2001 Dodge Grand Caravan...Continued

I mentioned that new removable powered center console that can be moved between the front- and middle-row seats. The advertisements work, by the way -- it was the first thing my daughter, Rebecca, mentioned when she jumped in the minivan: "Mom, move the thingy down to my spot. I want to use it." The best thing about the removable console is that it's very easy to manipulate. The brackets are all there and when the console is absent in either area, it becomes a storage tray, complete with rubber liner, that can be used to store your purse (and it won't slip-slide away).

Open up the top of the center console and you'll find two separate storage compartments. Both can be locked up tight to secure anything you like. In the front of the unit, there's a bracket to hold your car phone and a handy power outlet right underneath that can provide power to recharge your failing phone's battery or any other battery-powered equipment you carry on daily jaunts around town.

In the front-row seats, the power point is constantly on. In the middle-row seats, the power point is only activated with the ignition on. The rear of the console is illuminated and has a removable bin. Next to the car phone holder is a little cubby hole to store a pen or pencil. On the underside of the lid is a molded compartment to hold a small box of tissues and maybe a small city map for those garage-sale outings.

Still available are the standard- and extended-wheelbase models, front- and all-wheel-drive versions, several powertrain choices and a host of seating arrangements you can choose from.

The Grand Caravan I drove was the ES model and it topped out at just a hair under $35,000. Sorry, but in my opinion, that's a lot of money for a minivan. I'd rather opt for a luxury sedan at that price, but as a mom at my kids' school pointed out during a quick look-see of the van: "How many options do you really have when you have to haul a crowd?"

When you have to haul six or more, I guess she's got a point. In any case, if you choose the really stripped-down version of the Caravan family, you can get into it for just a hair under $20,000, and that's an excellent value.

There are six versions of the Caravan offered for the 2001 model year. You've got the Caravan SE, Caravan Sport, Grand Caravan Sport, Grand Caravan ES, Grand Caravan Sport AWD (all-wheel drive) and Grand Caravan ES AWD. There are also a couple of new colors offered this year: Dark garnet red, steel blue and stone white. On the inside, new colors are navy and sandstone. The navy is really pretty.

I don't know about you, but I loathe plastic grocery bags. The first words out of my mouth in line are "all paper, please." But if you're the type who saves those plastic horrors for whatever reason -- or if your grocery store offers no other choices -- you'll be glad to know that Dodge engineers have given you a hand. On the seat back, there are hooks mounted so you can carry your plastic grocery bags, without all the contents spilling out every time you make a right- or left-hand turn. The rear pop-up organizers, mounted on the floor right behind the rear seat, have a neat little storage bin with two folding dividers that can accommodate six paper grocery bags.

And, before I forget -- take out all the seats and you've got a full load floor, free of obstacles, that will let you transport 4x8 sheets of plywood, drywall or sheetrock.

This new Grand Caravan has a lot to offer a busy mom or dad who wants a different level of comfort and convenience to haul your busy family to the ice rink or swimming pool.