10 Reasons Why the Chrysler Pacifica Can Make Your Family Road Trip Better

2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited red parked ・ Photo by Chrysler

Summertime is road trip time, and that means piling the family into your vehicle of choice and hitting the road. Whether it’s a day trip or a longer adventure, there are plenty of options, but the family minivan is a favorite with good reason.

The Chrysler Pacifica is a minivan with lots of room for the kids to spread out, ample storage, and additional features like a rear entertainment system to keep the kids entertained when the day gets long. It’s also the only minivan available as a gas-electric hybrid. Here are 10 reasons why the Chrysler Pacifica minivan makes your road trip better.

1. Stow 'n Go offers flexible seating with hidden storage.

The Chrysler Pacifica offers the Stow 'n Go seating and storage system, which makes it easy to reconfigure your minivan to fit the moment. The second- and third-row seats simply fold down right into compartments in the floor, so you can move the kids around or make room for cargo.

If you have a full load of passengers, the spots where the folded seats hide become storage compartments. These are perfect for holding smaller items that might get lost tucked in with larger luggage. They’re also ideal for holding wet clothes so the mess stays contained rather than ending up all over.

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2. Use the Stow 'n Vac to tidy-up your Pacifica.

There’s no denying kids are rough on a car interior. On a road trip when snacks are a must-have, it’s a given that some of those snacks won’t ever make it into their mouths. Instead, you’ll find stray crackers, French fries, bits of fruit, and things you might not be able to identify all hidden beneath the seats.

The Chrysler Pacifica has an available Stow 'n Vac vacuum located inside the vehicle so you can quickly and easily get rid of the mess. The hose extends all the way from the cargo area to the front seats so you can even vacuum the driver’s footwell if you get a little sloppy.

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3. Easy third-row access keeps footprints off the ceiling.

Every parent who has a vehicle with three rows knows the challenge of getting anyone into that third row. It’s a struggle to buckle small kids in once they’re back there, and it’s not uncommon to see kids climb in through the trunk or dive over the second-row seats. There’s many a three-row vehicle with scuff marks on the ceiling as proof.

The Chrysler Pacifica makes the process painless and saves your roof with an Easy Tilt second row. All you need to do is lift a lever on the side of the second-row seat, and it tilts and slides forward to provide better access. You don’t even have to remove a secured car seat.

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4. The power sliding doors and liftgate are foot-activated.

Your keys aren’t at the ready and you have your arms full of stuff. You’ll have to find a way to put things down and open the doors — unless you’re driving the Chrysler Pacifica. It has an available hands-free power liftgate and power sliding doors that you can operate with your foot.

If you have the key fob in your pocket or purse, then simply wave your foot beneath the sensor and the doors slide open. Same goes for the liftgate. It’s so easy even the kids can manage the trick if they’re standing next to you and they’ll think it’s the coolest thing ever.

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5. No more 'are we there yet?' thanks to Uconnect Theater.

Kids are kids, so they’re going to get bored, especially if it’s a long-distance road trip. The Chrysler Pacifica has you covered with the available Uconnect Theater rear-seat entertainment system. It includes dual 10-inch HD touchscreens mounted to the backs of the front seats. They flip up when in use and flip down into the seatbacks when they’re not needed.

The system includes dual HDMI inputs, two sets of wireless headphones, wireless streaming, and Bluetooth remotes. There are also games like Backseat Bingo and apps so the kids can entertain themselves rather than asking you, for the umpteenth time, “Are we there yet?”

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6. You stay connected with the Uconnect infotainment system.

While the kids keep entertained in back, you can easily manage the trip from up front with the Uconnect infotainment system. It’s one of the most intuitive systems out there with an available 7-inch or 8.4-inch touchscreen and navigation. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Sirius XM, and HD radio are also available, along with 4G Wi-Fi connectivity that works within 50 feet of the vehicle.

Optional SiriusXM Travel Link adds weather info, fuel prices, and forecasts to better plan your trip. While the standard sound system features six speakers, there are two options for audiophiles who put a priority on sound quality. Choose from either a 13-speaker Alpine system or a 20-speaker Harman Kardon system.

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7. It’s one of the most fuel-efficient minivans you can buy.

There’s a lot to budget for when you’re on a road trip and at the top of the list is fuel. The Chrysler Pacifica is easy on your budget with great fuel efficiency. It matches or beats its competitors with an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined.

It achieves that fuel economy with a 3.6-liter V6 with 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque that easily gets the Pacifica up to highway speeds and provides ample power for passing. It’s paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission that shifts smoothly and helps maintain a relaxing ride that lets passengers doze off and get some rest.

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8. The Chrysler Pacifica is the only hybrid minivan available.

While there is a growing number of hybrids on the market today, there is exactly one hybrid minivan. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid takes the convenience and features of the Pacifica and adds a fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain. It gets an EPA-estimate 84 MPGe making it easy on your budget by reducing the need to fuel up.

It can go up to 32 miles purely on electric power and has a total range of 520 miles gas and electric combined. You’ll get where you need to go with fewer stops, although no minivan can help eliminate the need for bathroom breaks. It gets a full charge at a 240-charger in two hours and also partially charges itself along the way with regenerative braking.

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9. There’s lots of room for cargo.

The Chrysler Pacifica has ample room for cargo, even with a full load of passengers. There’s 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 140.5 cubic feet behind the first row. Don’t forget the extra storage offered by the bins that hold the Stow 'n Go seats and its ability to tow up to 3,600 pounds of additional cargo.

Adding to its versatility for cargo is how quickly it can be reconfigured with the Stow 'n Go seats. There’s also the foot-activated power sliding doors and liftgate to make the process easier. The Pacifica can hold plenty of cargo and makes loading up a snap.

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10. It has over 100 standard and available safety features.

There’s never a time when safety is a higher priority than when you have a car full of kids. The Chrysler Pacifica is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2019 Top Safety Pick and received an overall five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It combines these ratings with standard features including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, and the ParkSense rear park assist system.

Optional safety features include a forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, parallel and perpendicular park assist, the ParkSense front assist system, and a surround-view parking camera. You can relax knowing your Pacifica performs well in crash tests and has the features you need to help avoid accidents on the road.

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