Picture Gallery: 2007 Chrysler Pacifica
Day 1:
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Honestly, I do not know much about the Pacifica off-hand so I’ll have to do a little research this week. What I do know is that it is a cross between a car, SUV and a minivan. After driving it a short while today I can also say that it seems to combine the feel of these three vehicles into a rather unique driving experience.
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The Limited edition of the Pacifica adds as standard all-wheel drive and the 4.0L V6 engine producing 253 Hp and 263lb/ft of torque. This combination is mated to Chrysler’s six speed automatic transmission with autostick, their version of a shift-able automatic transmission.
Also included as standard on this model are 19-inch wheels, which give the vehicle a very large look and stance to it, plus a power-sunroof, dual-zone climate control with rear vents and rear fan controls, luxury leather-trim seats for the first two rows, power lift-gate in the rear and an exceptional Infinity audio system with AM/FM Stereo, CD, DVD and MP3 capability.
The extras on my test model include High-Intensity Discharge Headlamps, Navigation system with rear backup sensors and camera, and a rear entertainment system with wireless headsets and an 8-inch LCD screen to watch DVDs.
2007 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD
MSRP as tested: $51,650
For more information on Chrysler and the Pacifica visit Chrysler Canada
Day 2:
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This proved to me that the cargo capacity was up to the task of large items, although the sloping roofline of the vehicle reduces interior height, requiring me to fold down the rear seats to get all of the tires in. That said, I was impressed by the amount of capacity created by folding only the third row.
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Another worthy mention from the day — maybe this vehicle is growing on me already — is the power operated lift gate, which sure made it easy to load and unload those tires. Also, the loading floor is at a reasonable height as well, especially for objects like groceries.
Might as well keep going on my tire theme… I was carrying close to 400lbs in tires and rims today and the Pacifica had no issues with the weight — the 4.0L engine is very strong. Playing with the autostick feature,I was able to pull away from a dead stop in fourth gear without much trouble at all.
This leads me to the only fault I have found with the Pacifica so far: the transmission. It does not seem to be very smooth and tends to either hunt around for a gear or select a gear very firmly with a rather loud clunk. Also, when using the autostick function, I noticed that first, second and third gears seem so close in ratios that this might as well be a four-speed transmission.
Day 3:
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The Pacifica’s HID headlights were pretty underwhelming on the back roads and highways I drove this evening. It seems as though they may just be misaligned, so I will give them some slack, but they were pointed really low.
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Some of the sight lines though, are not very confidence-inspiring, unfortunately. The rear view mirror is rather small and it feels as though there is a rather large blind spot, which made night driving in the rain a little uncomfortable.
I really like the interior of the Pacifica. You can see the Mercedes-Benz influence with the seat controls on the doors and the well-thought-out layout. Comfort levels are high in both the front and rear seats, and the third row seats are not too bad although a little short on headroom.
The instrument cluster and navigation are perfectly placed, easy to read and well lighted for night driving. The sheer volume of buttons on the dash, though, is a little overwhelming when you are not used to the vehicle; as I drove by the infamous Carp dump and searched for the re-circulate button, I had to hunt for a long while with so many small buttons to wade through.
Day 4:
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The 4.0L engine provides plenty of pep to get you moving and the Pacifica’s handling is surprisingly well-composed for a vehicle of this size and weight.
Gas mileage over the week was not stellar, but fell within the expected range for my average week of driving with a vehicle of this calibre. I averaged 16L/100km. I did not do very much highway driving this week; the average fuel consumption computer readout was in the 18L/100km range, and a short run on the highway dropped that to 16L/100km, which leads me to believe that highway mileage is quite good.
The Pacifica really is at home on the highway. It is a little large and cumbersome in the city, with less-than-optimal sightlines all around, but out on the open road, it is comfortable, well-poised and easy to drive.
*Rating out of 5:
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*Rating based on vehicle’s classification
2007 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD
MSRP as tested: $52,375
For more information on Chrysler and the Pacifica visit Chrysler Canada
April 02, 2007, 11:07:01 pm This is a decent product, too bad the market never took after it.
Now to James, I think it's a good thing to have loaded testers, as you can tell us what option boxes are worth while to check. Also, the majority of enthusiasts opt for better equipped cars.
April 02, 2007, 11:37:23 pm
I think one should say: Too bad Chrysler never Looked after it.
I test drove one in 2003, the first year it came out. Huge body, small rear visibility and a very small third seat. As I've said before on CTC, my wife, seeing it from the front, called it the "Lummox". Very apt. I did not test the engine's capabilities but by all reports it was under powered in its original format.
Insurance and cost were other issues. The list price of the AWD version started around $49,000 or so, while the insurance would also have been quite high. To top it all off, my insurance broker told me that tracking devices like the boomarang or a competitor "immobilus" (sp?) would be required.
One thing was for sure, though. It was quite luxurious inside. From the leather upholstery to the 12" thick doors at their thickest point, one got a feeling of opulence.
April 03, 2007, 12:28:09 am A co-worker of mine bought a used one a couple of years ago. 33,000km on it and it seemed like a good deal. It was a loaded AWD unit, but after a year of ownership it had turned into a "money pit". Brakes, failing electrical components, and the cost of just regular maintenance was well more than it should of been for a vehicle that by the time it was sold only had 70,000km on it.
April 03, 2007, 12:54:25 am I rented one one of these for a 500 km weekend trip for me and some friends and it was a nice ride. It didn't have the power of the Hemi Durango I drove before, but it was more than adequate to move it's 4000+ lbs up the Coquihalla. It also didn't suck gas as badly as the Durango either.
The transmission tended to hunt a bit on steep grades but overall, it was a nice driving vehicle. The interior was quiet, ergonomics were good, and it had very comfortable seats. Fit and finish was very good as well. Being a relatively new vehicle when I rented it, it seemed to gardner quite a bit of positive attention as well.
April 03, 2007, 09:29:00 am Good friends of ours replaced their Voyageur with a Pacifica 2 years ago. Telling point was that he insisted on adding the 7 year extended warranty - on the advise of another friend who owned a Pacifica and wished he had done so.
Nice lines and all - no question the fully loaded models are uber-luxo, imo. I just can't figure out why DC never really could get this to really gain acceptance over here. I thought it was the right vehicle at the right time. Now - perhaps if they had touted it as an SUV, maybe it would have taken off
April 03, 2007, 11:02:24 am $51,000 for a Chrysler? And people were complaining about VW prices.
I think one of the big reasons the Pacifica never sold well is that when it was first released you could only buy a loaded version. It was about a year or so after that they released a decontented version for a lower price. It seems to me that for most people in the minivan market the price of the vehicle is very important.
April 03, 2007, 11:16:06 am DC should have marketed this as a "crossover" from inception to get consumer's attention. Too late now.
April 03, 2007, 12:33:48 pm I have come around to appreciate this "segment buster"
The interior design looks good (like the metals, wood, power seat adjustment buttons, and the flow of it all), tho I remember years ago taking a look and wasn't so impressed in person. Also thought it lacked some space.
But for the right price, it's a nice combination. And definitely ahead of it's time, as competitors like the Acadia/Outlook/CX-9/Veracruz are only now hitting the market. Chrysler could get a few more years out of this design, but my impression was they were looking to bail.
April 03, 2007, 01:31:00 pm This thing makes the Ford Freestyle look sporty.
April 03, 2007, 03:32:02 pm
April 04, 2007, 08:45:40 am I'll be interested to see what kind of mileage you get on this. We briefly looked into these but the cost seemed high and we heard it really sucked back the fuel.
April 04, 2007, 10:51:55 am A $51k Dodge...no thanks.
April 04, 2007, 10:59:04 am
I remember reading a report on the first series where it was a long trip and they were managing 12L/100 with speeds under 120kph.
Should be interesting what this report says.
April 04, 2007, 11:38:16 am My aerodynamic-as-a-brick '94 Cherokee achieved 12L/100 km on the highway.
April 04, 2007, 12:24:13 pm I think this vehicle demonstrates a poor consumer value, based on what is now available (CX-7, CX-9, Acadia, Outlook, Murano, Edge, Santa Fe, etc.) The word "crossover" is lost on me. If they really want to be accurate about it, then call the Pacifica a "station wagon". I also think that the many model changes over it's brief lifespan indicate that Chrysler did not have a good grasp on the concept, not to mention that a Pacifica won't make the Consumer Reports "most reliable" list. Yeah, I'm bashing, but I think I have a good case.
April 04, 2007, 01:53:44 pm Let's call it what it is; a turkey @ 50Gs
April 04, 2007, 06:20:04 pm
They're decently common in southern Oregon, but they were rare in Eugene, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado. Even in southern Oregon, they're far outnumbered by Daimler-Chrysler minivans.
April 04, 2007, 07:10:08 pm I had one for a rental a couple of years back. Around town, the thing is huge and not very good in that environment. On the highway, though, it was great; smooth, quiet, stable, although none too quick. It was also a gas hog. The other negative aside from that was the lack of room compared to the size of the thing. It really was just a 4-passenger vehivle the way mine was set up, and was no great shakes for cargo either. Not a compelling choice.
April 07, 2007, 08:12:44 am You give the interior one wheel but you write
"I really like the interior of the Pacifica. You can see the Mercedes-Benz influence with the seat controls on the doors and the well-thought-out layout. Comfort levels are high in both the front and rear seats, and the third row seats are not too bad although a little short on headroom."
Can you explain?
April 07, 2007, 09:43:36 am Yeah, I gave the Nitro a 1 wheel, when I copied and pasted the chart the one wheel was so unnoticeable I didn't see the field. I fixed it and gave it 3.5 wheels.