CTC Review: 2007 Chrysler Pacifica

[CD_Editor]

Picture Gallery:  2007 Chrysler Pacifica Day 1: Click Image to Enlarge From a sports car to a family hauler for me; at first a little hard to swallow but when people ask me how that feels, I can honestly reply, "It's no big deal."  You get used to it.  This week I'm driving a Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD: tweaked here and there for 2007 and upgraded to a 4.0L engine and six speed automatic transmission. More...

[si]

This is a decent product, too bad the market never took after it.

Now to James, I think it's a good thing to have loaded testers, as you can tell us what option boxes are worth while to check.  Also, the majority of enthusiasts opt for better equipped cars.

[random006]

This is a decent product, too bad the market never took after it.

I think one should say:  Too bad Chrysler never Looked after it.

I test drove one in 2003, the first year it came out.  Huge body, small rear visibility and a very small third seat.  As I've said before on CTC, my wife, seeing it from the front, called it the "Lummox".  Very apt.  I did not test the engine's capabilities but by all reports it was under powered in its original format.

Insurance and cost were other issues.  The list price of the AWD version started around $49,000 or so, while the insurance would also have been quite high.  To top it all off, my insurance broker told me that tracking devices like the boomarang or a competitor "immobilus" (sp?) would be required.

One thing was for sure, though.  It was quite luxurious inside.  From the leather upholstery to the 12" thick doors at their thickest point, one got a feeling of opulence.

[pg2676]

A co-worker of mine bought a used one a couple of years ago.  33,000km on it and it seemed like a good deal.  It was a loaded AWD unit, but after a year of ownership it had turned into a "money pit".  Brakes, failing electrical components, and the cost of just regular maintenance was well more than it should of been for a vehicle that by the time it was sold only had 70,000km on it.

[auto_enthusiast]

I rented one one of these for a 500 km weekend trip for me and some friends and it was a nice ride.  It didn't have the power of the Hemi Durango I drove before, but it was more than adequate to move it's 4000+ lbs up the Coquihalla.  It also didn't suck gas as badly as the Durango either.

The transmission tended to hunt a bit on steep grades but overall, it was a nice driving vehicle.  The interior was quiet, ergonomics were good, and it had very comfortable seats. Fit and finish was very good as well.  Being a relatively new vehicle when I rented it, it seemed to gardner quite a bit of positive attention as well.

[jww]

Good friends of ours replaced their Voyageur with a Pacifica 2 years ago. Telling point was that he insisted on adding the 7 year extended warranty - on the advise of another friend who owned a Pacifica and wished he had done so.

Nice lines and all - no question the fully loaded models are uber-luxo, imo. I just can't figure out why DC never really could get this to really gain acceptance over here. I thought it was the right vehicle at the right time. Now - perhaps if they had touted it as an SUV, maybe it would have taken off 

[tortoise]

$51,000 for a Chrysler?  And people were complaining about VW prices.

I think one of the big reasons the Pacifica never sold well is that when it was first released you could only buy a loaded version.  It was about a year or so after that they released a decontented version for a lower price.  It seems to me that for most people in the minivan market the price of the vehicle is very important.

[royboy]

DC should have marketed this as a "crossover" from inception to get consumer's attention. Too late now.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I have come around to appreciate this "segment buster"  more. Our neighbour has one, along with a Durango, and she loves it. I think it looks a little wide from behind, but not so bad.

The interior design looks good (like the metals, wood, power seat adjustment buttons, and the flow of it all), tho I remember years ago taking a look and wasn't so impressed in person. Also thought it lacked some space.

But for the right price, it's a nice combination. And definitely ahead of it's time, as competitors like the Acadia/Outlook/CX-9/Veracruz are only now hitting the market. Chrysler could get a few more years out of this design, but my impression was they were looking to bail.

[mrthompson]

This thing makes the Ford Freestyle look sporty.   

[jww]

This thing makes the Ford Freestyle look sporty.   

[CptCanuck]

I'll be interested to see what kind of mileage you get on this.  We briefly looked into these but the cost seemed high and we heard it really sucked back the fuel.

[jitsu303]

A $51k Dodge...no thanks.

[quadzilla]

I'll be interested to see what kind of mileage you get on this.  We briefly looked into these but the cost seemed high and we heard it really sucked back the fuel.

I remember reading a report on the first series where it was a long trip and they were managing 12L/100 with speeds under 120kph.

Should be interesting what this report says.

[mrthompson]

My aerodynamic-as-a-brick '94 Cherokee achieved 12L/100 km on the highway.   

[biker_golf]

I think this vehicle demonstrates a poor consumer value, based on what is now available (CX-7, CX-9, Acadia, Outlook, Murano, Edge, Santa Fe, etc.)  The word "crossover" is lost on me. If they really want to be accurate about it, then call the Pacifica a "station wagon".  I also think that the many model changes over it's brief lifespan indicate that Chrysler did not have a good grasp on the concept, not to mention that a Pacifica won't make the Consumer Reports "most reliable" list.    Yeah, I'm bashing, but I think I have a good case.

[articsteve]

Let's call it what it is; a turkey @ 50Gs     I've seen 2, I think.    which I'm sure were leased.  Maybe it sells in the US.

[Mitlov]

Let's call it what it is; a turkey @ 50Gs     I've seen 2, I think.    which I'm sure were leased.  Maybe it sells in the US.

They're decently common in southern Oregon, but they were rare in Eugene, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado.  Even in southern Oregon, they're far outnumbered by Daimler-Chrysler minivans.

[Greg B.]

I had one for a rental a couple of years back. Around town, the thing is huge and not very good in that environment. On the highway, though, it was great; smooth, quiet, stable, although none too quick. It was also a gas hog. The other negative aside from that was the lack of room compared to the size of the thing. It really was just a 4-passenger vehivle the way mine was set up, and was no great shakes for cargo either. Not a compelling choice.

[airbalancer]

You give the interior one wheel but you write
"I really like the interior of the Pacifica. You can see the Mercedes-Benz influence with the seat controls on the doors and the well-thought-out layout. Comfort levels are high in both the front and rear seats, and the third row seats are not too bad although a little short on headroom."
Can you explain?