Autoblog Associate Editor Pete Bigelow tests the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica in Newport Beach, California.
TranscriptPETE BIGELOW: Minivans are much maligned, but I happen to like them a lot. It's easy to get the kids in and out with the sliding doors, they're very comfortable on road trips, and you can just haul a lot of stuff. In fact, I own a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country.
And that's what brings us here today to Newport Beach, California, where Chrysler is launching the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. It's an all-new car from the company that invented the minivan. Let's see how this one compares to previous generations.
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So we're testing this Pacifica here in Southern California. There's lots of rolling hills along the interstate and highways that we're driving. And one thing that I've noticed right off the bat is I'm not getting any gear searching or any big surges in power. It's really smooth on all fronts. 287 horsepower, which is the best in class as far as minivans go.
Engineers from Chrysler say that they've really redesigned this car from the ground up. There's not a lot of commonality between the two models. They wanted this to be a quieter driving experience and really to make this feel like you're driving a sedan, not a minivan.
I don't so much notice that difference as much as the driving performance of the car. But I do notice that there's a distinct difference. This is a much quieter vehicle than the Town and Country that I own.
So one of the other new features in the Pacifica here is that they have added a vacuum cleaner in the back, clearly a feature that Honda introduced on the Odyssey maybe about three years ago gaining in popularity. It's really interesting. At the event this morning talking about the Pacifica, I overheard several people talking about their favorite features of this car. And it was the vacuum cleaner that was by far and away the most compelling argument for buying the car for several people who were listening there.
One of the things that I'm kind of ambivalent about is I really like the Uconnect system overall. I think it's the best infotainment offering from any automaker. And this one, on some level, it's easier to use in that I think it's a faster response when you make your selection. But this is also busier. There's a lot more buttons, a lot more options, to sift through.
So how does the Pacific compare to the 2016 Town and Country that I own? It's a much quieter ride. I noticed that immediately during our drive yesterday. It also has a 287 horsepower engine. That extra power really helps getting on and off the freeway.
And the transmission is much better on this vehicle too. Chrysler's had some issues with transmissions on previous generation minivans. Saw no problems yesterday going up and down some of the hillier roads here in Southern California.
One of the most interesting aspects about the 2017 Pacifica is one that we did not get to test here in Southern California. Chrysler is making a hybrid version of this car, which is going to be the first minivan hybrid on the market. Gets 30 miles all-electric range. We're really looking forward to driving the hybrid. We're going to have to wait till later this year.
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