2027 Chrysler Pacifica Review

On pure practical merit, minivans like the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica are hard to beat.

For many parents, tradespeople, and those who simply have a lot going on, once you’ve experienced button-operated sliding doors, a load floor this low, and the prodigious amount of space on offer, it’s hard to go back to anything else.

Chrysler was once the brand you turned to if you wanted the definitive minivan, and this newly facelifted Pacifica remains a marvel in everyday versatility. But unless you absolutely need eight seats — of which five can fold flat into the floor, depending on trim — the Pacifica leaves a bit to be desired when measured against its more modern peers.

Design: 7/10

Now entering its 11th model year, the Pacifica gets another refresh for 2027, and the most notable changes are aesthetic. The new, simplified Chrysler logo can be seen throughout, wheel designs are new, and that reworked front end is by far the biggest differentiator over last year’s Pacifica. It’s not an unattractive fascia, but it feels like it was originally drawn up for an entirely different vehicle and then added to this.

Inside, the Pacifica dates itself with swoopy shapes, a lot of gloss-black plastic in high-touch areas, and physical gauges behind the steering wheel. New and exclusive to the top Pinnacle trim is this tester’s Blue Agave interior that also adds copper trim with stitching and seat piping to match.

User-Friendliness: 9/10

Among the benefits of a vehicle that hasn’t changed much since 2017 is the litany of buttons and knobs that let you control the climate, audio, and vehicle settings. There’s even a button dedicated to turning the screen off, something that feels from an entirely different time but in the best way. Don’t worry, app addicts: that touchscreen still measures 10.1 inches and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Chrysler’s native Uconnect system is easy to use.

The gear selector is a knob, which deserves ire on principle alone. But in fairness, its location and size means you’ll likely never confuse it for anything else after using it once.

Everyday Usability: 10/10

Supreme practicality is the pièce de résistance of any minivan, and the Pacifica embodies this in spades. Three rows of seats accommodate as many as eight people, depending on configuration, and the captain’s chairs in the second row of this seven-seat tester are appropriately spacious. Sitting in the third row felt reasonable, too — no, stuffing three grown adults elbow-to-elbow back there won’t be very comfortable, but kids should have a decent time.

With all the seats up, there’s still enough cargo room for several carry-ons or a decent amount of groceries, but folding just the third row yields enough space to fit an entire adult-sized bicycle standing up. Dare you to try that with a three-row crossover.

All but this top Pinnacle trim, with its wider second-row captain’s chairs, can famously fold all its rear seats down completely flat into the floor if needed. It’s the only minivan on the market that can do this and arguably serves as the Pacifica’s strongest, most unique selling proposition.

Seasoned van connoisseurs already know, but the Pacifica also features a bunch of standard minivan tricks that quietly make life easier. There are at least three different switches you can use to electronically open and close the sliding doors. Each doorway features a grab handle to make getting in and out easier, especially for older occupants or those with mobility challenges. There’s a little deployable mirror dedicated to keeping an eye on any unruly backseat passengers. And there’s no shortage of cup holders, cubbies, charging ports, and sunshades for the whole crew.

Powertrain: 7/10

Chrysler parent company Stellantis is shifting away from electrification, so the plug-in Pacifica Hybrid is no longer available for 2027. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 that remains isn’t especially exciting nor is it especially unpleasant; it just sort of is, and 287 hp does the job of moving all seven (or eight) of the Pacifica’s seats down the road without much fuss.

However, the throttle is tuned to be more sensitive than I expected, particularly from a stop. This can make the van feel peppier than it is, but I would’ve preferred to do without this, since it can make accelerating from a stoplight a bit jerky.

All-wheel drive is optional for the Select and Limited models but standard with the Pinnacle. The Pacifica can tow 1,633 kg (3,600 lb), which Chrysler says is best in the class.

Driving Feel: 7/10

Whereas the Pacifica’s minivan rivals make deliberate efforts to drive like anything but, Chrysler hasn’t seemed to have bothered, for better or worse. It heaves more than a crossover or sedan would when accelerating, the brake pedal is long and soft, and you indeed feel like you’re sitting ahead of the front axle when you turn it.

However, it feels wrong to complain about a minivan driving like a minivan, and on a philosophical level, the Pacifica deserves props for not being ashamed of what it is. For what it’s worth, its unapologetically van-like driving character simply faded into the background after a couple days.

Comfort: 9/10

All that space, practicality, and demureness would be moot if the Pacifica weren’t comfortable, but thankfully it is. The ride is soft, the seats are comfy, and road and wind noise are kept at bay reasonably well. It could do with a bit more insulation from the sound of its own engine, though.

A heated steering wheel and heated front seats are standard, while heated rear seats and cooled fronts come in the Limited and Pinnacle trims.

Equipment: 7.5/10

The Pacifica comes with a healthy amount of standard practicality and comfort features, but can feel oddly dated in specific areas. For example, this tester came equipped with the $2,395 dual 10-inch seatback entertainment screens, which are neat in theory. In practice, however, the actual quality of said displays pales in comparison to the iPad your kid already has, and while Amazon Fire TV is built in, the presence of a DVD/Blu-ray player is a mark of the era from which this van truly hails.

One minivan novelty that is appreciated, however, is the now-obligatory built-in vacuum cleaner. It’s long enough to reach the driver’s footwell and even comes with an attachment for harder-to-reach nooks and crannies.

Safety: 6/10

Rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring are standard equipment, as is forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and keeping, and adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic.

Likely due to its age, the Pacifica didn’t do well in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing. It got a “Good” rating in the small front overlap crash test, but “Marginal” in the updated moderate front overlap test, and only “Acceptable” in the updated side crash test. Its headlights got a “Poor” rating, with the organization reporting inadequate visibility, while pedestrian front crash prevention was merely “Acceptable.”

Efficiency: 6/10

Exclusively powered by a naturally aspirated V6, fuel economy isn’t the 2027 Pacifica’s strong suit — especially if you go for all-wheel drive. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates it for 14.1 L/100 km in the city, 9.4 on the highway, and 12.0 combined. Opting for front-wheel drive helps, with that one getting 12.4 in the city, 8.4 on the highway, and 10.6 combined in standardized testing.

Over almost 500 km, I observed an average of 12.9 L/100 km, and the Pacifica takes regular-grade gas. More efficient alternatives consist of the Toyota Sienna that’s hybrid-only, and the Kia Carnival that’s offered that way.

Value for Money: 7/10

For 2027, the Pacifica offers something increasingly rare these days: a price cut. Starting at $52,995 for the base Select, $63,995 for the Limited, and $72,995 for this top Pinnacle trim (all including $2,195 for freight), Chrysler is charging $4,200 less than it did last year for the Select and $7,200 less for the Limited and Pinnacle.

However, this has seemingly just moved the Pacifica back in line with how its rivals are priced. The Toyota Sienna occupies a very similar price range throughout its trims, and the Honda Odyssey starts in the mid-$50,000s but tops out in the mid-$60,000s. The segment’s value play is the Kia Carnival, which can be had in base gas form for just about $45,000; the Hybrid starts at about $51,000 and tops out around $61,000.

The Verdict

Look behind its new-age front fascia and the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica feels like the product of a different decade — because it is. Its powertrain is outdated, the interior immediately takes you back to a completely different era of design, and Chrysler charges $2,395 for the privilege of having to explain to your kids what a Blu-ray is.

None of that takes away from the fact that this minivan is still hugely versatile — and just huge, period — and if you can live with some of its shortcomings, it’ll still serve well as a hauler that’s easy to live with, and able to fit and do almost anything you throw at or in it for years to come.