2023 Chrysler Pacifica Minivan

　　

2023 Chrysler Pacifica Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawSenior Manager, Vehicle Testing Operations

　　Mike Schmidt has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. He has written nearly a thousand car-related articles and has been responsible for the upkeep of countless test fleet vehicles over the course of his career. Mike is a senior manager of vehicle testing operations at zzdcar and got his start working behind the scenes on the car manufacturer side of the business. Mike spent many a weekend working on the family car with his dad and was promoted from flashlight holder to tool gopher at a young age. He's had an appreciation of cars ever since.

　　If you're on the hunt for a new minivan, few available choices make it easier to pick one. The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica is one of only four minivans available, and there are several reasons you might decide it is perfect for you.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Touring 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$166/mo  for Pacifica Touring

　　Pacifica Touring

　　Touring 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $37,270 MSRPTouring L 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 9A) (Most Popular) - $40,930 MSRPTouring L 4dr Minivan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $43,925 MSRPLimited 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $48,205 MSRPLimited 4dr Minivan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $51,200 MSRPHybrid Touring L 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid EVT) - $50,795 MSRPPinnacle 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $54,085 MSRPPinnacle 4dr Minivan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 9A) - $57,080 MSRPHybrid Limited 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid EVT) - $54,895 MSRPHybrid Pinnacle 4dr Minivan (3.6L 6cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid EVT) - $60,345 MSRP

　　vs

　　$202/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Minivan

　　First, the Pacifica offers an available all-wheel-drive system for improved traction in northern climates. Second, a class-exclusive plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version is available, supplying about 32 miles of electric driving range before a gas-fueled V6 fires up to give you 30 mpg in combined driving. Third, though they're unavailable on the Pacifica Hybrid, the Stow 'n Go seats make it easy to convert this minivan from a seven-passenger shuttle into a load hauler with up to 140.5 cubic feet of cargo space in a matter of minutes. Fourth, the Pacifica offers plenty of technology, from cloud-connected infotainment and an Amazon Fire TV rear-seat entertainment system to popular driver assist and collision avoidance systems.

　　After a thorough refresh for the 2021 model year and several more updates for 2022, the 2023 Pacifica doesn't receive any major modifications (changes are mostly made to equipment shuffling and the new Road Tripper appearance package). And with Chrysler's plan to switch to electrified vehicles, starting soon with a production version of the automaker's Airflow concept vehicle, the next-generation Pacifica is likely to arrive in the middle of this decade with an electric powertrain, ready to take on the Volkswagen ID. Buzz. Let's hope Chrysler doesn't try to go retro with it, though, and leaves the fake wood siding and Town & Country nameplate in the dustbin of history.

　　In the meantime, if you need a new minivan now and not in a few years, be sure to consult our Expert Rating to see what we think of the current-generation Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid models. And if this Chrysler isn't the right choice for you, alternatives include our perennial favorite, the Honda Odyssey, the stylish Kia Carnival and the efficient hybrid-only Toyota Sienna, which also offers available AWD.

　　

What's it like to live with?

When Chrysler introduced the Pacifica for the 2017 model year, zzdcar bought one to add to our long-term testing fleet. Not only did we put more than 20,000 miles on our Pacifica during the test, but we kept it around to serve our video crew. Are the observations about our 2017 Chrysler Pacifica long-term test vehicle still valid? Yes, because while the Pacifica did get several midlife updates for the 2021 model year, it is largely the same as our long-term test vehicle. Therefore, many of our observations apply to the current model.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.0/10

　　How does the Pacifica drive? The Pacifica's performance is merely adequate. Its V6 engine isn't going to push your head back, but it's not going to let you down. Acceleration is average for the class, as is its braking performance. This minivan operates at an even keel most of the time. The steering and handling are also unremarkable. Both the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey offer a better experience if you're the one behind the wheel.

　　The nine-speed automatic transmission works as expected in most situations. We found it sometimes got confused when we were going up or down steep hills, choosing a gear higher or lower than the situation required. It kept the driver a bit busier than we'd prefer.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Pacifica? The front seat padding is firm, but ultimately we found the seats to be comfortable for long drives. The available heating and cooling for the front seats work great too. The second-row Stow 'n Go seats are less comfortable than those in other minivans, however. They also offer less adjustment, which means a little less legroom for the second row too. Third-row comfort is acceptable.

　　The ride is compliant and generally smooth across varying road surfaces. There is body lean when the road starts to twist, but in this respect the Pacifica is pretty comparable to other modern minivans. The V6 engine noise isn't off-putting like the Pacifica Hybrid's powertrain since it uses a more traditional automatic instead of the Hybrid's continuously variable automatic transmission. But the nine-speed transmission's tendency to shift down extra gears can make the engine noise chime in unexpectedly at times.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below