Pacifica looks good, drives great

This week, we’re driving Chrysler’s top of the line Pacifica Limited AWD. We don’t dare use the word “station wagon” in describing this vehicle, so let’s just say it’s a “crossover” between a Sport Utility, Minivan and Family Sedan offering expanded cargo and passenger capabilities.

Introduced in 2004, Pacifica is available with two or three rows of seating for five or six passengers. The base five-passenger model starts at just $25,415, and has bucket seats up front and a split folding bench in the second row. Six-passenger models, like our tester, replace the second row bench with bucket seats, and then put a 50/50 split bench in the rear.

Our Limited AWD features a monochrome exterior, leather seats, wood grain trim, power sunroof, heated mirrors, ParkSense rear park assist, power adjustable pedals with memory, and a tire pressure monitor as standard fare.

Additional standard features that we really like are power liftgate, dual zone air conditioning, 4-wheel disc ABS, heated front and second row seating, 19-inch tires and aluminum chrome clad wheels, load-leveling height control and an Infinity 200-watt, 6-disc dash mounted stereo system.

Most important is Pacifica’s great safety rating. Five-star front and side-impact ratings and four-star rollover ratings from the government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration find this vehicle listed as a “best pick” by the insurance industry. The side curtain airbags that offer important head protection are standard on our Limited and optional on lesser models. Just make sure when you buy whatever Pacifica you decide on, the side curtain air bags are part of the deal.

On the road, expect carlike manners from Pacifica. Although we feel the Pacifica drives more like a Dodge Grand Caravan than an SUV, the 2006 Pacifica is improved dramatically underneath when compared to the 2004 introduction year model. Sibling Mercedes-Benz E-Class lends its rear 5-link fully independent suspension setup to Pacifica, where it’s ready for any road impurities. This is a definite improvement when combined with the front MacPherson strut independent suspension, making for a wonderful, secure ride.

The AWD setup is fully automatic, and utilizes full front wheel drive in normal conditions. However, when Mother Nature turns things nasty on the highway, Pacifica can transfer 90 percent of the power to the rear wheels if the front wheels lose traction.

Pacifica AWD’s curb weight is 4,720 pounds, and when mated with the new 3.5-liter overhead cam V-6, the 250-horsepower generated seems just enough to move Pacifica along. However, when adding passengers and/or cargo, our tester felt in need of a few more horsepower. It’s not that Pacifica is a slug, far from it. It just doesn’t feel peppy enough when called on in situations ranging from freeway merging to passing. In 2007, Chrysler addresses this concern and gives Pacifica a new 4.0-liter 24-valve V-6, while the 3.5 becomes the standard engine in the lighter base model only.

The only transmission available for 2006 is the 4-speed automatic, which works OK in this application, but I’d rather at least see a five-speed for better fuel economy. Again, Chrysler addresses this, and will offer a six-speed automatic with the 4.0-liter engine in 2007.

Some of the options on our Pacifica included a $1,695 Navigation System, very nice $990 Home Entertainment DVD with 7-inch screen in second row, a $195 Sirius Satellite radio, and a recommended $700 385-watt, 5.1 surround stereo upgrade. With destination and a few other minor options, the bottom line came in at $41,920.

Important numbers include a 116.3-inch wheelbase, 23-gallon fuel tank, EPA miles per gallon of 17 city and 22 highway, 3,500-pound maximum towing capacity, and 13 cubic feet of cargo volume with rear seat up. Cargo expands to nearly 80 cubic feet when all seats are down, so don’t fret any runs to whatever outlet you need visit.

Overall, we like Pacifica very much. It’s a good looker, has a well done interior, rides great and can be purchased in a variety of dress based on economic abilities. Lastly, with Mercedes-Benz influence finding its way into Pacifica, we rate it a high eight on a scale of one to 10.

Likes: Affordability, “crossover” attributes, good looks, secure, safe ride.

Dislikes: 3.5 V-6 too small for loaded Limited, fuel thirsty when pushed.