Chrysler discontinued its Town and Country minivan and replaced it with Pacifica for the 2016 model year and more than 400,000 have been sold in America since its launch, among the tops in sales during that timeframe. Classified as a multipurpose vehicle, built in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, this year’s version is available in eight trims and a hybrid model, and has discontinued the low-end “L” and “LX” models that are now sold under the Voyager nameplate. 

Pacifica will fully refresh in 2021 … but this year the line-up adds a long list of available cosmetics, mechanical upgrades and optional exterior add-ons, and a Red S Edition package as a new option for Limited models … Red S doesn’t mean Red exterior, it means fully loaded with a black and red interior, and it is the trim I tested.

While I tested the fuel-only version, Chrysler also offers the Pacifica Hybrid, America’s first and only hybrid minivan. It is the fourth best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) from the 30 PHEVs available in the market, and the top seller among the 20 vehicles that offer PHEV as an option. Pacifica Hybrid achieves more than 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in electric-only mode, has an all-electric range of more than 30 miles and a total range of more than 500 miles. 

Back to the gas-only version, Pacifica rides with more than 100 available safety and security features, the Uconnect® Theater rear-seat entertainment system, exclusive Stow ‘n Go seating and storage, available 4G Wi-Fi and an array of comfort and convenience technologies, making it tailored to fit a family lifestyle.

My Red S edition was inspired by the popular blacked-out look of the S Appearance Package on other Pacifica trims. The trim features a striking, class-exclusive interior with Rodèo Red Nappa leather seats with Light Diesel Grey stitching and piping, Silver Metal Brush hydro bezels on instrument panel and door trim, Red S liftgate badge and Black Noise Chrysler wing badges with Velvet Red insert and Gloss Black exterior finishes, 20-inch wheels (18-inch on Pacifica Hybrid) with a Black Noise finish, Advanced SafetyTec, 20-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio, KeySense, and more.

Honored for the fourth consecutive year by The Car Connection as the “Best Minivan to Buy,” and earning a Consumer Guide “Best Buy” badge, the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica employs steel unibody construction, with hinged front doors; aluminum-skinned sliding left- and right-side doors and a magnesium-structured/aluminum-skinned rear liftgate with gas props.

Pacifica’s 121.6-inch wheelbase platforms a 37.8-inch front overhang and 44.3-inch rear overhang as part of its 203.8-inch length, 79.6-inch width and 69.9-inch height. Its curbweight is 4330 lbs in a 55/45 front/rear weight distribution.

Inside, Pacifica is comfortable, quiet for the niche and my Red S trim was luxurious and packed with an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a power liftgate, power sliding doors, 3-zone automatic climate control, second-row underfloor storage, an 8-way power driver seat, and keyless access and start.

Roomy as advertised Pacifica offers front headroom of 40.1 inches; row two provides 39.6 inches and third row seats afford 38.7 inches. Legroom is accommodating at 41.1 up front, 39.0 in row two with minimum knee clearance of 4.8, and 36.5 in row three with 3.5 inches of knee clearance. Shoulder room is a spacious 63.8, 63.0 and 61.2 and behind the third row of seats, Pacifica has 32.3 cubic feet of space. Fold the third row flat, and you get 87.5 cubic feet.

Pacifica power comes from a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine that puts out 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a nine-speed FWD, electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission with torque converter clutch. EPA rated at 19/28/22, I got 31mpg on the highway and averaged 23.3mpg for a week.

On the track and from a stop, Pacifica isn’t quick, but it is predictable and steady. I achieved a 7.3-second zero-to-60mph run and a 15.8-second quarter-mile.

Smooth-riding, Pacifica’s independent MacPherson strut front suspension with coil over gas-charged shock absorbers, stabilizer bar with hydroformed steel perimeter cradle, works well with an Independent twist-blade rear suspension with coil springs, twin-tube shock absorbers with integrated rebound springs to react well and family-soft for passengers, and the electric rack and pinion steering provide niche-good road feel and dynamics.

The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica is available in eight trims, from the $33,745 Touring through the $48,690 Red S Edition. The Pacifica Hybrid Touring starts at $39,995 and cash discounts and a potential federal tax credit of up to $7500 may be available. My test ride was the top-of-the-line 2020 Pacifica Red S, in Ceramic Gray Exterior Paint with Red Nappa Leather bucket seats, an S logo and Uconnect® 4 Nav with a 8.4-inch display. Splashguards added $150 and eight-passenger seating with a dual-pane Panoramic Sunroof added $495. An interior entertainment package could have added another $1995, but my test ride was delivered without those upgrades. Destination charges added $1495, and three cash discounts totaling $3500 put my MSRP at $46,835, so check with your local dealer for available discounts.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. 

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