Chrysler is banking its all-new Pacifica does for the "crossover" segment what its collection of front-wheel minivans did for family travel in the mid 1980s. Chrysler has dominated the minivan market with its trio of people-hauling vans: Town & Country, Voyager and Caravan with sales topping 550,000 units annually. Chrysler all but created this hugely profitable segment and just about every automaker with dollar signs in their eyes followed suit by introducing their own knock-offs.
The difference this time around with the 2004 model-year Pacifica is that some rivals have already experimented with and introduced their own brand of so called "crossover" vehicles. Crossover is best described as combining the best attributes of a minivan and sport utility vehicle. Buick introduced the Rendevous in the 2002 model year while Honda's Pilot took flight last year as a 2003 edition. Both of these products have underpinnings of a minivan with the looks of an SUV. Instead of officially labeling it a crossover, Chrysler has baptized Pacifica with its own segment name,the"sports tourer."
Pacifica seems a bit more refined than key competitors and will be marketed more upscale than Pilot or Rendezvous with an eye towards the popular, but smaller, Lexus RX 300 which features more car-like underpinnings. The all-new Pacifica is being built in Windsor, Ontario across the river from Detroit at a plant that first opened for business in 1928. Pacifica will share line time with long wheelbased minivans (Grand Caravan and Town & Country). Chrysler's short-wheelbased minivans will continue assemblage in St. Louis. Chrysler invested $300 million dollars at the Windsor planttoaccommodate the all-new Pacifica.
The four-door Pacifica first entered public consciousness in January of 2002 as a concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Positive feedback from the show convinced decision makers to give a quick go-ahead to project Pacifica, which went from concept to production vehicle in a relatively short 30 months.
During its first full year of production, Chrysler plans to assemble 100,000 Pacifica units annually for sale in its North American market. This figure is quite ambitious considering that back in 1991, Chrysler's entire brand sales added up to a rather anemic 130,542 units. Eleven years later, 2002 North American sales ballooned to a more respectable 481,000 units.
Pacifica has other regional importance to greater Chicagoland. The 3.5-liter, V-6 engine powering the vehicle is assembled in Kenosha, Wisc. immediately north of the Lake County boarder. This 250-horsepower engine is similar to what powers Chrysler's sporty 300M sedan and provides better-than-average gas mileage.
Chrysler welcomed journalists to southern California this month to log drive time behind the wheel through the winding mountain roads prior to dealership arrival. Pacifica handled better than expected during aggressive maneuvers around sharp turns. This vehicle attacks curves more skillfully than conventional minivans.
Inside, Pacifica seats six with a standard third row seat, a feature growing in popularity of SUVs. Two plush captain's chairs with plenty of leg room occupy the versatile second row and are designed for maximum comfort. These seats include a tumble forward design where backs fold down onto the cushions, than the entire seat folds forward, opening up a segue to the third row.
While the two-seat third did accommodate my six-foot, two-inch frame, long journeys would be best left to the pre-teen set.
Pacifica comes well equipped with a multitude of standard features. One simple yet welcome feature is the return of the dashboard analog clock which adds a touch of elegance and practicality.
Option choices are basically relegated to the electronic hi-tech varieties (navigation system, Sirius satellite radio, rear DVD player, U-Connect hands-free phone system) along with a power moonroof, 17-inch chrome wheels and handy power lift-gate. Potential owners must also select either all-wheel drive or front wheel drive configurations. Chrysler predicts all-wheel drive versions will make up about 70 percent of sales. During the first couple of months as production starts up, only front-wheel drive editions will be assembled.
Chrysler did a good job of integrating the optional navigation system. Unlike most other vehicles which place the screen in the central dashboard, Pacifica positions the screen in the modern-looking instrument panel inside the circular speedometer. This placement is more intuitive, and closer to the driver's glance pattern. A circular template just to the right of the instrument panel monitors screen nuances and audible commands.
With an exterior length of 198.9 inches, Pacifica is substantially longer than key rivals Acura MDX (188.5 inches), Buick Rendezvous (186.5 inches)and Lexus RX 300 (180.3 inches). It's also more than nine inches longer than a short-wheelbased Chrysler Voyager minivan. The large front grille includes Chrysler's retro-looking winged logo and bumpers are chrome enhanced.
Chrysler has confidence in Pacifica because industry research indicates 2.7 million people move in and out of sport utilities, minivans and sedans each year. If Pacifica attracts just 2.7 percent of these shoppers, the 100,000 figure will be attained.
Expect the 2004 Pacifica to start trickling into dealers in April with sizeable numbers appearing in May. Pricing starts at $32,980 for all-wheel drive versions and $31,230 for front-wheel drive editions. Prices include a $680 destination charge. |