Okay, y’all…we need a new vehicle. When you have a family of 5 with 4 licensed drivers, one minivan for the family use is not going to fit the bill. Yes, there is another car in the picture, but it is a two-seater that we inherited, and it is also a stick shift that only my hubby and I know how to drive. Sooooo….needless to say, we are in the market for a new vehicle, yay!
Photo credit: Dee Dean
This has been in process for over a year, and I have come to the conclusion that we are not yet out of the minivan phase of our lives. We still travel as a family, and we still have to carry folks around and lug some stuff with them. And after looking into some larger SUVs that don’t give my tall people leg room, there is only one way to go for our family: another minivan. Incidentally, I am fine with that because I love the feel of a minivan, and I love how it sits higher up on the road as I drive.
Now, we currently own a Honda Odyssey which are pretty pleased with. We have had it for just about 9 years and it has done well for us and our needs. Nevertheless, before the Honda we had a Chrysler Town and Country. I loved that van! Why did I like it so much? Because it had so much ROOM. Yeah, the T&C had the longest wheelbase of any of the minivans out there, especially when we bought it. As a family of long-legged folks, we need room for our bodies and our stuff when we travel. As the kids have gotten older, they have gotten taller, obviously. So while the Odyssey is great on other things, we took a hit in the cabin space department when we got it. Now we have an opportunity to regain some space.
In comes the Chrysler Pacifica. Chrysler retired the Town and Country, and then they revamped their Pacifica to be the new minivan option. Let me share with you why I am sure this will be the next vehicle in the Dean fam.
The Look
This van just looks so sleek! I love that it is a contemporary minivan that doesn’t scream “soccer mom”. In my opinion, it is a really sporty look and feel.
Cabin Space
*Ahhhhhh!* There is SO much room in the cabin of this minivan. In particular, my long-legged family of 5 all agreed that they had plenty of room in every seat.
Photo credit: Dee Dean
Check out this video of my daughters rearranging the rear seats and trunk for even more space for carrying groceries and bigger stuff:
Everything for a Tech Girl
Yes, I love some good tech in a vehicle! It definitely makes life a bit easier and good tech is cool for the family. The first thing that I noticed is the the fuel saving feature. The Pacifica turns off while sitting at the stoplight. It cuts the idle so that fuel is conserved, which is very cool. It took a moment to get used to not hearing the white noise of the van idling. And it is something to be mindful of in the rain or slick road situations because it takes a sec to get the traction when starting off.
The touch is screen is the next big piece of technology that makes all the difference in the operation of the Pacifica. It is very sensitive to the touch, so you don’t have to work hard to use it. And it adjusts everything from the climate in the cabin to the navigation system to the sound system.
Photo credit: Dee Dean
Speaking of the sound system, it is solid, and the bass is pretty strong (there are not one, not two, but three levers to adjust the bass…nice.) In addition, the touch screen allows you to change the balance of the sound, instead of using a dial. It’s a way more accurate way to get the sound set up the way you want it to be!
The best part of the tech is the wireless connection to your device(s). I was able to connect my phone to the car so without any extra cords or wires…yay! I could make phone calls hands-free, listen to all my music from my music library, and more. So cool.
Other winning features
The Pacifica is a smooth riding vehicle, and it handles well. There are plenty of cup holders for everyone in the cabin. In addition, there are plenty of places for a woman to secure her purse close to her while driving so that we can access our stuff. The display on the dash is well-lit and big so that you can see all the information that it gives with ease. The seats adjust easily, and the buttons to open the side doors and trunk are within easy reach of the driver and front passenger. Oh yes, the gear shift is a dial instead of a lever, which took a little getting used to…but now I like it.
I was really pleased with driving the Pacifica and getting to test out the bells and whistles. I hope to drive my own soon!
Do you have a Chrysler Pacifica or have you taken one out for a test drive? What do you like most about it? Let me know here in the comments!
Safe travels,
