Chrysler Pacific test drive
The dynamics of a hot hatch, a lot of space, like in a bus, the quality of finishing at the level of a premium SUV - an American minivan appeared in Russia, which is suitable for both businessmen and a very large family
“Cool car, man,” a black guy called out to me in a parking lot in Los Angeles. For a couple of seconds, I didn't know what to say, because the word "cool" had never been used for family minivans before.
The new Chrysler Pacifica could change the way family cars are. At the first glance at the new product, you will not say that the car in terms of dimensions (except for height) noticeably surpasses the basic versions of the Volkswagen Transporter, Ford Tourneo and Peugeot Traveler.
Thanks to 20-inch wheels, original front optics and, most importantly, the characteristic rear pillar with a reverse slope, the image of a dynamic car is created. Under the hood, the Chrysler Pacifica has a 3,6-liter Pentastar petrol engine with 279 hp, which propels the minivan from standstill to 100 km / h in just 7,4 seconds.
It's hard to believe that a huge family car with a wheelbase of more than 3 m can be maneuverable, and even more pleasant to drive on a winding road. As a testing ground, we chose the picturesque Californian road that runs along the Pacific Coast Highway. The mountain serpentine, which annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists here, is cut in places right along the water's edge, where you only have to make a little mistake in piloting, and you will immediately find yourself in the ocean. Therefore, most of the cars are moving too carefully here. But the Chrysler Pacifica wants to go completely differently, cutting the salty sea air with the baritone of the exhaust system.
When the tachometer needle surpasses the 4000 rpm mark, the V6 unleashes its full potential, delighting the driver with a thoroughbred exhaust sound. At the same time, thanks to the updated 9-speed automatic transmission ZF, the passengers of the car noticeably press into the seats.
But the main task of Chrysler Pacifica, despite all its skills, is still different - to provide total comfort and convenience to numerous passengers. And in this, the Americans have succeeded no less than in the creation of design.
The Chrysler Pacifica impresses with its interior transformation capabilities. For example, two rows of rear seats can be folded not just into a flat floor, but under a flat floor (literally - the seats are hidden under the floor). Moreover, the whole process of dismantling the seats takes one minute and does not require any physical effort.
Everything is extremely simple here: when you press one button, the third row of seats quickly hides in the trunk, when you press two more buttons, the front two seats move forward, thereby opening large secret niches, where the separate seats of the second row are easily hidden. It is as if you find yourself on the performance of a young David Copperfield, doing tricks with the disappearance of objects on stage.
By the way, you can fold the chairs separately - remove the middle two seats, thereby leaving a limousine supply of free space for passengers in the third row, hide one of the two central seats under the floor, while folding the last row of seats, the backs of which, by the way, are adjustable in tilt angle using electric drives. Yes, the "gallery" here is not for show - these are full-fledged seats for passengers who have access to USB sockets, cup holders, a regular 110V socket and even their own personal fragment of the panoramic roof.
Pacifica has a cool Uconnect multimedia system with two touch screens located on the backs of the front seats. Moreover, even if you do not have films, TV series or music, passengers can play computer games like checkers, solitaire or bingo. You can even demonstrate your knowledge of geography by determining which license plates correspond to the American states displayed on the screen.
A pair of wireless headphones is provided for each of the two screens so as not to disturb neighbors. And if the whole family is still on the same wavelength, you can turn on your favorite music for the whole salon, which will sound from 20 Harman / Kardon speakers.
The driver of the Chrysler Pacifica relies on an 8,4-inch screen of the Uconnet multimedia system, familiar from other FCA car models. The programs work smartly, including the Yelp search engine and numerous other applications. Of course, you can organize a Wi-Fi hotspot in the minivan.
In general, the driver of Chrysler Pacifica, who is surrounded by many controls for various car systems, looks more like the captain of an air liner. For example, the sliding side doors and the tailgate can be operated from the overhead console, where the storage box for sunglasses and the spherical mirror for viewing the entire interior are located.
In addition, you can open and close the doors in five more different ways: from the key, by slightly jerking the outer or inner door handle, the button on the inside of the side post, and also in the most original method - by swiping your foot under the sliding side door. This method is useful for those who are constantly busy with something. Moreover, you can close and open with a wave of your legs not only both side doors, but also the trunk.
But the main "feature" of the new Chrysler Pacifica is the presence of a built-in vacuum cleaner, which allows you to keep the spacious interior of the minivan clean without resorting to car washes. Not only is the length of the stretchable hose of the vacuum cleaner enough for the entire car, but also there are several special attachments for cleaning in hard-to-reach places. There is even a hose extension here, so that if you want, you can even clean the next car.
The Chrysler Pacifica is equipped with useful active safety systems. For example, a system for monitoring objects moving perpendicularly is available here, and if you ignored the warning sounds, the minivan will stop on its own in front of another car. The car will stop by itself even if a pedestrian rushes to cut you from behind a row of parked cars.
The new Chrysler Pacifica has already received a huge number of various awards in the American market and continues to be in great demand there. It will be all the more interesting to observe what awaits him in Russia. And everything would be fine if not for its cost of 4 million rubles. This is exactly how much the Chrysler Pacifica Limited will cost in a single, but very rich configuration.
| A type | Minivan |
| Number of seats | 7-8 |
| Dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 5218/1998/1750 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 3078 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 130 |
| Cargo space, l | 915/3979 |
| Curb weight, kg | 2091 |
| engine's type | Gasoline 6-cylinder |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 3605 |
| Max. power, hp (at rpm) | 279/6400 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 355/4000 |
| Drive type, transmission | Front, 9АКП |
| Max. speed km / h | Not declared |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 7,4 |
| Fuel consumption (average), l / 100 km | 10,7 |
| Price from, USD | 50 300 |
