Our test model was a base Grand Caravan SE with the $3740 H package, the $1995 Power and Remote Entry Group, and the $2120 DVD entertainment system. Also the $995 Special Appearance Group; add them all up and you could almost buy a Chevy Aveo just for the cost of the options.

The H package includes Chrysler's YES Essentials fabric for the seats, designed for the soccer-mom lifestyle, meaning it resists stains and odors left behind by dirty, smelly children. We quite liked the looks and feel of ours; and the black vinyl trim and satin aluminum-look plastic might be cheap but it isn't ugly. While these fabrics can be easy to clean, dog hair still has a way of sticking into them, so those who haul canines may still be better off with leather.

Six 10-year-old members of our soccer team liked the video player, during the 90-minute drive to the game. The DVD was a snap to play, unlike, for example, those in some expensive Audis. Put the DVD in, press Play, and you have a miracle: it works. The screen drops down from the ceiling, so the driver loses some visibility in the rearview mirror. There's also a convex "conversation mirror," which might also be called the looking-at-your-kids-while-you're-yelling-at-them (without having to turn around) safety mirror.

The second-row bucket seats slide rearward to ease access to the third row, so there's less fighting and yelling about stepped-on feet. Or they flop forward with one lever. Don't get your foot caught on the seatbelt or you might end up face-down on the rear bench. You will want the optional LED pinpoint lighting for back there, for your children to read by so they don't fight or bug you while you're driving.

Stow 'n Go works, too. For a fairly simple invention, it's a masterpiece. In just a minute or so, and without having to refer to the manual, we dropped the second and third seats flat into the floor. We used our hands, although power retraction is optional for the third-row bench. Picked up a long leather couch at the used furniture store. From soccer bus to cargo van, in 60 seconds. We don't need no Dodge Sprinter van. Well, maybe if we want to load the whole team of 10 kids. One of them would have to drive.

If you don't count Stow 'n Go, the overall interior volume in the Grand Caravan isn't necessarily class-leading. In a Car and Driver comparison test with four other minivans, the Dodge (third overall) scored no firsts in space behind the front seat, middle seat or rear seat.

The instrumentation is good, black on light gray lettering, with big divisions so you can read each 5 mph. Our option package included a digital information display (it showed an average of 19.1 miles per gallon for one week of city and highway driving), but the button to change the information is in a terrible position, most easily (but treacherously) reached by your left hand through the three-spoke leather steering wheel. Otherwise you have to lean forward, reach around the wiper stalk, and fumble for it, which isn't a whole lot safer. Other information includes distance to empty (about 400 miles on a tank of gas), compass, outside temperature, and estimated time to destination. We never figured out how the van knew where we were going, especially when we ourselves didn't always know.

Still more useful information available on the dash includes: low coolant, low washer fluid, low oil, fuel cap ajar, door ajar, fuse fault, ESP off, and cruise control on. A tire pressure monitor is optional.

The leather-wrapped shift lever sticks out just to the left of the center stack, an efficient location. It's a manual automatic transmission, so the sturdy lever might be reached often to shift gears; however there isn't much need for manual shifting with this relaxed cruiser of a vehicle.

The center console is removable, which is good; but when it's fully attached it feels half removed, which isn't so good. It just fits real loose. No real harm, but it makes you wonder what else is loosely attached.

The sloped A-pillars allow good visibility, but the longer hood in the redesigned Grand Caravan means the driver sits back a bit farther from the front bumper, so it's harder to gauge when parking.

We lost count of all the storage cubbies and cupholders. Dodge has outdone itself in this area. We think, although we can't be sure because as we said we lost count, that you and your front-seat passenger can each drink four drinks at once. Coffee, Coke, water, and one wild card beverage. Juice might be best. Let's just say that you and your passengers will never be lacking for a place to put stuff of all sizes and shapes. We're talking bins under the second-row seats, compartments in the floor, and an umbrella holder.

Two thousand dollars is a lot to spend for the convenience of not having to physically slide your minivan's side doors (there are two of them, by the way), or lift the liftgate, but it might be worth it, maybe especially the liftgate, because your arms (at least our arms) always seem to be full. The buttons are located on the headliner between the front seats, and using them imparts a wonderful small sense of power. It makes you look cool to your kids, too. Release the pigeons!