Chrysler replaces Town & Country with all-new Pacifica minivan

Chrysler's new Pacifica minivan replaces the Town & Country line (Photo: FCA)

Chrysler’s Town & Country minivan line is out and has been rebranded Pacifica for the 2017 model year.  The Pacifica will ride on an all-new platform with an optional hybrid configuration, boasting impresive fuel economy numbers equivalent to 2.9 L/100 km (97 MPGe) city.

The Pacifica will have the lightest and stiffest chassis in its class, Chrysler said at the Pacifica’s January 11 unveiling in Detroit, and proportions that allow for a greater interior volume than any other minivan on the market. That means there’s room for up to eight passengers and that, like all Chrysler minivans since the ’80s, the Pacifica will be able to carry an 8 × 4-foot sheet of plywood in the back.

The minvan will be powered by the company’s Pentastar 3.6-litre 287-horsepower V6, backed by a nine-speed automatic transmission; a segment-first hybrid drivetrain capable of delivering 48 kilometres (30 miles) of range on battery power alone. The Pacifica also marks Chrysler’s first application of its new patented electrically variable transmission (EVT), and its first mass-market hybrid offering generally.

Exterior styling blends current Chrysler design cues with a muscular, athletic look, the automaker said. The interior is highlighted by horizontal lines; and an optional Tri-Pane Panoramic Sunroof.

Chrysler is also showing off a suite of new safety features on the 2017 Pacifica, including a Surround View camera system that gives the driver a bird’s-eye-view of the vehicle on an interior monitor; Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist to help guide the vehicle into parking spaces; and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Hold.

On the technology front, the Pacifica will see the debut of Chrysler’s Uconnect Theatre system, which encompasses a 7-inch info display and an 8.4-inch touchscreen up front, and two 10-inch touchscreens out back. Other features include a KeySense key fob that parents can give to kids with a pre-programmed top speed and stereo volume level; and a Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica will be built in Windsor, Ontario and should hit showrooms in the first half of 2016, with the Pacifica Hybrid finding its way to dealers in the latter half of the year.