2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid | Cars.com photo by Brian Wong
CARS.COM — The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan’s official EPA ratings surpass competitors as well as Chrysler’s original fuel economy estimates. The segment’s only plug-in hybrid minivan is EPA-rated at 84 mpg-equivalent during electric-only driving, up from the automaker’s initial 80-mpge estimates. The EPA’s mpge ratings are used for electric and plug-in electric vehicles to measure how many miles a car can travel on the energy equivalent of a gallon of fuel when running on the electric motor.
The Pacifica Hybrid’s electric-only range is EPA-finalized at a maximum 33 miles, besting Chrysler’s initial 30-mile estimate. The Pacifica Hybrid runs like a traditional hybrid once its electric range is depleted and is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined in hybrid mode, according to a Chrysler spokesman. That’s 10 mpg better than the gasoline-only Pacifica minivan and the 2017 Toyota Sienna with front-wheel drive, and 12 mpg more than the 2017 Kia Sedona.
Total range for the Pacifica Hybrid is 566 miles if you burn through the entire tank and get the maximum fuel economy ratings. Annual fuel costs are estimated at $900 based on current fuel prices and 15,000 miles of driving under 45/55 percent split highway/city conditions. That compares to $1,450 of the non-hybrid Pacifica and Sienna, and $1,600 of the Sedona minivan.
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid starts at $43,090 with destination and qualifies for the federal $7,500 tax credit.
Managing Editor
Joe Bruzek
Managing Editor Joe Bruzek’s 22 years of automotive experience doesn’t count the lifelong obsession that started as a kid admiring his dad’s 1964 Chevrolet Corvette — and continues to this day. Joe’s been an automotive journalist with Cars.com for 16 years, writing shopper-focused car reviews, news and research content. As Managing Editor, one of his favorite areas of focus is helping shoppers understand electric cars and how to determine whether going electric is right for them. In his free time, Joe maintains a love-hate relationship with his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that he wishes would fix itself.
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