2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Road Test and Review

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid profile ・ Photo by Chrysler

A minivan is, arguably, the most versatile vehicle you can own. For transporting people and stuff, you won’t find a more practical solution. Now, add the fuel economy and extended range offered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Stir in the environmental and peace of mind benefits of burning less fossil fuel as you motor your family across the countryside.

You can see where this is headed. While hybrids were once relegated almost exclusively to small cars that would turn in eye-popping fuel mileage numbers, Fiat Chrysler’s decision to equip its newest minivan with a plug-in hybrid option seems eminently sensible. That is just one of the reasons there is a lot to like about the Chrysler Pacifica minivan in its plug-in hybrid versions.

Drives Just Like a Minivan

It doesn’t take a physics professor to realize that adding weight and subtracting horsepower are not the path to greater performance. And minivans can be somewhat sluggish performers to begin with, so you might think the Pacifica Hybrid with less power and more weight will be a bit of slug.

But that’s not the case. A big reason for that is the Pacifica Hybrid’s electric motors offer significant torque from a standstill, so this van feels peppy accelerating when the light turns green. Once you’re on your way, you won’t have to think about stopping for gasoline for a long, long time either. The Pacifica Hybrid’s range on a tank of fuel and with fully charged battery pack is 566 miles. The minivan will travel up to 33 miles on electricity alone when you've topped off the battery pack with power from the grid, but there is no way to switch to battery-power-only the way some hybrids will permit.

Photo by Chrysler

Attractive Interior Design

If you like the interior of a modern crossover SUV, the betting here is you will like the interior of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. It combines functionality with an upscale look, especially in higher trims. And with the hybrid version of the Pacifica, there are no lower trims.

Attractive “soft-touch” materials fill the cabin. The front seats are exceptionally comfortable, and you’ll probably appreciate the upright seating position and the ease of getting in and out. Featured equipment includes keyless entry, remote start, and heated and ventilated seats. The second-row seats have a tilt feature allowing access to the third row even with a child seat installed in the second row. But the much-touted Stow 'n Go second-row seats are a casualty of the hybrid system. The hybrid’s sizable battery pack resides in the space where the seats would otherwise stow. The Stow 'n Vac vacuum cleaner is also unavailable on the hybrid models.

Photo by Chrysler

Robust Infotainment Choices

In this age of tablets and sizable smartphones, dedicated rear-seat entertainment systems are becoming less important for families on the go. But for those who still want such a system, the Pacifica Hybrid offers a very good one. The Uconnect Theater entertainment system has two 10-inch seatback-mounted touchscreens.

Meanwhile, the driver is treated to a 7-inch full-color driver information display. A Uconnect 4 system with 8.4-inch center-dash-mounted touchscreen completes the information overload. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, so those with the aforementioned smartphones can access the apps they know and love. Dedicated navigation is optional in the mid-level Hybrid trim and standard on the top level. The standard audio has six speakers and active noise cancellation. A 20-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system is the available premium audio offering.

Photo by Chrysler

Styling? It's a minivan.

No teenagers tape big photos of minivans to their bedroom walls — at least we hope not — but Chrysler designers did a creditable job drawing up the Pacifica Hybrid. The descriptive word “handsome” would not be out of place in describing it. As you no doubt guessed, the hybrid version of the Pacifica has a very strong resemblance to the non-hybrid Pacifica.

No one is trying to disguise the fact it’s a minivan, and that’s a good thing. A “black-out”-style appearance package is on the options list, but it is a difficult effort to make a minivan look ominous. The sliding door hardware, which often cheapens the look of a minivan, is well integrated into the overall design. The Pacifica Hybrid is equipped with what Chrysler claims are “segment-first” hands-free sliding doors. The expansive liftgate also opens hands-free, but you still need to use your hands to steer the vehicle, so don’t leave them at home.

Photo by FCA Media

No Drivability Issues With Plug-In Hybrid

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the industry’s first electrified minivan. Its 3.6-liter gasoline-fueled Pentastar V6 engine is converted to use the fuel-efficient Atkinson cycle. The familiar engine teams with two electric motors, both capable of driving the vehicle’s wheels, in combination with a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Chrysler engineers say the pivotal technology enabling the Pacifica Hybrid is its innovative eFlite single-electrically variable transmission that essentially decides where to get motive power.

The minivan’s all-electric range is an impressive 33 miles when fully charged after a plug-in. Total electric and gasoline range is 566 miles, and the hybrid gets an 84 MPGe rating from the Environmental Protection Agency. On the road, you are rarely confronted with hybrid-induced drivability foibles, and that includes the regenerative brakes.

Photo by Chrysler

Cargo, yes — but tow? No.

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is likely the most commodious hybrid light vehicle of all time. It will transport a prodigious amount of people and gear. The very good news about the Hybrid version is that it doesn’t give up any passenger or cargo space at all in comparison to its conventional brother, except for the Stow ’n Go areas under the floorboards.

With the third-row seat folded and the middle row removed, it offers a mammoth 140.5 cubic feet of cargo volume. Even with second row in use, the Pacifica Hybrid has 87.5 cubic feet of cargo area. And with all three rows full of passengers it has 32.3 cubic feet of luggage space. Total interior volume is a whopping 197.3 cubic feet. While the Pacifica Hybrid doesn’t give up interior space to its non-hybrid sibling, it won’t match the conventional Pacifica’s towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. Chrysler recommends no towing at all with the Pacifica Hybrid. 

Photo by Chrysler

Safety Aids Concentrated on Top Trim Level

Family safety is a key consideration in a minivan purchase, and the top-level Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offers a robust array of safety and security technology as part of the optional Advanced SafetyTec Group. So equipped, the Pacifica Hybrid can warn the driver of a possible front-end collision and even automatically deploy the brakes if an impact appears imminent. It can also detect possible run-off-the-road accidents that often result in fatalities, delivering input via the steering wheel to alert and assist with corrective actions if necessary.

Meanwhile, the adaptive cruise control maintains the distance between the Pacifica and the vehicle directly ahead in a variety of traffic conditions. These safety features and others are accompanied by 360-degree surround view camera and ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist. The Pacifica has five seating positions that will accept LATCH child-safety-seat installation.

Photo by Chrysler

Narrow Range of Trim Levels

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid lineup is available in three trim levels: Touring Plus, Touring L, and Limited. The two lowest trims in the Pacifica line — L and LX — are not available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Touring Plus features standard auto-dimming rearview mirror, and the black-accent S appearance package, cold weather group, and 17-inch polished alloy wheels are available on the model. The mid-level Touring L features standard heated steering wheel and auto-dim rearview mirror. The black-accent S appearance package and premium audio are available on that level.

Finally, the nearly all-in Pacifica Hybrid Limited features standard 17-inch polished wheels with painted pockets, power-folding mirrors, and memory seats, audio, and mirrors. Niceties like hands-free sliding doors and a hands-free liftgate plus multi-zone automatic climate control are also standard on the Hybrid Limited model.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Pricing and Value

While the Chrysler Pacifica is meant to cover a broad cross-section of family car buyers, the Pacifica Hybrid shoots for a more well-heeled customer. With a conventional powertrain, the price-leading L trim level Pacifica has an MSRP of $28,340 including destination charge. In contrast the least-expensive Pacifica hybrid, the Hybrid Touring Plus, bases at $39,995 plus a $1,395 destination charge.

Of course, it offers more equipment that the base-level conventional Pacifica, but the price difference is telling. The Hybrid Touring L starts at $41,995 plus destination. The top-level Pacifica Hybrid Limited has an MSRP of $44,995 plus destination. That means that many Pacifica Hybrid Limited models will run over $50,000 with options. On the other hand, in comparison to the conventionally powered Pacifica Limited, the Limited Hybrid only commands a $900 premium. With that small price differential, the hybrid is probably the better value.

Photo by Chrysler