The Perfect People and Cargo Mover: 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L
16 Sep 2022
From the late 80s to the late 90s, I had my own disc jockey company. I would spin tunes at weddings, banquets, and local bars. Having a minivan was a necessity as I had to cart my stereo equipment and record collection around with me. It also afforded me plenty of room for bags and camping equipment when I travelled with friends. This was proof that minivans were not just for families.
Fast forward 20 years and requirements have not changed that much. Larger families still seek a roomy vehicle that will carry their families safely. While some larger SUVs have third-row seating, none are as practical as a minivan. But even smaller families find a minivan a very practical solution for their needs, as well as those that require the additional passenger or cargo space (salespeople, real estate agents, old school disc jockeys, etc.)
From the very first Caravan in 1984, Chrysler has always led the way in the minivan category. My in-laws have owned a Caravan since they were first released. I remember my wife Wendy telling me how people in Niagara Falls (where she grew up) would stare as they drove by in their 1984 Caravan, as no one had ever seen anything like it. Her Mom, who is widowed with no one else living at home, still drives a Grand Caravan now and loves it. She is now looking to replace her fifth-generation Grand Caravan with something newer, and the Chrysler Pacifica is on her radar.
With several models available, the availability of a hybrid option, and the rising costs of fuel, the Pacifica is an attractive and practical alternative to a larger SUV that is less fuel efficient.
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L
Let’s take a closer look at the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L minivan.
Exterior
The look of the Chrysler family of minivans have come a long way since they first debuted in 1984. I owned a 1998 Plymouth Voyager in the early 2000s and loved it. The Pacifica is much more sleek and modern looking. My test model had the sport appearance package with blacked-out rims, grills, and badging. For a guy who is not into a lot of chrome, this would have been exactly what I would have factory ordered if I was looking to buy a minivan.
Rivals Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna have always had great-looking exteriors, and the Kia Carnival is also a great choice. What sets the Chrysler Pacifica apart is its forward stance and simple lines. The sport appearance package really took this van to the best level for me, adding to that sexy factor not often found in a vehicle that is meant for a larger family.
Rating: 9.0
Interior
The Pacifica’s interior is spacious and well-appointed, with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. The instrument cluster includes both digital and analog gauges – a nice nod to the minivans of yesteryear. The ambient lighting in the cabin is quite nice, as well as the lighting of the dash. Nothing looks or feels “cheap”.
The Stow ‘n Go seats in the Chrysler Pacifica make it easy to reconfigure the interior to suit your passenger and cargo needs. It’s really simple to change the layout of the cabin, with second-row seats that stow flat behind the front seats and a rear bench seat that collapses into the rear cargo area. When the second-row and third-row seats are collapsed, the floor of the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica is completely flat. If you need to use the vehicle to move your kid into their university dorm, you can definitely fit all of their items.
I was quite surprised at the low amount of cabin noise considering this is a minivan, and it had nothing to do with the tunes blaring out of the 13 Alpine speakers!
Rating: 9.0
Power
The Chrysler Pacifica is available with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 gasoline-powered naturally aspirated engine, and a plug-in hybrid with a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery dubbed the Pacifica Hybrid. Our test model came equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.
This powertrain is very capable, making it a great choice for families who need a reliable vehicle that can get them where they’re going.
The 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 develops 287hp @ 6,400 rpm, and a maximum torque of 262 lb.ft. @ 4,000 rpm. The Pentastar V6 is paired with a 9-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission and an all-wheel drive system, making accelerating and shifting quite smooth.
With a towing capacity of 3600 lbs, you can easily tow a mid-sized pop-up camper trailer. My inlaws towed a camper trailer for many years with the various Grand Caravans they owned. You just need to be mindful of the weight of the trailer and its contents, as well as the weight of the passengers and cargo in the van.
Rating: 9.0
Drive
The Pacifica drove quite smoothly on both city and highway roads. Steering was smooth, and it was pretty fun to drive.
While I didn’t take the vehicle around a pylon slalom course, it did handle very well. Due to its lower profile, the Pacifica cornered really well.
Rating: 8.5
Fuel Economy
My test vehicle put out 287-hp with its 3.6-liter V-6, and came equipped with the optional all-wheel drive. I was quite surprised at the efficiency of the Pacifica. I did a lot more highway driving than city driving and was happy I didn’t have to stop frequently for fuel.
For an all-wheel drive minivan that has a slightly larger engine than the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey, that is pretty good. And I would much rather have the optional all-wheel drive for our Canadian winters.
Rating: 8.0
Safety
Chrysler Pacifica’s Touring L trim comes packed with safety features. This includes Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Blind-Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-Path Detection, and one of my all-time favourite features – Adaptive Cruise Control that works in stop-and-go traffic.
In addition to a backup camera, this trim level features a surround-view camera system that gives you a 360-degree view of your surroundings.
Other safety features include:
• Park–Sense Front and Rear Park Assist with stop
• Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist with Stop
• Pedestrian Emergency Braking
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Overall, the Touring L trim is a great choice if you’re looking for a safe and reliable vehicle.
Rating: 8.0
Comfort
One of the things I look for first in a vehicle is how easily I can access the driver seat, and how comfortable it is. I also test the back seats even though I rarely ride in them.
The front seats in the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L are comfortable and supportive, taht made my long trip a breeze. The second and third rows seats were very reminiscent of the minivans I once owned, and quite comfortable considering these seats fold down to store beneath the floor.
I drove over just 1000kms in my test model, and at no time did I have to adjust the way I was driving. For a big guy like me, that is a huge selling point. Getting in and out of the front seat was a breeze. Chrysler products have always been quite friendly to taller folk like me.
Rating: 9.0
Tech
Most people probably wouldn’t think that a minivan would be tech heavy, with its main purpose being a people mover. A few days in the driver’s seat of the Chrysler Pacifica will convince them otherwise.
Here are just some of the many tech features that were included in my test model:
• Bluetooth handsfree phone and audio
• 7–inch full-colour customizable in-cluster display
• Steering wheel–mounted audio controls
• Universal garage door opener
• Remote start system
• KeySense programmable key fob
• GPS navigation
• 13 Alpine speakers and a 506-watt amplifier
• Blu–ray/DVD player with video USB and HDMI ports
• Front seatback dual 10–inch touchscreens
• Third–row USB charging port
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot
• SiriusXM w/ 360L on-demand content
• Uconnect 5 NAV with 10.1–inch display
• FamCam Interior Camera
• Hands–free communication with Bluetooth streaming
• Amazon Fire TV Built–In
The Chrysler Pacifica Touring L comes standard with the Uconnect 5 infotainment system and its large 10.1-inch touchscreen display. Uconnect 5 NAV offers a customizable home screen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a convenient Wi-Fi hotspot. Apple CarPlay worked seamlessly for me, which made for a great and fully connected week. While I did not test this feature, it also offers Amazon Alexa integration.
Our test model came equipped with the Uconnect Theatre Family Group, which includes a rear-seat entertainment system with two 10.1-inch touchscreens built into the backs of the driver and passenger seats. Not only can you watch movies or use the apps with Amazon Fire TV, but there are also built-in games that are sure to keep the kiddies or kids at heart entertained on long trips.
Rating: 8.5
Storage
The minivan has always had the greatest amount of usable storage for any passenger vehicle, and the Chrysler Pacifica is the poster child for this. There is so much room in this minivan with compartments everywhere. Then, collapse the Stow ‘n Go seating into the floor and you have yourself a cargo van with 3,978.5 litres of space behind the first row seats. Need the second row up for passengers? You still have 2,477.7 litres behind the second row. And if you need space for more passengers, there is still 914.6 litres behind the third row – lots of room!
Rating: 10.0
Value
The Chrysler Pacifica is available in 4 models: Touring (starting at $50,990.00 CAD), Touring L (starting at $52,590.00 CAD), Limited (starting at $62,925.00 CAD), and Pinnacle (starting at $66,375.00 CAD).
The mid-level model 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L we tested was $62,375.00 (CAD), with additional cost for Fathom Blue Pearl paint, Customer Preferred Package 27L S Appearance Package, and Uconnect Theater Family Group. This price point comes in higher than a similarly equipped 2022 Honda Odyssey or 2022 Toyota Sienna.
However, the mid-level touring L model Pacifica is well equipped, and is a lot nicer than the last generation Grand Caravan. While the cost is higher, there are a lot more Chrysler minivans on the road than there are its competitors, and that speaks volumes.
The basic Warranty covers 3 Years or 60,000 km, whichever comes first. The Powertrain Warranty is decent – 5 Years or 100,000 km, whichever comes first.
Rating: 7.5
Overall Rating
Based on the 10 different categories covered above, I gave the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L an overall score of 86.5.
Overall Score: 86.5
Specifications
The following are key specifications. For trim-specific specs, please visit the Chrysler Canada website.
Chassis
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose vehicle (minivan)
Front Suspension: Independent MacPherson strut, coil over gas-charged shock absorbers, stabilizer bar with hydroformed steel perimeter cradle
Rear Suspension: Independent twist-blade with coil springs, twin-tube shock absorbers with integrated rebound springs
Front Brakes: Vented rotor with twin-piston floating caliper
Rear Brakes: Solid rotor with single-piston floating caliper
Steering: Electric rack and pinion
Powertrain
Engine: PENTASTAR V-6
Displacement: 3.6 liters
Horsepower (hp/rpm): 287 hp (214 kW) @ 6,400 rpm
Max. Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 262 lb.-ft. (355 N•m) @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission with torque converter clutch
Driving System: AWD
Recommended Fuel: Unleaded regular, 87 octane, or E0 to E15
Maximum Towing Capacity (lbs): 3,600
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 3,089 mm
Length: 5,189 mm
Width: 2,297 mm
Height: 1,777 mm
Passenger Volume: 4,672.2 litres
Maximum SAE volume behind first row: 3,978.5 litres
Maximum SAE volume behind second row: 2,477.7 litres
Maximum SAE Volume behind third row: 914.6 litres
Total passenger plus volume behind third row: 5,586.9 litres
Curb Weight: 2,050 lbs
Fuel Tank Capacity: 71.9 litres
Fuel Economy
City: 12.38 l/100km
Highway: 8.4 l/100km
Combined: 10.69 l/100km
Drive by Incubus
When I was in my 20s, I owned four different domestic minivans. Now you may be wondering why a guy in his 20s was driving a minivan, and that would be a good question. As mentioned earlier, I used to DJ in my younger years, and it was a great way to cart around my equipment. It was also a great way to go on road trips with friends, as it had lots of space for passengers and cargo. Each time we would go away, I would make a mixed tape for the trip with lots of good road trip songs. It was always an amazing time.
My week in the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica reminded me of the great times I had in my 20s, and the amazing music from that time. One of those songs was Drive by Incubus.
It’s driven me before and it seems to be the way
That everyone else gets around
But lately I’m beginning to find that when
I drive myself my light is found
I really hope you enjoyed this edition of Motor & Music featuring the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L and Drive by Incubus.
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Cheers,
Big Daddy
If you are a PR agency or brand and would like me to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send me an email at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, a father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. Craig likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada. In June 2017, PR firm Cision identified Craig as one of Canada’s top 10 most popular male bloggers in the parents and family space.
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