2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Is The Minivan Queen But Expect To Pay

In hybrid form, the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica really is at the top of its game. As far as minivans go, Chrysler’s people hauler not only properly competes against its Japanese and South-Korean competition, it eats them alive with storage solutions and, well, a plug-in hybrid variant nobody else offers. And since the Pacifica was recently submitted to a facelift, I figured it was important to give it another shot to remind myself how good it still is.

The “Pinnacle” Of Minivans

Minivans really seem to be getting their mojo back lately. I mean, with new additions like the very cool Kia Carnival, an all-new hybrid-only Toyota Sienna and the always excellent Honda Odyssey, it’s fair to say carmakers are still seeing lucrative potential in these things. And the better for it, because we’re all getting fed up of seeing SUVs on the road, now aren’t we? The truth of the matter is that even the most spacious SUV still can’t match a minivan’s real-world practicality.Chrysler, which is the father of the minivan, definitely doesn’t want to get its ass kicked by a foreign carmakers in this space. That’s why it brought a slew of updates to its award-winning van for the 2021 model year. There’s a slightly reworked front fascia, a slightly redesigned rear, new wheels and new available paint colors.The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica also now offers all-wheel drive as optional equipment, because it’s about fucking time. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain (as tested) is now offered on more trim levels, which is cool. Chrysler also reshuffled those trim levels so the van can offer more flexibility in its trim structure. And there’s this new Pinnacle trim, which tops the lineup as the most equipped and expensive Pacifica available. Just the name, Pinnacle. shows how confident Chrysler is with this thing.There’s also a lot of new stuff inside as well, like a new 10.1-inch infotainment display with the latest Uconnect 5 interface. It offers Amazon Alexa integration, a customizable home screen, an available wireless connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an interior camera system to spy on your kids out the rear, and up to 12 different USB ports for charging your devices. Driver-assistance features like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control are also now all standard.Powering the Pacifica hybrid is Stellantis’ tried and proven 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 paired to a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Total combined output is rated at 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. All of it is mated to a ZF nine-speed automatic gearbox that sends the power to the front wheels. When running on electric propulsion, the Pacifica hybrid will get about 50 km of range. Final price for the fully spec’d Chrysler minivan you’re seeing in these pictures is an eye-watering $61,990, making it the most expensive van currently on sale.

For The Spoiled Kids

I tell you, kids are rather lucky to live in the world we currently live in. I mean, when I was a kid, my babysitter would drive me around in a Ford Aerostar. Its seats were hard, and the darn thing didn’t even have air conditioning. Plus she smoked a dozen cigarettes a day, so you can probably imagine the rest. By comparison, this Chrysler seems to have been designed for the children of kings and queens.The Pacifica literally does everything well, but only when it’s running, because the model has been plagued with shady reliability issues in the past. But it rides as smooth as a midsize sedan, yet offers more passenger and cargo space than most SUVs. Its V6 engine is punchy, loves to rev and likes to send glorious intake snarls through the cabin.The nine-speed automatic transmission does have its downfalls – like some rough downshifts and a refusal to downshift sometimes -, but it also knows how to hide in the background and let the V6 do most of the heavy lifting. When running on full EV mode, the Pacifica is as quiet as a library. While not particularly quick in this mode, there’s something rewarding about doing the morning school run while burning no gasoline at all.Mind you, I don’t yet have children, so I couldn’t exactly try that out. But if I did have a few offspring bearing my name, I’m sure they’d enjoy the Pacifica’s rear entertainment systems that incorporate a wide choice of fun and witty games. There’s even a “Are we There Yet” app that allows your kid to know precisely where we are in the trip, except everything is laid out in a kid-focused cheerful interface. Nobody else in this segment does this by the way.Overall build quality in a Pacifica is class-leading, which is remarkable for something built in Windsor Ontario. Material quality is also above average here, especially in this Pinnacle trim due to its absolutely stunning premium quilted caramel Nappa leather seats.I am however a tad disappointed by how the UConnect 5 infotainment interface operates compared to its predecessor. Chrysler’s last systems were downright perfect in the sense that they responded quickly, were easy to comprehend and included a wide array of neat features and apps. It’s still the case here, and the interface itself still responds quickly. But the system now feels a lot more crowded with information, and some menus and features take longer to load or find. I know I said I had loved this system in the Dodge Durango. And I did. Connecting an Android phone to it wirelessly is unbelievably easy. But after sampling it here it just never feels as fluid as the old system. That’s just what happens when you try to cram a system with even more features. But maybe I just need to get used to it a bit more.Where the Pacifica really kills its rivals isn’t in the amount of cargo or passenger space it offers. It’s not even its unique plug-in hybrid powertrain. No, the Pacifica is at the top of its game in storage solutions and its understanding of what minivan buyers actually look for in their vehicle.Things like a massive center console in which you can throw your gear, or the downright genius Stow ‘n Go seats that can conveniently tuck themselves inside the van’s floor, are only possible thanks to Chrysler’s extensive experience of selling minivans to North American consumers for over three decades.So yes, the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is still the queen of minivans, but only if you can afford one, because these things aren’t exactly cheap. Even a base Pacifica Touring will cost you a healthy $38,586, and you’ll quickly spend well over $45,000 if you start piling on the options. Chrysler will at least sell you a watered down Grand Caravan for way less money, but it won’t be plug-in hybrid, and more importantly, won’t feel like a living room on wheels. It’s up to you to decide just how spoiled you want your kids to be.