What is a Pacifica? The Pacifica is a 3 row minivan built in the Windsor, Ontario, Canada assembly plant and sold in North America by Chrysler. The 2025 Pacifica is a minivan known for its family friendly design, offering three rows of spacious seating for up to eight passengers, with available all wheel drive (AWD), and a choice between a gas powered model or a plug-in hybrid electric variant (PHEV) with an all electric range of 32 miles. Key features include the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a 10.1″ inch screen, advanced safety features and practical interior elements like Stow ‘n Go seating.
The key characteristics of the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Minivan are:
Hybrid Powertrain: A standard 3.5 liter V6 gas engine and an electric motor that gets 32 miles in electric driving, with 520 miles total driving range combined. The fuel economy is listed at 82 MPGe and 30 MPG in combined highway driving.
Charging Time: The charging time for a 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid depends on the charger type: a standard Level 1 120 volt outlet takes approximately 14 hours for a full charge, while the more powerful Level 2 240 volt charger can fully charge the battery in about 2 hours. The Pacifica Hybrid does not support Level 3 DC fast charging.
Drivetrain: Available with optional AWD.
Technology: Standard 10.1″ Uconnect 5 touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a wireless cell phone charging pad in the front console.
Comfort & Convenience: Available features include heated and ventilated seats, 2nd and 3rd row Stow ‘n Go seating for easy configuration and a built in vacuum system.
Family Friendly Amenities: An interior cabin camera that allows parents to keep an eye on all the passengers, pets and cargo, with seating for up to 8 passengers in 3 rows.
Safety & Technology: Standard features include automated emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.
Entertainment: The system supports Amazon Alexa and includes a rear seat entertainment system, with dual touchscreens on higher trims.
The Chrysler Pacifica minivan comes in 3 trim levels each with upgraded equipment:
Select: An entry level trim offering a balance of comfort and features.
Limited: A mid level trim with enhanced features and options.
Pinnacle: The top trim level, which includes premium features like Nappa leather upholstery, an upgraded sound system and a dual pane sliding panoramic sunroof.
To showcase this versatile vehicle, this week Chrysler sent me a Pacifica Pinnacle minivan to test drive and review. The base window sticker price for this PHEV edition is $59,785, and the only option on the minivan is the pearl coat exterior paint for $495. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), including the $1,995 delivery charge is: $62,275.
After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealer fees, the out the door and in your garage total purchase price came to $70,059. At just 59 bucks over $70 Grand, you get a fully optioned, top of the line, plug in hybrid, family minivan that gets 82 MPGe and 30 MPG on regular gas. Now you can drive up to 520 miles with a fully charged battery and a full tank of fuel. In addition, your kids can watch TV and play video games in the back seats all day long while being safe and sound in the van.
So, who wants to buy a minivan in today’s SUV world? Minivans are increasingly bought by a mix of practical minded buyers, including families and older millennials and Gen Z parents. Those who are drawn to their spaciousness, dual sliding doors, family friendly features and improved offerings; such as AWD and PHEV hybrid options, despite the lingering cultural perception that they are not cool rides in comparison to SUVs.
Families with multiple children: Minivans offer ample room for kids, car seats, and older children, with big third rows and deep cargo wells that are ideal for hauling gear.
Practical drivers: Buyers who prioritize functionality over flash are drawn to minivans’ cargo flexibility, easy access with sliding doors and comfortable ride for passengers.
Millennials and Gen Z parents: This demographic is now appreciating modern minivans, recognizing the innovations in space and technology that make them a logical choice for family life.
Buyers needing space and utility: When compared to SUVs, minivans often provide more usable interior space for passengers and cargo, making them better suited for certain hauling needs.
Value and cost effectiveness: Minivans can offer better pricing and higher resale value compared to similar SUVs, and the availability of used models provides further savings.
A resurgence of sorts: Minivan sales have been increasing in recent years, as consumers rediscover their practicality and superior utility for families compared to other vehicles.
Plus, several celebrities have been involved in Chrysler Pacifica marketing campaigns or have chosen the minivan for their own families. The list includes some prominent figures who have been associated with the vehicle and star in the advertising campaigns; such as Jim Gaffigan, the comedian and father of 5 who was featured in the Dad Brand campaign for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, Jamie Foxx, the actor and comedian who was the voice of the Pacifica minivan in the 2019 We Are a Van Family campaign, and Jay Leno, the car enthusiast and former host of The Tonight Show who presented a customized, wheelchair accessible, Chrysler Pacifica minivan to a family on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
And the last question, who invented the minivan? Lee Iacocca is most often credited with inventing the minivan due to his leadership at Chrysler, though the concept of a garage friendly family van was explored by Leo Walsh’s design team at Chrysler. Iacocca championed the idea of a front wheel drive (FWD) car-like van that could fit in a garage, leading to the successful launch of the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager way back in 1983. That was 42 years ago with millions of minivans sold and still selling.
So call, click or visit your local Chrysler dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review, on the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle PHEV Plug in Hybrid 3 Row Family Minivan. And remember that the base price for a new Pacifica starts at only $42,450. Chrysler – Clean Technology for a New Generation of Families.
The key to life is to learn something new every day, and by reading my Bottom Line review, I hope you did just that, learned about something new and exciting. So, be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, You Are What You Drive, and maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should Drive one, Buy one, Today. Drive safely, have a great day, and enjoy the ride, as the future looks nice and bright – Tony the Car Guy.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. Tony the Car Guy is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to [email protected] and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net