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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Long-Term Update | Luxury steering wheel leaves us cold

Our 2018 Chrysler Pacifica, being the Limited trim, is a pretty plush place in which to spend some time, with Nappa leather seats, heating and ventilation for those seats, eight-way power adjustments for both front occupants, a heated steering wheel, and seat-mounted screens for the rear. In the black and cream combo of our van, it's a light, airy, and borderline luxurious place to be. But the steering wheel has begun to bother us. Chrysler calls it the "Luxury" steering wheel, and it's exclusive to the Limited trim. It's lovely in appearance with dark leather on the outside, light leather on the inside, and a real metal ring separating the two. Unfortunately, now that it's become bitterly cold in Michigan, the metal ring is freezing our palms. And although the wheel is heated, the only parts that get warm are the leather sections. So while the rest of our hands feel toasty, each one has a slim line that stays chilled where they contact the metal trim. View 12 Photos In the words of LeVar Burton, don't just take my word for it. Assistant Editor Zac Palmer was frustrated by it, too, and feels it betrays the practical nature of the minivan: "I'm a firm believer in function over form in nearly every circumstance. A minivan is the ultimate expression of function in the automotive world, but the steering wheel on our Pacifica does not follow that philosophy. The large metal band going all the way around the leather wheel nearly eliminates the benefit of the warm, heated steering wheel. Once this gets cold, it stays cold, and there's nothing you can do except take solace in the fact that it looks pretty as your palms rest on icy metal." If you're like us and dislike cold hands, the good news is that the wheel isn't featured on the Pacifica Hybrid Touring Plus or Touring L trims. Both also offer packages with heated steering wheels and seats. Of course, skipping the Limited trim does mean missing out on a number of nice luxury features, such as the Nappa leather, 8-way power passenger seat and front seat ventilation, plus dual rear entertainment screens and a Blu-ray player. So you'll have to weigh your priorities to determine whether this steering wheel is worth living with. And if you do have to have the Limited trim, perhaps we could point you toward some driving gloves for the winter months? Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Which of these five plug-ins should win the 2017 Green Car of the Year?

It's going to be a competitive race for the 2017 Green Car Of The Year. With a minivan in the running for the first time in ages, the five finalists announced by Green Car Journal today include five very different plug-in vehicles. As Ron Cogan, the editor and publisher of Green Car Journal, said in a statement, "electrification is now considered by most automakers an essential technology for current and future high-efficiency models." Let's check out the list: Toyota Prius Prime, the updated plug-in version of the world's best-selling hybrid. Chevy Bolt, GM's all-new entry into the long-range EV game. Chrysler Pacifica, a family hauler with the ability to go 30 miles on electric power. Kia Optima. The nomination is for the full line-up, but really the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are the green stars here. BMW 330e iPerformance, one of the automaker's many new plug-in hybrids that bring battery power to models outside the i sub-brand. Green Car Journal will announce the winners at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 17th, along with some, "other green transportation announcements," whatever that means. Last year, the winner was the 2016 Chevy Volt, the first model to snatch up two wins. Which do you think should win this year? Related Video: News Source: Green Car JournalImage Credit: REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian Green LA Auto Show BMW Chevrolet Chrysler Kia Toyota Chevy Bolt chrysler pacifica green car of the year toyota prius prime bmw 330e

2022 New York Auto Show Roundup | All the reveals, reviews, pictures

NEW YORK — In case you missed it, the New York Auto Show took place this year after being canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. A lot of manufacturers showed up in force, but not everybody did. No matter, we were there, and we brought you news, photos and scoops from the floor throughout the show. All of our New York-related stories can be found at our central hub here, but if youÂ’d rather just get a small taste of everything in a quick and digestible format, keep scrolling. 2023 Kia Telluride and its new X-Pro trim Kia revealed the TellurideÂ’s first major refresh at New York, and it makes the three-row crossover a little bit more desirable without screwing up what we liked about it before. ThereÂ’s a new X-Line and X-Pro trim for someone who might want a little more off-road capability, and a number of tech improvements. Most notably, a newly-designed dash features new and bigger screens. 2023 Hyundai Palisade The TellurideÂ’s sister car from Hyundai was treated to a similar refresh. Like the Telluride, Hyundai gave the Palisade a slightly revised look, a new off-road trim (called XRT in the PalisadeÂ’s case), more tech inside and a new dash design with full-width air vents. If we had to choose, weÂ’re a little more impressed with the TellurideÂ’s refresh, as a number of us on staff actually prefer the pre-refresh Palisade styling over the new one. 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L This one was inevitable. Jeep revealed the longer, roomier versions of its Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in New York, and theyÂ’re designated with an “L” at the end of their names. Total length grows by a foot, and the wheelbase goes up by 7 inches versus the standard Wagoneer models. Jeep has essentially allocated all this extra room to the cargo area, as it now offers a staggering 44.2 cubic-feet of space behind the third row. Besides the L, Jeep announced that its new Hurricane inline-six engine would find its first home in the Wagoneer. Efficiency gets a small boost, and power is more than sufficient at either 420 horsepower (standard output) or 510 horsepower (high-output version) from the twin-turbo I-6. Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept The Stellantis party continues with Chrysler and its slightly revised Airflow. Re-styled for the New York market after initially debuting at CES in Las Vegas, the Airflow Concept gets new paint, changed accent colors, a slightly changed interior design and a new interpretation of the Chrysler logo.