The Chrysler name means a lot of things to a lot of people, depending on what experiences they’ve had with the company that once was one of the Big Three Detroit carmakers. But the reality is very grim: at a corporate level, the name has been diluted greatly and is now lost in the Stellantis behemoth, while at a car market level it barely means anything anymore. With one exception: the minivan segment.
At the moment, there are just three Chrysler-branded vehicles out there: the 300, the Pacifica, and the Voyager, with the last two playing rough in the minivan segment for years. So rough, that they allowed the brand to stay afloat despite all odds.
As it did for all the other brands it sells, Stellantis released at the beginning of the month the list of novelties for the 2022 model year in the Chrysler family. And we’re now here to talk about the phenomenon that is the Pacifica, and all the changes it brings for 2022.
Historically, the Pacifica name has been around since the late 1990s, when it was first used for a minivan concept. It then moved in 2004 to represent a mid-size crossover, and only in 2016 it got fitted onto the minivan we know and love today.
The soccer mom car rapidly grew since then into one of the most important ones in its segment, an ascension fueled by several achievements, including the fact the Pacifica is the first minivan to use both conventional and hybrid powertrains and, most importantly, still is the only one to flaunt a plug-in hybrid variant.
Photo: Chrysler
For the 2022 model year the Pacifica will soldier on pretty much unchanged, with four models being on the table in gas-only and hybrid powertrain options: Touring (gas only), Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle.
The pride and joy of the lineup is the hybrid, which pairs a modified variant of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 gasoline engine with a dual-motor eFlite electrically variable transmission (EVT). This version can travel for as much as 30 miles (48 km) in full-electric mode, reaching 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe), and a total distance of 500 miles (805 km).
A total of seven exterior colors are on the table for the 2022 model year, including a new one called Silver Mist. They can be paired to one of three interior combos, black/caramel (exclusive to Pinnacle), all-black (in a choice of cloth, leather, Nappa leather), and black/alloy (leather, Nappa leather).
But what got us here today talking about the Pacifica are the new features available for the new model year. And the most exciting of the bunch is the Amazon Fire TV that makes its way into the range.
According to Chrysler, aside from providing the usual access to videos, games, and music, Fire TV connects to Uconnect 5 “so rear seat passengers can adjust individual climate settings and see destination ETA.”
Photo: Chrysler
Aside from that and the new color we mentioned earlier, the Pacifica gets as standard an enhanced clear air filtration system, new rear seat reminder, and a new Max Regeneration visual message for the hybrid that informs “when increased energy efficiency is charging the electric battery during braking and certain driving dynamics.”
The Touring version will now benefit from the Safety Sphere Group as standard, adding ParkSense Front Park Assist with Stop, ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist and 360 Surround View Camera.
The Limited gets that too, and tops it off with a Harmon Kardon audio system, while the top-of-the-range Pinnacle comes with the Trailer Tow Group when using the gasoline powertrain.
As for prices, Chrysler does not say if they’ll be any changes. The current Pacifica sells from $35,820, while the hybrid sets you back at least $44,920.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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