Our Town & Country responded powerfully, thanks to the new 3.8-liter V6 with sequential multi-point injection. Start-up acceleration was noteworthy, and we zipped around cars on the freeway as though we were in a high-performance sports car. This was definitely the best engine we've tested in a minivan.And it was quiet, too, due in part to some fine-tuning Chrysler has done to the vehicle's stainless-steel exhaust system. Noise in general was not a problem; wind and other vehicles caused little disturbance. However, we did notice some annoying road noise under the floor boards up front. Overall, though, the marks were high on our Town & Country's ride. The four-speed automatic transmission shifted smoothly, and we had the option to lock out the over-drive. The vehicle exhibited a surprisingly tight steering ratio, handling our 20-mph turns adeptly. Front gas-charged struts helped solidify our vehicle while traveling over roads riddled with potholes. It rained and snowed during much of our test drive, but that gave us a chance to test the Town & Country's four-wheel ABS. It met the challenge each time a slick surface came calling, and we were never even close to spinning out. The vehicle's front-wheel drive and 15-inch steel-belted radials also kept us steady through the rain and snow.
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