Minivans aren’t as popular as they once were due to the proliferation of three-row SUVs on the market, but the Chrysler Pacifica has held court as the top minivan in the country for quite some time even though the Toyota Siena and Honda Odyssey models are right behind them. While they’re still not given the respect they’re due, these road trip-friendly haulers are multi-faceted. And there’s still plenty of opportunity for minivans to evolve, considering its history.
At the start of the 1980s, vans were big business. People all over America bought big Chevrolet vans and added their own touches, like carpet, tables, and couches that folded into beds. They drove like a truck, but offered plenty of room for family road trips. In 1983, Dodge unveiled the Caravan and Plymouth Voyager for the 1984 model year under the Chrysler umbrella. By 1987, the company had sold one million minivans. Chrysler celebrated 15 million minivans sold in 2019, billing itself as the inventor of the segment.
Minivans are popular with the family set as they’re easy to get in and out and boast lots of small and large storage. It’s also a vehicle that’s well suited for a road trip, filled with friends and car karaoke, as I discovered recently. I picked up five friends and their luggage for a weekend away, and we drove from Austin to Houston in comfort.
1. Comfortable, Open, Well-Appointed Cabins
The shape of a Pacifica is made for sightseeing; great visibility trumps pesky obstructions that tend to plague some SUVs. That sight line to the front is key when you’re ferrying anyone who suffers from carsickness, and the captain’s chairs in the middle help make everyone comfortable. In a Pacifica, everyone gets a window seat and the abundance of natural light fills the cabin.
2. Chrysler Pacifica: Easy To Park Wherever You Go
Equipped with a backup camera and big windows all around, parking the Pacifica is a snap. Built-in technology takes the process a step further with standard blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning, which prevents you from backing into anyone or anything. Rear parking sensors are also standard, alerting you to any other obstacles. The Pacifica is about 10 inches shorter than a Grand Wagoneer and a few inches longer than a Chevrolet Equinox, and its streamlined body style slides into parallel or angled parking easily. Sliding doors keep passengers from having to swing the door outward in tight spaces. Every Pacifica includes power sliding doors, a power liftgate, and remote start capability.
3. Big Storage In A Compact Package
Of all of the Pacifica trim levels, the Pinnacle model offers best-in-class total storage of more than eight cubic feet. That’s enough to store 60 gallons of milk, Chrysler says, which will feed even the largest of hungry families. Except for maybe if the minivan is packed full of teenagers.
A plethora of small storage cubbies can be found throughout the cabin, along with ports for every passenger to charge up their smart devices. Friends can tuck away scores of snacks in the front, middle, and back. If it’s just you and one other person, the entire second and third row turn into a flat cargo space for pets in crates, sports equipment, or room for antique hunting. Plus, as long as you’re in a non-hybrid model, you get handy second-row Stow ‘n Go bucket seats with in-floor storage bins.
Even if everything you need to carry doesn’t fit into the minivan, the Chrysler Pacifica can be equipped with a towing package and haul up to 3,600 pounds. More snacks, anyone?