Photo: Chrysler
The NACTOY group, the 60 journalists from the U.S.A. and Canada who act as jury for the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards, should change their name to NACTOUY starting this year.
That's because 2017 was the first time a new category was introduced, recognizing the growing importance these vehicles have on the market. Under the "utility vehicles" umbrella you will be able to find both minivans and SUVs, all competing for the coveted prize.
Inaugurating the new section is the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, the minivan built by the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' American brand that proved to be a huge success. After a few initial issues that ended up with a recall, the Pacifica emerged even stronger, gaining the first Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS for a minivan.
But it wasn't just the safety that recommended the Pacifica. The minivan, as it should, offered plenty of space and practicality, placing it high on the list of those looking for a roomy family car. Chrysler's people mover also came with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, a first for this segment of vehicles.
This combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor gave the Pacifica Hybrid a 33-mile all-electric range (about 50 km), meaning a lot of owners - particularly those living in the city - could use their vehicle as a pure EV most of the times.
The Pacifica is also famous for its role in the FCA-Google (or should we say Waymo?) partnership, with the two companies working hard to turn the spacious minivan into a self-driving vehicle. A fleet of 100 of them is going to be built shortly and used for real-world testing of this technology.
“When we first introduced the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica just one year ago, we believed that we had created the perfect formula for today’s busy families,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA - North America. "But it’s the recognition from our customers and respected opinion leaders like the NACTOY jury that helps to reinforce Pacifica’s status in the marketplace as the no-compromises minivan, and highlights what a great job the entire team has done in developing, building and selling the all-new Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid.”
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica received 300 points from the NACTOY juries, beating Mazda CX-9's 135 points and Jaguar F-Pace's 125.
Inaugurating the new section is the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, the minivan built by the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' American brand that proved to be a huge success. After a few initial issues that ended up with a recall, the Pacifica emerged even stronger, gaining the first Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS for a minivan.
But it wasn't just the safety that recommended the Pacifica. The minivan, as it should, offered plenty of space and practicality, placing it high on the list of those looking for a roomy family car. Chrysler's people mover also came with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, a first for this segment of vehicles.
This combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor gave the Pacifica Hybrid a 33-mile all-electric range (about 50 km), meaning a lot of owners - particularly those living in the city - could use their vehicle as a pure EV most of the times.
The Pacifica is also famous for its role in the FCA-Google (or should we say Waymo?) partnership, with the two companies working hard to turn the spacious minivan into a self-driving vehicle. A fleet of 100 of them is going to be built shortly and used for real-world testing of this technology.
“When we first introduced the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica just one year ago, we believed that we had created the perfect formula for today’s busy families,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA - North America. "But it’s the recognition from our customers and respected opinion leaders like the NACTOY jury that helps to reinforce Pacifica’s status in the marketplace as the no-compromises minivan, and highlights what a great job the entire team has done in developing, building and selling the all-new Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid.”
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica received 300 points from the NACTOY juries, beating Mazda CX-9's 135 points and Jaguar F-Pace's 125.
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