Test drive Chrysler Pacifica vs VW Multivan

Minivans are an endangered species, but even on the Russian market there are several cars made according to the most classic canons of the genre. And they may even turn out to be fundamentally different.

A minivan is boring by definition, but there is at least one car that refutes this stereotypical claim. Chrysler Pacifica, as a fragment of the once huge empire of the American brand, in Russia at first seems strange and inappropriate, but it is impossible to deny the fact of the mandatory interest in the car in any place where it appeared.

People are not too surprised even at the price of more than $ 52, because in addition to this monumental car with a very stylish appearance and dozens of electric drives, it seems quite justified. To be sure of the adequacy of the price tag, just look at the competitors. The market for comfortable minivans in Russia is quite small, and those who want to transport a large family or business partners have to choose between Toyota Alphard, Mercedes-Benz Viano and Volkswagen Multivan.

There is also the Hyundai H-1 and Citroen SpaceTourer, but these are simpler options, and they definitely cannot be called bright. And among the cars of the conventionally luxury segment on the market, Multivan is in the lead, and it is he who can be considered a reference for the Pacifica. Moreover, the cost of a German minivan in an approximately comparable Highline configuration only starts from an amount close to $ 52. And in our case, the Multivan is equipped with the most popular 397 hp diesel engine. with. and an all-wheel drive transmission, which makes it even more expensive.

If you put both machines side by side, it might seem that they are from different universes. Volkswagen Multivan of the sixth generation looks monumental, geometrically correct and absolutely recognizable. By all appearances, this is one hundred percent bus, in the appearance of which there are no hints of dynamics or style. Although cars on the road usually drive quite aggressively.

Against the background of the German, the Chrysler Pacifica looks almost like a sports car, because it looks squat and well-knocked down. Moreover, it was made not without taste: graceful plastic sidewalls, reverse slope of the rear struts, wheel arches outlined by a compass and dashing bends of optics. And the car has as much chrome as only Americans can do: in the front, on the doors, windows and even posh 20-inch wheels. It all looks very rich and pretentious.

If Volkswagen looks like a bus from the outside, then Chrysler from the inside. It is almost 20 cm longer than the short-wheelbase Multivan and requires an impressive parking space. But the main thing is that inside this colossus there is an infinitely long salon, in which, it seems, it was quite possible to fit not three, but four rows of seats. The available three are arranged with due space: two armchairs-sofas in the front, two almost the same in the center behind the side sliding doors and a full-fledged sofa in the rear of the cabin with separate air ducts and USB sockets.

It is the third row that is three-seater here, and this is not an exaggeration. There are two chairs in the center, and in terms of space in all directions, they are more like lodges. In theory, the Pacifica could be equipped with a middle second-row seat, but then the valuable opportunity to walk to the gallery between the seats is lost. However, you can get there by moving any of the second-row seats, and they move without changing the angle of the backrest and without requiring the removal of the child seat.

You cannot take out the chairs, but you can get rid of them in literally four movements: press the button that moves the first row chairs forward, raise the raised floor panel, pull the strap on the side of the chair and drown it underground. With armchairs, the gallery is even easier - they are removed underground by themselves using an electric drive. In the limit, the Pacifica's luggage compartment holds almost four cubic meters, but even in a seven-seater configuration leaves a good 900 liters of volume for luggage behind the gallery chairs. Fantastic numbers.

The Volkswagen Multivan, in a configuration with all seven seats, has almost no trunk, only a modest and narrow compartment behind the backrests of the rear row. The sofa is on the rails and you can move it inside the cabin, but you won't want to do this once again. Not only is it very heavy, but also the mechanisms work tightly, breaking the covers of the boxes under the seats when moving. And the forward-shifted sofa deprives passengers of the spaciousness of the business jet for which the Multivan is famous.

If you fantasize, then in theory, for the transportation of oversized luggage, the rear sofa can be removed completely, but this will require the help of loaders and a place in the garage. Another non-standard option is to lay it out in a sleeping place, at the same time laying the backs of the middle row seats on the pillows, but for this, again, you will have to suffer with stubborn mechanisms.

The standard cabin configuration provides for seating passengers facing each other and the installation of a folding table in the center of the cabin. But it is not necessary to go backwards: the middle seats can be turned around, and the table can be removed altogether - without it, it will be possible to move freely between all three rows.

Leather-upholstered chairs are moderately resilient, lacking lateral support, but have adjustable armrests. And the main convenience lies in the fact that the driver and passengers do not sit in the Multivan salon, but enter, like in a minibus, and, almost without bending over, move inside. The bus landing with the appropriate visibility turns out to be just as well.

Here in Chrysler you really have to sit down, but for owners of passenger cars, these sensations are more familiar. Soft armchairs with pleasant perforated leather take the body well, but the armrests, which always turn out to be at the wrong angle, are more likely for show. There are other questions about ergonomics. The console hangs in the air, instead of the automatic lever there is a rotating washer, and the keys for controlling the electric drives of the doors and trunk are located on the ceiling.

But the visual richness of this interior cannot be taken away: colorful devices with crystal risks and a beautiful display, a touch-sensitive media system with rich graphics - all in a generous chrome frame. A huge pull-out box hides under the little-needed DVD slots in the console, and a whole drawer with cup holders and several compartments is attached between the front seats.

Second-row passengers have separate media systems with wireless headphones, USB inputs and HDMI connectors. Gorgeous, even taking into account the fact that most of the standard functionality is sharpened for American applications and network games that are useless in our country. In the salon, music is transmitted through 20 speakers of the Harman / Kardon system. You can also organize a Wi-Fi hotspot in the minivan. And it is a pity that the Russian specification does not have a built-in vacuum cleaner - a useful piece for a car that simply has to be a lot of activity.

The Multivan's interior looks simpler, although in the Highline trim level it is trimmed with very decent leather and a quality semblance of wood. There is no unnecessary decoration here, and the ergonomics are more familiar, even despite the high bus landing. Comfortable handles are attached to the racks, around the driver there are a lot of cup holders, containers and pockets, before your eyes there are simple and extremely understandable devices. There are two climate control units on the ceiling of the passenger compartment, and there are also built-in amplifier microphones, thanks to which the driver and passengers can communicate without raising their voices. Although the car with three-layer glass is not too noisy anyway.

Barely accustomed to a high seating position, a Volkswagen driver quickly realizes why his colleagues on the road are quite active. This is a completely Volkswagen chassis with its precise responses, responsive steering and harsh responses - the kind that just provoke a fast drive. The suspension sometimes quite roughly works out bumps and does not like bumpy roads, but in terms of high-quality coverage it is so smooth and stable that passengers can easily work with a laptop. That is why Multivan is good in fast corners and does not require any discounts for high weight and hefty dimensions at all.

Two-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 180 liters. with. not the most powerful unit (there are also 200-horsepower motors in the range), but for such a machine it is optimal. In terms of numbers, the diesel Multivan is not too fast, but in terms of sensations, on the contrary, it is very cheerful. The DSG box splits acceleration into bursts of acceleration, and the thrust reserve does not require unnecessary switches from the box, so it is easy to integrate into the flow. The brakes work well and clearly, and it is the good family manners of the brand.

Chrysler is equipped with an uncontested V6 engine with a capacity of as much as 279 liters. with. and very abruptly, with a whistle of wheels, takes off, but for some reason it is not impressive on the move. Throttle reactions seem to be heavily damped and acceleration is very calm, but these impressions are deceiving. Firstly, the Pacifica exchanges a “hundred” in less than 8 seconds, and secondly, during fast track overtakes, the car picks up speed very imperceptibly, which drowns in the silence of the cabin and the softness of the chassis.

This is the reason why the driver has to keep a close eye on the speedometer. Chrysler is extremely stable and comfortable on the track, but it is not suitable for racing with corners at all. A heavy bus is difficult to adjust in fast turns, especially on an unimportant road, where the suspension starts to rock the car pretty much. And on the straight line, especially when the "six" picks up really well after 4000 rpm with a pleasant baritone exhaust, Pacifica only pleases. The nine-speed "automatic" is imperceptible and so sincerely good.

For the amount of $ 55. Chrysler Pacifica offers a huge comfortable liner for on-road travel, equipped with a bunch of electronics. For the rear row electric drives and remote control of the side and tailgate doors, you will have to pay an additional $ 017, media systems for rear passengers with headphones will cost $ 589, a package of radars and security systems, including adaptive cruise control, blind zone control and an autobrake function, costs 1 $ 833, and for a colored body paint you will have to pay as much as $ 1

That's a lot, but a well-stocked Multivan will be at least as good as it gets. In theory, prices start at $ 35, but the Highline trim costs almost $ 368 with a 51 hp diesel. with. and DSG is already $ 087. If you add the electronics of the assistant systems, the sunroof, the electric seats and the sound amplification system inside, the cost can easily reach $ 180 or even $ 53.

For this money, Volkswagen buyers will get the perfect business van, in which it is convenient to do business and have time for business meetings. For those looking for a cozy family car for travel, the Chrysler Pacifica is better suited. The main thing is to get used to some ergonomic features and find a parking space at least five and a half meters long.

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Body type	Minivan	Minivan
dimensions (length / width / height), mm	5218/1998/1818	5006/1904/1990
Wheelbase, mm	3078	3000
Curb weight, kg	2215	2184
engine's type	Gasoline, V6	Diesel, R4
Working volume, cubic meters cm	3604	1968
Power, hp with. at rpm	279 at 6400	180 at 4000
Max. torque, Nm at rpm	355 at 4000	400 at 1500-2000
Transmission, drive	9-st. Automatic transmission, front	7-st. robot full
Maximum speed km / h	n. d.	188
Acceleration to 100 km / h, from	7,4	12,1
Fuel consumption (city / highway / mixed), l	10,7	8,8
Cargo space, l	915 – 3979 Feet	n. d.
Price from, $.	54 873	60 920