America's only gas-electric hybrid minivan could make those speeding SUVs obsolete

As the most environmentally friendly minivan sold in the United States, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a lot to offer over competitive vehicles. As a plug-in hybrid, this is the only minivan that qualifies buyers for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The Pacifica is a plug-in gas-electric hybrid with a lithium-ion battery that gives it a nearly silent, all-electric range of 33 miles. The combined city/highway rating of 32 mpg on regular gasoline equals the 4-cylinder, 203 horsepower Toyota Camry, a midsize sedan, and the even smaller Corolla cousin, Consumer Reports says.

Eco-smart Pacifica has lots of room, 

eligible for $7,500 federal tax credit

Editor's note: The gas-electric version isn't subject to the recall of more than 150,000 Chrysler Pacifica minivans in the United States because they may stall in some situations.

-- HACKENSACK, N.J.

By VICTOR E. SASSON

EDITOR

In a world overrun by enormous SUVs guzzling cheap gas, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan is literally a breath of fresh air.

You can buy minivans with more seats and more room for cargo, but why bother?

No other minivan offers the quiet operation of this plug-in, gas-electric hybrid combined with the gas mileage of a smaller Toyota Camry sedan.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles loaned me a fully loaded 2017 Pacifica Hybrid Platinum with a full tank of gas and a long list of active safety features to drive for 6 days at no cost.

I made a roughly 500-mile round trip to State College, Pa., to see my son and bring him a large, heavy electric piano; warehouse-size packages of paper towels and toilet paper; a cooler filled with homemade food, winter clothes and other items.

Gas mileage

I set the cruise control at or a little above the speed limit, averaging more than 35 mpg in both directions. 

The Pacifica Hybrid gets a combined 32 mpg on gasoline in city and highway driving, and has a total gasoline and electric range of about 570 miles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

You'd save more than $2,500 in fuel costs over 5 years compared to the "average new vehicle," the EPA says.

Minivan v. SUV

Compare that to a land barge like the ungainly Cadillac Escalade, which gets "up to" 15 mpg in city driving and barely eeks out 22 mpg on the highway when driven sanely, which is rarely the case.

Drivers of the biggest SUVs usually are bullies in traffic and on highways, and their oversized vehicles take up more space on roads, aggravating traffic congestion.

Mall parking lot spaces are too small for them, but many owners think nothing of opening their vault-like doors and dinging or denting the cars parked next to them.

The Pacifica Hybrid gets an astounding 84 mpge (miles per gasoline gallon equivalent) in electric-only mode, and 33 miles of all-electric, zero-emissions range.

"Vehicle emissions are a significant cause of climate change and smog," according to the EPA portion of the vehicle sticker, not to mention premature deaths.

The Pacifica Hybrid comes with lots of dials and switches, above and below, including a large dial to change gears electronically. Owners of Chrysler's Uconnect entertainment and navigation system with an 8.4-inch screen, like the one in the test vehicle, are "very satisfied," according to Consumer Reports magazine.

The Uconnect Theater Package on the test vehicle included Alpine speakers and a Blue Ray/DVD Player.

The hybrid experience

Like other so-called full hybrids, the Pacifica starts quietly and accelerates initially on its electric motors before the gasoline engine kicks in. 

The gas engine goes off when you stop at a light, and restarts seamlessly when you put your foot on the accelerator, unlike the clunky, noisy stop-start systems in some German luxury vehicles. The gas engine also goes off when the minivan is coasting.

The V-6 gasoline engine and electric motors generate a total of 260 horsepower, and the hybrid powertrain uses a 9-speed electrically variable transmission.

The minivan accelerates briskly, and is as maneuverable as a large sedan, in contrast to the awkward, truck-like ride of a big SUV.

Plus, the Pacifica Hybrid has 4-wheel disc regenerative brakes. 

When the 16-kwH lithium ion battery is full charged, the Pacifica Hybrid operates quietly in full-electric mode. 

The back row of seats folds easily into a storage bin, providing a flat floor, above and below.

The test vehicle came only with a cable and plug for a standard 120-volt household outlet, extending the charging time of the hybrid battery pack to 14 hours, instead of 2 hours with the 240-volt outlet that charges my Tesla Model S.

Other views

"A frugal, family friendly ride," is how Consumer Reports describes the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

"But the hybrid version has seating for seven vs. eight in the conventional version...." and "the second-row seats don't fold into the floor (that space is taken up by the hybrid's battery pack)."

Consumer Reports also rates the Pacifica the most reliable vehicle Chrysler sells.

AutoWeek.com says the Pacifica Hybrid is a "nearly flawless people mover, not just a nod to greenies."

BusinessInsider.com lists "suave styling, scads of space for people, pets, and stuff; robust drivetrain, fuel economy" as pros for the Pacifica Hybrid.

Cons? "Apart from being a minivan, none really," but "doesn't have all-wheel drive."

USNews.com says the Pacifica Hybrid "checks all the boxes that matter to most families."

"It has a hushed, upscale cabin, a long list of family friendly features, a smooth ride, and impressive handling."

Bottom line

Base price of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Platinum I tested is $44,995.

A long list of active safety features -- including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist and a 360-degree camera system -- were part of a package of options for $1,795.

That option included the Uconnect Theater Package.

A destination charge of $1,095 brought the total MSRP to $47,885. 

Still, the price dips to about $40,000, if you can use all of the $7,500 federal tax credit you get with purchase of the plug-in hybrid.

In New Jersey, the sales tax exemption only applies to zero-emissions vehicles like the all-electric Tesla Model S and Model X, Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.