Chrysler's Pacifica Notion

by Rod Cleaver

September 1, 2003

Leave it to Chrysler to reinvent the wheel once again. Well, perhaps not reinvent so much as to retool the wheel. For many years now, the love affair with Minivans and Sport Utility vehicles has been growing, however many people feel a sense of conflict with the stigma of a mini-van or the growing argument over SUV safety. Chrysler has launched the all new Pacifica to bridge the gap between SUV and mini-van buyers, as well as to appeal to the past owners of station wagons. The vehicle is available as either a front or all wheel drive model.

The vehicle has benefited from the development team infused with Daimler Benz objectives. The interior is pure driving and ergonomic pleasure. One friend recently approached my test vehicle and commented that he expected the Pacifica to be a dressed up mini-van. However, once seated in the vehicle, he began to appreciate the concept more readily, and even commented that the interior was remarkably similar in many ways to his Mercedes E320. Our test vehicle was fitted with an onboard DVD entertainment system, and a navigational system that was placed in the instrument cluster. We found the placement extremely effective, and the system was easy to adjust. I was amazed to see how accurate the GPS based system was in logging our tracked position, and it even provided timely prompts to get to the set destination.

The Pacifica is a large vehicle, at 116.3 inches long, its wheelbase and track are larger than that of the short-wheelbase Dodge Caravan and many of the mid-sized SUVs. Chrysler’s designers have done a good job of masking the Pacifica’s substantial side profile with blacked-out lower panels and angular upper sheet metal. With the 17-inch rim/tire packages, the styling is quite attractive and can best be described as crisp. Overall, Chrysler’s familial styling is some of the most appealing currently being produced in the domestic market. The fact that the vehicle step in height is low, ingress and egress through any of the four doors is easily accomplished, while at the same time, the view from the driver’s seat remains as good as what you would encounter in a minivan.

Chrysler has fitted their high output, 250 HP, 3.5 litre V-6 engine in the Pacifica, and though the results are adequate for most driving situations, it lacks that extra punch. That said, this vehicle is heavy at over 4700 pounds, and it is not being marketed as a sports sedan. During the test drive, the Pacifica fuel economy was reasonable, with an average 20 miles per gallon in a mix of highway and city driving. Selecting the manual mode in the standard equipment 4 Speed Auto-stick transmission allows the driver to keep the engine in its power band, if he or she feels like a more sporty romp around town, or on twisty sections of roads.

The ride and handling dynamics were surprisingly good for such a heavy weight; it feels solid at speeds and corners relatively flat. The steering responses nicely complement the overall driving experience. The ride quality can be credited to the use of the Mercedes multi-link rear suspension in the Pacifica. Our All Wheel Drive unit had very little to no driveline noise and the build quality is to be commended, as there were no nagging squeaks around town or wind noise on the highway. With regard to the All Wheel drive system, it is a part time system with the driveline defaulting to front wheel drive mode until wheel slippage occurs, and then the All Wheel system kicks in. This system should be more than adequate for the average motorist, as off road prowess is not a consideration in this vehicle.

Chrysler has gone to considerable lengths to ensure that vehicle occupants are bathed in creature comforts in the Pacifica. These include standard leather faced seats; heated in the first 2 rows, power seats, windows, mirrors, and keyless entry. The front 2 rows of bucket seats are treated to what Chrysler has referred to as premium seating. The second row seats have fore and aft and reclining adjustments, and come with a center console that has its own heating and a/c fan controls, as well as the ability to control the audio/video system in the rear of the vehicle.

The fact that there are only two bucket seats in the second row relegates the Pacifica to a 4 passenger vehicle whenever the rear most seats are folded to increase cargo capacity. That being said, many of the vehicles that the Pacifica competes with share this middle twin bucket, or Captain’s chair configuration, and as such this may be a redundant point.

During my period with this test vehicle, I had the opportunity to travel about with my family, including two children under the age of four. It was a pleasure to not have to lift the older child into the vehicle constantly, as the road clearance was more wagon like than SUV like, and with the rear seats folded down we were able to transport a good amount of office furniture back from our favourite European furniture store. Another of the Pacifica’s features, the remote rear-power liftgate, proved to be worth every penny on that excursion. It was my wife’s unsolicited opinion that this was the perfect car for our family, and I have to agree.

For me, the main reason for a serious look at the Pacifica, outside of the luxury appeal, would be for the focus that has been placed on safety. To that end the Pacifica is equipped with side-curtain airbags for all three rows of seats, three point seat belts for all 6 occupants, knee bolster airbags for the driver, power adjustable pedals, and 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. Also, the driver and front passenger air bags are so-called "smart" airbags that deploy at different rates depending on the force of impact.

The Chrysler Pacifica starts at $43,395 in front wheel drive form, and moves to $45,995 for the All Wheel drive model. These are bold prices for entirely new vehicles, but given the level of standard equipment and the up-market positioning of the vehicles, it probably fits in with the rest of the vehicles it seeks to compete with.