2017 Chrysler Pacifica: 3 Ways It Nails the 9-Speed

CARS.COM — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was one of the early mainstream automakers to add a nine-speed automatic transmission to its lineup — but its introduction was rocky, to say the least. Cars.com’s long-term 2014 Jeep Cherokee had the nine-speed transmission, and even though the SUV received multiple transmission software updates during our ownership, it never felt right; there was persistent sluggishness and abrupt shifts. Though it’s slow to kick down, the transmission’s tuning seems better in the smaller Jeep Renegade and Compass SUVs.

Related: Nine Things About the Jeep Cherokee’s Nine-Speed Transmission

Our current long-term test car, a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, also has FCA’s nine-speed automatic. We’ve put more than 13,000 miles on the van so far, and it’s clear that this is the best application yet of this transmission, which finally has the smoothness and predictability that’s been lacking in other models.

1. Smooth Shifting

The much-improved smoothness is evident from a standing start, as the Pacifica’s automatic shifts smoothly without any of the abruptness that plagued our long-term Cherokee. It’s mostly smooth when decelerating, too.

2. Reliable Acceleration

As we’ve noticed in other models with this transmission, kickdowns do take a moment to happen when you floor the Pacifica’s gas pedal, but pressing the pedal part way down produces a reliable downshift. Overall, the transmission seems much more in sync with the van’s standard 287-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine than it does with the other engines it pairs with in other models. The transmission also helps make the Pacifica swifter than you might expect.

3. Overall Drivability

In previous years, it was rare for an automatic transmission to make or break a vehicle. But as automakers looking for greater fuel efficiency introduce high-gear-count transmissions, drivability has, in some instances, suffered. This has been a nagging issue for FCA’s nine-speed transmission, but in the Pacifica at least, the automaker appears to have sorted it out.