The Chrysler Pacifica is the only hybrid minivan on the market - and it's seriously impressive
So what's the verdict?
Navigation was faultless.
You can operate both second-row screens from the center touchscreen in front.
Bluetooth pairing is a snap, as is using the USB inputs for devices. Uconnect handles all this expertly, which is good as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren't currently available.
There's a wifi connection. USB ports abound, there are AUX and HDMI inputs, and even a 115-volt power outlet.
The screen also provides a bird's eye overhead view by using the Pacifica's cameras. This is a very useful feature when maneuvering the boxy vehicle in tight parking spaces.
A host of driver-assist features are also in the house, ranging from blindspot and cross-traffic warnings to front collision warnings, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warnings, and many, many airbags.
(The driver-assist features, along with the Uconnect "Theater" package for the second-row seat, are part of an $1,800 option package.)
Some vehicle functions are managed through the touchscreen interface, such as heated and cooled seats, the heated steering wheel, and the rear climate.
On to the infotainment! Chrysler's Uconnect is something of a sleeper in the world of auto tech. It's solid, but not showy. In our testing, it does an excellent job of getting the job done. The seven-inch screen could be larger, but it's far from alarmingly small.
The rear system can also be controlled using this remote.
The system has a pair of wireless headphones that are stashed in the seat pockets. Using them, kids in the second row can enjoy their entertainment with the driver and front-seat passenger rock out with SiriusXM radio running through a 13-speaker, 506-watt premium Alpine audio system.
Checkers! Other games of strategy and skill include tic-tac-toe.
You can play music, tie in a device for other types of entertainment, load up a Blu-Ray or DVD, or fool around with the native apps.
The entertainment system in the second row is based on flip-down tablet-style screens — one for each seatback.
Knobs and button for climate control are quite simple, and the transmission is an initially annoying rotating puck that's isn't so bad once you get used to it.
And a convex mirror inside the sunglasses hatch so that you can keep an eye on the rear seats.
Abundant storage options.
From the driver's seat, the Pacifica's steering wheel and instrument cluster are fairly minimalist, although all the expected controls are present. When driving, steering strikes a nice balance between firm and soft — not too far in either direction, even though it's electrically assisted.
... and make use of the onboard charging cable, if you want to use home power. You can also use public Level 2 locations to rejuice faster.
Just flip the cover open ...
The Pacifica hybrid has a charging port.
No chance of the second- and third-rows feeling like a cave, not with a pair of power moonroofs. Let the sunshine in!
Adults would be OK back there for journeys of modest length.
Even the typically snug third row was pretty cushy.
And by comfortable, I mean comfortable for everybody.
The creamy leather interior was both beautiful and comfortable.
Everything I threw at the Pacifica was swallowed up with aplomb: groceries. gear, floaty things for a trip to a nearby lakefront beach.
The cargo area is cavernous, especially with the third row seats folded down and stowed.
OK, sorry, back to the previously scheduled review. Although the legendary VW bus was a common sight on American roadways, it did take Chrysler until the 1980s to create the modern minivan. The Pacifica is the culmination of all those decades of minivan know-how.
Are you minivan experienced?
... makes me think of where the minivan thing really got started.
Wow, looking at this minivan has me feeling kinda trippy and flashback-y ...
Like all minivans, the Pacifica can open up all those doors to allow passengers easy ingress and egress — and owners to cram as much gear in the cargo area as possible. Our tester had power everything, making the sliding side doors a breeze to operate. Literally, a child could do it (but not when the vehicle is moving).
Our tester was the plug-in hybrid version of the Pacifica. It has a 3.6-liter V6 yoked to a hybrid electric system whose two electric motors provide 260 total horsepower. Other Pacificas get a straight 3.6-liter V6, making more hp: 287. The hybrid has a CVT transmission, while the non-hybrid has a nine-speed automatic.
So, what's the story with the MPGs?
On gas alone, the Pacifica's combined city/highway number is 32 mpg, while "MPGe" in 84, a consequence of being able to run the minivan on electric power alone for 33 miles, according to FCA.
Those are all good figures for a large vehicle that can haul up to eight adults and plenty of stuff. The Pacifica is also the only hybrid minivan currently on the market.
The Pacifica used to be the Town & Country, but that nameplate was dropped. The Pacifica name had been used on a discontinued Chrysler vehicle — and it was also the name of Chrysler's California design studio.
But ... the Pacifica is still a minivan, and there's no hiding that huge rear hatch.
The design is actually quite elegant, stately even. Far more eye-catching than the Toyota Sienna and not quite as flashy as the Honda Odyssey. The lines flow into each other nicely, as typified by the the suave proportions of the front end.
The Pacifica arrived wearing a handsome "Granite Crystal Metallic" paint job. BI's Ben Zhang had briefly driven the gas-powered version and was underwhelmed. Would the hybrid be different?
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