Video: Is the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle a Luxury Minivan?

(upbeat music) We'll start with the good, and there's a lot to like inside the Pacifica Pinnacle's interior that makes it not just nice for a minivan, but nice for anything at this price point. You get quilted Napa leather on the seats with contrasting piping, center armrest that's padded and covered in more Napa leather, a trim-exclusive center console design with tons of small item storage, and a pass through beneath for larger items. And you get an excellent 10.1-inch infotainment screen running Uconnect 5. In the second row, you get most of the same high-quality materials as you do up front, including comfortable captain's chairs that both slide and recline, and you also get lumbar pillows, so these have the same upholstery as the seats and a little bit more comfort. The one downside to these captain's chairs is that Chrysler has eliminated the Stow 'n Go feature. You still get the underfloor storage in the Pinnacle, but these seats are removable, not stowable, so you'll have to take them out, and they're kind of heavy. The real star of the second row, however, is the tech. You get standard Uconnect Theater, which gives you dual 10.1-inch displays, as well as dual remotes to control them. They both come with Amazon Fire TV for Auto, which does require an internet connection, but you can also play physical media with a Blu-ray player up front. That's unlike most modern minivans these days, which are getting rid of that feature. And the 10.1-inch screen in the front has wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and when you're stopped, it can also be an entertainment screen too. So what could be better? Well, real van fans are probably familiar with the Toyota Alphard and Lexus LM Vans that other markets around the world get, and those vans can be transformed into true luxury executive transportation, combining the convenience of a minivan with some really, really high-quality materials. They rival even luxury sedans or three-row SUVs, and I think the Pacifica Pinnacle could be something like that with some more effort from Chrysler and, of course, a higher price for the consumer. It starts with better materials all around. A lot of nice materials in this cabin, but they could be better. The soft touch points could be softer. We could even have some in the second row because this (knocks) is very plasticky and not very luxurious. On top of materials, I think the second row seats themselves could be a little bit better. There's no leg rest. The Kia Carnival has that option, and the range of motion for the sliding seats, not great. Toyota has super long slide seats available in the Sienna that really expand the available leg room for second row passengers, and I think that would be a huge plus here. Besides interior comfort, the Pacifica Pinnacle could also benefit from some more ride comfort. The gas-only version of the Pinnacle comes standard with 20-inch wheels. Other versions of the Pacifica have 18-inch wheels, and I would prefer a little bit more sidewall to reduce impact harshness. The powertrain could also be more refined. The gas-only V6 is raspy during passing and merging, and the nine-speed automatic transmission is just not a very good transmission. It doesn't always find the right gear quickly, and it feels clumsy in lower gears, especially when starting from a stop. This Pacifica Pinnacle as tested costs $59,720, which is a lot for a minivan. But when you compare it to something like a luxury three-row SUV, you've got 20 to $30,000 to spare or even more. If we could get over ourselves and our perception of minivans as uncool, we could have one hell of a luxury vehicle.