Live thread: One week with a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle

Wanna ride shotgun with the GRM crew–and in a minivan?

Welcome to this week’s test vehicle, a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle. The little pillows on the back seats come standard.

Questions? Comments? Welcome to the thread.

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I saw one of these in a company garage a few weeks ago.  Definitely nice.

My big question - how difficult is it to remove the center seats?  If I replace my current GC with one of these, removing those seats would be the first operation. 

First impressions: Yeah, it’s nice. Unless you’re really going to tow or go off road, why an SUV over this? Why are so many people afraid of minivans? 

This is super-easy to get in and out of whether talking about the front or rear doors. It drives like a sedan. Did I mention that it’s just easy to get in and out of?

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

I saw one of these in a company garage a few weeks ago.  Definitely nice.

My big question - how difficult is it to remove the center seats?  If I replace my current GC with one of these, removing those seats would be the first operation. 

We’ll report back. 

I had one as a rental a few months back.  Not the high end package, but it still had leather.  The transition from hybrid to ICE was awesome.  I've noticed on some pure ICE cars that have start/stop, there is a brief delay when you go from pedal to gas while the motor starts up again.  The Pacifica gave instant electric power while the ICE was firing up so there was zero lag.  It was a PHEV, but we weren't anywhere with a charger, so I didn't get to try that.  We had electric power whenever it made sense to.
We got caught in bumper to bumper traffic on the way home for about an hour and we were on electric the entire time.  The gas mileage was excellent for (like 34) for something of that size.

Wife and I both decided a hybrid would be in our future if we ever buy another car.

Only complaint was the seats seemed.... wrong.  By the time we got home from a 4+ hour drive, I was hurting.  People are shaped different, so I don't think it's a knock on the car. It just didn't work for me.

Stow and go seats are still the bomb.

-Rob

The Concert Coach (our 2012 Chrysler T&C Limited equivalent of this Pacifica) will realistically never wear out.  But if it ever needs replacement, the hybrid Pacifica is high on our list.

David S. Wallens said:

First impressions: Yeah, it’s nice. Unless you’re really going to tow or go off road, why an SUV over this? Why are so many people afraid of minivans?

Because they've been told to be.

Of course, the minivan's Achilles' Heels are the two items you mentioned.  They are a real concern.  But outside of those requirements (or even likelihoods), the only real objections to the minivan are image-based.

And when most people seem to be driving SUVs to avoid the "domesticated suburbanite" stigma, why haven't SUVs developed the same stigma?

In reply to Duke :

Exactly on the “because we have been told.” 

What if the OEs started fitting factory portholes, Cragers and side pipes?

Just drove it to dinner. Yeah, the transition from ICE to electric is seamless. You can hear a little click or something when switching over–radio was off–but you can’t feel it.

So easy to get into, so easy to park. If you needed an XXL daily, this platform could be your droid. 

JG’s picking it up soon. 

rob_lewis said:

Stow and go seats are still the bomb.

Yes, but the bummer is that the bins the seats fold into is where the hybrid battery lives, so no stow-n-go on the hybrid.  We bought a 2021 Pacifica, and did not consider the hybrid because of this.  We are constantly folding the middle seats for one reason or another.

Yes, I know that the Stow and Go floor bins are where the batteries are located, but... 

Are the second row  seats in the Hybrid the same seats as the non-Hybrid?  Meaning can the hybrid seats fold but there is nowhere for them to go?  
Or, are the seats different?  I have a S&G van and I consider the second row seats to be a comfort compromise.  My analogy is that they are comfortable like good patio furniture that is intended to be folded.  However, they are not comfortable like a good living room furniture.  I'm hoping the hybrid then gets a seat w/o compromise and more "living room-like".

In reply to John Welsh :

I know in the earlier minivans the non-S+G cars got more comfortable second-row seats.  Some people seek them out in salvage yards or swaps. 

I can only imagine that is the case here, too, but I do not have empirical knowledge of that.

I'm in for the full write up; replacing my wife's T&C next year and this is where I'm looking.

I'm a little weirded out by how much more interested I am in this one than most of the "week with a ________."

Looking forward to seeing the continuing impressions.

 It's so dumb, but i just had the image of one with a "woody" wrap and Moon discs...

I like this thing  alot so far. I didn't realize it was actually a PHEV, so i popped my L2 charger on it and it looks like a full charge will give you +/- 40 miles of all-electric range. Once off the battery it's getting high 20s/low 30s as a hybrid, which seems pretty awesome for a large, useful vehicle.

The third row seats are super easy to deal with. The second row is a little more cumbersome, but they do remove completely with no tools. It's a bit Awkward, though, because you have to take the headrests off. Or maybe you can find a specific position where you can fold and remove the seats while leaving them on, but I found it easier to just pop them off. And they're not exactly light, but the tradeoff is they're like 4000% more comfortable than Stow-N-Blow seats. 

A van that comes with throw pillows?

 I'm so confused... But delighted to hear there's a comfort payoff for the lack of stow 'n go.

I have questions. Why does the van have a number bubblegum on it, and not also have some 200tw tires? Definitely a missed opportunity for editorial content.

Also, JG... the bird. Am I on drugs, or does that thing appear to have action figure arms attached to it? I know Florida is Home of the Weird (TM) but...

In reply to te72 :

...and are the arms attached in a humane way?  

te72 said:

Also, JG... the bird. Am I on drugs, or does that thing appear to have action figure arms attached to it? I know Florida is Home of the Weird (TM) but...

Don't laugh that guy can bench like 280 (grams)

John Welsh said:

In reply to te72 :

...and are the arms attached in a humane way?  

He understands that there are things that must occasionally be endured for showbiz.

People don't buy mini-vans because they don't need them. I believe most people buy an suv for the convenience of passenger space. The suv is the replacement for the 55 Ford or Chevy sedan that was tall and had headroom, legroom etc. Modern sedans are just too low and  cramped for entry/exit and passenger comfort. I'm old enough to remember those sedans.

After two full charges, one showed 39 expected EV miles and the second one showed 40, so I guess it liked the way I drove on the first round.

Makes me miss my Volt, though. I did a couple hours worth of errands today and never even came close to needing the gas tank.

This really is a joy to drive around town: quick, quiet and easy to use. No excuses for anyone getting in or out. It just Makes Sense.

If only driving a minivan was seen as cool....

In reply to David S. Wallens :

In reply to Duke :

Yup. 

And the window sticker. (I don’t think I had posted it yet.)

Yeesh. That sticker price isn't very cool. $7500 from Uncle Sam does soften the blow, though.