Some minivans allowed drivers to remove their second and third row seats, but dealing with a heavy, unwieldy object the size of a small herd animal left many minivan owners with aching backs and bruised fingers. Not to mention that they then had to find someplace to store those awkward benches while they carried their cargo in the newly opened up interior -- an unpleasant situation all around.
Thankfully, a host of flexible seating and cargo options began appearing over the last few years in many minivan models. The Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Entourage and Nissan Quest all offer fold-flat third row seats, but most still require that second-row seats be removed from the vehicle when you need additional cargo space.
Chrysler's Stow 'n Go (link goes to photo) eliminates this problem by employing a system of underfloor trays that allow both the second and third row seats to fold flat into the van floor. No need to risk smashing toes removing ungainly seats, or having to beg for storage space for them -- Stow n' Go provides both additional cargo space and removes the need for seat storage.
How Did They Do That?
Stow ‘n Go premiered on select 2005 Chrysler and Dodge minivan models, and has since become one of the most impressive minivan features available. While the flexibility and convenience are a given, the engineering challenges to make the Stow ‘n Go system work were considerable. According to Chrysler, it took 18 months -- at a cost of roughly $400 million -- for Chrysler engineers to implement Stow 'n Go as a significant mid-cycle improvement to the Chrysler minivan platform.
In order to implement the changes the engineering team had to solve a number of challenges. The underfloor voids that the seats would collapse into were fashioned out of a special composite "quiet steel" to minimize road noise, while the spare tire had to be relocated to the front of the vehicle. Existing second row seats were too large and thickly-cushioned to fit in the underfloor openings, so the captain’s chairs were redesigned to use thinner, denser foam and rotating arm rests. Both seats then folded flat into the floor, opening up the entire space behind the driver and passenger seats for storage.
When not in use, the voids in front of the second row seats can also be used for storage. Chrysler sells storage bins and insulated coolers that help increase the usefulness of the compartments.
Stow ‘n Go in Operation
So how does Stow ‘n Go work? Follow the link below for a step-by-step walkthrough.
Reversing the process takes a bit less time. Chrysler claims that the entire procedure can be done one-handed, and it can. That said, it goes much faster with both hands. The third row seats also fold flat, and can be flipped backwards to create a comfortable tailgate seating configuration. Instruction stickers and number-stamped fabric straps attached to the seats can help novices get up to speed with the system.
An updated version of Stow n' Go seating is expected to also be offered in the all-new Dodge/Chrysler minivans, which should arrive sometime in 2007 as 2008 models.
A Success Story
The Stow ‘n Go system has earned a number of industry awards, including a 2005 in-house Walter P. Chrysler technology award that was given to the Chrysler engineering team for developing the system.
It’s clear that Stow ‘n Go has been a success for Chrysler. While the current Daimler-Chrysler minivans are beginning to fall behind their competitors in some areas, the mid-life introduction of Stow ‘n Go has given Chrysler minivans a clearly superior product feature that competitors have yet to match. This has helped Chrysler maintain their minivan category sales leadership over the last few years, and should help the new (and significantly redesigned) 2008 Town & Country/Dodge Caravan remain competitive.
Check out our photo gallery of Chrysler's Stow 'n Go seating system.