Even in the days when petrol-swigging SUVs where the very staple by which the Big-3 kept their quarterly dividends within investor expectations, Chrysler made the criticized decision to start scaling back the super-size equation. They began work on the Chrysler Pacifica (under various test names) long before gas became priced alike liquid saffron, so when that first shoe fell, they were perfectly poised to fill a niche that hadn't quite existed, but had been imagined. The vehicle in question is the Chrysler Pacifica, and it strikes a modest balance, even if not a perfect one.
The snappy-stylish good looks get lost in the equation, since there are so many other factors to consider. The Pacifica is one of those uncommon instances where you really can have it all. You'd better have $30k to spare, but the cost of "everything" is never in the introductory range. You'll enjoy the comfort of a luxury sedan, practicality of a minivan, plus the peace of mind offered (usually in vain) by an SUV.
If the mileage could magically become better (such as by the employment of a hybrid drive or Mercedes cousin Bluetec diesel,) the Pacifica could mount an unstoppable campaign against its rivals. As soon as Chrysler (who may or may not still have licenses with Mercedes) does this, it will be a killer contender across all market segments, regardless of what you're after. The reason is that it's got pretty much everything else you could want.
What I love about the Chrysler Pacifica, is that ten-years ago I'd have begrudgingly bought a Chevy Suburban (since the GMC Suburban was retired, curiously), but the begrudge would have been there. I need the space and want the comfort, but the damn Suburban is the size of a suburb on its best day. You can't park it with even the difficulty of a full-sized truck, not even in the suburbs. The Chrysler Pacifica, with it's elevated seating configuration and exceptional visibility, has a shorter bumper-to-bumper base, without a noticeable decrease in interior space.
Speaking of "bumper-to-bumper", Chrysler throws down a serious warranty offer, as they have since Iacoca saved them from the scrap yard two-decades hence (I only use the word "hence" when speaking of the distant past). I know that as of 2005, the Chrysler Pacifica's seven-year/70,000-mile power train warranty was flat-out the best in the biz, with the balance on the curb covered for three years/36,000 miles, with the generous inclusion of roadside service. Graciously, the Pacifica also comes with a five-year rust guarantee, though you won't need it, because they wouldn't offer such a guarantee unless they knew their product could live up to it.
But the long and short of the Chevy Suburban comparison is that you will enjoy all the interior space without all the exterior space, so you still have what you want in terms of space, without those things you don't want in practical difficulty. Bear in mind, however briefly, that you're still lugging about 4,700-pounds, so your fuel economy won't be much improved over the Chevy Suburban, just your peace of mind.
Full four-wheel ABS disc brakes and a driver knee airbag are standard, as are the gamut of industry-leading safety features. Curtain side airbags for all seating rows are standard on the "Limited Edition", and are optional on base models and Touring Editions. Pacifica's 2nd and 3rd row seats fold down without the hassle of having to remove them, so that's good too.
It also boasts five-star passenger-protection ratings across the board, and four-star rollover rating (best in class), but you can feel the safety that comes with the solid construction, even on the first ride. It has a secure roll cage, crumple zones in front and back and a backup warning beeper for those of us who like to park up snug to our adjacent neighbors along the sidewalk.
The only real improvements I could suggest would be the addition of a backup camera (because I'm a huge tech geek that way), and a road-level profile, as opposed to it's elevated one. The navigation screen is built into the driver's side display, so passengers can't help navigate, but that's a matter of taste and preference. I prefer a touch screen, and plainly that's not available inside your speedometer display, but this is up to personal preference.
If you need the space, but not the sort of steroidally overpowered towing capacities offered by almost every Ford model, this is a fine consideration. My complaints are few and limited to the matters of taste that you'll be able to determine on a test drive, so if you're in the market for a car this size, give it a test drive and see how the numbers work out. Ultimately a great dealer is more important than a good-or-better manufacturer, so don't be afraid to drive a few miles to find a better Chrysler dealer if you aren't comfortable. You'd be crazy to let a poor salesman turn you off from the Pacifica, so don't let that be a consideration.
