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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid | Mountain road / fuel economy review

PORTLAND, Ore. — I don't have children, which makes it a wee bit difficult to fully appreciate and evaluate every nuance of the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. I'll leave that to Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore and any other proud parents at Michigan HQ where the long-term and extremely blue Pacifica resides. However, with an extremely beige Pacifica Hybrid in my driveway this week, I figured I could tackle something that's difficult to fully evaluate in the Mitten State: mountain road driving. You know, that thing families totally care about, right after safety ratings and cupholder count. ... Or not. Again, no kids. Admittedly, putting it through a fuel economy test seems more useful, so I did that too. Now, typically, minivans are huge boxes with a stratospheric center of gravity courtesy a whole bunch of steel, a whole bunch of panoramic sunroof glass, and a whole bunch of air ducting packed into the roof. This leads to a rather tippy driving experience that's exacerbated by a soft suspension intended to provide pillow-like comfort for the kiddos in the back. . This would apply to the regular Pacifica, but the Hybrid, it's different. Stuffed into the area where the Stow 'n Go seats would normally stow and go into, this plug-in hybrid's 96-cell lithium-ion battery pack is smack dab in the middle of the van and quite low to the ground. It's exactly where you'd want to stuff 568 extra pounds to counteract all that weight up high. It also settles that suspension down, resulting in a minivan that feels more buttoned down and poised with minimal rebound over bumps. Body roll is even kept nicely in check. This, despite balloonier, higher-profile tires than what you'd get in a comparable regular Pacifica. The steering could still use just a smidge more effort upon turn-in, but remains more reassuring and engaging than Honda's disappointingly loosey-goosey steering. Throttle response is different in the Pacifica Hybrid as well, providing ultra-smooth and torque-rich electric power delivery reminiscent of an EV. Even when the all-electric range has been depleted, the Pacifica Hybrid continues to feel more like an electric car than one that also has a gasoline engine aboard. It certainly helps that that engine is a smooth 3.6-liter V6 rather than a buzzy four-cylinder bound to make a racket. Unless you really gun the thing, it's difficult to detect when puttering around town or at a steady highway cruise. In total, the Pacifica Hybrid is better to drive.

2022 Chrysler Pacifica gets price hike, starts at $38,160

Mopar Insiders says its Chrysler dealer contacts gave the outlet a glimpse at what's coming for the 2022 model year. The most important change to the Pacifica range — we're not including the Voyager and Pacifica Hybrid in this — is the addition of a front-wheel-drive model to the penultimate Limited and top Pinnacle trims. Both are available only with all-wheel drive at the moment, so the change will lower their MSRPs when next year's models arrive on lots. There are a few price increases, however, so the savings won't be as large as one might wish. Pricing for the range based on info from MI's dealer sources, including the $1,495 destination charge, and the increase compared to 2021, is: Pacifica Touring: $38,160 ($845) Pacifica Touring L: $41,785 ($1,170) Pacifica Touring L AWD: $44,780 ($1,170) Pacifica Limited FWD: $49,815 (new for 2022, $495 less expensive than the 2021 Limited AWD) Pacifica Limited AWD: $52,410 ($2,100) Pacifica Pinnacle FWD: $54,270 (new for 2022, $1,320 less expensive than the 2021 Pinnacle AWD) Pacifica Pinnacle AWD: $56,865 ($1,275) Across the range, all the minivans get a rear seat reminder safety alert and the Stellantis Clean Air Filtration System that acts like the minivan's wearing an N95 mask, capturing 95% of particulates in the air including bacteria, allergens, and pollen. Looks like Chrysler's going to start charging for certain exterior colors on a reduced palette. There are ten colors now, all of which are free. Next year there will be seven, and only Bright White, Brilliant Black, and Ceramic Grey will be no charge. Granite Crystal and the new Silver Mist, which replaces Billet Silver, will cost $95. And Fathom Blue and Velvet Red will cost $395.  The entry-level Touring pulls the opposite trick from the Limited and Pinnacle, losing its AWD option. Driving the rear axle cost an extra $2,995 on this trim, perhaps why Chrysler said only 2% of Touring buyers chose the option this year. Next year's Touring gets the Cold Weather Group, with features like heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, as standard equipment. That option cost $495 this year and its inclusion might be responsible for the trim's price increase.  The Touring L gets the makes this year's optional $995 Safety Sphere Group standard equipment for next year. That installs features like ParkSense for front, parallel, and perpendicular parking, and a 360-degree surround view camera.

Recharge Wrap-up: Renault-Nissan at COP22, BMW launches Cruise e-Bike

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has been chosen to provide a fleet of electric cars for the UN's COP22 Climate Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco. The group will provide 50 passenger EVs – the Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf, and Nissan e-NV200 – to shuttle delegates to and from conference venues. The Alliance will also provide more than 20 charging stations to support the shuttle fleet. The group provided electric shuttles for the historic COP21 summit in Paris last year. Read more from Renault-Nissan. FCA, Iveco, and gas grid company Snam have signed an agreement to boost natural gas as a cleaner alternative fuel for Italy. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, FCA and Iveco will work together to develop CNG vehicles, while Snam will invest in CNG supply facilities like filling stations to support a growing fleet. Italy leads Europe in the amount of natural gas consumed for transport, with 1 million vehicles currently on the road. Read more at Green Car Congress. LG Chem has officially announced it will build a battery plant in Poland to the tune of about $340 million. Located near Wroclaw in southwestern Poland, the plant is expected to produce 100,000 batteries a year for 200-mile EVs beginning in 2019. The plant could help Poland in its goal to reduce pollution by introducing a million EVs on its roads by 2025. "We will turn the Poland EV battery plant into a mecca of battery production for electric vehicles around the world," says UB Lee, President of LG Chem's Energy Solution Company. Construction begins in the second half of 2017. Read more from Automotive News Europe. BMW has introduced the Cruise e-Bike. Its Bosch Performance Line electric motor provides electric assistance at speeds of up to 15 mph. The battery can be either be removed or remain on the bike for charging, which takes 3.5 hours for a full charge. "BMW aims to be the leading provider of premium mobility services, and our bicycle collection furthers that mission," says BMW Accessory and Lifestyle Manager Eric Riehle. "As we enter the holiday season, these bikes make the perfect present for those wishing for their first BMW." The BMW Cruise e-Bike costs $3,430. Read more from BMW.