page_title: Chrysler minivans (NS)
section_title: Dodge Caravan
hierarchical_section_title: Chrysler minivans (NS) / Marketing variations / Dodge Caravan
caption_attribution_description: 1996-1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager photographed in USA.
context_page_description: The third-generation Chrysler minivans are a series of passenger minivans that were marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from the 1996 to 2000 model years. Designated the NS platform by Chrysler, these minivans were sold by Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth divisions in passenger configurations; minivans were exported under the Chrysler brand. While the second-generation AS platform was a revision of the original vans, the NS platform marked the first ground-up redesign of the Chrysler vans since their 1984 introduction, ending the use of components from K-Car derivatives.
  The first non-compact minivans in North America to adopt four sliding passenger doors, the third-generation Chrysler minivans saw its form factor adopted by many competitors. In addition to chief competitors Ford Windstar, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna, the NS-platform configuration was adopted by the Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Montana, and the Mercury Villager/Nissan Quest.
context_section_description: In a break from its predecessors, the third-generation Dodge Caravan was marketed distinctly from the Plymouth Voyager, becoming the mid-range model of the Chrysler minivan product line.  The Caravan C/V cargo van was discontinued, with all examples serving as passenger vans.  In place of the Pentastar, Chrysler adopted the Dodge "Ram" hood emblem; the Caravan is the only NS minivan with a hood-mounted emblem.  
  As with its predecessor, the Caravan and Grand Caravan used base, SE, LE, and ES trims.  Base and SE/LE trims were fitted with gray bumpers with gray moldings; ES trims (and Sport-package versions) featured body-colored trim.  7-passenger seating was standard, regardless of body length.  For 1999, the driver-side sliding door became offered as an option on all versions of the Caravan.    
  
  For 1999, the Dodge Caravan ES was equipped with an Autostick gear selector for its automatic transmission, a first for a minivan.  As the Caravan is designed with a column-mounted automatic transmission shifter, Autostick is operated via a momentary switch on the gear selector.
caption: Plymouth Grand Voyager SE
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA", "Image Make": "OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO.,LTD", "Image Model": "C200Z,D510Z", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "v358u-76", "Image DateTime": "0000:00:00 00:00:00", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "284", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "4084", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "4883", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/60", "EXIF FNumber": "19/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "115", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0210", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "0000:00:00 00:00:00", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "0000:00:00 00:00:00", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "19/5", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire", "EXIF FocalLength": "99/10", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1600", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1200", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "886", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed"}