Minivans are largely the province of moms–but can there be any doubt they are designed principally by men? What else could explain the veritable arms race over gizmos that has dominated the minivan market for the past several years? First came the "magic seat" on the Honda Odyssey, the first third-row bench to fold flat into the floor. Other manufacturers copied, each boasting that its contraption was easier to use than prior models'. Ford came up with a "tailgate" third-row bench on its new Freestar, which can be turned around and faced out the back when the rear gate is opened. Engineers set their sights on the second row too, offering seats that fully recline and slide sideways and can be removed if you'd rather have the space.

Now Chrysler's Dodge division has upped the ante further, with the optional "Stow 'n' Go" second-row seat the company is making the hallmark feature of its redesigned Grand Caravan. How it works: There are two captain's chairs in the middle row. Each can be folded into a storage well in the floor—the seats literally disappear beneath the carpet—allowing the van to be configured for almost any imaginable mix of cargo and passengers. It's easy to see how the project must have been an engineer's dream, since the springs and latches and hinges and other gizmos required for this trick have to be designed rather precisely—one reason the engineering reportedly cost Chrysler several hundred million dollars.

But with all respect to the mechanical geniuses who pulled this off, I have to wonder if Stow 'n' Go was worth the money. With only millimeters to spare in the folding and fitting, it's easy to see how toys or shoes or food or gum or other junk could get in the way and foul up the works. There's also the question of how often the average mom is going to stow or retrieve the seats once the initial wonder wears off. And Stow 'n' Go is only available on the top two trim lines of the Grand Caravan, not on the base level SE version–which means buyers will have to pony up at least an extra $3,000 to get the feature. Nor is it available on the shorter, less expensive Caravan.

Still, Chrysler is touting Stow 'n' Go in its ads and betting that it will help achieve distinction in the maturing minivan market—which it had better. Unlike Toyota and Nissan, which gave their minivans more of a carlike feel—and even a bit of style–when they revamped them last year, Chrysler is sticking with the minivan look and feel. And it still emphasizes affordability, with the entry-level Caravan—about 11 inches shorter than the Grand—starting below $20,000. The styling of the new vans isn't much different from that of the old, and inside there are the same familiar open spaces and pass-throughs so people can climb from front to back. The road feel is vanlike too. There are refinements that make the engine smoother and the handling slicker—but there's still the top-heavy, loping sensation of a big hauler. And while practicality abounds, there has to come a tipping point where all those gizmos overwhelm the driver and lose their impressiveness (unless dads start driving the family van more).