CARLSBAD, California — Admit it, you love minivans. Hang on now, no letters yet please…it’s not like we’ve been peering in your window at night as you secretly trade your History of the Porsche 959 coffee-table book for a well-thumbed copy of The Magic Behind the Magic Wagon. It’s the sales numbers that tell the tale.

Despite our outward reservations towards the soccer mom’s unofficial flagship, Canucks have continually bought minivans by the truckload. From 1994 until 2004, vans were the number-two segment in the nation annually and have maintained third spot since. Some 171,000 units were sold last year alone, and one out of every 10 vehicles in Canada is said to be minivan. Admit it or not, motorists in the True North, Strong and Free love ’em.

This brings us to the automaker formerly known as DaimlerChrysler and its “800-pound Gorillas,” the Canadian-built Dodge Grand Caravan and its bling-tastic cousin, the Chrysler Town & Country — both new for 2008.

Since their debut about a quarter century ago, the Chrysler haulers have been the best-selling minivans in Canada (In 2006 alone, they outsold Honda, Ford, Toyota and Mazda combined). So, we have to agree with the automaker’s head honcho, Reid Bigland, when he says, “not a single product is more important to Chrysler Canada.”

Still, both models enter a much-changed minivan segment. Consumers have begun to move off to, ahem, “cooler” crossovers and sport-utes, and GM and Ford have pulled out of the segment altogether, leaving 54,000 potential sales up for grabs.

So how is Chrysler planning to keep the momentum going for its magic wagons? Basically, by taking up the “ultimate family vehicle” maxim and stuffing them full of functional styling, safety and 35 new or improved features.

Note that Chrysler Canada’s perennial value leader, the short wheelbase Caravan, is gone for ’08 (more on that later). The now long-wheelbase-only vans actually carry over the revolutionary Stow ’n Go floor pan that debuted in 2005, with a few notable revisions. Up front there’s a new Mac strut suspension with a 12 per cent thicker sway bar, and in back, a new trailing twist-beam axle with coil springs, said to reduce lift by 45 per cent and improve stability and ride comfort.

The RT minivans, as they’re called inside Chrysler, ride on a two-inch wider track and larger wheels and tires (16s are standard, 17s optional). As is the trend, the second-row windows now power down — and not surprising, given Chrysler’s edict to beat all comers — go lower than anyone in the segment.

The van’s new body structure is 10 per cent stiffer — 18 better in bending specifically — and wears a cornucopia of noise reducers and dampers like thicker glass and carpets, improved door seals and even side mirrors wind tunnel-tuned over six month for max slipperiness.

The styling of the new Grand Caravan and Town & Country was spearheaded by Ralph Gilles, the man behind the much-hullabalooed 300 sedan, and coincidentally a car nut who actually raced a Chrysler minivan at one point (we didn’t ask).

“The last generation was the ultimate jelly bean,” he said, “we wanted to change the attitude of the minivan…it’s cleaned up, simplified and much more contemporary.”

Gilles coined the phrase “boldified” to describe the Dodge, which as far as minivans go is fairly chiseled, with its minimized green house (squat glass-to-body proportion a la Charger sedan) and signature crosshair grille.

By straightening up the gunnels, the Grand’s roof is actually six inches wider than the outgoing model, despite the overall width being unchanged. Other highlights include a weight-saving aluminum tailgate and a B-pillar that’s stronger, yet half the size, of the old van’s.

The Town & Country shares the G.C.’s upgrades, but adapts glitterati styling cues from the 300 sedan, like the egg-crate grille, winged badge and quad headlamps (optionally HID). Heavy on chrome and shiny bits all around, the Chrysler is actually quite fetching and, as the company folks said, “at home at the country club or the hockey arena.”

It’s the interior of these new minivans that will be their defining feature. Far beyond the 13 (!) cupholders, Chrysler has expended considerable effort making theses vehicles into “family rooms on wheels.”

There’s three distinct seating and storage systems now, including a base second-row bench and fold-flat third-row seat, and the revolutionary, industry-exclusive Stow ’n Go seating system with second- and third-row 60/40 fold-into-the-floor seats. As Chrysler says, its G.C. and T & C “can [exclusively] go from a seven-passenger minivan to a two person cargo van that can carry a 4x8 sheet of plywood in less than 30 seconds.”

The newest whiz-bang seating system is the exclusive Swivel ’n Go, which allows the second-row captain’s chairs to spin 180 degrees to face rearward for “conversation seating” with the third row. It includes a removable table that installs between the rows for impromptu games of Go Fish, etc.

Sadly, you can’t choose both seating setups: it’s an either or situation. Each has its drawbacks too — Stow ’n Go’s thinner, tumble and fold seats are not as comfy over long hauls, and Swivel ’n Go has limited legroom for adults.

Still, no matter which configuration you choose, all models have those large, covered storage bins in floor. The third-row seats can flip backwards for tailgating too, and, in the Town & Country, can power-fold individually.

The Dodge interior of old is replaced with much a cleaner, functional motif for ’08. Materials improve, but still trail Toyota/Honda standards (a bit more bright-work might help here). At least it appears durable enough to withstand a family’s use and abuse — the automaker’s YES Essentials stain resistant fabric is available too.

Storage spots appear “everywhere we could find space,” say the Auburn Hills folks, and there’s a new, optional centre console that swallows a lady’s purse, slides 53 cm (21 in.) towards the second row and encompasses a 12-volt outlet and four cupholders.

With the Town & Country’s interior, Mr. Gilles says, “we kind of went overboard.” It’s a good thing, though, with satin nickel and wood trim all around, the requisite analog clock on the centre stack and available leather and suede seats.

Both vans can be had with heated front and second-row seats, in leather or (thankfully) cloth, second and third-row retractable sunshades, an interior conversation mirror for keeping an eyes on warring siblings, tri-zone heating and cooling, a rechargeable flashlight in the rear quarter panel (like the Dodge Caliber) and even super-slick ambient halo lighting.

Entertainment options are copious too. There’s available Bluetooth compatibility and Chrysler’s MyGiG “infotainment” system with satellite radio, navigation, touch screen controls, USB connectivity and a 20 gig hard drive. To keep the kids quiet, there are now dual eight-inch video screens in back and a pair of input/output jacks, so one munchkin can watch SpongeBob, while the other plays Xbox. There’s even a 506-watt premium sound system available with 10 speakers and a minivan-first subwoofer.

The powertrain story for the new Dodge and Chrysler is a mixed bag.

All three Grand Caravan models (Canada Value Package, SE Stow ’n Go and SXT) uses the same underachieving 3.3-litre OHV V6 from last year as standard, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Making 175 horsepower and 205 lb-ft of torque, the output of the E85 compatible engine is behind the Hyundai Entourage (242 hp/251 lb-ft), Honda Odyssey (244 hp/240 lb-ft) and Toyota Sienna (266 hp/245 lb-ft).

Still, the base model is noticeably cheaper: starting at $26,495 it’s less expensive than last year’s Grand Caravan and undercuts even the value-conscious Hyundai by about $3,500. Power door locks, A/C, keyless entry and 16-inch wheels are notable standard fare.

We’d expected the loss of the value-minded short-wheelbase Caravan to be a major concern to Chrysler Canada and to threaten its position atop the minivan heap. Nonetheless, reps on-hand in California say they’ve finagled the financing in such a way that payments on the ’08 van should be close to the stubby ’07 model. Either way, Chrysler says a third of customers will go to the new, long wheelbase Grand, a third to another vehicle in the family “if price is a factor,” and the rest to the competition.

The top-of-the-line $30,495 Grand Caravan SXT models can be optioned up with the carryover 3.8-litre OHV V6, now mated to a segment-first six-speed automatic gearbox. With a 40 per cent taller first gear ratio than the four-speed, launches are noticeably quicker and highway runs much more hushed. Output sits at 197 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque.

There’s also a new 4.0-litre V6 in the family, but it’s only available under the hood of the Town & Country. Given that in the past, the Chrysler’s accounted for less than one per cent of the automaker’s total minivan sales, there’s a real sense that the ’08 Dodge has rightfully been limited in its optional equipment as to not step on the toes of its luxurious sibling. The move obliges folks looking for high-end toys to move up into the Chrysler. The company is hoping for more of an 85/15 split for 2008.

Base T & C pricing has dropped $6570 to $35,995, along with the full-zoot Limited, which falls $2,650 to $42,895. While the former get the same 3.8L V6 and six-speed as the Grand Caravan, the latter comes standard with the new 4.0-litre SOHC six-cylinder. Mated to the six-speed slushbox and making 251 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque, it’s easily the unofficial “R/T,” of the RT minivans.

Keeping kith and kin safe are standard ESP with traction control and brake assist, four-wheel ABS, front and three-row side-curtain airbags and a tire-pressure monitor. High-tech kit like a back-up camera is also offered.

Motoring around Southern California, both the Grand Caravan and Town and Country proved right on par with class norms for handling and maneuverability. Where the Windsor, Ontario-built haulers move ahead is in the sheer variety of space, versatility and exclusive features they serve up. As long as the Chrysler’s remain unmatched in that department, they should stay atop Canada’s minivan segment.