2017 Chrysler Pacifica First Drive: Mom Tested, Kid Approved

CARS.COM — As I often remind my kids, I’m the boss of the apple sauce (insert eye roll), but when it comes to the family vehicle — which often doubles as a living room, dining room and playroom — what the kids think matters. My kindergartner and I left dad and our twin toddlers behind to test the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan near San Diego, Calif., and for once, we agree: It’s a winner, from both the front seat and the back. 

Related: Features That Make the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica a Family-Car Game Changer

Like a diaper bag, most minivans are large, unwieldy and frumpy but pack all the gear your family needs. For 2017, however, Chrysler’s van morphed into a Kate Spade bag: The new Pacifica is sleek, stylish and even more tailored to families, packing in additional room and innovative comfort and convenience features. Unlike the aging, unrefined Town & Country it replaces, the Pacifica looks great and drives great, too.

It’s Not a Chore to Drive

Long and heavy, minivans are not known for their handling prowess, but Chrysler made great strides with the Pacifica. It’s much less a chore to drive than the outgoing model, with improved handling and maneuverability, especially when parking. It feels tighter and more composed in corners, and ride quality is better, too — most bumps don’t unsettle it. I rode to and from the airport in the old Town & Country, and the Pacifica is much quieter; wind and engine noise are well-hushed. 

Power comes from a new version of the 3.6-liter V-6 that powered the Town & Country mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission; a plug-in hybrid version will be out later this year. The problematic nine-speed is found throughout Fiat Chrysler’s lineup and it hasn’t been a favorite, particularly when teamed with a four-cylinder engine. Our long-term Jeep Cherokee clunked into gear with awkward shift timing, and the nine-speed also was  one of the shortcomings cited about the new Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade by many of the judges for the Cars.com Subcompact SUV Challenge. In the Pacifica, the V-6 engine and nine-speed are a better combination. Power from a stop is ample and delivery is smooth and linear; midrange power on the highway is furnished quickly and naturally. At low speeds around town, I noticed the occasional rough, abrupt downshift upon deceleration, but for the most part, the nine-speed was unobtrusive.

The Pacifica’s EPA-estimated gas mileage is 19/28/22 mpg city/highway/combined, up considerably from the Town & Country’s 17/25/20 mpg. In combined driving, it matches the Honda Odyssey and beats the Kia Sedona by 2 mpg and the Toyota Sienna by 1 mpg.

Tech and Features….and Games! 

A dated, clunky multimedia system plagued the Town & Country for years, and the Pacifica finally gets Chrysler’s Uconnect system with an 8.4-inch touch-screen. In the Pacifica it’s flush-mounted and canted slightly toward the driver for good visibility. The graphics are crisp and the screen responds quickly to touch. The menu structure is clear, so things such as setting up and canceling a navigation route or changing audio presets can be done in seconds. It’s easier to use than the multimedia systems in the Odyssey and Sienna and matches the Sedona’s user-friendly system.

My drives in the Pacifica were quiet, thanks in large part to the optional Uconnect Theater rear-seat entertainment system. The second row’s twin 10-inch touch-screens feature built-in apps that kept my chatty kindergartner engaged. Math, checkers, an apple word game and tic-tac-toe were favorites. Every once in a while, she’d switch to the “Are We There Yet” app, which tracks the car’s progress in real-time when a destination is entered into the nav. Smaller kids might have trouble reaching the screens, however — I moved the front passenger seat all the way back and reclined it a bit — and after a full day in the van, she requested more apps, specifically a coloring one.

Uconnect Theater is one of several newly available creature comforts. For 2017, the Pacifica’s doors open in several ways: the traditional buttons in the first row and on the van’s B-pillars, as well as a new button on the outside door handles, akin to a keyless access lock button. Also optional is foot-swipe activation of the power sliding doors and the rear cargo door. Lastly, a vacuum is a new option this year. Developed with Ridgid, the tool company, the second-row vacuum can suck up forgotten french fries and Cheerios in all three rows. 

Stow n’ Go Greatness

The Chrysler Town & Country tanked in the Cars.com Ultimate Minivan Challenge in almost every category, but its fold-into-the-floor Stow ‘n Go seats earned it major points. For 2017, Chrysler improved the second-row system with wider, cushier seats and an enhanced folding maneuver. It’s so easy I can fold them with one hand. I tested a seven-seat model with second-row captain’s chairs. An eight-seat model also is available; the outboard seats are Stow ‘n Go and the middle seat is removable.  

Previously, you had to open the front doors and move the seats forward to clear the way before stowing the second-row seats, but now a one-touch button on the B-pillar does that automatically. Also, the seats now tumble without first requiring floor mat removal. Lastly, and perhaps most helpful for families with small children, a new Easy Tilt function slides and lifts the second-row seat, creating another walkway to the third row. It works even if an empty forward-facing child-safety seat is installed. We’re looking forward to testing this feature in our Car Seat Check.

Both headroom and legroom in the second and third rows are up for 2017, and the third row’s taller windows provide a better view and less of a cave-like feel for passengers. Behind the third row, there’s 32.3 cubic feet of space, down a smidge from the Town & Country and less than competitors. The third row folds easily, however, opening up 87.5 cubic feet of space, more than the outgoing model and more than both the Sedona and Sienna.

A Class Leader 

The Pacifica delivers more for less; it starts at $29,590, including a $995 destination fee, about $1,400 less than the Town & Country. It’s also less-to-start than the Odyssey and Sienna but about $2,000 more than the Sedona, the Ultimate Minivan Challenge champ.

The Sedona handily took top honors for its combination of refined road manners, generous creature comforts and affordability. With the new Pacifica, the Sedona may have met its match.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica goes on sale in early May. Stay tuned for my full review with more on the van’s new safety features as well as how it competes in the minivan class.