so we can forgive a little self indulgence on the American marque's part. The Grand Voyager 25th Anniversary edition is limited to 100 units in the UK so it has exclusivity and there's loads of equipment too.

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