2007 Detroit Auto Show: 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan

From outside the Dodge Grand Caravan, there isn’t a lot to wow the eyes of potential minivan shoppers. The all-new Grand Caravan is certainly not as eye-catching as the Nissan Quest or Toyota Sienna. No, it — and the Chrysler Town & Country — is boxy, tried and true. All the interesting stuff is underneath the skin.

The big “must-have” feature is the Swivel ‘n Go seating system with two second-row captain’s chairs that can rotate 180 degrees to face the third row. There’s also a removable table for those Texas hold ’em fanatics or — more appropriate for the target market — travel board games like Battleship.

The interior finally catches up to the rest of the Dodge family, but we’ve found even those new vehicles to be a step below the competition. Also note the strange position of the shifter, right next to the gauge cluster. That has to be the oddest positioning we’ve ever seen, and until proven otherwise during a test drive we won’t believe it’s a more convenient placement than the standard column shifter. What is cool for the family set is an optional power fold-flat third row of seats and standard stability and traction control, plus side curtain airbags for all three rows.

We’ll have more from the floor on Sunday, but for now enjoy the photos below.