Everything from the previous model is gone, including the name, as Chrysler's latest minivan makes a bold statement at the 2016 North American International Auto Show.
The Chrysler minivan
During the introduction of the new Pacifica at the 2016 NAIAS in Detroit, we were reminded of the fact that Chrysler is tied to the minivan like no other manufacturer.
It all began in 1978 when Lee Iacocca, recently fired from Ford, became president of Chrysler. Ford's director of product planning, Hal Sperlich, had also been let go shortly before Iacocca and hired by Chrysler. Both brought with them the idea of a fuel-efficient, midsize, front-wheel-drive vehicle that became the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth K-Cars, released in 1981.
With the K-platform, both Iacocca and Sperlich were able to engineer the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager minivans, first introduced as 1984 models, later followed by the Chrysler Town & Country minivan in 1990.
Minivan sales peaked in 2000, with combined sales of 1.4 million but, due in part to a reputation as the vehicle of choice for "soccer moms", their sales have steadily declined since then. But even as the market contracted, other manufacturers pulled out of the segment leaving three major players to divide up 500,000 in annual minivan sales.
One of those remaining major players is Chrysler, with 14.3 million minivan sales spanning five generations of vehicles. So if you're Chrysler, do you turn your back on all those owners and leave the segment, go the safe route to maintain the status quo, or go for the dramatic in the hopes of attracting more young families with the minivan's strengths of space and versatility?
2017 Chrysler Pacifica
Those of us who owned one during the boom years will attest to the minivan's versatility and practicality. The only thing we found missing these family haulers was style.
Enter the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.
Chrysler purposely dropped the "Town & Country" label from its latest minivan to avoid any comparison to the past. The new Pacifica is stylish in a way Chrysler minivans have never been.
Up front, it takes styling cues from the Chrysler 200 sedan with a narrow upper grill flanked by narrow, wrap-around headlamp enclosures. The lower fascia is dominated by an aggressive low air intake and jewel-like triangular-shaped fog lamp housings.
Its sides are dominated by muscular front and rear wheel arches, a sharp upper crease and deeply sculpted lower character line. The rear fascia also features another definitive styling cue: a rear window that wraps around the upper body. It's a design that's quite stunning from any angle.
The new Pacifica is also based on an all-new platform that allowed Chrysler to shed approximately 250 pounds (model to model) from the 2015 Town & Country. The new body is stiffer and more aerodynamic, with greater use of hot-stamped and high-strength steels and structural adhesives. In addition, both the liftgate inner structure and instrument panel beam are constructed of magnesium, while the liftgate, itself, is made from aluminum.
True to its roots, however, the Pacifica will boast the largest interior of any minivan with available 8-passenger seating and the ability to fit an 8x4 sheet of plywood.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica powertrains
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica will offer customers the choice of two powertrains.
The first is an upgraded version of Chrysler's 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 producing 287 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Standard engine stop-start technology will also be introduced later in the model year.
The second offering also happens to be a segment first: a specially-modified version of the upgraded 3.6-liter V-6, featuring an Atkinson cycle combustion system, paired with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission (EVT) in a hybrid powertrain. Featuring plug-in as well as regenerative charging, Chrysler expects this version to achieve 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in the city and 30 miles of all-electric range. Once the electric range has been exceeded, the Pacifica operates like a conventional gas-electric hybrid vehicle.
The16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) hybrid battery is located under the middle row, which means no middle stow-and-go option. On the other hand, cargo capacity is unaffected and the third row stow-and-go seating and storage feature remains. The exterior battery charge port is located on the driver's side fender for easy access when exiting the vehicle.
All 2017 Pacifica models are equipped with Chrysler's e-shift rotary dial shifter which is located on the center console.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica interior
As you might expect, the interior consists of a plethora of soft-touch surfaces. Standard fare includes the usual power features plus keyless entry with push-button start, active noise cancellation, 3-zone air conditioning, rear air conditioning, a 3.5-inch TFT instrument display, 5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and Uconnect Access, 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar adjustment, Stow 'n Go middle (non-hybrid) and third row seating, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and 8 airbags (driver and front passenger, side-curtain for all three rows, knee-bolster driver and front passenger and front seat-mounted side).
Notable options include an 8.4-inch touchscreen, various leather choices, an integrated vacuum and Uconnect Theater, which consists of, among other things, 13 amplified speakers, a 3-channel wireless headphones, a Blu-ray/DVD player, a 506-watt amplifier, a high-definition multimedia interface and two 10-inch seatback video screens.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica availability and pricing
The non-hybrid 2017 Pacifica will be available this spring, while the hybrid model will reach dealer showrooms later this year. Pricing on both models will be announced closer to their on-sale dates.
