Minivan buyers in wet and winter weather states, Chrysler has heard your pleas.
The refreshed 2021 Chrysler Pacifica minivan comes with optional all-wheel drive, more standard safety equipment, and more technology, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles revealed Thursday at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show.
All-wheel drive will help the Pacifica better compete with crossover SUVs and the Toyota Sienna, which until now was the only minivan that could send power to all four wheels in inclement weather.
The 2021 Pacifica features updated styling that looks less like the late Chrysler 200 sedan and more like a crossover SUV. The rear now features an LED taillight that spans the width of the rear end.
2021 Chrysler Pacifica
Inside every 2021 Pacifica is a 10.1-inch touchscreen with FCA’s latest Uconnect 5.0 infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. A new top-spec luxury Pinnacle trim covers all three rows of seats with quilted leather seats and adds plush lumbar pillows for the second-row captain’s chairs.
Power still comes from a 3.6-liter V-6 with 287 horsepower sent to the front or all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. The 260-hp plug-in hybrid model returns with no powertrain updates and offers about 30 miles of all-electric driving, but it can not be optioned with all-wheel drive.
Most Pacificas will be seven-passenger people movers with an eight-passenger option. Chrysler’s fold-flat second row Stow ‘N Go feature is standard on Pacifica models even with all-wheel drive, though Hybrid models still can’t fold their second row due to the battery packs.
Every 2021 Pacifica comes standard with forward collision warnings with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warnings with active lane control, rain-sensing wipers, and automatic high beams. A surround-view camera system, park assist system, and parking sensors will be available as part of the Safety Sphere Package.
Chrysler hasn’t said how much the Pacifica will cost when it arrives at dealers in late this year, but it will be available in four trims including Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle.
