Chrysler’s new Pacifica minivan has turned the segment on its ear with the introduction of sexy styling and a plethora of smartness. And now to advance that narrative, Chrysler has added the 2017 Pacifica Hybrid – a plug-in with 33 miles of all-electric driving range and an 84MPGe rating clearly making it the most fuel-efficient minivan of all time. Once the battery’s energy is depleted, the Pacifica morphs from an electric vehicle to a conventional hybrid, alternating between the electric drive system and the V6 gasoline engine eliminating any range anxiety. The 3.6-liter Pentastar runs on the efficiency-minded Atkinson combustion-cycle and generates an estimated 260 horsepower on regular unleaded. Chrysler developed their own eFlite electrically variable transmission featuring 2 electric motors, both capable of driving the front wheels. Utilizing a lithium-ion battery pack located under the 2nd row floor, it takes approximately 14 hours to recharge using a standard household outlet however owners can purchase a 240-volt Mopar charger through their dealer which reduces that time to just 2 hours. The battery has a 10-year, up to 150,000 mile limited warranty. Exclusive features such as the Hybrid Electric Pages on the Uconnect system, a smartphone app, and cluster display make it easy for owners to take full advantage of the hybrid system. Inspired by Juneau, Alaska, the Pacifica Hybrid features an exclusive interior environment combining Black and Alloy with Anodized Ice Cave accents, Ice Blue stitching and black piping. Pricing starts at $41,995 before an available $7,500 federal tax credit.

Look, I'm not sure what the future of motoring holds and maybe plug-in hybrids are just one step along the path. But I can tell you that having a Pacifica with a cord makes the best even better. When the Town & Country was reborn as the Pacifica last year, it gave Chrysler a rare moment to shine. For a brand that’s been whittled down to 2 vehicles, the Pacifica proves that Chrysler is still an expert at the minivan. Continuing to pioneer, there’s this Pacifica Hybrid. And not just a regular gas-electric job but a plug-in hybrid. So what does that mean, you ask? Well, if it’s been plugged-in and the battery fully charged, this Pacifica can drive about 33 miles without ever using a drop of gas. That’s more than the Prius Prime. If you drive beyond that, there’s a hybrid-tuned version of the Pacifica’s Pentastar V6 that’ll extend driving range to an impressive 570 miles. And it’s really that simple. Level 1 charging equates to plugging into a household outlet and that takes about 14 hours. A level 2 charger providing 240 volts, like the one your dryer is plugged into, takes as little as 2 hours. These are the kinds of public chargers you find at the grocery store and the like. Of course, you can also have one installed at your home for about $1,000. And then there are those rarer Level 3 “superchargers” but the Pacifica doesn’t work with those. One oddity is that even when the Pacifica is locked, the cord can still be pulled out. For times when you’re away from home, say visiting a friend, the Pacifica has a neat, out of the way storage area for the charge cable. Features like the Hybrid Electric Pages, Uconnect Access smartphone app and hybrid-exclusive cluster display add the goodies owners of a plug-in will appreciate. Based upon the EPA’s method of calculating fuel economy for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, the Pacifica is rated at 84 MPG equivalent when charged, and 32mpg once the battery is emptied. Of course, based on how and how far you drive, those numbers could be quite different, for better or for worse. Because owners could feasibly drive for months using just the battery power, the Pacifica Hybrid constantly monitors the average age of fuel in the tank and if needed, will automatically shift from electric to hybrid mode to cycle through any fuel that is more than 90 days old, Over the course of 5 years, you’d likely save $4,500 in fuel costs as compared to the regular Pacifica.Typically, a hybrid comes with some pretty significant compromises in drivability but the Pacifica is different. When you're on electric, it is sneaky quick - shockingly so and doing it in near silence makes the experience all the better. The steering is dialed-in and the braking has none of the abruptness that's so common in these types of vehicles. You feel the road more than I remember but you also get a minivan that's more exciting to drive. And with its stellar 570 mile range, drive you can. The 3.6-liter engine has been adapted for hybrid duty and works through what Chrysler calls the eFlite electrically variable transmission. It house 2 electric motors, both of which are capable of driving the front wheels. Total system output is 260 horsepower but it’s that electric torquiness you’ll love. The Hybrid is carrying an extra 650 pounds so it seems as though the ride quality has taken a bit of hit and there’s more of a tendency here for the body to rattle. And just like any plug-in hybrid, once the battery is depleted, standard hybrid driving with the gas engine in play is much less enjoyable or noteworthy. And hey, that big lithium-ion battery has got to go somewhere…OK, so it turns out you can’t have your cake and eat it too because Stow ‘N Go is more like Stow ‘N Gone.That’s no small compromise either, seeing as how that’s one of the Pacifica’s trump cards. You can take these seats out rather easily, but they’re heavy. The rest of the interior is pure minivan genius. It seats 7 in complete comfort with a 3rd row that bests any other. You even get window shades, a sunroof and your own USB port. And these seats do sill fold away into the floor for times when you want a flatter cargo area. The deep well comes in handy, too. Both sliding doors and the tailgate can be opened with a kick of the foot, there’s remote start and even umbrella holders. The UConnect Theater is the best rear seat entertainment system on the market – modern, touchscreen or remote controlled, fully connected, embedded games and apps and Blu-ray compatible. It’s a kid’s dream. And the driver will appreciate the super easy to use UConnect system – with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G LTE Wi-Fi new for the 2018 model year. There’s adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, a super helpful 360 degree camera because this thing is pretty big, parallel and perpendicular assist, auto high beams, rain sensing wipers, and all of the safety features we’ve come to expect. And items like the blue stitching and evolution of the minvan on the mat show an attention to detail. I just wish the surround view camera had a button separate from the big screen for times when I want to activate it myself. The 13 Alpine speakers and active noise cancellation make the cabin as loud or as quiet as you desire. And for parents with driving-age teens, there’s a feature called Key Sense that allows you to set limits. For 2018, the Pacifica Hybrid lineup is changing to include 3 models, the new entry-level Touring Plus, followed by the Touring L and Limited. This here is the range-topping 2017 model, the Platinum with the Tri-Pane Panoramic Sunroof. MSRP is $47,885 before the available $7,500 federal tax credit. Chrysler created the minivan more than 30 years ago and is still innovating today.

Here's the dirty little secret about minivans; they're the most versatile, family friendly vehicles you can buy, accomplishing tasks that would make any 3-row crossover jealous. Yet there seems to still be a stigma attached. Well Chrysler's got a solution, because their new Pacifica is as cool to be seen in as it is flexible.

Say what you want about the minivan but once you’ve lived with one you can’t imagine how you ever got along without it. And Chrysler knows a thing or two about this segment having introduced the very first of its kind more than 30 years ago, pioneering 115 features during that time. This 2017 redesign is arguably the most significant in the vehicle’s history because it takes the minivan to a place it’s never been – a seat at the cool kids’ table. For the first time, it blends its hallmark cleverness and flexibility with honed driving skills and an uptown style. The evolution is so major that it warranted a name change, smartly reviving the Pacifica badge in place of Town & Country.

My wife Lara, my daughter Maddie and I spent the week trekking people and stuff all over the place in the Pacifica and we couldn’t stop singing its praises. The lineup starts with the LX trim priced from under $30,000 while our ride this week is the Touring-L Plus, positioned one notch under the top-of-the-line Limited with an MSRP of $35,490…a very agreeable price point seeing as how it includes the cutting edge UConnect theater, useful Driver Information Display, heated steering wheel, power passenger seat, the very smart Stow ‘N Go assist button on both the driver and passenger side – more about that in a moment, heated 2nd row seats, a wonderful sounding 506-watt 13-speaker Alpine sound system with 4 Active Noise Cancellation microphones and the big Uconnect touch screen. My tester adds in navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, a programmable key fob that can place limits on your young driver, hands-free sliding doors and liftgate that can be operated with a kicking motion under the vehicle and the Tire and Wheel Group which ups the rim size to 18” and better yet includes a Touring Suspension for an impressively smooth ride with a surprising level of handling agility. Sticker price here is $41,450.

Though you can specify seating for 8, this 7-seat configuration offers the easiest foray into the next-generation Stow ‘N Go system, now with power assist buttons that move the front seats far enough out of the way for the origami to happen. Once you’re done, another press of the button returns those seats to their original position. And when the seats are upright, the tubs provide covered storage. All very easy to manipulate. Throughout the vehicle, Chrysler has done an excellent job of clearly labeling features adding to the stellar ergonomics. Same when it comes to dumping the 3rd row seats, leading to segment-leading cargo capacity plywood haulers will find particularly handy. Clever storage areas can also be found between the center console and instrument panel, the drawer in front of it, and in the back of the center console itself. And the kid mirror gets its own space separate from the glasses holder. And this thing is mighty spacious so all rows are 100% adult friendly replete with the biggest 3rd row in the segment which even comes with a USB port. Rear zone climate controls are cleverly placed on the passenger’s side ceiling within easy view and reach of the parents.

Minivans are the domain of kids like me. For example, just look at this touchscreen. Not only does it play Blu-ray DVDs, it has apps that you can play all the time during the car ride. It even has an app that tells me when we’re going to get to the destination. I love this car because of that. And, it even has this remote. So it has a gesture pad you can use for the screen, or if you want, touching works too. The only problem I have with this screen is that it’s too far to reach sometimes. So you have to end up using the remote more than you want to.

This all had Maddie at “hello” and the execution is brilliant…a huge winner with kids and adults alike. And when we had it fully loaded with passengers, the vault-like quietness was perfect for facilitating front to back conversations.

So what about the drive? The body is lighter and stiffer and the newfound driving precision is palpable. The redesigned Pentastar V6 provides class-leading power rated at 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque working through a 9-speed automatic transmission which operated without issue. Overtaking is certainly not a problem and the steering is light and precise making for stress-free journeys. Noise, vibration and harshness levels have been reduced to non-existent.

The Pacifica's drive is much more sophisticated than before fully capable of handling those mountain roads like a good sedan. And it's very quiet so conversation between all rows can be easily heard. And how about this; during a recent getaway to Vermont I averaged nearly 26mpg.
Rated at 18mpg city/28 mpg highway, the Pacifica treated me especially well at the gas pump. On the safety tech front, there’s blind spot and cross path detection – my 2 favorites – but if you want more of the radar and camera tricks, including the self-parking features you see in the TV spots you have to step up to a bigger package. Ditto for the rear vacuum.

As a mom, the thing that I appreciate the most about the Pacifica is the flexibility is offers. Whether I’m transporting octogenarians to church or tweens to softball practice everyone can get in easily, the back row is accessible by walking – we don’t have to flip anything – and the captain’s chairs are extremely comfortable. So everyone can come in, sit down and feel as though they’re in their living room.

What would I change? I honestly can’t come up with much other than upgrading UConnect from simply having Siri Eyes Free to Apple CarPlay. Minivans give designers and engineers the chance to show off their smarts perhaps more so than in any other vehicle and the new Pacifica continues its imaginative and innovative trailblazing ways.