As your family grows, transportation becomes an issue. Local Dodge dealerships offer two cars that have the safety features and storage capacity to suit a growing family: the Durango and the Grand Caravan. Keep reading to see what each offers.

The Dodge Durango

The Durango is a five-person (or seven-person) SUV/crossover mix that combines an SUV's power with a crossover’s handling. It is a rugged vehicle that brings together several different ‘‘big car’’ elements into one package.

·     Family Features: The Durango can fit up to seven people comfortably with plenty of legroom. Its optional third-row seating is roomy, and both the third and second row fold down (Stow'n Go) to allow for more storage space. Other features include USB, power locks, and AC. Other options include streaming, satellite radio and heated seats for the first and second row.

·     Safety: Stock features include airbags (side, front and curtain), stability control and anti-lock brakes, and most models (save the SXT) have a rearview camera. Safety options include blind spot monitors, a forward collision warning system (that can fully stop the vehicle automatically) and parking sensors. In NHTSA crash testing, the Durango scored 4 stars out of 5.

The Dodge Caravan

The Grand Caravan is a classic minivan and is the most awarded and popular vehicle of its type. With several safety firsts, the Caravan remains an excellent blend of cutting-edge features and practicality.

·     Family Features: Keyless entry, three rows of seating (each complete with heat and air), Stow'n Go seating to expand carrying capacity and power locks increase safety. Useful options include a roof rack, remote start, audio streaming, heated seats and automatic temperature control.

·     Safety: For the 2017 model year, the Caravan comes stock with a 6.5-inch touchscreen along with a backup camera. Backup cameras are especially useful not just for parking safety but for viewing your car’s blind spots. Safety features are robust, including airbags (front, side, knee blocker and side curtain), daytime running lights, stability control, tire-pressure monitoring and optional blind spot monitoring. In NHTSA crash testing, the Caravan also scored 4 stars out of 5.

Which Is Better?

As the above shows, the Durango and Caravan both offer several features a family will find useful and both are quite safe. Where the two really differ is in design. The Durango is a large SUV/Crossover and the Caravan a minivan.

Pricing is also different with the Caravan being the cheaper of the two. What it really comes down to is what you value more – the Caravan’s slightly larger size and versatility or the Durango’s more modern design and more diverse feature packages.