CARGAZING A fresh start for Sleek Pacifica starts anew, replacing Town & Country

By Derek Price With a plug-in hybrid version on its CARGAZING.COM way soon, expect for them to be shattered even more. hrysler’s new Pacifica has split personalities. The interior is designed for people who love What was tested? minivans, and the exterior is 2017 Limited Cdesigned for people who hate them. It’s an interesting and bold experiment ($42,495). Options: None. as Chrysler tries to re-ignite the passion Price as tested (including $995 people once had for minivans in the 1980s destination charge): $43,490 and ‘90s. The segment has dramatically shrunk in recent years as many buyers have : 121.6 in. switched from boxy, utilitarian vans to Length: 203.6 in. trendier crossovers and SUVs, despite their Width: 79.6 in. sometimes gluttonous gas consumption and less useful cabins. Height: 69.9 in. The Pacifica makes the case that today’s Engine: 3.6-liter V6 (287 hp, marketplace isn’t being rational. The most logical vehicle for most American families, 262 lb.-ft.) by a long shot, is the . And this all- : Nine-speed new design is a darn good one, perhaps the automatic best ever to hit American roads. It’s like Chrysler is saying, “Take that, EPA Mileage: 18 city, Honda and Toyota!” 28 highway On the outside, the Pacifica does a PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRYSLER PACIFICA great job shedding the frumpy persona The Chrysler Pacifica does a brilliant job hiding its minivan bones from the outside. It combines the that plagues most vans. While it’s still RATINGS shaped like a box on wheels — the pretty nose of the with rear styling elements of a luxury to mask its familiar, Style: 9 most efficient way to maximize interior boxy dimensions. Performance: 9 volume — Chrysler’s stylists used visual magic tricks to make it look far more sleek Still, Chrysler doesn’t shy away from You can feel that most clearly on the My biggest impression from the driver’s Price: 7 and round from the outside. the fact that this is a minivan at heart. Kia inside, where it goes farther than any seat is sheer silence. This is the quietest Handling: 5 The Pacifica is an extremely talented almost treats the term like an expletive, other vehicle to make kids — and, in turn, van I’ve ever driven, and active noise can- Ride: 8 disguise artist, taking on the pleasant, calling the Sedona a “multi-purpose their parents — sublimely happy. cellation, which comes as standard equip- friendly face of the Chrysler 200 in front vehicle” instead of using the dreaded On my high-end Limited tester, the ment on all trim levels, is a big part of that. Comfort: 9 and the sculpted, sophisticated look of a M-word, but Chrysler embraces the back seats were a paradise of digital So is the stiffer, stronger, better- Quality: 9 luxury crossover in back. Pacifica’s minivan-ness with pride. acronyms — USBs, HMDIs, LCDs — all designed chassis that underpins every- designed to keep children entertained for thing. It feels even more solid and rock- Overall: 9 hours. Ample power outlets meant my like than the Japanese-brand minivans three kids could keep their iPads and over the road, something I never thought Video review portable games charged indefinitely on I’d say about a Chrysler product, and its 2017 Chrysler Pacifica the highway. 287-horsepower engine and nine-speed Even if we forgot to bring along the transmission feel as silky and well-tuned bit.ly/17pacifica handheld electronics, the Pacifica had us as anything in its class. covered. Two huge video screens could Even its gas mileage is unsurpassed at not only play Blu-ray movies, but they also 28 mpg on the highway. came with built-in games that can be In my mind, though, resale value and played by touching the screen or by brand reputation are the only two question remote control. marks about the Pacifica. Toyota and The children could play tic-tac-toe Honda, and to a lesser extent Nissan with its or checkers against one another, for Quest, have earned esteem for longevity and example, or play a fun game called “Are ridiculously strong prices in the used-car Why buy it? We There Yet?” that solves the bane of market. Only time will tell if Chrysler’s latest road trips. It integrates with the GPS work will close that resale gap as much as it It’s the quietest minivan for sale navigation system in the front seat to has in technology and refinement, which today and is packed with family- display the van’s destination and progress are obvious from even a quick test drive. along the route in a fun, cartoonish way Overall, though, the Pacifica is a mini- friendly innovations, from its tech- for the passengers in back. van full of pleasant surprises. Its sharp nology to its easy-to-stow seats. The Pacifica’s interior has the sophisticated look of an upscale car in All the kid-friendly gadgets make me looks, refined driving feel and long list of It’s also refined and stylish enough wonder whether Chrysler misspelled family-friendly innovations (37 with this the front. In the back, it’s very kid-friendly, especially on high-end this van’s name. It should be called the generation and 115 total, if you’re count- to tempt today’s crossover and trim levels with the optional entertainment system. Pacifier, not the Pacifica. ing) are all meant to shatter expectations. SUV shoppers. CARGAZING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRYSLER PACIFICA The Chrysler Pacifica does a brilliant job hiding its minivan bones from the outside. It combines the pretty nose of the Chrysler 200 with rear styling elements of a luxury crossover to mask its familiar, boxy dimensions. A fresh start for minivans Sleek Chrysler Pacifica starts anew, replacing Town & Country

By Derek Price CARGAZING.COM hrysler’s new Pacifica has split personalities. The interior is designed for people who love minivans, and C the exterior is designed for people who hate them. It’s an interesting and bold experiment All the kid-friendly gadgets make me as Chrysler tries to re-ignite the passion wonder whether Chrysler misspelled this people once had for minivans in the 1980s van’s name. It should be called the and ‘90s. The segment has dramatically Pacifier, not the Pacifica. shrunk in recent years as many buyers My biggest impression from the driver’s have switched from boxy, utilitarian vans seat is sheer silence. This is the quietest to trendier crossovers and SUVs, despite van I’ve ever driven, and active noise can- their sometimes gluttonous gas consump- cellation, which comes as standard equip- tion and less useful cabins. ment on all trim levels, is a big part of that. The Pacifica makes the case that So is the stiffer, stronger, better-de- today’s marketplace isn’t being rational. signed chassis that underpins everything. The most logical vehicle for most It feels even more solid and rock-like than American families, by a long shot, is the the Japanese-brand minivans over the minivan. And this all-new design is a darn road, something I never thought I’d say good one, perhaps the best ever to hit about a Chrysler product, and its American roads. 287-horsepower engine and nine-speed It’s like Chrysler is saying, “Take that, transmission feel as silky and well-tuned Honda and Toyota!” as anything in its class. On the outside, the Pacifica does a Even its gas mileage is unsurpassed at great job shedding the frumpy persona 28 mpg on the highway. that plagues most vans. While it’s still In my mind, though, resale value and shaped like a box on wheels — the most brand reputation are the only two ques- efficient way to maximize interior volume tion marks about the Pacifica. Toyota and — Chrysler’s stylists used visual magic Honda, and to a lesser extent Nissan with tricks to make it look far more sleek and its Quest, have earned esteem for longev- round from the outside. ity and ridiculously strong prices in the The Pacifica is an extremely talented used-car market. Only time will tell if disguise artist, taking on the pleasant, Chrysler’s latest work will close that resale friendly face of the Chrysler 200 in front gap as much as it has in technology and and the sculpted, sophisticated look of a The Pacifica’s interior has the sophisticated look of an upscale car in the front. In the back, it’s very kid- refinement, which are obvious from even luxury crossover in back. friendly, especially on high-end trim levels with the optional entertainment system. a quick test drive. Still, Chrysler doesn’t shy away from Overall, though, the Pacifica is a mini- the fact that this is a minivan at heart. Kia other vehicle to make kids — and, in turn, table games charged indefinitely on the The children could play tic-tac-toe or van full of pleasant surprises. Its sharp almost treats the term like an expletive, their parents — sublimely happy. highway. checkers against one another, for example, looks, refined driving feel and long list of calling the Sedona a “multi-purpose vehi- On my high-end Limited tester, the Even if we forgot to bring along the or play a fun game called “Are We There family-friendly innovations (37 with this cle” instead of using the dreaded M-word, back seats were a paradise of digital acro- handheld electronics, the Pacifica had us Yet?” that solves the bane of road trips. It generation and 115 total, if you’re count- but Chrysler embraces the Pacifica’s mini- nyms — USBs, HMDIs, LCDs — all covered. Two huge video screens could not integrates with the GPS navigation system ing) are all meant to shatter expectations. van-ness with pride. designed to keep children entertained for only play Blu-ray movies, but they also in the front seat to display the van’s destina- With a plug-in hybrid version on its You can feel that most clearly on the hours. Ample power outlets meant my came with built-in games that can be played tion and progress along the route in a fun, way soon, expect for them to be shattered inside, where it goes farther than any three kids could keep their iPads and por- by touching the screen or by remote control. cartoonish way for the passengers in back. even more.

A CLOSER LOOK

AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Video review Why buy it? 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited ($42,495). Options: None. Price Style: 9 2017 Chrysler Pacifica It’s the quietest minivan for as tested (including $995 destination charge): $43,490 Performance: 9 bit.ly/17pacifica sale today and is packed Wheelbase: 121.6 in. Price: 7 with family-friendly innova- Length: 203.6 in. Handling: 5 tions, from its technology to Width: 79.6 in. Ride: 8 its easy-to-stow seats. It’s Height: 69.9 in. Comfort: 9 also refined and stylish Engine: 3.6-liter V6 (287 hp, 262 lb.-ft.) Quality: 9 enough to tempt today’s Transmission: Nine-speed automatic Overall: 9 crossover and SUV shoppers. EPA Mileage: 18 city, 28 highway