Review: 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid - STILL the Only PHEV Minivan!

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Looking to buy a Pacifica or any vehicle? Go to mattmaranmotoring.com/pages/new-car-quotes to learn invoice pricing and get the BEST PRICE on a vehicle in your local area! (commissions earned)

[@gabeh7373]

We have a 2020 Pacifica Hybrid we have 87,000 mi on it it's been a phenomenal van and it definitely has plenty of power. I'm glad Chrysler decided to put the V6 in paired with the hybrid motor! Comfortable van we love taking this thing on road trips and driving around town in electric only mode you learn how to feather the throttle. Going to pick up the kids from school going to the grocery store running errands around town as long as I don't require too much power I can extract 30 miles out of the battery I do it all the time

[@MattMaranMotoring]

That's great to hear, thanks for sharing your ownership experience!

[@GothRocker7]

Matt, Have to give you credit, doing a very nice in depth review on The Pacifica. Nice review, It really is the best van/ nicest van. Sad this is all Chrysler has left, no more 300. When I was a kid In the 80's Chrysler/Dodge invented the minivan, and they made a fortune. So many of my friends had them, my parents had them. Matt, I agree minivans make so much more sense, and are easier to live with. I love that the Pacifica also offers all wheel drive, which works well and even does offer this front wheel drive hybrid. Pacifica is a really nice van. For some reason in America people got caught up in the media and advertising that a SUV or crossover is safer, tougher, more family friendly, but minivans are the best, and so much room. At home depot the other day, The one guy folded the seats flat of his Pacifica and was able to fit a washer and dryer inside the van. such a useful, roomy vehicle and they ride well, quiet. You can tell Chrysler really spent money on this van for engineering and developing. Neighbor had a Pacifica with All Wheel Drive, and was great in snow, he regrets getting rid of it, but his wife wanted a SUV look, so got the Durango but they have kids and daily he hates the Durango. The minivan was so much easier and had a lot more room.

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

Really sad how minivans don't get any love from the manufacturers.

[@Natethegreat200c]

Huh? What else do they need ? They’re doing all they can. Literally the only one that isn’t trying is Honda. Everyone else is giving all they have … what more do you want ?

[@imnotusingmyrealname4566]

@@Natethegreat200c Toyota hasn't done a thing to the Sienna. It's also hard to get because it's hybrid only. The 2.4 turbo would be the perfect engine with torque to power this minivan that feels like it's dying on an incline. The Toyota NA hybrids only work for small and light vehicles.

[@jvelez5381]

Women wanted minivan that's why they got popular. Then their f****** husbands started buying them SUVs. That's why minivans are only popular. They have to advertise them to women

[@wayneyim8714]

Minivans are getting no love from manufacturers because most people prefer SUVs. Sad reality is that manufacturers will not spend significant resources & investment on something that sells in limity volume

[@CaptainCJ97]

​@@wayneyim8714Which is find odd really a van is kinda better than a suv

[@thetruckingcarguy]

We use Pacificas as shuttles at my job, despite the weight, they are pretty quick. Also, i dont think ive heard any of the customers complain about them, in fact most like them

[@naveenthemachine]

I personally like this minivan. I rode in a non hybrid Pacifica recently and it was comfortable and very smooth

[@JasonWolfeYT]

I got my 2023 Pacific Hybrid S for 53k off the lot (56k msrp) and I got the Joe Manchin 7500 credit at the end of the year. Pinnacle for 61k is more than I remember. If you can find a loaded Sienna for 56k that is actually on the lot, yeah take that. But I went with the Pacific in 2023 because the Sienna didn't exist on any lots unless you wanted to pay 10k over sticker.

[@jwbrandt70]

Bought a used '21 not too long ago (Touring L) to replace a Hyundai Tucson SE. Love it. With occasional free EV charging (live in an apartment so can't charge daily) I have averaged just around 35 MPG using it largely as a hybrid. I had already added a Comma 3 device running the Sunny Pilot version to address lane centering above 39 MPH. Works great. These are such a pleasure to drive and SO much utility. 😎

[@apnachannel2009]

Bro so with almost not plugging it at all, how many mpg would it give? Your honest opinion plz

[@jwbrandt70]

@@apnachannel2009 Depends on a few things including AC usage. But I tend to see 33 to 37 MPG. I average slightly over 35 MPG with an occasional plug to 35% or so when convenient. Soon I will be at my other home where I can plug it in much more often which will greatly help the average.

[@apnachannel2009]

@@jwbrandt70 thanks bro

[@brita654]

@@jwbrandt70 I have the 2022 hybrid and love it at 40,000 mi and plug in every chance I get which I estimate about 40% electric use overall. I get worse than advertised mpg in cold weather and better than advertised in warm weather so it all averages out. I would buy it again no hesitation. Plug in puts this in EV category which can save a boatload of money. There will be those who will say Chrysler sucks and EV sucks but I had Toyota that sucked as well. 2 Toyotas that sucked and 1 that didnt. Oh, and did I mention the federal rebate? That doesnt suck!! My 5th mini van- 2 toyotas that the transmissions died around 160,000, 1 grand caravan replaced transmission at 130,00, 1 TOWN AND COUNTRY THAT GAVE ME 200,000 AND TRADED IN FOR THIS PACIFICA PLUG IN.....I REALLY LIKE IT!!

[@Thebuscommunityleader]

I'm like this van so much & I should buy this.

[@trackaholic9549]

I have a 2018 Pacifica PHEV, and it is awesome. ~86,000 miles, 30 MPG without charging, about 60 MPGe with a ~30 mile range. Oil changes every 15,000 miles or so (depending on how much of your driving is electric), and the brake pads are like new (and brake dust is practically non-existent). I live in a very hilly area, with lots of twisty roads, and putting the van in "L" (high regen mode) makes it easy to hold the speed on the downhills and slow a little for corners by lifting the throttle. This van was a game changer IMO when it first came out. I believe the V6 uses an atkinson cycle to increase fuel economy, and it is extremely smooth when starting and stopping and blending with the electric motor. Never dealing with annoying engine start/stop delays is a huge benefit of a hybrid, and the smoothness and silence of electric mode makes the vehicle feel super high class. The CVT works very well, is always smooth, and never in the wrong gear. In my hilly area, that is a huge benefit compared to normal automatic transmissions. The engine is smooth, quiet, and powerful enough that you never have the droning associated with four cylinder CVT vehicles. I've been on many road trips, and installed an aftermarket trailer hitch just so I could attach a bike rack to the back. It is an awesome road trip vehicle. I wish the two rear captian chairs were heated/ventilated (maybe they are on newer models), and I wish the stereo system was a bit more clear and crisp. The only issue i've had has been something related to the pump on the battery heat exchanger. It turns on a check engine light and prevents the interior HVAC heater from working when in electric mode (front seat and steering wheel electric heating still works). It might also affect the battery cooling, but the issue has happened twice (both times fixed quickly under warranty) and I have not noticed any changes to driveability, range, or power. I did get the extended warranty, so hopefully that means the problem will never come back. Even with that little issue, I love the van and always try to get one when I need a rental (wish they rented the hybrid version). I hope Chrysler keeps investing in the design and has some nice updates in the future.

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks you for sharing all of your ownership insights! Much appreciated!

[@nickbalzano1863]

I have 2021 pacifica hybrid wiith about 40000 i get anywhere between 750 and up to 1000 miles between fill ups its amazing by the way it takes less then 12 hours to charge overnight usually around 11. I usually plug it in 3 times a week . Would definitely recommend it..

[@AWildKappa]

Why would they not make the plug in Awd?!

[@MattMaranMotoring]

I think the problem is that Chrysler's AWD system uses a physical connection with a driveshaft to the rear, and the battery placement in the middle gets in the way of running a driveshaft. So they'd either need to redesign the battery placement or come up with an electric rear axle like Toyota does to power the back end that way. Both options are expensive and would require a bunch of reengineering to bring to reality.

[@brita654]

I live in New England. Front wheel drive is all I have needed for past 25 yrs. All wheel/4 wheel is for those who have special situations/needs.

[@jmsmikey]

Great review~ in mixed driving, how long does the battery keep a charge in hybrid mode? Is it an hour? Or two?

[@Theonestrongbusleader]

Great review.

[@tunisfishhead]

We had a Dodge Grand Caravan that was totaled on our last road trip 150k miles, 3000 miles trip, and crashed in the last 100. For it's replacement, we are looking at a Model X, Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, or Suburban. Family of 6. I'm sad there aren't any EV vans out there (Canoo is trying, but they may just go out of business), and this is the closest. I'm still not sold. I knew about losing the stow-and-go for the middle seats, but I wasn't aware of the towing limitation. We used our van as a truck when needed, and pulled a uhaul on a road trip when we had the dog to get more cargo our of the van. We regularly use a cargo carrier in the hitch for vacations where we need to take the inflatables (Island and 3-position towable tube). So, I'm not sure this is the thing for us. We'll probably swing over to full electric with the X, or go bigger with gas drivetrain only, and avoid the hybrids. Good review - thanks for the info.

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Happy to help! There is the VW ID Buzz if you’re wanting an electric minivan, and one Model X alternative is the Kia EV9 which is a roomier 3-row EV. Best of luck in your search!

[@secretmuse420]

I can’t wait for Sienna to Become a PHEV!🎉🎉🎉

[@ZachPye]

There is one thing that I noticed is that all the reviewers seem to forget to mention. When the battery is depleted does it go in to hybrid mode like a Ford or Toyota, where it alternates gas and electric depending on accelerator input and speed?

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Yes it does, I covered that in the video too.

[@mikelang9869]

Well done review, Matt. You're one of the best reviewers, imo. Do you prefer the driving dynamics of this or the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV?

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks Mike! The Outlander PHEV definitely handles a lot better in my opinion.

[@twotrackjack2260]

Great review Matt! I wonder if they de-tuned the engine to improve the fuel economy?

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks Jack! That's possible, I'm not sure.

[@doolittlegeorge]

Great vehicle and *SAFE* unlike a Tesla

[@matthewm3912]

perhaps you didn't see the story of a family who literally fell off a cliff in their Tesla and they all walked away...

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

Pretty sure Tesla has a FAR better safety record (deaths per mile traveled) than Stellantis as a whole, or even any individual Stellantis brand.

[@Vandantcyclone]

@@thatoneotherotherguyon top of that you can get a used 2022 or so low mileage for 25k and under now.

[@brita654]

Never owned or drove a Tesla but seems alot of people like em.....I dont do cars anymore. I need more space and functionality. The Pacifica plug in checks those boxes and the economy of an EV.

[@whiteandnerdytuba]

Fiat brands do a good job showing if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, then forgot that and broke multiple brands. Nice to see tried and true minivan, for now

[@JamesDICKSON-l6r]

I just go a 2025 pacifica hybrid I filled it up with gas and charged to 100 percent . Is it normal to run the battery down to 1 percent after only driving 30 miles with still a fuel tank of fuel and staying a 1 percet ? I had a 70 mile trip and it stayed a 1 percent .

[@apnachannel2009]

Bro one question I appreciate if anyone knows, if you don't plug it in at all, what's the mpg?

[@GoldenK9Campers]

I did a review on this as well. I really loved it. You didn't mention, but the other thing you lose other than towing is the stow and go of the 2nd row seats. You probably mentioned this on your interior review. If they offered towing on this sucker.. i'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[@im_an_alvani]

Great review! Curious about the AWD omission but otherwise it seems like being a bit more matured has helped this van out quite a bit.

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Thanks! Regarding the omission, I think the problem is that Chrysler's AWD system uses a physical connection with a driveshaft to the rear, and the battery placement in the middle gets in the way of running a driveshaft. So they'd either need to redesign the battery placement or come up with an electric rear axle like Toyota does to power the back end that way. Both options are expensive and would require a bunch of reengineering to bring to reality.

[@Oceangangshir]

Dat bit hard

[@CaptainCJ97]

Man this is quiet

[@tomdoe1234]

Did you say it was the only plug in hybrid? I recently drove a rental Toyota minivan to NJ and I'm almost positive it was a plug in hybrid. On the way back to RI I drove a Chrysler minivan not hybrid but driving wise the Toyota was much more solid.

[@MattMaranMotoring]

The Sienna is only a regular hybrid, not a plug-in.

[@tomdoe1234]

@@MattMaranMotoring I was thinking it was plug in because when I was in traffic it appeared to use the electric engine if I was light on the pedal up to about 20 mph. It was much nicer than the Chrysler but yeah your right about it not being fast

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

I'm not a PHEV fan at all, so the Pacifica being the only PHEV van in town doesn't interest me. EV minivans will be great, manufacturers apparently just have to focus on the awful, profitable substitute of a "3 row SUV" in EV form first. Kia is cashing nice checks with the EV9. If I wanted a cheap to run minivan, Sienna hybrid all the way.

[@brita654]

Sienna probably good. Plug in takes it to EV category which changes the potential savings.

[@Fordtech30482]

Just change your name to anything-ev-fan already

[@weirdshibainu]

Terrible reliability

[@EjinPagh]

Terrible review