2012 Chrysler Town & Country Touring L Passenger Van

After flooding the market with crossovers, SUVs, and family-friendly haulers that were marketed as anything but minivans, automakers appear to be rediscovering and rededicating themselves to the minivan segment. To its credit, Chrysler never left -- instead, it pushed to find new ways to refine and evolve the minivan concept with the Town & Country. While the basic architecture of the current model dates back to 2007, last year's overhaul ushered in some welcome changes. We're happy to report that the anemic 3.8-liter V-6 is gone; a new 283-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 now provides ample power to move the 4621-pound vehicle. Engineers extensively retuned the suspension, replacing the soft, floaty demeanor of the old van with a firm, vaguely European feel. Undoubtedly, the best news lurks behind those dual sliding doors: the rock-hard blocky plastics that dogged previous Town & Countrys are largely a thing of the past. Soft-touch materials run throughout the cabin, and a new dashboard -- which incorporates a waterfall center console -- is both elegant and ergonomically pleasing. Fold-flat second- and third-row seats are standard, although optional new "quad" second-row buckets add extra bolstering and adjustability in an attempt to increase passenger comfort. We'd love to see Chrysler improve the feel of its switchgear and reduce ambient road noise, but by and large, the 2012 Town & Country feels more like a premium minivan than ever before.