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All-New 2017 Chrysler Pacifica

Road-Test.orgJanuary 11, 2016 , Windsor, Ontario – As the original creator of the minivan more than 30 years ago, FCA US LLC has transformed the segment with firsts – notching 78 innovations through the first five minivan generations. With the introduction of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica, FCA US adds 37 minivan firsts to its portfolio for an unprecedented total of 115 innovations in the segment.

“The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is truly a no-compromises minivan, giving customers everything they need or want,” said Timothy Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands, FCA – North America. “We started from the ground up to design the most technologically advanced minivan, which offers bold styling, class-leading ride and handling, and unmatched fuel economy, with the Pacifica Hybrid delivering efficiency as good as 2.9 Le/100 km in city driving. The all-new Chrysler Pacifica was thoughtfully designed and engineered to provide unsurpassed levels of comfort, convenience, technology and functionality, making it the perfect combination for modern families.”

Engineering
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform, delivering class-leading ride, handling and performance. Its body structure is the lightest and stiffest in its class, making it more responsive with lower levels of body roll and enhanced agility to absorb and distribute road inputs. Class-leading aerodynamics contribute to the Pacifica’s unsurpassed fuel efficiency.

The all-new Pacifica is engineered and executed to deliver a “vault-like” interior environment with low levels of wind noise, road noise, and related vibration/harshness characteristics. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is standard on all models to further heighten the Chrysler Pacifica’s refinement factor during a comfortable daily commute or an extended road trip with family and friends.

The Chrysler Pacifica boasts the largest interior volume in the segment, with clever storage, available eight-passenger seating, and – a requirement with all generations of FCA US minivans – the ability to fit an 8 x 4-foot sheet of plywood.
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Powertrain
The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan features a choice of two powerful, efficient and advanced powertrains – the segment’s first hybrid vehicle, and the next-generation of the award-winning Pentastar V6 gasoline engine, which is mated to a segment-exclusive nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Pacifica Hybrid, the industry’s first electrified minivan, will deliver an estimated range of 48 kilometres (30 miles) solely on zero-emissions electric power from a 16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. In city driving, it is expected to achieve an efficiency rating of 2.9 gasoline litres equivalent per 100 kilometres (Le/100 km) or 97 Imperial miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.

The pivotal technology behind the all-new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is its innovative electrically variable transmission (EVT). Patented by FCA US, the device features two electric motors, which are both capable of driving the vehicle’s wheels.

On the Chrysler Pacifica gasoline models, the latest iteration of the award-winning 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine produces best-in-class horsepower (287) and torque (262 lb.-ft.), along with unsurpassed fuel economy. Enhancements such as two-step variable-valve lift (VVL), cooled exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) and innovative weight-reduction strategies boost the engine’s efficiency and performance, all while preserving the smoothness that remains a hallmark of the Pentastar brand
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Design
Featuring the face of the Chrysler brand, the all-new Chrysler Pacifica has a sculpted exterior with athletic proportions. A fast silhouette and sophisticated, fluid-like surfacing deliver a level of style not found in the minivan segment. The Pacifica’s sliding door track lines are hidden under the rear-quarter side glass, making them virtually indistinguishable. With its long wheelbase, wide track, low ground clearance and available 20-inch wheels, the Chrysler Pacifica appears planted, with a capable stance.

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid features a unique front grille pattern and wheel design, as well as distinctive badging, differentiating it from the rest of the Pacifica lineup.

The thoughtfully designed and beautifully crafted interior mixes high-tech elements with a sculpted, muscular feel. With horizontally drawn features, the interior’s spaciousness is amplified, and the linear elements keep the eye moving throughout the cabin. The available Tri-Pane Panoramic Sunroof, with a dual-pane panoramic sunroof and a fixed glass pane over the third row, adds to the feeling of spaciousness.

The Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid are available in 10 exterior paint colours that accentuate the vehicle’s surfacing: Billet Metallic, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl, Bright White, Molten Silver Metallic, Velvet Red Pearl, Jazz Blue Pearl, Dark Cordovan Pearl, Tusk White Pearl, Granite Crystal Metallic and Silver Teal Pearl (available only on the Pacifica Hybrid and paired with an exclusive interior environment).

Safety and Security
The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica showcases the latest in advanced safety and security technology, offering more than 100 standard and available features. Available for the first time on the all-new Pacifica is the Surround View camera, which uses four cameras positioned around the vehicle to provide 360-degree views, including a bird’s eye perspective of the vehicle and its surroundings. Other advanced features include:

  • Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist, which uses ultrasonic sensors to guide the driver into parking spaces
  • Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Hold, which maintains the distance between the vehicle and the one in front of it, and can bring the vehicle to a controlled stop under certain driving conditions
  • Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking deploys the brakes to alert the driver if an impact appears imminent, and assists with driver response
  • Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist leverages electronic power steering (EPS) by delivering a torque input to alert and assist the driver with corrective action

Other standard and available features include Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Path Detection, Park-Sense® Rear Park Assist  with Stop, ParkView® Rear Back-Up camera, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and electric park brake. As part of FCA US’s ongoing efforts to proliferate advanced safety and technology, the Pacifica’s all-new body structure features the use of additional high-strength steel.
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The Chrysler Pacifica also boasts up to five seating positions that will accommodate LATCH child safety-seat installation – a capacity unsurpassed in the segment.

Technology and Convenience
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is the most technologically equipped vehicle of its kind, offering an all-new Uconnect Theatre entertainment system, 7-inch full-colour driver information display, 8.4-inch touchscreen, and an array of other features.

With the all-new, class-exclusive Uconnect Theatre rear seat entertainment system, passengers can watch movies, play built-in games, connect personal devices to surf the Internet and stream content throughout the vehicle via two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens.

The available KeySense programmable key fob is ideal when handing the keys over to a family member or inexperienced driver and places limits on speed and audio volume, mutes the audio when front seatbelts are not buckled, prevents the disabling of certain features like Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking and Park-Sense Rear Park Assist, and allows blocking of SiriusXM satellite radio channels.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica features the available easy-to-use Uconnect 8.4 system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen adorning the dashboard with a seamless, smartphone-like flush-mounted screen surface and technology features such as integrated voice command and available enhanced 3D navigation.

For audiophile-quality sound, the Chrysler Pacifica comes standard with six speakers and Active Noise Cancellation. Premium audio systems, either a 13-speaker Alpine system or a 20-speaker Harman Kardon system, are also available.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is loaded with comfort and convenience features, including Keyless Enter ‘n Go with proximity and push-button start, remote start, heated leather seats and available ventilated front seats. Other notable features include segment-first available hands-free sliding doors and liftgate, which are operated by making a kicking motion under the sliding door or bumper to open or close the sliding doors or liftgate.

For added convenience, the available Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum powered by RIDGID provides easy access to all corners of the vehicle. The Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system, a hallmark of FCA US minivans for more than 10 years, has been redesigned for added ease of use, and the addition of the all-new Stow ‘n Go Assist feature helps to further simplify the process. With the press of a button on the B-pillar, the front seat moves forward to allow the second-row seat to be stowed into the floor tub. Once the seat is stowed, pressing the button again moves the front seat back to its starting position. In addition, the Easy Tilt second-row seats allow for easy access to the third row, even with an empty child seat installed in the second row.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is available in four models and the Pacifica Hybrid in two models. The Chrysler Pacifica will be available in dealer showrooms in spring 2016, with the Pacifica Hybrid arriving in the second half of 2016. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is built at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.