Chrysler's dominance of the minivan segment is well behind us, but the Pacifica brings a serious dose of style, luxury and fuel economy -- thanks to a hybrid option -- to the segment. This van gains a few new options and standard features for 2019, its third model year since replacing the Town & Country in 2017.
Both vans use a 3.6L V6 engine. It makes 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque in the gasoline model and combines with the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model's electric motor for a total of 260 hp. Gas models get a nine-speed automatic transmission, while the PHEV uses a continuously variable setup and promises 53 km of all-electric driving when fully charged.
Chrysler has put together a nice van here, but we continue to wonder why Chrysler chose to do an upscale minivan rather than a mid-size, three-row crossover to compete with the likes of the Infiniti QX60 and Lexus RX 350L. These days, that's the segment into which the real money seems to be going for upscale family vehicles, and that's the price point Chrysler is targeting here anyway.
The few other minivans that remain -- Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona -- appear to be aimed at more budget-oriented buyers, though they can also be optioned into posh high-end trims.
Then, there's the boxy Grand Caravan, which Chrysler's Dodge subsidiary continues to practically give away thanks to aggressive incentives.
Trim levels for Pacifica's gasoline powered versions include L, LX, Touring, Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus and Limited. The Hybrid is offered in Touring Plus, Touring L and Limited.
New this year is an S appearance package for the Pacifica Hybrid that brings black 18-inch wheels, gloss black exterior accents and an all-black interior.
LX trim gains standard automatic headlights, while the Touring Plus adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Options now include the Advanced Safetytec group, Uconnect theatre with wireless streaming and a cold weather group.
Touring L and Hybrid Touring L trims get a heated steering wheel and auto-dimming mirror as standard; the hybrid can also be had with a premium audio group.
Hybrid Touring Plus also gets an auto-dimming mirror, and can be optioned with a cold weather group and a new 17-inch wheel design.
Finally, Hybrid Limited gets a new wheel design, memory settings for the seats, mirrors and audio system and power-folding mirrors.
Otherwise, standard features and options carry over from 2018, and you'll find a detailed overview in the buyer's guide entry for that outgoing model.
Fuel consumption estimates for the gas Pacifica are 12.9/8.4 L/100 km (city/highway), and an optional stop-start system makes a small dent in that city rating. The Pacifica PHEV is rated 2.8 Le/100 km when running on electricity, and 7.3/7.2 in gas-electric hybrid mode.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
