I own a 2001 Dodge Caravan ES and a 2000 VW New Beetle. With a husband and two kids, the Beetle is a blast to drive, but not practical for long trips or hauling much cargo. Hence, the need for a Dodge minivan...
IT ISN'T SEXY -
But it is practical. Seven passenger seating is a bonus when travelling with other friends and family (we can fit our kids and the grandparents in without a problem). Even with 7 people in the seats, there is still room left to stuff it full with strollers, baby gear, toys, food cooler, etc.   And who needs sexy with a van full of kids, anyways?
PERFORMANCE -
Okay, it isn't a sports car. And I fail to understand why people even try to pretend that they are, with spoilers, sport alloys and trim. The Caravan is a minivan, and after driving a rental Grand Caravan Sport for a month, I am still not sure why Dodge even bothers to pretend that is can be sporty. I guess some people (likely fathers who would rather ferry the kids around town in a sports coupe) can be fooled into thinking the Caravan is just a larger Porsche...
The 3.3 L V6 engine is a strong performer. Acceleration is smooth and fast (for a minivan), and there's lots of power for passing when highway driving. I know that when I put the pedal to the metal, I will get a response, even carrying a full load.
Steering and braking are reliable and solid. Suspension leaves something to be desired, and I always think that I am driving a school bus or other similar large vehicle. The bumps aren't bad, the ride is smooth, but feels a bit springy, like piloting a large boat over some rough waves. Some people like that in a car/van, I suppose it is personal preference (it's hard not to compare the Caravan's ride to the Beetle).
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS -
We did not purchase an additional warranty with this vehicle, and have had minimal problems. Just the usual wear and tear repairs (as with any vehicle) such as tune-up, brake service, and transmission fluid changes. We had to replace the front tie-rod ends at 4 years, and a sensor in the gas tank (for a total repair bill of approx. $2000.00). In the coldest winter months, the power steering tends to whine and make a high pitched sound (most noticable at a stop light), but this does not affect performance, and was slightly improved when we did a power steering system flush.
FUEL CONSUMPTION -
Something to consider given the high fuel prices these days. We find it comparable to a mid-sized sedan in terms of fuel costs, not bad considering the size of the Caravan. Our previous car was a '95 V6 Grand Am, and it ate almost as much fuel as the Caravan! The Caravan is much better on highway fuel economy than city driving, but overall still a lot cheaper to gas-up than most full-sized SUVs. We drive mostly city, lots of stop-and-go traffic, and average about 650 km on a tank (tank capacity is 20 gallons or 76 liters) which is approximately what Dodge advertises in their specifications.
DESIGN FEATURES AND SEATING-
I highly advise getting a model with power rear windows. Otherwise, you must climb into the back or open the rear tailgate and manually open/close these windows (a royal pain). Having a front window with defrost is also a plus, considering the large front windshield. The defroster makes for minimal winter reaching and ice-scraping. Dodge has also increased the size of the headlights and tail-lights for the 2001+ models. This makes for great visibility.
Our Caravan has cloth (plushy velour type) seats, and the configuration is 2-front captain seats, middle 2-seater bench and rear 3-seater bench. The middle and rear benches can be reversed or removed completely. We travel with all seats installed as we like to pick-up 'the grandparents' and go on driving adventures. The front and middle seats are easy to get in/out of, and have the LATCH child-seating anchors which makes installing baby and child seats a breeze. The rear bench is only accessible through the passenger side sliding door, and takes a bit of crawling to get into the far (driver's side) side. This is not a problem for those who are able-bodied, but I don't advise asking Grandpa to crawl in there (you may need to call the fire department to borrow the 'jaws of life' to extract him)... This problem is slightly alieviated when the rear bench is fully pulled back, but then you are left with less cargo space in the trunk.
VALUE FOR THE MONEY -
As far as domestic minivans go, the Dodge Caravan is a fantastic bargain, and gives a lot of value for your dollar. The imports (Sienna, Odessy) drive much more like cars and have fancier, sportier features, but will set you back almost double the price of the Caravan. If you can accept the fact that you need a minivan, then you shouldn't be bothered by the fact that it drives like a minivan and not a sportscar. I put much emphasis on this fact because of many friends who have been supremely disappointed in their minivans, only because they thought it would be a sportier drive...
IN REVIEW -
I am more than pleased with our Caravan. It will continue to be a practical vehicle as our kids get older and bigger. Most days, we don't know how we managed before we owned it. It ain't sexy, but it sure gets the job done.