Chrysler Pacifica (minivan)

Side view

In June 2013, it was reported that Chrysler was preparing to produce a new generation of its Town & Country minivan at the Windsor Assembly Plant, with production set to begin in 2015 and a release for the 2017 model year. An industry analyst reported that the new version would possibly be a crossover utility vehicle in the vein of the Pacifica.[5]

In 2015, FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that it would invest $2 billion in developing a new minivan, and overhauling the Windsor Assembly Plant to facilitate its production.[6] A company roadmap revealed that a new Town & Country would begin production in February 2016 for the 2017 model year, and that the final-generation Dodge Grand Caravan would be maintained in parallel with the new Town & Country as a lower-cost option during the 2017 model year, after which it will be discontinued. Marchionne has been against "duplicate[d] investments" in product development—a strategy reflected by his reduction of badge-engineering between FCA US's domestic marques.[7][8][9] On November 3, 2015, FCA filed to have its trademark registration on the Pacifica brand renewed; FCA's Head of Passenger Car Brands Timothy Kuniskis denied that this was related to any new products, and that it was standard industry practice to continue renewing its trademarks because "you don't want to lose names. Establishing new names is expensive."[9]

The new vehicle debuted on January 11, 2016, at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. Rather than being named as the Town & Country, the new vehicle was branded as the Pacifica. The decision to drop the Town & Country brand was made primarily to distinguish the new vehicle from previous iterations; Director of Chrysler brand product marketing Bruce Velisek explained that the Pacifica was meant to "change the entire paradigm of what people know about minivans in the segment". Among its differences from the previous Town & Country is a new platform, and a design carrying a sportier appearance inspired by crossovers—a market segment that had cannibalized minivan sales—in an effort to disassociate the vehicle from other minivans with a boxier build.[10][11] Chrysler is also changing the minivan's sliding doors: they will be aluminum and hands-free, opening automatically when the fob holder waves under them.[12]

The starting price of the 2017 Pacifica was US$28,595.[13] This was US$1,400 less than the starting price of the 2016 Town & Country. The base model plug-in hybrid, called "Premium", started at US$41,995 and the high-end "Platinum" model started at US$44,995. Because the Pacifica Hybrid has a 16 kWh battery pack, it qualifies in the US for the full US$7,500 federal tax credit and also to other incentives at the state and local level.[14] In June 2017, Chrysler recalled 1,600 Pacificas to fix the electronics.[15]

Waymo Pacifica driverless minivan

The production of a plug-in hybrid version, which will be the first of its class in the United States, was, according to chief engineer Kevin Mets, meant to create an electric vehicle that could feasibly be a family's "primary vehicle".[16]

On November 7, 2017, Waymo announced that it had begun testing driverless cars without a safety driver at the driver position using the Pacifica plug-in.[17]

Production of the vehicle uses an all-new platform at the Windsor Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.[22]

Powertrains

Charging port of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

The Pacifica uses a new revision of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, and will be produced with two powertrains, gasoline-only and plug-in hybrid, the latter marketed as Pacifica Hybrid. The plug-in hybrid version uses a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery, located under the floor under the second row of seats (the hybrid will not be available with the Stow'n'Go seating and vacuum), with an all-electric range of 33 mi (53 km)[23] before switching back to using the gasoline engine. The battery can be fully recharged in two hours using a 240-volt plug-in system. The gasoline-only version of the Pacifica minivan went on sale in mid-2016; the plug-in hybrid version, in 2017. Chrysler expected the plug-in hybrid model to achieve a fuel economy of at least 80 miles per gallon equivalent,[6][16][24] but on December 1, 2016, the EPA announced the minivan achieved 84 MPGe.[25]

Safety

NHTSA 2017 Chrysler Pacifica VAN FWD:[28]

Overall:
Frontal Driver:
Frontal Passenger:
Side Driver:
Side Passenger:
Side Pole Driver:
Rollover:	/ 11.6%

IIHS 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Top Safety Pick+:[29]

Small overlap front (driver):	Good*
Small overlap front (passenger):	Acceptable*
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength (2017–present models)	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good

^* rating applies to models built after August 2016

• "Best Minivan of 2016" by Cars.com [30]
• "Best New Large Utility Vehicle" by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada in 2017. (AJAC)[31]
• "2017 North American Utility of the Year" by a panel of automotive experts [32]
• 2017 Family Vehicle of the Year by the Midwest Automotive Media Association [33]
• "2017 Drivers’ Choice Award for Best Minivan" from MotorWeek [34]
• "2017 Crossover-SUV of the Year" by the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press [35]
• "Top Minivan of 2017" by New York Daily News Autos Team [36]
• Best Minivan by Popular Mechanics as part of its 2017 Automotive Excellence Awards [37]

In April 2016, Chrysler launched a television advertising campaign for the Pacifica entitled "Dad Brand", featuring comedian Jim Gaffigan and his children.[38] In October 2016, Chrysler launched a social media-oriented campaign known as "PacifiKids", featuring videos in which unsuspecting families shopped for the vehicle at a dealership staffed entirely by children.[39] The Pacifica has also been used in cross-promotional campaigns for the films The Secret Life of Pets and Incredibles 2.[40][41]