Though the competition has heated up, we feel that Dodge Caravan is still one of the best minivans you can buy. It offers all of the creature comforts in a pleasing package at a fair price. Our other Best Buy is Honda Odyssey. It's sportier to drive, and it has a super-convenient flip-and-fold-away rear seat, but the ride can grow harsh at times.

Recommended Chevy Venture and Toyota Sienna are comparably priced and offer loads of neat features, but they can't match the road manners of our Best Buys. Mazda MPV makes it to the Recommended list this year as a reliable family hauler offering better fuel economy than competitors at a reasonable price. Also garnering Recommended ratings are the Chrysler Town & Country and Chrysler Voyager. Though they don't offer the Caravan's breadth of model choices, they are mechanically similar. Their entry-level models are a super value for the price.

Who says minivans are out of style? Despite the growing market turmoil of 2001, Odyssey eked out a 3.4 percent year-to-year sales gain, and its first-half 2002 tally was 16 percent up on that. Demand remains high, but supplies may no longer be so short, now that Honda has shifted production to its new Alabama plant. Then again, who knows whether altering that equation will finally prompt some dealer discounting?

Odyssey is being restyled and reengineered for 2004 with an emphasis on improved performance, refinement, and interior appeal. According to trade weekly Automotive News, this involves more power via a V6 enlarged to 3.8 liters, and new features intended to make the cabin "more of an entertainment center, with things for every passenger to do on long drives." We'll see the results of these and other efforts fairly soon, perhaps as a concept vehicle at this winter's auto shows.