2018 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L on 2040-cars

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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Long-term Review | Introducing something green

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — I'm stoked to drive this minivan. Legitimately. The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is an impressive evolution of the minivan and a smart execution of electric technology. Why hasn't someone made a hybrid minivan until now? I ponder this as I unplug the charger and take my first spin in the Pacifica, the newest addition to the Autoblog long-term fleet. Sinking into the leather seats, I'm immediately relaxed. That's why you buy a minivan: comfort and convenience. Hybrid tech? Well that makes this thing sustainable and even cool. Whether your friends are swanky or wonky, play the plug-in hybrid card and your people hauler is cooler than theirs. What we got We went with the Pacifica Hybrid Limited. It starts at $44,995 and wears a beautiful shade of Ocean Blue. The interior features black and alloy pieces and leather. Power comes from the sturdy 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 dubbed the eHybrid for this application, and it works with an eFlite electrically variable transmission home to two motors making 84 and 114 hp. The hybrid battery pack has 96 lithium-ion cells that generate 16 kWh of energy. The net system power is 260 horsepower. In real-world driving, it's quick, torquey and more fun to drive than the average minivan. It can charge in two hours using a Level 2 charger and offers 33 miles of range on pure electricity. Collectively, it puts out 84 MPGe, and using just the Pentastar it's still rated at a robust 32 mpg in combined city and highway driving conditions. The Limited is the top-of-the line Pacifica trim, offering heated and vented front seats, an 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen and 13 Alpine speakers as standard equipment. We added a safety and tech package ($995) that includes parking assist, a 360-degree surround view camera, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, seatback video screens and a Blu-ray DVD player. We also ticked the box for the hybrid appearance package ($395) to add 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, body color treatments for the mirrors and door handles, and a "Black Spear Applique" for the rear fascia. It's not worth your money. We topped it off with the $1,595 tri-pane sunroof, which is totally worth your money. Final cost including destination: $49,325. It's reasonable, considering the level of luxury the Limited offers, and as we all know, hybrid tech isn't cheap. If you can get the $7,500 federal tax credit the government offers on electrics, it's a great value.

NYT profiles Blue Nelson, a reclusive and interesting CA car collector

If it weren't for his Dale Earnhardt Sr. looks, Blue Nelson could be one one of those soft-spoken, nondescript guys whom you meet briefly and never learn much more about. However, as The New York Times shows in a recent profile and video, behind closed doors, Nelson keeps a fascinatingly eclectic collection of automotive oddities and vintage bicycles.
While his main career is in the movie industry, Nelson's other job is as a car hunter. He takes on clients searching for a specific model and helps them find and restore the dream vehicle that they're after. Hiring him takes some dedication, though, because Nelson doesn't advertise his services. "If people want to find me, they know how to find me," he says in the video.
Beyond being an automotive private detective, Nelson has a fantastically varied collection of vehicles of his own. He likes to have models that people don't usually see, and his garage holds a classic Chrysler New Yorker and an extremely rare Rometsch convertible. Although, the one that means the most to him is the 1962 Porsche 356 convertible that Blue came home in as a baby. Check out the video to learn more about Nelson and his philosophy about forming a bond with a car.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Quick Spin | Dad tested, kid approved

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is a compelling minivan, which feels less weird to say the more we say it (and the more we drive it). Adding a plug-in powertrain to an already solid family hauler makes it more interesting, and leaves the world just a little less greenhouse-gassy for those children you'll be carrying around in it. So, when we had the chance to actually take one home with us, we strapped in the car seat and put it through some real-world usage. For reference, the non-hybrid Pacifica comes with the standard Pentastar 3.6-liter V6, connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It provides 287 horsepower and offers 19 miles per gallon city, 28 highway, and 22 combined. The Pacifica Hybrid adds two electric motors and a variable transmission to its more efficient, less powerful Atkinson cycle V6, providing a total of 260 horsepower. The Hybrid also has a 16-kWh battery pack to power its electric driving. It's rated at a combined 84 miles-per-gallon equivalent. Our test kid, Wolfgang, loved the Pacifica Hybrid. He repeatedly asked for rides, which is not unusual, but seemed to prefer the Chrysler to his other options. He even got upset the one time we put him in Mama's Mercedes GLK while the Pacifica was in the driveway. Wolfgang especially loved the buttons to open and close the automatic doors. After heading indoors, he'd occasionally point out the window toward the minivan saying, "Button." He also thought the horn was hilarious. He's heard his fair share of car horns so far in his young life, but none have ever gotten the same belly laughs that the horn in the Pacifica evoked. We have no idea why. It sounds like a normal car horn to us. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Getting the car seat in and out of the Pacifica Hybrid was super easy. The captain's chairs make it even easier. The LATCH anchors were prominent, and easy to find by feel when reaching over the seat. It also helps that you can access the inside anchor by hopping to the other side of the vehicle, and the openness of the second row provides more room to work with. Once in the car, the huge door openings made it easy to get the little guy in and out of the rear-facing seat. While driving, the quietness of the cabin helps facilitate the sort of rudimentary conversation a toddler can hold.