Old Name, Better Vehicle: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan
After creating the minivan segment more than 30 years ago, Chrysler has unveiled an all-new vehicle with familiar name. After more than 25 years The Town & Country nameplate is being retired, and the name for the automaker’s all-new minivan is Pacifica. Re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform for class-leading ride, handling, and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), Pacifica delivers class-leading gasoline and hybrid powertrains to the minivan segment, with the Pacifica Hybrid offering up to 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in city driving. In a segment not known for high fashion, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan brings sculptural styling, beautiful surfacing and highly crafted execution.
Wearing the face of the Chrysler brand, the all-new Pacifica has a sculpted exterior with athletic proportions. A fast silhouette and sophisticated, fluid-like surfacing deliver a level of style not found in the minivan segment. The Pacifica’s sliding door track lines are hidden under the rear-quarter side glass, making them virtually indistinguishable. With its long wheelbase, wide track, low ground clearance and available 20-inch wheels, the Chrysler Pacifica appears planted, with a capable stance.
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid features a unique front grille pattern and wheel design, as well as distinctive badging, differentiating it from the rest of the Pacifica lineup.
The new Chrysler offers more than 100 standard and available safety and security features as well as a full array of comfort and convenience technologies available, including Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum, tri-pane panoramic sunroof, hands free sliding doors and liftgate and redesigned Stow ‘n Go seating with Stow ‘n Go Assist and Easy Tilt access to the third row.
Base power is generated by the automaker’s tried and true 3.6L Pentastar V6 gasoline engine. Torque is communicated to the street through 948TE TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission.
The Pacifica Hybrid, the industry’s first electrified minivan, will deliver an estimated range of 30 miles solely on zero-emissions electric power from a 16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. In city driving, it is expected to achieve an efficiency rating of 80 MPGe based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. The pivotal technology behind the all-new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is its innovative electrically variable transmission (EVT). Patented by FCA US, the device features two electric motors, which are both capable of driving the vehicle’s wheels.
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform, delivering class-leading ride and handling and reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Its body structure is the lightest and stiffest in its class, making it more responsive with lower levels of body roll and enhanced agility to absorb and distribute road inputs.
Inside the passenger cabin, the all-new Pacifica is engineered and executed to deliver a “vault-like” interior environment with low levels of wind noise, road noise and related vibration/harshness characteristics. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is standard on all models to further heighten refinement factor during a comfortable daily commute or an extended road trip with family and friends. The Chrysler Pacifica boasts the largest interior volume in the segment, with clever storage, available eight-passenger seating, and the ability to fit an 8 x 4-foot sheet of plywood.
The thoughtfully designed and beautifully crafted interior mixes high-tech elements with a sculpted, muscular feel. With horizontally drawn features, the interior’s spaciousness is amplified, and the linear elements keep the eye moving throughout the cabin. The available tri-pane panoramic sunroof, with a dual-pane panoramic sunroof and a fixed glass pane over the third row, adds to the feeling of spaciousness.
Dimensions & specifications
Wheelbase: 121.6; overall length: 203.6; width: 79.6; height: 69.9
All vehicle measurements are in inches.
Engine: 3.6L V6 – 287 hp at 6,400 rpm and 262 lbs-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Cargo capacity: 140.5 cubic feet
