2017 Chrysler Pacifica

If you've either ridden in or owned a steady flow of Honda Odysseys and Toyota Siennas throughout your life, you are forgiven for thinking that Chrysler minivans have largely existed in a state of perpetual rental fleet mediocrity. While Chrysler was a pioneer of the segment in the '80s, the last couple decades have been a lot more like the rolling equivalent of Cleveland Browns or Wachowski movies after The Matrix. But here comes the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. It's a new name for a new van, and get ready to reset your expectations.

Chrysler had a crossover wagon/SUV named Pacifica during the mid-2000s, but there's no relation here. Instead, this Pacifica replaces the now discontinued Town & Country minivan. That Chrysler is willing to shelve the name recognition of the familiar T&C is a hint of how different this new Pacifica is. It's built on a new light-yet-strong body structure and is wrapped up with svelte styling and a handsome-looking and well-finished interior.

The Pacifica packs some cool new optional features, too, including a dual-screen rear entertainment system, automatic braking for forward collision mitigation, a built-in vacuum cleaner and an automated parallel and perpendicular parking system. Also interesting is the new Pacifica Hybrid variant. It's the first hybrid minivan on the market (plug-in variant or otherwise) and Chrysler says you can drive it up to 30 miles on pure electric power alone before it switches over to regular gasoline/electric hybrid power.

All of this propels the Pacifica right in the mix as one of top minivans on the market for 2017. Take a test drive and we think you'll be surprised on how closely the Pacifica can match (or even exceed) the look, feel and performance of the segment all-stars, the Odyssey and Sienna, plus the Kia's upstart minivan, the Sedona. It's also competitively priced, often coming in a couple grand lower for a similar mix of features. So, the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl? The Wachowski brothers making a superior Matrix sequel? Clearly, stranger things can happen. Just look at the 2017 Pacifica.

Standard safety equipment for the 2017 Pacifica includes traction and stability control, antilock disc brakes, side curtain airbags, front seat side airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, and a rearview camera. The antilock brake system also includes a couple extra features, including periodic brake-rotor drying in rainy conditions and automatically snugging the brake pads to the rotors when the driver abruptly lifts off the gas.

The subscription-based Uconnect Access service includes emergency assistance, remote door locking/unlocking and vehicle location services.

Rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alert are optional for the LX and Touring (SafetyTec Group package) and standard on all other Pacificas. If you're backing up in a Pacifica, the rear parking sensors have automatic low-speed braking functionality that can be applied when an object is detected and the driver takes no action.

The optional Advanced SafetyTec Group package is optional for the Touring-L Plus and Limited and includes automatic wipers, automatic high-beam headlight control, lane departure warning, lane departure intervention, forward collision warning, forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree top-down camera system and an automated parking system (parallel and perpendicular).

In an Edmunds simulated panic stop, the Pacifica slowed from 60 mph to zero in 119 feet, a shorter-than-average stopping distance for a minivan.

The Chrysler Pacifica minivan comes in five trim levels: LX, Touring, Touring-L, Touring-L Plus and Limited. The Pacifica Hybrid will be sold in Premium and Platinum trims, but check back later for complete information on the Hybrid.

Starting things off is the Pacifica LX with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, heated mirrors, remote locking and unlocking, push-button ignition, seven-passenger seating, folding/collapsible second-row Stow 'n Go seats, a 60/40-split folding third-row seat, an eight-way power driver seat (with four-way power lumbar), three-zone climate control, a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, an electric parking brake, a 5-inch center touchscreen display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, voice commands, Uconnect Access and a six-speaker sound system with a USB and auxiliary inputs.

Moving up to the Touring gets you those features plus power-sliding rear doors, automatic headlights, keyless entry and ignition, and satellite radio.

The midgrade Touring-L adds on a power liftgate, roof rails, fancier exterior trim, foglights, remote engine start, rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, LED taillights, a security alarm, automatic climate control (three-zone), leather seating, heated front seats, second- and third-row sunshades and added storage for the first-row floor console.

You get even more with the Touring-L Plus. Its features include the above plus upgraded headlights, an eight-way power front passenger seat, an upgraded driver information display, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, upgraded upholstery, an 8.4-inch touchscreen, a 13-speaker sound system and a second-row rear entertainment system with dual 10-inch touchscreens, a Blu-ray player, a 115-volt power outlet, and additional USB and HDMI inputs.

Finally, there's the Limited. The entertainment system is optional here but otherwise it has all of the above plus 18-inch wheels, hands-free liftgate and sliding door functionality, two sunroofs (panoramic for the first two rows and an additional fixed sunroof above the third row), xenon headlights, LED foglights and power-folding mirrors. On the inside you get driver-seat memory settings, upgraded interior ambient interior lighting, a navigation system, upgraded leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, an in-vehicle vacuum cleaner and power-folding functionality for the third-row seat.

Many of the features of the upper trim levels can be added to the lower trim levels as options. Other major options include 20-inch wheels, a removable center second-row seat (boosting passenger capacity to eight), a 20-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a tow package.

Every 2017 Chrysler Pacifica comes standard with a 3.6-liter V6 that develops 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. That power is sent to the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Automatic engine stop-start functionality (to help save gas when you're not moving at stoplights, for instance) will be added midway through the model year.

In Edmunds performance testing, the Pacifica accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, a few tenths quicker than rivals. EPA-estimated fuel economy checks in at 22 mpg combined (18 city/28 highway). This is an average number for the minivan segment.

Properly equipped, the regular Pacifica can tow up to 3,600 pounds.