The Inside

Chrysler has been routinely criticized for its subpar interior quality, and with good reason. One of the biggest issues has been blocky design and poor materials quality. Both of those problems have been remedied in the 2011 Town & Country's substantially updated cabin.

Even though the minivan's all-new dashboard is made of hard plastic, it has a nicely grained, low-gloss appearance. Overall, the new interior trim makes the van feel more luxurious than the Honda Odyssey, if not the new Nissan Quest. Considering where Chrysler interiors have been, this is a dramatic improvement.

Chrysler has updated one of its signature minivan features for 2011: Stow 'n Go second-row seats. The seats, which are standard, fold into the floor with just one touch of a lever, articulating forward and into bins in the floor. (If the bin isn't open or the front seat isn't far enough forward, the seat just flips forward to make it easier to access the third row.) Chrysler says the Stow 'n Go seats are now larger for better comfort, but you still sit pretty low to the floor in them, which limits their appeal for adult passengers. Traditional second-row bucket seats are optional.

    See also:

    Loading
    To load your vehicle properly, first figure out its empty weight, axle-by-axle and side-by-side. Store heavier items down low and be sure you distribute their weight as evenly as possible. Stow ...

    Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) — Air Bags.
    This vehicle has Advanced Front Air Bags for both the driver and front passenger as a supplement to the seat belt restraint systems. The driver’s Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in the cente ...

    Ignition Off Operation
    For vehicles not equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), the power sunroof switch will remain active for 45 seconds after the ignition switch is turned OFF. Opening eithe ...