Two years removed from a complete overhaul, the 2013 Chrysler Town & Country remains virtually unchanged—the 16-inch wheels found on the 2012 Town & Country have been upgraded to 17-inch wheels for 2013.

In its fifth generation, the 4-door, 7-passenger 2013 Chrysler Town & Country is available in three front-wheel-drive trims: Touring, Touring-L and Limited FWD. Each trim is equipped with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that achieves 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The Pentastar engine is mated with an Autostick 6-speed transmission with overdrive and is expected to achieve fuel economy ratings—on flex-fuel—of 17 mpg city/25 highway.

Standard equipment for the Touring trim includes dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a heated leather-covered steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, power 8-way leather driver's and front passenger seats with power lumbar support, Stow n' Go seating, halogen headlights, power heated exterior mirrors with turn signal indicator, power liftgate, rear lip spoiler, 430-watt 6-speaker audio system with AM/FM radio, CD/DVD player, and 6.5-inch touchscreen display, voice-activated navigation system, rear-seat dual DVD entertainment system and 17-inch silver aluminum alloy wheels. Upgrading to the Touring-L trim adds a sunroof, power-adjustable pedals, remote start, heated driver's and front passenger seats, and 17-inch painted aluminum wheels. Buyers choosing the Limited FWD trim receive HID headlights, power-adjustable pedals with memory, a 730-watt, 9-speaker Infinity audio system with a subwoofer and 17-inch polished aluminum wheels.

The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country has a sophisticated system of airbags, including multistage front airbags, supplemental front-seat-mounted side airbags, driver’s knee airbag and supplemental side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard occupants. Other standard safety features include 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability control, driveline traction control, blind-spot monitoring system, rear backup camera, rear park assist and a theft deterrent system.

Industry rumors have it that the Chrysler Group will drop the Town & Country minivan in favor of a luxury crossover SUV sometime in the next couple of years, and it may or may not retain the Town & Country nameplate. Facing competition from the likes of the Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna, the Town & Country remains a solid choice for those who want luxury with their minivan while managing to keep costs in line. The 2013 Chrysler Town & Country should hit dealer showrooms sometime in autumn of 2012.