Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 8 Reasons to Love It
Jill Robbins
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Think you’re not or will never be a minivan owner? I get it.
There are a lot of legit reasons to not want to drive a minivan but there are a lot of reasons where it makes sense, too. Check out this list of reasons to love the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid and see if you change your mind. I’m not going to try and convince you minivans are sexy but if ever there was a people mover to sway the die hard minivan naysayers, the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica is it.
“I would never drive a minivan.”
How many of you have said that? Raises hand.
How many of you that have said that bought a minivan after you said that? I’ll raise my hand high. Minivan ownership isn’t the first thing I said I’d never do that I ended up doing and being happy with. We currently own a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan so getting to review the new 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid was a real treat. It’s definitely an upgraded version of my trusty mom ride and it definitely had me rethinking our “the next car won’t be a minivan” decision.
If you are shopping for a minivan or if you think a minivan might fit your lifestyle, despite its perceived lack of stylishness, here are 8 reasons to love the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
Read more: The 2020 Toyota Sienna: Reasons why the minivan is still the king of family vehicles.
If you can plug your phone in to charge then you can charge your hybrid vehicle. ? Jill Robbins
1. Fuel Efficiency
One of the big motivators to own a hybrid vehicle is to save money on fuel and live a little greener. Being able to rely on the charger for everyday driving can equal big savings and reduced environmental impact.
I’m not sure why, but the idea of plugging my car in was sort of intimidating. It is the furthest thing from that. If you can charge your phone or put gas in your car, you can charge your car. It took the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid about 13 hours to fully charge, so plan for that.
Related: Chrysler Voyager Minivan: What We Love About Pacifica
The Chrylser Pacifica Hybrid takes about 12-13 hours to fully charge. ? Jill Robbins
2. Comfort
This is an amazingly comfortable ride. The driver and passenger seat are equally comfortable, with seat heating and cooling. I love the seat cooling feature so much. I live in Texas and that’s on my “gotta have it” list when I’m buying a car.
Note: the seat cooling feature is not standard and if you want it you’ll have to purchase an upgraded trim, see below.
No matter where you sit in the Pacifica, you’re comfortable. Most adults of an above-average height aren’t comfortable in the third row but since minivans are configured a little bit differently, any where you sit offers plenty of legroom.
One of the features my husband and I LOVE is the dual controls on the audio. We can listen to our own music up front, even if the kids are watching a movie without their headphones. ? Jill Robbins
3. It Looks Good. Yes, really.
“Oooh that minivan is smokin’ hot.” Probably uttered by no one ever but that doesn’t mean a minivan can’t look good. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a sleek, streamlined design and the striking paint colors – Velvet Red is pictured here – make it stand out. If red isn’t your jam, there are nine other color options – several varieties of grays and white and two really pretty blues.
It’s important to be happy with the way your car looks – even when it’s a minivan.
4. Luxury Touches
So, no one thinks about “luxury minivans” right? Minivans are all about functionality and getting things done. While that’s not wrong, the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a definite luxury feel. The Nappa leather interior and trim and the very tech forward capability of this ride make this feel like a much more expensive vehicle than it is.
It feels good. It feels high end, even when you’ve got someone crying in the second row and unidentifiable food particles (it’s really OK just to call everything you don’t recognize fruit snacks) on the floorboards. And, when you’re in the trenches of parenting small humans, don’t you need something to feel just a litlte bit high end?
The answer is yes.
Read more: SUVs vs. minivans: Which is right for you?
The leather seats and trim plus all the technical bells and whistles definitely make the Pacifica feel like a luxury ride at a budget price point. ? Jill Robbins
5. Infotainment Screens
The Uconnect Theater entertainment system with two 10-inch seatback touchscreens was my kids’ favorite feature. And, since it keeps them quiet and reduces the amount of bickering I have to put up with from the second row, it’s a favorite feature of mine, too.
You can pop a DVD in up front and your kids can watch a movie using the included wireless headphones. I don’t know about you, but hearing Sponge Bob from second row gets old in about 20 seconds. And, best of all? There’s a setting where the adults in the front can listen to separate audio. We can play one of our favorite playlists or tune in to a podcast and not be disturbed by the second row audio. It’s like magic.
Not gonna lie: These wireless headphones and the infotainment screens are pretty bomb. This feature definitely makes longer car trips easier on everyone. ? Jill Robbins
6. Tons of room. TONS
We can fit out kids’ sports wagon in the back of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid as well as our regular grocery and Costco shops. Everything fits without having to fold down the third row seating, but if we need extra room for a larger load, the seats fold down easily. I struggle with this on my 2014 Town and Country but the 2020 Pacifica Hybrid is a snap.
I love how the seats fold completely flat. Some minivans and third row seats fold down with a slight angle. And, all this without sacrificing any leg room for a full house of seven passengers.
We have a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan and this updated and upgraded Chrysler minivan’s seat configuration is easy and seamless. ? Jill Robbins
7. Automatic Everything
I love the automatic doors and being able to get my kids (and whatever else I’m transporting) loaded up. If you’re a mom rushing your junior humans out the door in the morning, you appreciate the ability to touch a button and get a head start on getting your kids in the car while you’re locking the door to your house.
The Chrysler Pacifica is a great family car – I love these easy open sliding doors to get everyone loaded up quickly. ? Jill Robbins
I’ll definitely miss my minivan at school drop-offs (if we ever get to the point where school drop-offs are a thing again) if/when we no longer own a minivan. Sliding up to the curb and popping those doors open? Easy peasy. Opening the back so they can grab their sports bags or science project? Also easy peasy. You can sit in the driver’s seat in comfort, push buttons, and get it all done. That’s probably where the minivan cliché mom who wears pajama pants and no bra comes from. It’s just too easy not to leave the driver’s seat.
This is our everyday configuration, so we keep the third row available. It’s easy to fold the third row down if we want to make a big Costco haul or grab building supplies from Lowes. ? Jill Robbins
8. It Checks all the boxes
We are a busy family with two kids entering fifth grade who play multiple sports. We also travel quite a bit, at least we did pre-pandemic. I like our primary family vehicle to be one that accommodates us no matter what we’re doing.
Read more: How to get away during a pandemic quarantine.
If you have younger kids, buckling them into their child seats is super easy. You don’t have to bend down and you’ve got plenty of room to see what you’re doing. ? Jill Robbins
Whether we’re taking our kids and a couple of their friends to get ice cream or hauling a bunch of garden plants, the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica does exactly what we need it to do. And, as functional as it is, it’s also sleek enough to handle a dress up date night with just me and my hubs.
We didn’t take any trips during our week with the Pacifica but it’s got plenty of room to handle your family and all the gear for whatever adventure you’re planning.
Read more: Growing family? Our tips for choosing the best cars for new parents.
Who is this car for?
- Anyone who is already committed to buying a minivan
- Larger families (3+ kids) or anyone who regularly transports more than 5 people.
- Business owners. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid would be great for a business owner that regularly needs to transport inventory or larger groups of clients on a regular basis.
- Anyone who wants more eco-friendly ride. If you’re going to drive less than 30 miles total on an average day, you can almost exclusively drive this car on the battery. It would be a great car for me because on a typical day, I stay inside my neighborhood. I run my kids around a lot and I spend a lot of time in my car but most of my stops are near our house. My husband, who has a round trip commute of 50 miles each day would not have the same experience.
What else do you need to know?
- Cost: The starting MSRP is around $39,995, which might seem high, but you’ll enjoy substantial savings on fuel.
- There are three trim levels: Touring, Touring L, and Limited (pictured here.) There’s only a $6,000 spread between the three trims (the Limited is $45, 575) so unless you’re on a very tight budget, you’ll be able to choose what options are important to you.
- The base model has a robust list of features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (another “gotta have it” for me), heated seats, navigation and an 8.4 touch screen display.
- Fuel economy: Since this is a hybrid and not a fully electric vehicle, there is a backup gas tank. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will run 30-35 miles on a fully charged battery without using any gas. After the charge is depleted, the car automatically switches to using gas. You’ll be able to watch how the battery is being used on the driver’s display.
- Check for tax credits. Tax credits are a thing of flux but you may get federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for purchasing an electric or hybrid vehicle.
- There are 360 degree cameras that give great visibility and help out people who are challenged when it comes to parking. Raises hand.
