Chrysler is replacing its long-lived Town &Country with a brand new minivan. This newbie, however, has a recycled name: Pacifica.
From 2004 to 2008, Chrysler sold a midsize crossover called Pacifica. It looked more like a swollen wagon than an SUV and along with that identity crisis it faced a market awash with fierce competition.
With sliding doors on both sides and a rear hatch, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is unmistakably a minivan.
Minivans are long low boxes by definition. Not a lot can be done to make them look like something else, although a couple of automakers have tried, to bad effect. There’s really nothing wrong with looking like a good honest minivan, and a wildly stylized design just ends up looking like a cry for help.
Pacifica captures the middle ground by having some aggressive styling, most noticeably up front, but not to the point where designers could be accused of attempted minivan camouflage.
Power is provided by a 287-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 joined to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The torque rating is 262 lb-ft and fuel economy numbers are 18 mpg city, 28 mpg highway. Regular unleaded gas is recommended.
Fuel economy is boosted by the incorporation of an engine stop-start (ESS) system that automatically shuts off and restarts the engine in stop-and-go traffic or when waiting for the green light at intersections. Buyers, including those who do or do not prefer ESS, should note that it’s a late-availability feature, meaning you won’t find it on the earliest production models. Once there, ESS is standard equipment.
All-wheel drive may be available somewhere down the line, but no promises yet.
Bigger news about the powertrain situation is that Pacifica is the first minivan to offer a hybrid model. The plug-in hybrid is expected to achieve an 80-mpg equivalent during city driving, and will go an estimated 30 miles on electric power alone. It is scheduled to go on sale this fall.
Chrysler’s ingenious Stow ‘n Go seat-folding system outdoes itself in the Pacifica with the inclusion of a push button for automatic, effortless operation that folds second-row seats completely down. They disappear into the floor tub as though they were never there. Easy access to the third row is made possible by the Easy Tilt feature of second-row seats.
An optional Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum system has a long reach, capable of ridding the whole interior of dust, dirt, crumbs, pet hair and other debris commonly harbored by minivans.
The Chrysler Pacifica includes a multitude of other new convenience and safety features, such as a four-camera Surround View system providing 360-degree views; parallel and perpendicular parking assist; adaptive cruise control that keeps the van at a set distance from the vehicle in front of it and can bring the van to a controlled stop for collision avoidance; forward collision warning that deploys the brakes as a driver alert system to help avoid an imminent crash; and lane departure warning that uses the electronic power steering to nudge the driver into getting back on track.
While these safety systems have the driver’s back, an all-new Uconnect Theater rear seat entertainment system takes care of the passengers. Among its highlights are two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens for watching movies, playing built-in games, and connecting personal devices for Internet access, including streaming.
The 2017 Pacifica, available in five different trim levels, is expected to arrive at local Chrysler dealerships later this spring. Base pricing, including a $995 destination charge, starts at $29,590.
This preview of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is based on an introductory event held by the manufacturer. Although the vehicle was driven during the event, automotive reviews that include driving impressions and other opinions appear only after a vehicle has been given the standard weeklong test-drive.
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