Wider than a Toyota Land Cruiser and longer than a Renault Grand Espace, the Chrysler Grand Voyager is the big daddy of the MPV world. But with new prices starting at around £24,000 and rising to £32,000, buying one isn’t cheap, unless you look at a used example.

Introduced to Britain in 1997, some early cars can now be bought for as little as £9,000 but they do still suffer from the reputation of performing poorly in the Euro NCAP safety tests. Scoring no points in the frontal impact test is not good for any car, but is particularly worrying when you’re choosing a people carrier.

The better buys are the post-March 2001 models. These are longer, wider and stronger than their predecessors and while they have not been retested by Euro NCAP, Chrysler claims they are much safer. Under the skin an all new body construction meets new European impact requirements, and side airbags, dual-inflation front airbags and an improved energy absorbing characteristic make these the most desirable models to own.

Power comes from a 2.5 litre turbo diesel producing 140bhp or a 3.3 litre petrol with 172bhp. And while neither is the most sophisticated engine, the diesel unit is a huge improvement over the 114bhp unit fitted to the earlier cars.

Acceleration and top speed from the 140bhp diesel are close to that of the V6 petrol and 30mpg economy is easily achievable. But don’t discount the petrol; in addition to having a smoother, quieter power delivery, it’s married to a four-speed automatic gearbox, making it a much nicer drive than the diesel, which has a rather agricultural five-speed manual.

Buyers will also find that used petrol models are worth about £2,500 less than a diesel equivalent, so if you do a low mileage the higher fuel consumption should easily be offset by the lower purchase price and therefore make it a good buy.

Under the skin the big Chrysler is not at the cutting edge of technology, and while the rear leaf springs handle heavy loads well they fail to impress with driving dynamics. But where the Grand Voyager does score well is in terms of space — it’s easily capable of carrying seven adults in its 2:2:3 configuration of seats.

Removing the seats creates a load lugger big enough to shame a Volvo estate, although many owners will find that while the seats unclip easily, their weight and size make them more difficult to remove.

The twin sliding side doors make access easy, and on cars with remote-control door operation, sensors ensure that little fingers can’t become trapped. The three-zone climate control can be adjusted separately front and rear as well as individually for the driver and front passenger. However, buyers should check the air-conditioning carefully as it has been an Achilles heel to Chrysler in the past. Turn it on, and if it’s not blowing icy cold within 30 seconds it could spell a big bill.

With Chrysler having built more than 10m MPVs over the past 20 years, buyers of a Grand Voyager can be safe in the knowledge they are joining a large, long-established club. If space is your top priority then the Grand Voyager has few competitors.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Chrysler Grand Voyager 3.3 Limited auto
Engine: V6, 3301cc
Power: 172bhp
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Fuel: 22.2mpg (combined)
Acceleration: 0-62mph: 11.8sec
Top speed: 111mp

Fuel consumption: 3.3 litre petrol should average 20mpg plus, 2.5 diesel over 30mpg

Sliding door mechanism: Close electrically on Limited models but check they work properly; tailgate operation is electric since Nov 2002

DVD player: Roof-mounted screen and wireless headsets on the Limited XS model since April 2003

Safety: Poor NCAP performance on 1997-March 2001 models make them less desirable

Suspension: Rear leaf springs not the most sophisticated but will handle a load with ease

Cruise control: Comes as standard on all models

Electrics: Check pre-2001 cars carefully as owners report a multitude of electrical problems, including repeated battery discharge

Air-conditioning: A Chrysler weakness in the past, check all three zones work correctly for both heat and cold

Brakes: Front discs can be prone to distortion, particularly on automatic cars

Gearbox: Five-speed manual is agricultural, four-speed auto with column change is a better bet

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THE ONE TO BUY

Chrysler Grand Voyager 3.3 Limited auto, 2001 Y-reg with 20,000 miles. Pay £20,000 at a dealer or £18,250 privately.

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY...

2003 03-reg Renault Grand Espace 2.2 dCi
2002 02-reg Toyota Previa 2.0 D4-D CDX
2002 51-reg Mercedes-Benz V280 Ambiente
2002 52-reg Isuzu Trooper 3.0TD Citation
1999 S-reg Toyota Land Cruiser 4.7 V8 VX

VALUES



LX models worth £3,000 less than Limited. 2.5 diesel worth £2,500 more than equivalent 3.3 petrol Source: estimates based on confidential CAP black book prices. 'Trade' is what a dealer would pay to buy your car, 'retail' is what you would pay a dealer for it.