The Dodge Caravan is great for hauling large families around town—but if you need a vehicle that can handle off-road driving, you should check out a crossover or SUV instead.

While a good off-roading vehicle can improve your family’s weekend camping trips or backcountry excursions, not all cars are capable of leaving the paved roads behind. A minivan like the Dodge Caravan might be able to handle the occasional dirt road, but it’s not meant for the open trail.

If you’re thinking about bringing a Dodge Caravan along for your outdoor adventures, read this helpful guide from

car insurance

expert

Jerry

first. We’ll go over everything you need to know about essential off-road specs like ground clearance, tires, and drivetrain. We'll also talk about how the Dodge Caravan compares to some competitors—and how Jerry can help you save on your

Dodge Caravan insurance costs

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Can the 2020 Dodge Caravan go off-road?

No, the 2020 Dodge Caravan shouldn’t go off-road. It might be able to handle a flat, well-maintained dirt road in a pinch—but the Caravan wasn’t designed with off-roading in mind, and trying to drive it over uneven terrain would most likely result in nothing but expensive repair bills.

But if you’ve got a large family, or just need a lot of cargo space, the 2020 Dodge Caravan can still be a great choice. For an average listing price of around $30,311 on the used car market, the 2020 Dodge Caravan offers seating for up to seven people, 33 cubic feet of storage, a 283-horsepower V6 engine, automatic transmission, and a respectable fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon.

So why is the 2020 Dodge Caravan such a poor choice for the open trails? Keep reading to learn about important off-road specs and where this functional family-hauler falls short.

Ground clearance

A vehicle’s ground clearance, or the distance between the lowest part of a car’s chassis and the ground, is the most important thing to consider before taking a car off-road. The more space there is between the underside of your car and the ground, the easier it is to roll over uneven terrain without damaging your vehicle.

Experts recommend between 8.8 and 10.8 inches of ground clearance for a safe off-roading experience, but the 2020 Dodge Caravan falls short for off-roading—it sits just 5.8 inches off the ground, making it much too low to handle anything more than a flat dirt road.

MORE:

What is frame damage to a car?

Torque

When it comes to things like driving up a steep hill or rolling through mud, how much turning power your car has determines how likely you are to get stuck. Vehicles that can achieve high torque at low rpm excel on uneven terrain.

The 2020 Dodge Caravan is fitted with a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a maximum torque of 260 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm. That’s plenty of power for driving around town or on the highway, but because it can't be accessed at low speeds, you'd have a hard time trying to drive on loose gravel, sand, or any terrain where traction is difficult.

MORE:

Dodge Caravan V6

Tires

A set of all-season tires came standard on the 2020 Dodge Caravan. While these tires are great for driving on paved roads in a variety of weather conditions, they won’t stand up to tougher terrain. Off-road driving requires a set of

all-terrain tires

, or A/T tires, which provide better cornering and improved traction.

While the Caravan’s stock tires can probably manage driving on a well-maintained dirt road or parking in a grass lot, you’ll need tires with a deeper tread depth if you expect to drive on off-road trails without getting stuck.

Drivetrain

If you’re looking to drive off-road, a vehicle with four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive is ideal. These drivetrains allow your tires to gain traction independently, so you can maintain control of the car even if one of your tires leaves the ground or gets stuck in a hole.

But the 2020 Dodge Caravan only comes with front-wheel drive—which isn’t suitable (or safe) for off-roading at all!

Angles

It is important to know your car’s approach angle and departure angle before attempting to drive off-road. Otherwise, you risk damaging your vehicle’s frame. If you’re not familiar with those terms, here’s what they mean:

Approach angle: the maximum angle at which a vehicle can climb without interference

Departure angle: the maximum angle at which a vehicle can descend without interference

With approach and departure angles of just 13 and 18 degrees, the 2020 Dodge Caravan doesn’t come close to the expert recommendation of 20 degrees for the best off-road experience. This means that while the Caravan can maneuver over slightly uneven terrain, trying to roll over rocks or crags will surely damage your car.

MORE:

How long is a Dodge Caravan?

Off-road rating: Don’t try it

If you’re still not sure where the 2020 Dodge Caravan stands when it comes to off-road driving,

Jerry's

very-technical DIRT rating system can help you figure it out! Here’s how we break it down:

Rating	Meaning	Description
D	Don’t try it	Vehicles better suited to highway conditions
I	In a pinch	Vehicles that can handle off-road conditions in certain circumstances
R	Rough and ready	Vehicles designed for casual off-roading
T	Trail boss	True off-road vehicles capable of tackling a range of terrain

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It probably won’t surprise you to learn that we give the 2020 Dodge Caravan a D rating for off-roading. While the Caravan is a great pick for anyone that needs to transport multiple people across town, it’s a poor performer on the backroads. Its inferior ground clearance, unimpressive tires, weak drivetrain, and low approach and departure angles make it a bad—or even dangerous—choice for off-road driving.

If you absolutely must drive your Caravan off-road, you can look into

aftermarket mods

like a lift kit, skid plates, or all-terrain tires—but you’d still be better off investing in a trail-ready SUV like a

Jeep Wrangler

Ford Bronco

instead.

MORE:

The best old-school off-road vehicles

The best off-road alternatives to the 2020 Dodge Caravan

If you can’t live without the convenience of a minivan’s generous seating and cargo space, here are some alternatives to the 2020 Dodge Caravan that might offer better performance off the beaten path:

Model	Typical listing price	Description
2020 Chrysler Pacifica	$41,252	The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica was available with all-wheel drive, making it capable of driving on some light off-roading terrain like sand or gravel.
2020 Nissan NV	$31,159	With up to 8.1 inches of ground clearance, the 2020 Nissan NV can handle some uneven terrain when properly equipped.
2020 Toyota Sienna	$38,826	Optional all-wheel drive and 6.9 inches of ground clearance make the 2020 Toyota Sienna suitable for a weekend camping trip.

MORE: Cheap off-road trucks

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How to find affordable car insurance for off-road vehicles

Off-road vehicles are great for weekend camping trips, but they come with one major downside—they’re expensive! Not only do they usually cost more to buy, they’re also more expensive to insure. Insurance companies know that you’re more likely to file a claim if you drive an off-road vehicle—even if it’s a trail-rated SUV with the best specs and safety features.

But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with an expensive

car insurance

policy.

Jerry

can help you find good coverage for a price you can afford. Just download our

trustworthy super app

, answer some basic questions, and Jerry collects all of your information from your existing insurer. Choose from competitive quotes from top insurance companies and Jerry takes care of the rest—securing your new policy and helping you cancel your old one upon request.

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