2027 Chrysler Pacifica First Drive Review: Cushy, Clever and Competent

• What's new: The Chrysler Pacifica gets a new $43,490 LX trim, while higher-end models have styling updates to boost their curb appeal.
• Why it matters: The LX trim makes minivan life more financially accessible, better positioning the Pacifica against the Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna.
• Edmunds says: The Pacifica is still a primo people-hauler, though the loss of the plug-in hybrid powertrain is a bummer.

Competition is fierce 

Minivans may not be as popular as they once were, but the contenders that remain are super competitive. Minivans need to be safe to drive, intuitive to use, and resilient against wear and tear. There are the steadfast, trusted favorites like Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, which are known for their longevity, durability and great resale value. The Kia Carnival has quickly stolen some of the spotlight, too, with its handsome looks and loaded list of features that make it a real value for the money. 

It's not that Chrysler isn't bringing options to the table; all-wheel drive is available, the collapsing Stow 'N Go center seats are the only ones of their kind, and the Pacifica even offers an in-vehicle vacuum cleaner, which Honda dropped from the Odyssey years ago. But the Pacifica's glaring weakness against its competition is the lack of a hybrid engine. The Pacifica was the first minivan to gain hybrid power back in 2017, and it wasn't until 2021 that Toyota followed — the Sienna is now only available with electric assist. Kia also launched the Carnival Hybrid in 2025. In times like these, a gas-saving option could certainly enhance the Pacifica's broader appeal.

Speaking of fuel economy …

The new 2027 Pacifica isn't quite a gas guzzler, and its EPA-estimated fuel economy is almost identical to that of the Honda Odyssey, which also lacks hybrid power. Throughout New England on mostly open highways, I averaged about 21 mpg in an all-wheel-drive model, which is just a smidge above the 20 mpg combined EPA rating. Full estimates for the all-wheel-drive version are 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, and the front-wheel-drive version averages about 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. 

The tech needs improvement

The 2027 Pacifica comes with many useful tech features to help with safety and entertainment. The entry-level LX model is equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that integrates Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. When moving up to the Select trim, a useful overhead cabin camera called the FamCam is available to keep an eye on sleeping kids in car seats — even in the dark! The Limited trim makes Chrysler's 360-degree camera monitoring system available to assist drivers with a surrounding view of the van as you're backing up or pulling into tight spots. This trim also gets a blind-spot camera when the turn signals are activated to safely change lanes. Finally, the top-of-the-line Pacifica Pinnacle offers all of the previously mentioned features, plus hands-free power sliding doors, a power liftgate and dual rear-facing seatback screens that can stream Amazon Fire TV or games with independent streaming.

However, some of these features do come off more gimmicky than helpful. The rear-seat entertainment system is very Amazon-centric and not as intuitive to use as it could been. My road trip companions and I all agreed that trying to stream content on the screens would've been more cumbersome than just pulling out our phones or simply handing a tablet to a child. Perhaps the kids would enjoy the "Are We There Yet?" interactive navigation feature, but it only works with the vehicle's native nav system, and most people use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto these days.

There's quite a bit of lag and frustration when trying to switch between drivers and connected phones. Among the three adults on this trip, we all had paired phones, but the car often would break the connection every 15-20 minutes and prioritize one person's Android phone instead. Sometimes, one of our phones would refuse to connect at all.

Plenty of Pacificas to choose from

The entry-level Pacifica LX is new and is priced at $43,490 (including a $1,995 destination fee). The LX gets you Stow 'N Go seats in both the second and third rows and covers niceties like heated seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning. The Pacifica Select starts at $45,540 with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is available for an extra $2,995. This level unlocks an optional dual-pane sunroof and eight-passenger seating, if you need to haul as many folks as possible.

The Pacifica Limited is where things start to get interesting. For $49,990, you get Nappa leather seats, wireless phone charging and a 13-speaker audio system. This is also the trim where more driver assistance features become available, plus a towing package, which allows the Pacifica to pull up to a 3,600-pound trailer. 

The Pinnacle — what I drove in New England — starts at a lofty $56,905, but it gives you all the bells and whistles. With blue agave Nappa leather seating and more comfortable captain's seats in the second row, this trim becomes more the family limo than the family wagon. The Pacifica's power doors and liftgate come standard, you get a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system and the handy vacuum cleaner. All of the safety tech and FamCam are also included, along with my personal favorite feature: the Stow 'N Place roof rack, which pops in and out of the integrated roof rails as needed.

What's your priority?

If you’re considering a minivan because you need to move people and stuff, absolutely consider the Pacifica LX or Select. Its Stow 'N Go utilities are tremendously helpful, and an eight-passenger seating configuration is available. If you’re looking for something bougie, the Pinnacle is really nice. I appreciate the upscale feel of the interior with copper accents and blue leather.

All around, though, nice as the Pacifica is, it continues to fall short in the minivan space. The Kia Carnival genuinely feels more luxurious, and it's available with a 33-mpg hybrid option. Meanwhile, the Toyota Sienna should achieve 36 mpg. Fuel economy is just as important as other family-friendly features these days. If Chrysler hadn't killed off the plug-in hybrid powertrain, the Pacifica might retain more of its appeal.