The Prince George Citizen

What’s old is new again with the Chrysler Pacifica

- Today’s Drive

Even though the minivan in general provides the best bang for the buck because of its affordable pricing, immense passenger and cargo space and all-around convenienc­e (who can deny the convenienc­e of sliding doors?), its popularity keeps diminishin­g each year. People buy the trendier crossovers and SUVs, not realizing that most modern crossovers are nothing more than a tall station wagon or fancier looking minivan in disguise.

Neverthele­ss, the whole idea of owning a minivan offends some people so Chrysler is ditching the old Town & Country nameplate and replacing it with the new Pacifica, which is designed to attract modern family car buyers with slick design and feature-rich interior.

After all, Chrysler invented this segment back in 1980s, and so perhaps Chrysler is hoping to rekindle the love people used to have with minivans. With this market constantly shrinking, there aren’t too many competitor­s any longer either, but the Pacifica may very well be one of the best equipped and modern minivans in this segment. ranked the Pacifica in the top 10 for best auto interiors.

Inside the all-new 2017 Pacifica, we find comfortabl­e seating available for eight. The configurat­ion includes a removable centre seat in the second row. Chrysler has even stated that there are 243 different seating configurat­ions for the Pacifica. In all three rows of seating, occupants will notice the spacious legroom and headroom.

The focus for the Pacifica was the functional­ity and versatilit­y of a family on the move. This flexibilit­y is achieved with the exclusive Stow ’n Go in-floor seating and storage and cargo system. Gone are the days of struggling to remove the seats from a vehicle. This system is easy to use and when the seats are in their upright position the in-floor bins can store everything from toys to sporting equipment. Unfortunat­ely, the second row of seats are a little firm to allow for them to fit in the floor when stowed.

The centre console provides functional storage and organizati­on with four cup holders – two for the front and two for the second row. The third row has power folding seats which includes obstacle detection to pause the system if an object is in the path of motion.

Every row of seating enjoys a sunroof thanks to the Pacifica’s three panoramic panel layout. The front two sunroofs are powered and the rear is fixed glass.

Situated in the rear, as an option, is an onboard vacuum. This vacuum comes in handy for a family on the move. Its hose is long enough to reach all nooks and crannies of the van. An extension makes it possible to vacuum an additional car parked beside the Pacifica.

A Rotary E-Shift Dial cleans up the look of the dash and makes gear selection a breeze.

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