At a risk of repeating myself, these videos give us an insight and product knowledge that you would only get from ownership. This should help reduce our old enemy, buyer remorse. Great public service broadcasting here from TCCN gang. Thank you.
Great review but as a owner of 2023 pinnacle edition with 26K odometer, it’s a very nice and quite minivan, we mostly drive on pure electric with 18K fully electric and 8K hybrid without any issue, I live in Canada and we have cold winter and in a cold weather we are still on fully eclectic mode without engine kicks in, for sure we get better electric range when the weather is warmer and only in a extreme cold weather like -10 Celsius or colder the engine kicks in more often.
We live in Toronto, where we get a lot of snow in the winter. I’ve purchased winter tires for my Pacifica, and I don’t have any issues driving in winter. Winter tires are definitely a must
Your reviews are excellent. Better than the dudes out there who make an appointment with a dealer and drive the car for 10 minutes and tell you that it’s the best.
😅 guess you've never owned one. Worst pule of garbage I've ever driven. Breaks down every 6-8 weeks. Different problem each time plus some repeating problems UGHHHH
I have this exact van. 2021 Pinnacle Hybrid. It has 40k miles. No problems. We love it. So comfy and smooth. I go months without gassing it up. We love the 35 miles of EV range. We save about $200 a month, not buying gas. The engine basically only runs on cold days or long road trips. It only needs one oil change a year.
Obviously you must live in a warm climate. I live in a very cold climate and I'm quite sure I wouldn't be nearly as enthusiastic about this van. For 5 months of the year when in EV mode the engine would be constantly starting so I can have heat inside the van thus defeating the purpose of having a plug-in hybrid.
@@henryhonda8408 I live in Ohio. It was 24° this morning. The battery can run the heater just fine on low, in the winter. If you crank it up on high yes the engine will run about 5 minutes and then shut off. That’s still better than running gas all day long.
@@MrKillerRC We’re lucky to hit 24 degrees mid afternoon here. That would be downright tropical this time of year. You see people in shorts when it gets that warm. That’s funny that you think that’s cold.
@@rogerwatson2255 Cool for you. It got down to -20° a month ago. But It’s not what my definition of cold is. It’s the battery’s definition. 75°F is optimal for lithium batteries. 30° is cold for a battery and activates the battery heater and engine to warm the battery and cabin. That’s what kills mpg, which is the topic here.
Hi guys. I drive Pacifica hybrid 2017 . I do Uber and airport limo service. Current mileage 375 000 kilometres. Besides few recalls I got the following issues: 1. Front struts replaced at 300k kilometres. Cost 2000 Canadian dollars tax in labor and parts included. 2. Currently pending (parts ordered) electric coolant heater. Check engine light on. Estimated cost 1900 dollars. Besides above I didn’t have any other problem. I buy premium gas and use synthetic oil. Drive it every day year round in the city of Toronto.
Thank you for your comment. What is your real MPG? I also wonder what issues you have besides those shown in this video - th-cam.com/video/p8DMgBtjGbk/w-d-xo.html
@@oneundecided thank you for liking my comment:) I traded my 2017 for 2023 Pacifica hybrid. I don’t calculate mpg. I t makes no sense for me as I am charging during the day wherever it’s possible. I calculate that a 100 dollars on gas brings me 1000 gross income average. It’s 10% compared to a previous grand caravan where it was 25% on gas from my gross earnings.
@@normt430 400k kilometres. Now drive 2023 Pacifica. Got it brand new in April 2023. Currently 68k kilometres on odo. So far everything is alright. How ever sway bar was to be replaced under warranty.
First time watching this commentator and I couldn’t help but feel he should be heading an automobile design team somewhere. He understands the engineering in great depth but also explains things in a simple way and expresses his opinions and recommendations well.
When I turned 50 this year, I had a reverse mid-life crisis and instead of buying a sports car, I bought a mini van! 😂 I looked at all of them, and liked the Pacifica the best. I didn't opt for the Hybrid because of the recalls and issues. I didn't think the higher price justified the money you potentially save on gas. Plus, when you get the Hybrid, you can't have the Stow and Go option, or the power folding rear seats. I really, really love my 2023 Pacifica Limited though. It has more bells and whistles than the Odyssey, and you cannot get a Sienna unless you want to be on a waiting list for over a year. Kia was just a no. I picked it because I love the Stow and Go option. There is just so much versatility with this car. You can fold everything flat if you need to move something, or stow just some of the seats -- there is just so much flexibility. Chrysler really knocks it out of the park in that department! I will disagree with you in that I do think it is very quiet when you drive it. I think there is some special noise dampening system in the car. The visibility is awesome and the driver's seat is extremely comfortable. I have had no issues with the UConnect system -- the resolution is crystal clear and it's very easy to use. The console isn't overly complicated with too many buttons. The car's built in navigation works great if you don't want to hook up your phone. I have the Safety Sphere added in my car, and it is a far better camera system than the Odyssey. I just love that Chrysler thought of every little detail -- hooks for hanging grocery bags, hooks for hanging dry cleaning, USBs everywhere, sliding compartments for cup holders, the Fire TV, the AMAZING pano roof, and my absolute favorite --- the VACUUM!! I highly recommend you get the theater package if you have kids -- my kids can hook up their X-Box in the back when we take a longer car trip. You also get the vacuum and a Blue Ray player with that package. The vacuum won't replace using a shop vac, but it sure is handy for smaller jobs. Some people really dislike Chrysler because of past reliability issues. I don't keep cars for years and years -- so hopefully in the time that I do have it I won't have issues. So far I absolutely love it and I would recommend it if you are in the market for a mini van.
This vehicle does have a 7kw resistance heater that can heat both the battery and cabin. The reason the A/C fluid doesn't go directly into the battery is to reduce the cooling pipework inside the battery.
Over five years into my ownership of a 2018 Pacifica PHEV. Still like it a lot. Rarely fillup gas. Engine is a little rough when the engine idles. 30,000 miles on it. Less than 5000 miles on the gas engine. So far, battery is holding up well. The 12v battery is holding up well too. The driver's side sliding door doesn't like to close since it was new. There are a lot of coolant hoses. At least they are using the same fluid. I don't like that I am not allowed to tow with it. I've driven it when it was 6 degrees F and the motor does come on when you turn on the heater. Then it will turn off and still provide heat.
Try this to help lessen engine run time in colder weather. During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
The complaints about reliability are valid and I agree this vehicle is overly complex. However, I've had mine nearly two years, (two Midwest winters). I've saved a ton on gas. And that's just plugging in overnight with a trickle charge. I know where the public stations are and benefit from charging at work so those are considerations for any buyer as well. Yes, I get it. Toyotas are more reliable. I drove the new sienna. It was very nice, but comparably equipped cost a lot more (at the time) and didn't have the tax credit. You can't just say one base model costs more and say it's apples to apples. Toyota was louder, Infotainment was lame, middle seats don't come out, front seats are spongy and unsupportive (where chrysler's are admittedly too firm). And that clunky huge center console they put in is not going to be as useful as they claim. It's intrusive to say the least. I also owned a loaded 06 sienna once. It looked great, but it was full of rattles and squeaks. A faulty seal on the driver's door whistled constantly on the highway. It also couldn't hold the road for shit with any crosswind. Seats also looked great but were lumpy and uncomfortable. It basically failed in its job as a minivan. It was a big disappointment. Does that mean I think Toyotas are bad? Of course not but one size does not fit all and every car has problems. I've owned 2 town and countrys that were rock solid and would buy again. Pacifica jury is still out but I have a nice extended warranty to cover my arse.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana, so I was concerned about the battery range during winter months. I'm currently split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. How does it handle in the snow? Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina I haven't used snow tires but I know others do. It's not great in the snow. I think like most vehicles, hybrid versions have "efficiency" tires that tend to suck in winter. If you get a lot of snow, I would consider an AWD vehicle or snow tires. I don't get tons of snow. Tires are everything for traction, even more so than FWD vs AWD. Battery range will be worse in winter. just a fact. short cold trips will kill the mileage too. Once the car is warm, it can run on battery, then hybrid after and be very efficient. I still average mid to upper 20's in hybrid mode in winter (which is going to be more like upper teens to lower 20s on an ICE vehicle). All vehicles are less efficient in cold temps. Sienna and Pacifica Hybrid are no exceptions.
Totally agree w you. I love minivans and have owned many. I had 3 Pacificas - ice and hybrid and loved the hybrid the best. I was in a new sienna recent and was surprised how cheap and loud it was. I loved the 1st gen sienna. All the minivans have their pros and cons. I had the odyssey when my twins were baby and that car has the best seating for car seats and storage. The Pacifica is horrible when it comes to car seats.
Hi I rent a Chrysler Pacifica every month for work and really enjoy the Hybrid system. It really saves you Gas when driving in the city. I live in Florida and haven't seen too much issues yet. My Wife owns a Chrysler Town & Country 2012 and had worked great for the past 10 years. Currently has 160,000 miles and still going strong.
My neighbor has this exact model it has been crippled over and over by electrical problems and a severe parts shortage due to reliability of the broken part outpacing the parts being manufactured. They bought this to take their kids to football and soccer practice and it has let them down over and over. My other next door neighbor has a 2013 Sienna with 170k and has never missed a practice of their four kids. Chrysler/Stellantis is the epitome of “All show no go”
Great review but disagree on a few things. In warm weather this is an excellent PHEV, cold weather probably not so good for the reasons he explained. We live in Texas and purchased our van 2017 and we love it. Over 150,000 miles zero issues. We plug in every day with a level 2 charger and it’s fully charged in 2 hours. We average 1000 miles / tank. We have the hybrid platinum version the pinnacle trim had not came out yet. Paid 45k but we received a 7,500 tax credit which was awesome!!! Roughly $37,500 after tax credit. As long as you don’t floor it the motor will not turn on until the battery is depleted. We normally get 40 miles of electric range before the engine kicks on. Overall great mini van if you live in warm weather. Thanks
also there are workarounds in cold weather to make it work decently, you precondition while the car is plugged, if you don't blast the heat it usually works at least partially on full electric
@@user-3tf67bk46u the thing to remember about total mileage is that the ICE is not getting 100% of those miles. If you're driving 40 to 50 miles per day and you can get 30 to 35 miles from the electric, then only about 30 to 35% of the miles are on the ICE. So a 150k mi PHEV has an ICE with only about 50k miles on it. Also, keep in mind that all of the associated engine issues at varying mileages are not 1-to-1 in a PHEV. While the ICE is not getting all the miles, a lot of the associated pumps and cooling systems are still getting the equivalent miles.
Try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
That is impressive that you got to 150k miles without major issue. Our 2018 Pacifica Limited Hybrid with 50k miles had quite few repairs and recalls that I'm not confident it will last another 5 years.
At 150K I’d say it’s worth replacing the battery 🔋 and continue with the fuel savings. I’m in Las Vegas but visit Southern California often where gas is very expensive. Looking at a used 2021 with 61K miles.
I am so impressed by the fluency with which you present a 40 minute review! Thank you for putting in the effort and for being so thorough! It really helped me steer me away from the plug-in hybrid to the regular Limited S AWD version of this vehicle. I really wish you success and best of luck!
I am sorry to say but I have a 2022 Pac Hybrid Limited. One step down from the one in your video. I love mine. And yes there is a heat pump. And no the engine foes not come on every time you put your foot on the gas. I can remote start and have no gas engine startup unless it has been sitting for a while in the cold. But what you did not mention is the cabin/battery preconditioning system that helps to save gas and significantly reduces the amount of time the van needs to preheat in cold weather. I get about 50Km on a full charge in the summer and 25-30 km in the winter here in Alberta Canada. But here is where the Hybrid system does it's best work. I tend to do 250Km a day with work and basic commuting. Of that 250km if I stay so 60kph or less, so main roads, and not any inner city highways or byways over 65kph I can get about 175km of that 250km on electric. Once the batter(16kWh total. 12kWh for full Electric & 4kWh for Hybrid mode) is dead, keeping your speed to 60kph or less gives you about a 50e/50g ratio once you get over 70kph it's about a 40e/60g and 80kph is 30e/70g and 90+ it is 5e/95g ratios. So it is a great van for city driving all around. I was actually able to a 900+km trip last summer on one tank of gas, with 3.25 full charges. Some of your negative points I feel were valid but unless you've driven it long term you'd have learned that many of your negative points are actually not so negative. She is a wonderful van in my books. Though I do mis the Stow&Go and my AWD from my 2020 Launch edition. But I do not miss filling up my tank once every 6 days. I actually got 45 day & 3300km out of one tank back in the first week of July 2022. Before I started driving for work everyday I was averaging 1700km Electric & 330km gas with every fill up. Tot fill ups from Mar 15 to July 25 2022 was 5 fills at an average of 26 between fill ups. All on a level 1 charger at 12hrs to charge from 0-100%. The only things I wish this van had are: 1) Rear motor for AWD 2) Ability for the driver to be able to manually disengage the Regen breaks. 3) The ability to switch driving modes. (Full Electric, Hybrid or Full gas) Even if the ECU could change to full hybrid if driving over 70kph to conserve battery power at higher speeds would be nice.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana where it can get cold during winters and was concerned about the battery range during winter. I'm split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina yes I do. Even on my old 2020 Launch Edition with AWD I had winter tires. I would not drive in the winter with anything else for my family. Just be carful with the regen breaks on tho pacific. When the traction control kicks in the regen breaks will disengage leaving you with no breaks for 0 to 2 sec even with your don't on the break peddle. Scary feeling first few times.
I like in MN and have a 22 pacifica hybrid and drive it on electric with close to full range frequently so your comment that it is worthless in cold climates is not accurate in my experience. It is true running the HVAC will generally trigger the ICE but if just using heated steering wheel and seats and especially if using scheduled conditioning I can go 30 miles all electric even I. 0 degrees. When using heater and not preconditioning it will still use electric for really great mpgs. In 1 year ownership I am over 60% electric miles. Great comprehensive review but had to comment it works great in winter for me and the preconditioning means it is warm and ready to go.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana, so I was concerned about the battery range during winter months. I'm currently split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. How does it handle in the snow. Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina I have a level 2 charger in my garage and park indoors overnight to charge - this means I always start with a full battery and on days with multiple trips can 'top-off' the battery between trips as a full charge is 2hrs max on level 2. The other benefit is this allows me to set a schedule for cabin conditioning - essentially you can program in 3 events to tell the van you want it to be ready when you leave by preconditioning the battery and cabin to your set temp using only the electric heater which will generally allow you to run on all electric right away. Even on days with temps below 0 degrees I can start in EV and run up to 30 miles or so on electric if I precondition and then use heated seats and steering wheel and dry conservatively. If you use defrost or heat it will generally start the engine until things are warmed up but even when the engine is running the motors are still assisting with propulsion and after a brief time the engine will shut off and the van will return to electric only operation until the battery is depleted. Looking at my trip odometer of my last 6,955 miles I have done 3,943.8 on electric and 3,012 on hybrid with an average hybrid mpg of 30 - keeping in mind this includes several weeks of sub freezing temps, snow covered roads and winter gas blend. Regarding the snow performance - I have not run dedicated winter tires so far as my other vehicle is a Ram 1500 with dedicated winter tires and 4wd. The van performs pretty well in snow but it may depend on what OEM tires your van comes with - mine has 17" Yokohama's. The Hybrid is heavy so stopping on ice can be a challenge with the OEM tires and once these wear I am planning to fit one of the newer all weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2.
@@brianmiller4370below 50°F try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
AMD, Chrysler/Fiat/Peugeot/Stellantis have never had a problem providing high style and plentiful features. Their chronic, decades-long problem is providing long term reliability. If I was in the market for a Hybrid minivan, I would choose a Sienna ten times out of ten. 😁
Correct, Fiat/Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep have always been a poser vehicle for the poor and weak minded, folks who only care what they look like now and haven’t the complexity of thought to anticipate the future. Chronically poor. Fast food employees. Folks who have to get a loan for a 10 year old 100k mile vehicle and don’t have the fiscal acumen to save money. Everyone I know laughs at people who drive these terrible vehicles.
@@ozarkliving7263 Only weak minded ignorant uninformed people make generalizations about others. Own a 19’ Pacifica, paid cash. PM and tires only with 89k. Own a 21’ Highlander, paid cash.
There are so many coolant reservoirs because of the pressure. One for the main radiator, the other for the EV system to cool it, without having it under pressure (less failure). The car will kick on the engine to warm coolant in sub zero temperatures (to make sure the battery can charge) but this is a byproduct of all EVs.
I owned Pacifica plugin in 2019, it never worked on winter days under 24 F. dealer was not able to fix after 4-5 attempts about 2 months in shop. finally Chrysler bought back. I am glad they owned the responsibility well. I will definitely buy Pacifica, they day I hear the word RELIABLE about pacific hybrid.
That's because you had the heat on. It takes at least 20 minutes to get to temp. Turn off the heat and use the electric seats and the hybrid works fine. Dealer can't fix what's not broken.
@@PaulDo22 lol I would consider that a serious design flaw if the van can't use the heater when its cold outside. Or that you have to let the car warm up for 20 minutes before turning the heat on.
@@jettrooper101 Are you saying the car wouldn't even turn on under 24 degrees or that the electric battery wouldn't power the car at that temp? That wouldn't be a surprise because the car needs to heat up the battery when it's below freezing.
@@jettrooper101 It can use the heater. It just takes short amount of time to heat everything up before the ICE turns back off. Not sure why this is such an issue b/c in a lot of cold climate locations if it's that cold people are going to turn on their car and let it idle to warm up and defrost before they leave anyway.
Thank you for your thorough reviews and thoughts. It’s great info to have when looking to make a purchase on vehicles. Given the sky high prices of vehicles, a vehicle purchase cannot be an impulse buy, but rather a well thought out purchase.
Three points, though: 1) it's available now instead of waiting 1-2 years for a comparable Sienna hybrid (e.g., in limited or platinum trim), 2) even when not attempting to be a pure EV it gets over 80 mpge blowing away the competition, and 3) it is currently eligible for a tax credit which takes its price lower than that of the top end of the competitors (even if you assumed that you could find a competitor, such as a Sienna without a huge "market adjustment").
it gets 80mpge when combined with charged battery usage, without the battery in real life scenarios like steady highway driving, it's anywhere from 24-32 mpg. still great for a minivan but definitely nowhere near the 80 mpg bs advertised
I rather wait two years and get a reliable minivan, than buying this piece of junk and spent countless days getting stuff fixed at the dealer. No thank you.
Yes it is available because nobody wants this overcomplicated and hence unreliable vehicle. Unless you just lease it for a warranty period. Still, you'll spend lots of time at the dealer fixing it. My friend had it and traded in in 2 years
I would wait the 2 years for a Toyota. Had only bad experiences owning Chrysler products not only myself several family members and friends that made the mistake of buying Chryslers
I mean, there are other reasons to buy a vehicle than reliability, right? Someone might buy it because they prefer the way it looks or drives, because they want to decrease carbon emissions, because they like certain features, or because they feel that it is more luxurious, etc. If you are concerned solely with reliability, then a 60k complicated vehicle with myriad motors and technologies is probably not the vehicle for you. It's reasonable to wait for a different brand, but I'm skeptical that you will necessarily spend "lots of time" or "countless days" getting things fixed at the dealer. I'd LOVE to see an objective statistical analysis of time spent in repairs or maintenance. Is it a matter of 2 repairs per year instead of 1, or is it a matter of 50 repairs per year instead of 0? For me, my primary concern is reliability's (or its perceived reliability) effect on resale value and safety.
I was stopped at a stop sign in my 2021 Pacifica Hybrid. A turning vehicle T-Boned me between the driver's door and sliding door at 25 MPH. No broken glass. No airbag deployment. The doors were smashed, but, I drove the car home and to the dealer body shop. Now, 5 months later, the work should be complete within a week, or so. They could not get parts. They could not get paint. They had to replace the roof, I-beam, driver door, sliding door, front seat, headliner, front fender, charge port, front headlight, front grill, etc., etc. I would be surprised if this doesn't turn into an even bigger nightmare once I get it back. Almost $20K worth of damage.
Ok I admit it. I skipped through to the end. As a person who had terrible service with my Voyager van, I had to know what you thought, the bottom line. I do agree with you on the reliability. I buy a car for reliability and I figure this van is good for……maybe four years. You had better get an extended warranty. Give me my ‘11 Prius hybrid and my ‘16 Rav4 hybrid both of which have been absolutely trouble free.
@@rightlanehog3151 Yeah chrysler never had good internals so in the pacifica they focused on features rather than performance and at that it still is almost 50k! Honestly I really want honda/toyota to make a luxury minivan to outrule chrysler because chrysler needs a reality check
I own the 2020 plugin version. During cold climate you can leave plugged in and start the carn manually. The engine will stay off provided the climate controls are off. Also you can leave it running so that the battery can be warmed up. Then while on the road the engine really doesn't start unless you need cabin heat. At that point if you set the temp to about 70 it will use the battery and keep engine off. In summary the range in below 30 degrees is about 25 miles. Still not bad.
*Range is 25 miles without using the heat in below freezing temps. What kind of person is going to let their kids freeze just to get that range? Might as well be 0 miles.
Try this below 50°F: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
2:00 I have a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country with 3.6l engine. In 2018, The plastic oil filter housing was cracked and there was a puddle of engine oil underneath. It costed me $1500 to repair 😭. The plastic oil filter was probably over tightened at one of oil change service shops. Yes, Ahmed, having plastic on plastic is a very bad idea. I cannot believe 2022 Chrysler Pacifica is still keeping the same design. 😂 On the other hand, my wife loves the stow and go feature. 😊
Just bought a new plug in hybrid Pacifica in November. Fortunately we live in the Bay Area where the temperature is almost always between 50 and 75 degrees. So far so good. I’m not sure I understand the part about ‘every time you push push the accelerator you’re going to be using the engine’. It does kick on if I really need to push it and of course when I’m below 1%. But most of the time it’s in electric mode. We only drive about 6k miles a year, but mostly short trips which means this will be effectively a 70% electric vehicle.
Thank you for making this video. I’ve been casually researching the Pacifica Hybrid for the last year and this video has given the most useful information to go off of, by far! I truly appreciate it!
Since the late 1970s Ive bought 5 Chrysler products new off the lot. They do make some great looking products. Unfortunately I have never experienced one that wasn't plagued with a plethora of mechanical and or electrical problems..I finally gave up hope if finding a well made one. From personal experience, IMO, Chrysler / Dodge quality and reliability is tied with Land Rover.
Thanks for the education on cold weather. I live in the northeast and my wife has the Prius prime plugin and it is amazing you get heat instant in the winter and because we live 2 miles one way to work, the car is always warm and always running on electric. I didn't realize this Pacifica didn't do well in the winters because I recently picked up the 22 Pacifica hybrid because I was so impressed with her Prius and needed a family carrier. Good to know the extra limitations but overall still happy I went with the hybrid over the AWD version with stow and go. I may need to go for a road trip just so the gas doesn't go bad. 6 months going strong and still not using any gas on the Prius. The van though I have used gas but hybrids for the win overall in my opinion.
You have to heat 4x the space compared to Prius economy car. Try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
I have a 2013 with almost 108k mi. I've been pleasantly surprised by the reliability. At 99k I had several minor issues I did myself. Thermostat and EVAP canister. The stow N go is awesome. I go camping and fold the seats to sleep in the back. I know they overall aren't reliable but my example has been. I wouldn't feel confident getting the hybrid.
I was going to buy a pinaccle plug in hybrid in Hawaii but they wanted $10,000 over msrp. I bought a Honda odyssey elite 3/2003 and I am so glad that I did. Glad I watched this whole video. Thank you
I love your reviews- so will beg for the F150 Powerboost (hybrid) - I have never heard such honest straightforward feedback on the hidden features (and failures) as well as potential long-term expectations for ownership as vehicles become more “disposable”. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!
I have the Pacifica hybrid for a year now. It's is a great vehicle. Stow n go not being available isn't an issue since we have car seats in both seats for the next 6 years. Yes, you shouldn't floor it to get use out of the electric side of things. But you don't have to drive like a granny either. There is plenty of power whenever you need it. The suspension and low center of gravity make it super responsive on the road and makes taking those left hand turns on yellow possible. And with the $7.5k tax credit it is a better deal than the competition. Plus as a plug in you get to park in electric vehicle parking and charge.
I own a 2022 and live in FL. 17k miles and all was good until it decided to dump all its oil on the freeway while driving 80 mph. Immediately pulled over as oil pressure dropped quickly to 20 psi. Hope it didn’t harm anything. That said the failure was due to a plastic part around the oil cooler. Other than this issue it’s been fine and wanted to share additional impressions. First it’s heavy and feels it and just likes to drive straight. Losing the stow and go middle seats was a big deal but you gain more comfortable middle seats, they mirror the front seats with way more cushion. Running mostly electric mode you will eventually have to deal with the fuel refresh mode where the engine runs 100% until your gas is empty. Its suppose prevent the fuel from getting stale but defeats the purpose of a plug in hybrid. It’s also annoying. There’s no spare tire. The carpet area in the trunk area is always pulling away from the trim. The AC seats are great. You have to buy a rear bumper protector bc it’ll get beat up. The rear seat floor panels constantly detaches when folding the rear seat.
I have a friend is a service manager at a Chrysler dealership and when his mom came to him and said that she was thinking about buying a Pacifica he said well if you buy it I’ll see you heck of a lot more of you
Honest man! Mine has been in the service center 15+ times. I have spent more than the purchase price on repairs now. The one thing guaranteed with the Chrysler Pacifica is REGRET of the day you purchased it
The Toyota parked behind explains the bias. 2 points of disagreement, the 4 timing chains are a smart idea. It disperses the overall load between 4 chains rather than over working 1 or 2 chains. They last longer. You regularly see these motors on marketplace with 3-450,000 miles on the original motor. Second, the rear shock on the left assists the motorized shock on the right for equal distribution of the doors weight. I’m on my 5th caravan and I’ve never had a rear hatch motor or any slider door issues. In fact my current 2010 Caravan has 208,000 miles on it. Original transmission, starter, alternator, water pump, it has never failed to start and has never broken down. That’s why it the number 1 selling minivan because of repeat buyers like me, they are excellent vehicles.
This guy definitely loves Toyota and Lexus. Consumer Report, though, reports very bad problems with the PacHyb last year. I would have loved to buy one, then that CR came out.
We had a lot of issues with recalls on this vehicle (2018), but the features cannot be beaten. Depending on the type of driving you do, you may not fill up hardly ever. We find that we only fill up when driving on trips. Once we get to our destination, we are able to drive around for 35 miles without using gas.The only time the engine turns on is when you floor it or when it is particularly cold. If you warm up the car, you will notice more electric driving vs gas. We ended up repurchasing this car after driving the '18 to 98,000 miles because it has so many good features. We did purchase the extended warranty which turned out to be really smart because we have had a lot of issues. This is the only time I have ever felt that we got our money's worth with the extended warranty. Chrysler is notoriously bad with electrical components. Our doors failed more than once and there was a recall on the batteries that put it in the shop for quite a while. This only shows how much we liked the vehicle because we were willing to go back to it after all of that. We had a Sienna previously which was definitely more reliable, but not nearly as comfortable or fuel efficient.
I appreciate your thorough review. We absolutely love our 2017 Pacifica which has honestly been relatively trouble free. However, your concern is 100% spot on as we had a major failure just this past summer on a road trip; the only downtime and dealer visit the van has ever had. The AC had died while driving through Texas in 105 degree heat. We were close to our hotel and felt we could deal with it and make it there and then follow up with a nearby service department the next day. Unfortunately, just as you described, the electric AC compressor that failed is also used to cool the battery coolant and therefore, the entire van shutdown to “protect” itself (and presumably keep us safe). Being residents of Florida, this is the perfect vehicle as we routinely get 1,200-1,500 miles between tanks but I can absolutely see where it might not be as useful in the colder climates.
I have a 18 pacifica gas model its been great to have those stow n go seats are what sets it apart from the rest , my only issue is bubbling paint on my hood and bottom of sliding doors
@@hottew_twat3963 I had hood issue on my 2017 , was able to get it repainted under warranty. It’s a known problem, check with Dealer to see if they will repair even after warranty expires
I love this review, thank you. I have a 2021 Pacifica PHEV, and I have one point I disagree with you on. I take the van from my garage every morning, having been plugged in overnight, and I'm able to drive to work and back with the gas engine coming on only minimally or not at all. Stomp on the gas and it kicks in, sure, and maybe when I'm merging onto the highway, but in the driveway, on the street getting to the highway, the engine doesn't come on at all. Maybe that's a difference between model years, maybe its something in how I drive, but if I don't make any extra trips on a typical Monday to Friday I drive about 200 miles on less than a gallon of gas. If I don't charge it or on longer trips I'm still getting between 35-40 mpg after the plug-in battery is used up, which seems pretty good to me for a minivan.
The 4 chains are a good thing because the actual timing chains are much shorter . And Port Fuel Injection is just great, I wish I could get rid of my Cadillac 3.6 DI system, and exchange it for TPFI like in the old days.
As commented by many, he missed the fact that this vehicle has resistance heaters for the battery and HVAC as primary and engine heat to supplement. I think there's debate on if this or a heat pump like the RAV4 prime is better in cold weather. Good info on how the coolant system works, I imagine that's a weak point on all phevs and evs, so us owners will need to stay vigilant about checking levels, especially after any services or minor accidents! Even though there's a lot of hoses and plastic, one encouraging thing is that brittleness should be delayed/reduced as a result of far fewer heat cycles. We have 55k on our 2018 model, but only maybe 20k with the engine running thus creating the higher temps to stress plastics. These have been on market since 2017, so there should be a lot of service info on them by now, but I'm guessing most is done under warranty so not much service content on youtube still. Ours has been trouble free so far, but more service vids would make me feel better! Still love our van, biggest gripes are how low to the ground it is...scrapes more than our old van and I can't easily put a bike rack hitch on it since towing is a no-no.
Or just do this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Enjoyed this review. I had been looking to get a mini van for a while and eventually purchased a 2023 Toyota Sienna Woodlands (no wait, was on the lot with no markup). I hope the Sienna holds up like the other Toyotas we have owned (Corolla, Camry, Venza). The Chrysler Pacifica was on the short list since already have owned a 2005 Caravan in the past. The 2005 Caravan was the most functional, best driving, and most comfortable vehicle I had ever owned, but ... No matter how well it did all those things, it went to the shop on a regular basis for this or that, mostly electronic issues, which negated all the great attributes. Upon taking the van back to the dealer for warranty work, the dealer would find nothing wrong which was frustrating. An example of a simple fix made difficult was a missing rubber bumper to the passenger sliding door. The door made a metal on metal sound upon closing. Two times the service department found no issues with the door. On the third service return, had the service manager listen to how each door sounded different when closed - this is when the missing bumper was noticed. Took three trips to the dealer, and two car rentals, to replace an obvious body issue, frustrating! The big issue with the van was the electronic module which was replaced three or four times before being correctly repaired, and numerous lock actuators had to be replaced. To top off the decision not to purchase another Chrysler product, I researched the newer models to see if the same issues still persisted, and they do. If Chrysler cannot fix known issues in 15 years, they will not get my business. BTW, the Caravan had a catastrophic failure on a road trip leaving us stranded at around 110,000 miles on the vehicle. It was a costly repair and the vehicle was never the same again. One last thing about the Chrysler is the resale value. Upon purchasing a Toyota Venza, the dealership initially refused the trade-in on the Caravan (which still looked like new except for the broken cup holders on the middle seats).
This is a wonderful tour of the vehicle. I mostly agree with his assessment. I disagree with his claim that it doesn't work well in the cold. I live in Chicago. If it is parked in a garage, the battery will be warm enough to use. If you are driving less than 10 miles you will have a coat on and don't need the cabin heater. If you are going further the engine will heat up and then it will be electric until you have used the battery and are running in hybrid mode anyway. Having a heat pump would have been a good idea. I have 105k miles and over 6 years on mine.
Heated seats and fully heated stwering(not 10 and 2 like Toyota/Lexus). Also try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
I have 235,000 miles on mine in Chicago. Preheating in the winter works to a point. Heated electric seats for front passengers are a must. Rear passengers better have coats on because you can't turn on the climate control heat without turning on the engine so heat stays off until hybrid battery runs out.
@@RyanSommer Replaced the transmission close to 200k. Now it needs a suspension rehaul. Front/rear shocks and struts. Control arms. Etc. Otherwise been great.
@@PaulDo22try this below 50°F: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
There are several reasons why the hv battery pack doesn’t have electric heaters. Using coolant and heat conduction plates the vehicle can transfer heat in and out to keep battery within a temperature range. If you install electric heaters they can’t remove heat and you don’t have space left for heat sink to make contacts with batteries to cool them. If you use electric heater to heat the coolant then let it warm up the battery, it will drain battery power and reduce efficiency and propulsion power, and typical electric heater power are not as high as heat gives off by engine, and engine heat is free byproduct of combustion. You may think from mechanics perspective it’s complicated but it’s more effective
One note regarding the fuel tank, the normal version has a plastic tank, the steel tank is only used on the hybrid. According to their training, it's supposed to better handle the pressures and vacuum levels inherent to the way they've designed the emissions system on the hybrid only model. I agree with what you said though, they are prone to rust in wintery areas. I suspect they learned from Ford about vacuum in plastic tanks, they had to recall/do warranty replacement on many Focus models, they would suck up the bottom of the tank, hit on the sending unit and either kill the pump, or more frequently jam up the float and cause frozen fuel gauges. Why it's hybrid only, I don't remember the reasoning given unfortunately.
@@normt430 Correct, but this system is just excessive safety, it makes sure you couldn't stick the nozzle in so fast the pressure would spray fuel, as unlikely as that would be. This system monitors pressure and dumps it from the purge valve prior to just the door itself being unlocked. As per exceedingly boring Chrysler training lol
@@normt430 we're saying the same thing I think lol. I was just explaining why the hybrid has a steel fuel tank while the regular 3.6 van has a more common plastic tank.
Not sure about the hybrid, but my 2018 gas model is very reliable in winters, summers, falls or springs. And there is no rattling like some of the Japanese vans. The built quality is excellent. The seats are firm but it holds up very well even after almost 6 years. It’s definitely more comfortable than all the Japanese cars I own/owned. My Honda’s leather seats are very disappointing and they are hurting my back for longer drive. And my Subaru SUV are very NOT comfortable at all. There was no issue with the Pacifica except the small batteries needed to change after a little over 2 years and the main battery needed to change around 40k. That is pretty much it. Everything works as day one otherwise. The power is adequate and acceleration is adequate for passing on highways. It’s a minivan and i don’t expect it to win any race. Most of us use it to get from point a to post b with family and for family trips. The minivan tows and hauls a lot of stuff. You can’t find another one that is more practical than the Pacifica out there. Especially sienna doesn’t even offer detachable second row seats. Pacifica‘s infotainment system is the best of all systems I have used…American , Japanese, German…and the hidden entertainment screens are a very nice feature for kids and adults. The HK 17 speakers system sound better than most high end home theater system if you watch movies with it. It’s overall an excellent minivan. I’ve been using Chrysler and Jeep products for the past 15 years and none of them had any problem honestly. I just do regular maintenance ( oil changes, brake changes, transmission, fluid change etc). But the Honda and Subaru I own /owned are different stories.
Thank you for this excellent and thorough review. You bring an important perspective (engineering and reliability) that most other reviewers won't touch.
Thanks for the video i always learn something new from your content, Here is my feedback on my 2017 pacigica hybrid in 6th year running great at 60k as it is on first day of smoothness, with maintanance of 4 oil changes and one set of tires, In California engine never comes on event if temp is 40f, gas mileage is good gets 30 mpg for this much bulky vehicle, reliability is a concern for chrysler brand, so some of your feedback on quality is agreeable.
Bought it this year. Wasnt easy to find one. Expensive yes. Bought it for the plug in ability. I live in Boston. I dont see a problem with engine coming on herre and there for battery heat. There is slight clunking here and there true. But when its on electric it is smooooth, love it! But if u do alot of trips around town u can maximize on the plug in. U can also charge with home solar set up , which I have, and become VERY "green". Dont buy a hybrid for performance or price alone. There needs to be a climate consideration also. This plug in is capable of being extremely efficient climate and mileage wise....far more than a toyota regular hybrid. The rear hatch button placement is actually much better safety wise. My suv leaves me standing in the way of moving vehicles in parking lots after pressing and moving back slightly. Also the sliding doors and low rear gate are massively convenient. And mini vans are soooo versatile. This one u can remove the seats. Others cannot. I love it! I got 204k from my 2011 Town and Country. Had some repairs yes. Had 2 Toyota siennas...some repairs yes and trannys both died at approx 160k. Great job on the review
Also after speaking to a salesman of a different company he opened my eyes to the flexibilty of plugins vs all electric. U get the best of bith worlds. The infrastructure of millions of gas stations with no range anxiety and the ability to maximize on electricity driving around your in town needs.
Winter remote starts were useless in my brand new '12 Wrangler because it automatically activated the heater and set fan to max. Thermostat worked fine, yet coolant still couldn't warm up if flowing through heater core with fan on max. Even if I gave it 15 minutes, I would still climb into a cold Jeep with coolant gauge at zero.
As far as I know all the Stellantis vehicles that came from FCA have their lift gate button on the side like that. It's actually nice as shorter people can use it w/o having to stretch their arms way up.
I live in FL, and it was recently "cold" at 45 -60 F. And I would intentionally floor the gas so the engine would crank on because I wanted the heat from the engine to help defrost my windshield and warm the van. I like the idea of it coming on in the winter. Love this van, well thought through. I wish it had a high wattage house outlet 110 volt. It is only 150ish watts. I had a Mitsubishi Outlander that had 1500 watt outlets, which I could use for any appliance such as a vacuum. I don't miss stow and go at all. I wish it had a middle seat option rather. The 2nd row seats are more comfortable than stow and go.
The 140v L2 charger is the key here. Then try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
We are retired and have a 2017 non hybrid with 115,000 miles. It is a super comfortable highway cruiser and gets just short of 30 mpg driving on expressways. No repairs, only regular maintenance. Don’t want complexity of hybrid. Also having owned two other vans with Sto and Go, didn’t want to lose this important feature. I wish it had a spare tire and a jack. We have owned 4 previous Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler minivans . Kept them all with over 200.000 miles, so we know some repair will be needed. Understand that Toyotas have fewer needed repairs, and that is one of the considerations , but not the only one.
My 2012 Chrysler Town and Country has the 3.6 Pentastar. It's been a great motor. 143k so far so good. Wish the rest of the van was as good. I'll take port over GDI, good way to avoid carbon build up.
Excellent video and I learned a lot about my wife's 2018 hybrid we owned for 5 years. We were hesitant to get a Chrysler product and took a chance on it. We have heat from the hybrid battery in the winter in electric mode without the engine kicks on but it uses so much battery power. Summer time the commute uses less than 50% of the battery, the same commute in the winter uses almost 90% power. The annoying part in the winter is when the van is idle operating in hybrid mode with heat on, the engine cycle on and off back to back, engine doesn't stay on for more than half second, so frequent and annoying, I have to turn off the van without heat. If kids sleep in the van in a parking lot then I have to deal with the annoyance for heat. The 12V battery is a problematic area. The van needs to start every 2 weeks or the 12V battery die (we learned this from the pandemic twice), doesn't matter if there is charge in the hybrid battery. I now unplugged the battery if I travel for more than 2 weeks which makes getting in and out the van interesting. Once jump started the 12V battery, the van needs to sit idle to recharge the 12V battery for over an hour. Van will shut off itself when the 12v battery is charged. I drove it for 90 mins after jump started the van 1 time and it did not charge the 12V battery at all and it is a new battery after the dealer replaced it. Best part, 12V battery is in the back but the power liftgate won't open without power, no override. In addition, there is no way to put this van in neutral when the van is dead. Unlike the gas version, there is no cable to pull to put the van in neutral. When I called the dealership, service advisor said the only way to put it in neutral is to disconnect the drive shaft. Mechanically we got lucky without any issue but the Uconnect infotainment is not. We bought an extended bumper to bumper warranty from Chrysler but it doesn't cover software updates (now I know, and chrysler most likely only do software fixes from my experience. Liftgate doesn't open as it should, it is a software update) We haven't made a claim to the warranty yet. All in all, it is a great van. It is awesome when everything works. Probably will get a sienna next time.
Sounds like a lot of shit, I don't want to deal with. I'll keep my 2020 Toyota sienna AWD. Besides your not really saving the environment when you buy a hybrid. OOPS did I say that out loud! Please don't cancel me :o
@wes karp 100%. Buying this van was about saving gas money, my wife has free charging at work. It is nice when you can charge up at work in the morning then go to an appointment, lunch, etc. then charge again before coming home. We went for months without using gas before. Standard options in the limited trim is different between gas and hybrid version. I thought we got HID headlight, active noise cancellation, etc. but we didn't. That was my fault though.
@@yipmarvintry this in cold temps: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Was curious about switching my '14 Sienna with a used '22 Pacifica, this review was amazing in terms of real world information that only ownership would tell you. Great stuff!
@@MysticWraithI ended up sticking with my Sienna! I couldn't justify the cost of upgrading yet as the car still works fine still. Motor will last for a while. Sure suspension needs work but cost of that vs a 'new' car is huge! I think all the bells and whistles of the Pacifica would be super cool to have, but in the end, all the key features, my van already has. Power doors, Android auto (I upgraded the head unit before), huge trunk space.
The Pacifica's ride is amazing! Super quiet and smooth like a typical luxury car! My 2015 Sienna is super bumpy and full of squeaks and rattles from EVERYWHERE(literally) with ZERO(literally) noise insulation.
Thank you for the review. I love your channel. That being said, I recently purchased a 2022 Pacifica Hybrid Limited with MSRP of $56,000 right before the new year. I obtained a $4,500 discount on MSRP, in addition to $7,500 tax credit adjusting the OTD to $47K if I include the tax credit money. Although I've yet to test it in Chicago, in northern VA where I live, I've tested it in temperatures surrounding 35 degrees Fahrenheit. I think the statement that the plug-in-hybrid is worthless in the cold is not accurate. Although it does need to turn on from time to time at my more mild temperatures, I've found the gas engine will run to keep the car heated, while the electric motor is used to propel the vehicle forward according to dashboard measurements. At 35 degrees, the engine didn't need to run long to keep the vehicle warm. Although this isn't likely as efficient as a heat pump setup, I've driven 150 miles and used 1/8 of my gas tank putting my MPG at ~72 MPG (excluding electricity charging costs). While I've yet to test the vehicle at closer to 0 F, my suspicion would be that as the temperature drops, the engine will need to run more to keep the vehicle warm but that doesn't necessarily mean that it suddenly just starts burning gas instead of electricity to propel the vehicle forward. As for the comments on reliability, they are probably correct although my prior two Chryslers have not been as bad as expected. I purchased a factory full warranty for 8 years 85K miles to protect from these problems for an additional $2,600. At $50K for the same vehicle you drove with exception to the family camera and the TVs, the eight year warranty basically resolves the primary problem and protects partially from depreciation when I sell at around 5-6 years. Regarding running for your life when pushing the trunk button, I've found that to be a bit dramatic. It's a small pet peeve. Your comments on the single motor for the trunk is a good catch, and the coolant system sounds like a total disaster.
@@rickm8456 don’t dispute that. I think I’ll end up getting around half what I paid at that time. With the savings on gas, I think it’s good or fine. The Pacifica is better for me because it supports openpilot unlike the sienna hybrid, meaning it’s basically the only semi-self driving hybrid minivan on the market.
@@brakedncr that’s cool. It was nice I’m sure to get the hybrid tax credit. I just picked up a 2023 Corolla non hybrid. I wasn’t able to get it below MSRP unfortunately. I have been enjoying the 3.0 lane tracing assist. Not autonomous driving of course but it’s still pretty neat.
@@brakedncrtry this below 50°F on cold days: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
We had one of the earlier Pacificas. It was ok with the exception of the transmission. Once in awhile upon first starting off and usually under light throttle, it would produce a violent shift to second gear. It sounded like the transmission was going to fall out completely. The dealer flashed the PCM two different times but it only helped temporarily. The cruise control never worked right on steep hills. We gave it a new home.
I have a friend who recently bought a 2022 Pacifica non hybrid with AWD. Very easy to drive, lots of standard equipment and a very nice and comfortable place to be in. People may go poo poo on it because its a Chrysler, but after doing their research, this was the smartest choice for an easy to live with vehicle that has AWD when they have two small kids. Plus the 3.6 V6, is actually a pretty punchy motor, with it having nearly 300 HP it gets up to speed pretty quickly.
We are on the Westside of CLE too. For cooler weather try this: During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
This is a great review. Thank you for taking the time to research this vehicle. I own a 2021 Pacifica Hybrid. I love it. I get to recharge it at work so my daily commuting doesn’t require gas. I’ve driven the van to both ends of the country from Texas and it drove like a regular van with the gas engine. I currently have 74,000 miles. I wanted a Sienna but the dealer mark ups are too high.
If you ever need to tow a livestock or RV trailer, a Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 pickup with a Cummins diesel engine and manual transmission are what I would recommend. I've owned one for 24 years, and it's an outstanding tow vehicle, and will tow loads far beyond what any gas engine truck can handle. But I'd never buy a Dodge car or minivan. Look on the road for older cars, and what you will mostly see are Toyotas: Corollas, Camrys, Tacomas, and even the occasional Echo or Tercel. There are still a lot of old 1980's Ford F-150's and Econoline vans still around; somehow Ford was building those trucks to last a long time. But most cars over 20 years old are gone now, except for those with collector value like 60's muscle cars.
I had a major issue with engine blowing oil after 100k miles. Chrysler replaced all the pistons, no charge. Equinox. Other than that I have done very little maintenance. Also had an engine block crack at 38k miles on an HHR. Even though it was out of warranty Chrysler replaced the engine block. Chrysler has been really great about taking care of issues.
All my car knowledge comes from sources like you tube channels. By far, this is the most refreshing approach. no drone shots, no search for poetic superlatives in order to get views. A driving impression of a new car supplied by a factory or dealer simply does not bring knowledge, it only tries to describe an experience. I wish the creator a great journey to 1 million subscibers, -well deserved.
The rear hatch button is where it is because of shorter people not being able to easily reach a button on the hatch. Your review of the mechanicals was very eye opening. I think the complexity would cause me to stay away from it...
I have owned a couple Chrysler products.....if you are keeping it more than 5 years it wont hold up. Own a Toyota now and might not be as stylish but at least it wont fall apart and is still worth something when it ages.
It's not a bad thing to use gas in very cold climate. Using resistive heating will drain your battery very rapidly. When it's too cold outside, running heat pump becomes not feasible. The only option would be to burn gas to heat up the cabin. I observed the same thing (using gas when battery is fully charged) on Rav4 prime when driving in extremely cold climate.
I owned 2022 Chryser Pacifica PHEV Tourig L for one year13k mles now. No complaints. Very fuel friendly I have full tank 15 gal every 6 weeks. I only used level 1 charging at home. There are other negative revews I read but not for me. And I hope I get the $7.5k tax credit this year. That will make my purchase cost to $42,500. Beat it. I got Mopar warranty for $3k. $100 deductibe. 8 yrs. 100k miles. Refundable if not used. After 8 yrs, I hope chrysler will prove the negatives wrong.
I prefer the lower tailgate close button. Our Pilot has it on the tailgate and when its WAY up there and your hands are full of heavy awkward bags of groceries its a pain to TRY and reach up to that tiny button to close it.
Thank you! Every time I see someone complain that the close button isn't on the tailgate I know that person doesn't live in the real world. I'm constantly grabbing the last items out of the car, both hands full, and I'd much rather hit a button at chest level than have to reach over my head. And the drama about having to get out of the way... yeah if you're in a manual wheelchair. Which, by the way would prevent you from even reaching an overhead button.
Honestly, I'm 6'1" and in my 3 years of owning a Pacifica I've never had issues closing the rear hatch and endangering my head. This is a non issue...would it have been better on the end of the hatch door...maybe, but then my kids couldn't shut it easily either. Don't forget there's a closing button on the FOB and on the overhead console for the driver. This isn't a problem.
Disagree re: heat pump needed for heat without ICE. I had a Volt for 5 years and never needed the ICE for heat as it had resistive heaters. The Rav4 turns the ICE on all the time in winter in EV mode. Many EV's still have no heat pump but only resistive heating
Rented a 2024 one. Got about two miles from the airport and it said Stop safely vehicle will stop soon. It wasn't joking about four hundred feet later the van just shut off. Stopped in the middle of the road. Nothing no power. Floored it rolled backwards. What a piece. Give this problem a Google - I'm not alone.
One of the main features that sets the Pacifica apart from other vans is the Stow n Go feature. Without that, might as well buy another brand. Would rather buy a gas powered Pacifica. Love your reviews!
Totally disagree, I bought the van for the plug in hybrid feature alone, i have 4 kids and had never heard of the stow and go feature before. I cant see why you would want to put the two seats that are the most comfortable in the vehicle in the floor. On the other hand, i can drive to work and home and use NO fuel at all.
@@kradius2169 No fuel is not the most important thing that is why i looked specifically for a plug in hybrid, my wife had a tesla and I prefer to have the fuel backup and range.
@@TheBHiveRV ... Seems wise. Not sure how battery charging electricity escapes the "fuel" moniker though. Seems eventually electricity will be mostly nuclear generated in the long term, even Bill Gates is in the nuke race now with his TerraPower.
Good stuff. You're giving us perspective and information we don't get in typical vehicle reviews. I'm just not a fan of Chrysler vehicles. With two 4Runners in the family (and now a BMW i4), I fear any Chrysler product would be a disappointment, eventually. Fingers crossed on the i4. So far, so good.
We have this feature in the 4th Gen Honda Pilots, which has the remote start feature. Press unlock and hold the start button. Engine ignites and setup heat per the outside temperature. To start driving, we just need to press the brake and power button once. :)
At a risk of repeating myself, these videos give us an insight and product knowledge that you would only get from ownership. This should help reduce our old enemy, buyer remorse. Great public service broadcasting here from TCCN gang. Thank you.
At the risk of repeating myself, 👏👏👏👏👏
You're repeating yourself again Ray
No it doesn't its basically this guy sh1tting on anything not Toyota.
Risk it!!
Great review but as a owner of 2023 pinnacle edition with 26K odometer, it’s a very nice and quite minivan, we mostly drive on pure electric with 18K fully electric and 8K hybrid without any issue, I live in Canada and we have cold winter and in a cold weather we are still on fully eclectic mode without engine kicks in, for sure we get better electric range when the weather is warmer and only in a extreme cold weather like -10 Celsius or colder the engine kicks in more often.
I'm curious to know how it performs in snow (road grip, traction) given pacifica hybrids are not AWD?
We live in Toronto, where we get a lot of snow in the winter. I’ve purchased winter tires for my Pacifica, and I don’t have any issues driving in winter. Winter tires are definitely a must
Your reviews are excellent. Better than the dudes out there who make an appointment with a dealer and drive the car for 10 minutes and tell you that it’s the best.
😅 guess you've never owned one. Worst pule of garbage I've ever driven. Breaks down every 6-8 weeks. Different problem each time plus some repeating problems UGHHHH
I have this exact van. 2021 Pinnacle Hybrid. It has 40k miles. No problems. We love it. So comfy and smooth. I go months without gassing it up. We love the 35 miles of EV range. We save about $200 a month, not buying gas. The engine basically only runs on cold days or long road trips. It only needs one oil change a year.
Obviously you must live in a warm climate. I live in a very cold climate and I'm quite sure I wouldn't be nearly as enthusiastic about this van. For 5 months of the year when in EV mode the engine would be constantly starting so I can have heat inside the van thus defeating the purpose of having a plug-in hybrid.
Give us an update at 100k miles.
@@henryhonda8408 I live in Ohio. It was 24° this morning.
The battery can run the heater just fine on low, in the winter. If you crank it up on high yes the engine will run about 5 minutes and then shut off. That’s still better than running gas all day long.
@@MrKillerRC We’re lucky to hit 24 degrees mid afternoon here. That would be downright tropical this time of year. You see people in shorts when it gets that warm. That’s funny that you think that’s cold.
@@rogerwatson2255 Cool for you. It got down to -20° a month ago. But It’s not what my definition of cold is. It’s the battery’s definition. 75°F is optimal for lithium batteries. 30° is cold for a battery and activates the battery heater and engine to warm the battery and cabin. That’s what kills mpg, which is the topic here.
Hi guys. I drive Pacifica hybrid 2017 . I do Uber and airport limo service. Current mileage 375 000 kilometres. Besides few recalls I got the following issues:
1. Front struts replaced at 300k kilometres. Cost 2000 Canadian dollars tax in labor and parts included.
2. Currently pending (parts ordered) electric coolant heater. Check engine light on. Estimated cost 1900 dollars.
Besides above I didn’t have any other problem.
I buy premium gas and use synthetic oil. Drive it every day year round in the city of Toronto.
Thank you for your comment. What is your real MPG? I also wonder what issues you have besides those shown in this video - th-cam.com/video/p8DMgBtjGbk/w-d-xo.html
@@oneundecided thank you for liking my comment:)
I traded my 2017 for 2023 Pacifica hybrid. I don’t calculate mpg. I t makes no sense for me as I am charging during the day wherever it’s possible. I calculate that a 100 dollars on gas brings me 1000 gross income average. It’s 10% compared to a previous grand caravan where it was 25% on gas from my gross earnings.
How many miles before trading for a new one?
We picked up an ex-rental with 60k miles and really enjoy it.
@@oneundecidedhe came back for a 2nd one!
@@normt430 400k kilometres. Now drive 2023 Pacifica. Got it brand new in April 2023. Currently 68k kilometres on odo. So far everything is alright. How ever sway bar was to be replaced under warranty.
First time watching this commentator and I couldn’t help but feel he should be heading an automobile design team somewhere. He understands the engineering in great depth but also explains things in a simple way and expresses his opinions and recommendations well.
When I turned 50 this year, I had a reverse mid-life crisis and instead of buying a sports car, I bought a mini van! 😂
I looked at all of them, and liked the Pacifica the best. I didn't opt for the Hybrid because of the recalls and issues. I didn't think the higher price justified the money you potentially save on gas. Plus, when you get the Hybrid, you can't have the Stow and Go option, or the power folding rear seats.
I really, really love my 2023 Pacifica Limited though. It has more bells and whistles than the Odyssey, and you cannot get a Sienna unless you want to be on a waiting list for over a year. Kia was just a no. I picked it because I love the Stow and Go option. There is just so much versatility with this car. You can fold everything flat if you need to move something, or stow just some of the seats -- there is just so much flexibility. Chrysler really knocks it out of the park in that department! I will disagree with you in that I do think it is very quiet when you drive it. I think there is some special noise dampening system in the car. The visibility is awesome and the driver's seat is extremely comfortable. I have had no issues with the UConnect system -- the resolution is crystal clear and it's very easy to use. The console isn't overly complicated with too many buttons. The car's built in navigation works great if you don't want to hook up your phone. I have the Safety Sphere added in my car, and it is a far better camera system than the Odyssey. I just love that Chrysler thought of every little detail -- hooks for hanging grocery bags, hooks for hanging dry cleaning, USBs everywhere, sliding compartments for cup holders, the Fire TV, the AMAZING pano roof, and my absolute favorite --- the VACUUM!! I highly recommend you get the theater package if you have kids -- my kids can hook up their X-Box in the back when we take a longer car trip. You also get the vacuum and a Blue Ray player with that package. The vacuum won't replace using a shop vac, but it sure is handy for smaller jobs. Some people really dislike Chrysler because of past reliability issues. I don't keep cars for years and years -- so hopefully in the time that I do have it I won't have issues. So far I absolutely love it and I would recommend it if you are in the market for a mini van.
good points! I didnt realize NO stow/go w Hybrid..........thats pivotal for me
Nice. Perfect👍
Thanks for the details! I'm looking at buying a used one (non-hybrid) and am definitely going to get an extended warranty with it.
This vehicle does have a 7kw resistance heater that can heat both the battery and cabin. The reason the A/C fluid doesn't go directly into the battery is to reduce the cooling pipework inside the battery.
Over five years into my ownership of a 2018 Pacifica PHEV. Still like it a lot. Rarely fillup gas. Engine is a little rough when the engine idles. 30,000 miles on it. Less than 5000 miles on the gas engine. So far, battery is holding up well. The 12v battery is holding up well too. The driver's side sliding door doesn't like to close since it was new. There are a lot of coolant hoses. At least they are using the same fluid. I don't like that I am not allowed to tow with it. I've driven it when it was 6 degrees F and the motor does come on when you turn on the heater. Then it will turn off and still provide heat.
Try this to help lessen engine run time in colder weather.
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Why can't you tow with it?
The complaints about reliability are valid and I agree this vehicle is overly complex. However, I've had mine nearly two years, (two Midwest winters). I've saved a ton on gas. And that's just plugging in overnight with a trickle charge. I know where the public stations are and benefit from charging at work so those are considerations for any buyer as well. Yes, I get it. Toyotas are more reliable. I drove the new sienna. It was very nice, but comparably equipped cost a lot more (at the time) and didn't have the tax credit. You can't just say one base model costs more and say it's apples to apples. Toyota was louder, Infotainment was lame, middle seats don't come out, front seats are spongy and unsupportive (where chrysler's are admittedly too firm). And that clunky huge center console they put in is not going to be as useful as they claim. It's intrusive to say the least. I also owned a loaded 06 sienna once. It looked great, but it was full of rattles and squeaks. A faulty seal on the driver's door whistled constantly on the highway. It also couldn't hold the road for shit with any crosswind. Seats also looked great but were lumpy and uncomfortable. It basically failed in its job as a minivan. It was a big disappointment. Does that mean I think Toyotas are bad? Of course not but one size does not fit all and every car has problems. I've owned 2 town and countrys that were rock solid and would buy again. Pacifica jury is still out but I have a nice extended warranty to cover my arse.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana, so I was concerned about the battery range during winter months. I'm currently split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. How does it handle in the snow? Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina I haven't used snow tires but I know others do. It's not great in the snow. I think like most vehicles, hybrid versions have "efficiency" tires that tend to suck in winter. If you get a lot of snow, I would consider an AWD vehicle or snow tires. I don't get tons of snow. Tires are everything for traction, even more so than FWD vs AWD. Battery range will be worse in winter. just a fact. short cold trips will kill the mileage too. Once the car is warm, it can run on battery, then hybrid after and be very efficient. I still average mid to upper 20's in hybrid mode in winter (which is going to be more like upper teens to lower 20s on an ICE vehicle). All vehicles are less efficient in cold temps. Sienna and Pacifica Hybrid are no exceptions.
Totally agree w you. I love minivans and have owned many. I had 3 Pacificas - ice and hybrid and loved the hybrid the best. I was in a new sienna recent and was surprised how cheap and loud it was. I loved the 1st gen sienna. All the minivans have their pros and cons. I had the odyssey when my twins were baby and that car has the best seating for car seats and storage. The Pacifica is horrible when it comes to car seats.
I think the more you use the electric mode the less wear and tear you’ll place on the engine
I wanted to buy a Toyota but so many bad reviews about the quality and pricing
Hi I rent a Chrysler Pacifica every month for work and really enjoy the Hybrid system. It really saves you Gas when driving in the city. I live in Florida and haven't seen too much issues yet. My Wife owns a Chrysler Town & Country 2012 and had worked great for the past 10 years. Currently has 160,000 miles and still going strong.
My neighbor has this exact model it has been crippled over and over by electrical problems and a severe parts shortage due to reliability of the broken part outpacing the parts being manufactured. They bought this to take their kids to football and soccer practice and it has let them down over and over. My other next door neighbor has a 2013 Sienna with 170k and has never missed a practice of their four kids. Chrysler/Stellantis is the epitome of “All show no go”
Great review but disagree on a few things. In warm weather this is an excellent PHEV, cold weather probably not so good for the reasons he explained. We live in Texas and purchased our van 2017 and we love it. Over 150,000 miles zero issues. We plug in every day with a level 2 charger and it’s fully charged in 2 hours. We average 1000 miles / tank. We have the hybrid platinum version the pinnacle trim had not came out yet. Paid 45k but we received a 7,500 tax credit which was awesome!!!
Roughly $37,500 after tax credit. As long as you don’t floor it the motor will not turn on until the battery is depleted. We normally get 40 miles of electric range before the engine kicks on. Overall great mini van if you live in warm weather. Thanks
also there are workarounds in cold weather to make it work decently, you precondition while the car is plugged, if you don't blast the heat it usually works at least partially on full electric
@@user-3tf67bk46u the thing to remember about total mileage is that the ICE is not getting 100% of those miles. If you're driving 40 to 50 miles per day and you can get 30 to 35 miles from the electric, then only about 30 to 35% of the miles are on the ICE. So a 150k mi PHEV has an ICE with only about 50k miles on it.
Also, keep in mind that all of the associated engine issues at varying mileages are not 1-to-1 in a PHEV. While the ICE is not getting all the miles, a lot of the associated pumps and cooling systems are still getting the equivalent miles.
Try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
That is impressive that you got to 150k miles without major issue. Our 2018 Pacifica Limited Hybrid with 50k miles had quite few repairs and recalls that I'm not confident it will last another 5 years.
At 150K I’d say it’s worth replacing the battery 🔋 and continue with the fuel savings. I’m in Las Vegas but visit Southern California often where gas is very expensive. Looking at a used 2021 with 61K miles.
I am so impressed by the fluency with which you present a 40 minute review! Thank you for putting in the effort and for being so thorough! It really helped me steer me away from the plug-in hybrid to the regular Limited S AWD version of this vehicle. I really wish you success and best of luck!
I am sorry to say but I have a 2022 Pac Hybrid Limited. One step down from the one in your video. I love mine. And yes there is a heat pump. And no the engine foes not come on every time you put your foot on the gas. I can remote start and have no gas engine startup unless it has been sitting for a while in the cold. But what you did not mention is the cabin/battery preconditioning system that helps to save gas and significantly reduces the amount of time the van needs to preheat in cold weather. I get about 50Km on a full charge in the summer and 25-30 km in the winter here in Alberta Canada. But here is where the Hybrid system does it's best work. I tend to do 250Km a day with work and basic commuting. Of that 250km if I stay so 60kph or less, so main roads, and not any inner city highways or byways over 65kph I can get about 175km of that 250km on electric. Once the batter(16kWh total. 12kWh for full Electric & 4kWh for Hybrid mode) is dead, keeping your speed to 60kph or less gives you about a 50e/50g ratio once you get over 70kph it's about a 40e/60g and 80kph is 30e/70g and 90+ it is 5e/95g ratios. So it is a great van for city driving all around. I was actually able to a 900+km trip last summer on one tank of gas, with 3.25 full charges. Some of your negative points I feel were valid but unless you've driven it long term you'd have learned that many of your negative points are actually not so negative. She is a wonderful van in my books. Though I do mis the Stow&Go and my AWD from my 2020 Launch edition. But I do not miss filling up my tank once every 6 days. I actually got 45 day & 3300km out of one tank back in the first week of July 2022. Before I started driving for work everyday I was averaging 1700km Electric & 330km gas with every fill up. Tot fill ups from Mar 15 to July 25 2022 was 5 fills at an average of 26 between fill ups. All on a level 1 charger at 12hrs to charge from 0-100%.
The only things I wish this van had are:
1) Rear motor for AWD
2) Ability for the driver to be able to manually disengage the Regen breaks.
3) The ability to switch driving modes. (Full Electric, Hybrid or Full gas) Even if the ECU could change to full hybrid if driving over 70kph to conserve battery power at higher speeds would be nice.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana where it can get cold during winters and was concerned about the battery range during winter. I'm split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina yes I do. Even on my old 2020 Launch Edition with AWD I had winter tires. I would not drive in the winter with anything else for my family. Just be carful with the regen breaks on tho pacific. When the traction control kicks in the regen breaks will disengage leaving you with no breaks for 0 to 2 sec even with your don't on the break peddle. Scary feeling first few times.
Yes, his negatives are not really negatives in 2024!
I like in MN and have a 22 pacifica hybrid and drive it on electric with close to full range frequently so your comment that it is worthless in cold climates is not accurate in my experience. It is true running the HVAC will generally trigger the ICE but if just using heated steering wheel and seats and especially if using scheduled conditioning I can go 30 miles all electric even I. 0 degrees. When using heater and not preconditioning it will still use electric for really great mpgs. In 1 year ownership I am over 60% electric miles. Great comprehensive review but had to comment it works great in winter for me and the preconditioning means it is warm and ready to go.
Thanks for the info. I'm in central Indiana, so I was concerned about the battery range during winter months. I'm currently split between the Pacifica hybrid and the Sienna. How does it handle in the snow. Do you switch to snow tires during winter?
@@JKoolina I have a level 2 charger in my garage and park indoors overnight to charge - this means I always start with a full battery and on days with multiple trips can 'top-off' the battery between trips as a full charge is 2hrs max on level 2. The other benefit is this allows me to set a schedule for cabin conditioning - essentially you can program in 3 events to tell the van you want it to be ready when you leave by preconditioning the battery and cabin to your set temp using only the electric heater which will generally allow you to run on all electric right away. Even on days with temps below 0 degrees I can start in EV and run up to 30 miles or so on electric if I precondition and then use heated seats and steering wheel and dry conservatively. If you use defrost or heat it will generally start the engine until things are warmed up but even when the engine is running the motors are still assisting with propulsion and after a brief time the engine will shut off and the van will return to electric only operation until the battery is depleted. Looking at my trip odometer of my last 6,955 miles I have done 3,943.8 on electric and 3,012 on hybrid with an average hybrid mpg of 30 - keeping in mind this includes several weeks of sub freezing temps, snow covered roads and winter gas blend. Regarding the snow performance - I have not run dedicated winter tires so far as my other vehicle is a Ram 1500 with dedicated winter tires and 4wd. The van performs pretty well in snow but it may depend on what OEM tires your van comes with - mine has 17" Yokohama's. The Hybrid is heavy so stopping on ice can be a challenge with the OEM tires and once these wear I am planning to fit one of the newer all weather tires like the Michelin CrossClimate 2.
@@brianmiller4370below 50°F try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
AMD, Chrysler/Fiat/Peugeot/Stellantis have never had a problem providing high style and plentiful features. Their chronic, decades-long problem is providing long term reliability. If I was in the market for a Hybrid minivan, I would choose a Sienna ten times out of ten. 😁
That is a flat out lie.
Correct, Fiat/Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep have always been a poser vehicle for the poor and weak minded, folks who only care what they look like now and haven’t the complexity of thought to anticipate the future. Chronically poor. Fast food employees. Folks who have to get a loan for a 10 year old 100k mile vehicle and don’t have the fiscal acumen to save money. Everyone I know laughs at people who drive these terrible vehicles.
@@ozarkliving7263
Only weak minded ignorant uninformed people make generalizations about others.
Own a 19’ Pacifica, paid cash. PM and tires only with 89k.
Own a 21’ Highlander, paid cash.
@@ozarkliving7263 well put. I will never buy dodge/Chrysler product
@Ozark Living you must be fun at parties......just a car dude
There are so many coolant reservoirs because of the pressure. One for the main radiator, the other for the EV system to cool it, without having it under pressure (less failure). The car will kick on the engine to warm coolant in sub zero temperatures (to make sure the battery can charge) but this is a byproduct of all EVs.
I owned Pacifica plugin in 2019, it never worked on winter days under 24 F. dealer was not able to fix after 4-5 attempts about 2 months in shop. finally Chrysler bought back. I am glad they owned the responsibility well. I will definitely buy Pacifica, they day I hear the word RELIABLE about pacific hybrid.
That's because you had the heat on. It takes at least 20 minutes to get to temp. Turn off the heat and use the electric seats and the hybrid works fine. Dealer can't fix what's not broken.
@@PaulDo22 lol I would consider that a serious design flaw if the van can't use the heater when its cold outside. Or that you have to let the car warm up for 20 minutes before turning the heat on.
@@jettrooper101 Are you saying the car wouldn't even turn on under 24 degrees or that the electric battery wouldn't power the car at that temp? That wouldn't be a surprise because the car needs to heat up the battery when it's below freezing.
@@jettrooper101 It can use the heater. It just takes short amount of time to heat everything up before the ICE turns back off. Not sure why this is such an issue b/c in a lot of cold climate locations if it's that cold people are going to turn on their car and let it idle to warm up and defrost before they leave anyway.
The interior colors of that van are really cool !
Thank you for your thorough reviews and thoughts. It’s great info to have when looking to make a purchase on vehicles. Given the sky high prices of vehicles, a vehicle purchase cannot be an impulse buy, but rather a well thought out purchase.
Three points, though: 1) it's available now instead of waiting 1-2 years for a comparable Sienna hybrid (e.g., in limited or platinum trim), 2) even when not attempting to be a pure EV it gets over 80 mpge blowing away the competition, and 3) it is currently eligible for a tax credit which takes its price lower than that of the top end of the competitors (even if you assumed that you could find a competitor, such as a Sienna without a huge "market adjustment").
it gets 80mpge when combined with charged battery usage, without the battery in real life scenarios like steady highway driving, it's anywhere from 24-32 mpg. still great for a minivan but definitely nowhere near the 80 mpg bs advertised
I rather wait two years and get a reliable minivan, than buying this piece of junk and spent countless days getting stuff fixed at the dealer.
No thank you.
Yes it is available because nobody wants this overcomplicated and hence unreliable vehicle. Unless you just lease it for a warranty period. Still, you'll spend lots of time at the dealer fixing it. My friend had it and traded in in 2 years
I would wait the 2 years for a Toyota. Had only bad experiences owning Chrysler products not only myself several family members and friends that made the mistake of buying Chryslers
I mean, there are other reasons to buy a vehicle than reliability, right? Someone might buy it because they prefer the way it looks or drives, because they want to decrease carbon emissions, because they like certain features, or because they feel that it is more luxurious, etc. If you are concerned solely with reliability, then a 60k complicated vehicle with myriad motors and technologies is probably not the vehicle for you.
It's reasonable to wait for a different brand, but I'm skeptical that you will necessarily spend "lots of time" or "countless days" getting things fixed at the dealer. I'd LOVE to see an objective statistical analysis of time spent in repairs or maintenance. Is it a matter of 2 repairs per year instead of 1, or is it a matter of 50 repairs per year instead of 0? For me, my primary concern is reliability's (or its perceived reliability) effect on resale value and safety.
I was stopped at a stop sign in my 2021 Pacifica Hybrid. A turning vehicle T-Boned me between the driver's door and sliding door at 25 MPH. No broken glass. No airbag deployment. The doors were smashed, but, I drove the car home and to the dealer body shop. Now, 5 months later, the work should be complete within a week, or so. They could not get parts. They could not get paint. They had to replace the roof, I-beam, driver door, sliding door, front seat, headliner, front fender, charge port, front headlight, front grill, etc., etc. I would be surprised if this doesn't turn into an even bigger nightmare once I get it back. Almost $20K worth of damage.
Ok I admit it. I skipped through to the end. As a person who had terrible service with my Voyager van, I had to know what you thought, the bottom line. I do agree with you on the reliability. I buy a car for reliability and I figure this van is good for……maybe four years. You had better get an extended warranty. Give me my ‘11 Prius hybrid and my ‘16 Rav4 hybrid both of which have been absolutely trouble free.
It has been 50 years since Chrysler made a product that could be ranked high in reliability.
@@rightlanehog3151 Yeah chrysler never had good internals so in the pacifica they focused on features rather than performance and at that it still is almost 50k! Honestly I really want honda/toyota to make a luxury minivan to outrule chrysler because chrysler needs a reality check
Nobody does a better car review than you!! You tell it like it is, good and bad. Thank you!!
I own the 2020 plugin version. During cold climate you can leave plugged in and start the carn manually. The engine will stay off provided the climate controls are off. Also you can leave it running so that the battery can be warmed up. Then while on the road the engine really doesn't start unless you need cabin heat.
At that point if you set the temp to about 70 it will use the battery and keep engine off.
In summary the range in below 30 degrees is about 25 miles. Still not bad.
*Range is 25 miles without using the heat in below freezing temps. What kind of person is going to let their kids freeze just to get that range? Might as well be 0 miles.
You can use cabin heat on battery only, but if you crank it to max, the engine kicks in to help out.
Try this below 50°F:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
2:00 I have a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country with 3.6l engine.
In 2018, The plastic oil filter housing was cracked and there was a puddle of engine oil underneath. It costed me $1500 to repair 😭. The plastic oil filter was probably over tightened at one of oil change service shops.
Yes, Ahmed, having plastic on plastic is a very bad idea. I cannot believe 2022 Chrysler Pacifica is still keeping the same design. 😂
On the other hand, my wife loves the stow and go feature. 😊
Yeah if i ever have a vehicle with plastic parts like that im swapping it for medal ones immediately
This is a Pentstar V6. Not.one of the past.
Ironically, Toyota also used a plastic filter housing on the Rav 4. My VW does too. Very common
Just bought a new plug in hybrid Pacifica in November. Fortunately we live in the Bay Area where the temperature is almost always between 50 and 75 degrees. So far so good. I’m not sure I understand the part about ‘every time you push push the accelerator you’re going to be using the engine’. It does kick on if I really need to push it and of course when I’m below 1%. But most of the time it’s in electric mode. We only drive about 6k miles a year, but mostly short trips which means this will be effectively a 70% electric vehicle.
You have tge best car and at a good price with state and fed tax credits that no other van offers.
Thank you for making this video. I’ve been casually researching the Pacifica Hybrid for the last year and this video has given the most useful information to go off of, by far! I truly appreciate it!
Since the late 1970s Ive bought 5 Chrysler products new off the lot. They do make some great looking products. Unfortunately I have never experienced one that wasn't plagued with a plethora of mechanical and or electrical problems..I finally gave up hope if finding a well made one. From personal experience, IMO, Chrysler / Dodge quality and reliability is tied with Land Rover.
Thanks for the education on cold weather. I live in the northeast and my wife has the Prius prime plugin and it is amazing you get heat instant in the winter and because we live 2 miles one way to work, the car is always warm and always running on electric. I didn't realize this Pacifica didn't do well in the winters because I recently picked up the 22 Pacifica hybrid because I was so impressed with her Prius and needed a family carrier. Good to know the extra limitations but overall still happy I went with the hybrid over the AWD version with stow and go. I may need to go for a road trip just so the gas doesn't go bad. 6 months going strong and still not using any gas on the Prius. The van though I have used gas but hybrids for the win overall in my opinion.
You have to heat 4x the space compared to Prius economy car.
Try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
I have a 2013 with almost 108k mi. I've been pleasantly surprised by the reliability. At 99k I had several minor issues I did myself. Thermostat and EVAP canister. The stow N go is awesome. I go camping and fold the seats to sleep in the back. I know they overall aren't reliable but my example has been. I wouldn't feel confident getting the hybrid.
If you have a 2013, it's not a Pacifica Hybrid minivan, because they first came out in 2017 (I have one, which I like very much).
I was going to buy a pinaccle plug in hybrid in Hawaii but they wanted $10,000 over msrp. I bought a Honda odyssey elite 3/2003 and I am so glad that I did. Glad I watched this whole video. Thank you
I love your reviews- so will beg for the F150 Powerboost (hybrid) - I have never heard such honest straightforward feedback on the hidden features (and failures) as well as potential long-term expectations for ownership as vehicles become more “disposable”. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!!
i am a senior and in all of my driving since 16 years of age i have never used a spare tire
I have the Pacifica hybrid for a year now. It's is a great vehicle. Stow n go not being available isn't an issue since we have car seats in both seats for the next 6 years. Yes, you shouldn't floor it to get use out of the electric side of things. But you don't have to drive like a granny either. There is plenty of power whenever you need it. The suspension and low center of gravity make it super responsive on the road and makes taking those left hand turns on yellow possible. And with the $7.5k tax credit it is a better deal than the competition. Plus as a plug in you get to park in electric vehicle parking and charge.
The best car reviewer I have come across on TH-cam. very thorough, honest, and knowledgeable.
I own a 2022 and live in FL. 17k miles and all was good until it decided to dump all its oil on the freeway while driving 80 mph. Immediately pulled over as oil pressure dropped quickly to 20 psi. Hope it didn’t harm anything. That said the failure was due to a plastic part around the oil cooler. Other than this issue it’s been fine and wanted to share additional impressions. First it’s heavy and feels it and just likes to drive straight. Losing the stow and go middle seats was a big deal but you gain more comfortable middle seats, they mirror the front seats with way more cushion. Running mostly electric mode you will eventually have to deal with the fuel refresh mode where the engine runs 100% until your gas is empty. Its suppose prevent the fuel from getting stale but defeats the purpose of a plug in hybrid. It’s also annoying. There’s no spare tire. The carpet area in the trunk area is always pulling away from the trim. The AC seats are great. You have to buy a rear bumper protector bc it’ll get beat up. The rear seat floor panels constantly detaches when folding the rear seat.
I love how you managed to keep a straight face recording this one. Great entertainment AMD & Co, thank you.
I have a friend is a service manager at a Chrysler dealership and when his mom came to him and said that she was thinking about buying a Pacifica he said well if you buy it I’ll see you heck of a lot more of you
Honest man! Mine has been in the service center 15+ times. I have spent more than the purchase price on repairs now. The one thing guaranteed with the Chrysler Pacifica is REGRET of the day you purchased it
As always, you’re spot on. You are one of the few people I trust when it comes to cars. I hope you continue to have fun making these great videos.
The Toyota parked behind explains the bias. 2 points of disagreement, the 4 timing chains are a smart idea. It disperses the overall load between 4 chains rather than over working 1 or 2 chains. They last longer. You regularly see these motors on marketplace with 3-450,000 miles on the original motor. Second, the rear shock on the left assists the motorized shock on the right for equal distribution of the doors weight. I’m on my 5th caravan and I’ve never had a rear hatch motor or any slider door issues. In fact my current 2010 Caravan has 208,000 miles on it. Original transmission, starter, alternator, water pump, it has never failed to start and has never broken down. That’s why it the number 1 selling minivan because of repeat buyers like me, they are excellent vehicles.
At least it has timing chains...unlike Honda.
Never thought of the distributed load between the 4 chains the more you know thanks.
This guy definitely loves Toyota and Lexus. Consumer Report, though, reports very bad problems with the PacHyb last year. I would have loved to buy one, then that CR came out.
@@KL-md9ey rental companies love the PacHy as they are reliable.
@@normt430lol you bet
We had a lot of issues with recalls on this vehicle (2018), but the features cannot be beaten. Depending on the type of driving you do, you may not fill up hardly ever. We find that we only fill up when driving on trips. Once we get to our destination, we are able to drive around for 35 miles without using gas.The only time the engine turns on is when you floor it or when it is particularly cold. If you warm up the car, you will notice more electric driving vs gas. We ended up repurchasing this car after driving the '18 to 98,000 miles because it has so many good features. We did purchase the extended warranty which turned out to be really smart because we have had a lot of issues. This is the only time I have ever felt that we got our money's worth with the extended warranty. Chrysler is notoriously bad with electrical components. Our doors failed more than once and there was a recall on the batteries that put it in the shop for quite a while. This only shows how much we liked the vehicle because we were willing to go back to it after all of that. We had a Sienna previously which was definitely more reliable, but not nearly as comfortable or fuel efficient.
I appreciate your thorough review. We absolutely love our 2017 Pacifica which has honestly been relatively trouble free. However, your concern is 100% spot on as we had a major failure just this past summer on a road trip; the only downtime and dealer visit the van has ever had. The AC had died while driving through Texas in 105 degree heat. We were close to our hotel and felt we could deal with it and make it there and then follow up with a nearby service department the next day. Unfortunately, just as you described, the electric AC compressor that failed is also used to cool the battery coolant and therefore, the entire van shutdown to “protect” itself (and presumably keep us safe). Being residents of Florida, this is the perfect vehicle as we routinely get 1,200-1,500 miles between tanks but I can absolutely see where it might not be as useful in the colder climates.
They are nice, but spendy for me!
TLDR
I have a 18 pacifica gas model its been great to have those stow n go seats are what sets it apart from the rest , my only issue is bubbling paint on my hood and bottom of sliding doors
@@hottew_twat3963 I have had bubbling paint also on a 2023 hybrid Pacifica.
@@hottew_twat3963
I had hood issue on my 2017 , was able to get it repainted under warranty.
It’s a known problem, check with Dealer to see if they will repair even after warranty expires
I love this review, thank you.
I have a 2021 Pacifica PHEV, and I have one point I disagree with you on. I take the van from my garage every morning, having been plugged in overnight, and I'm able to drive to work and back with the gas engine coming on only minimally or not at all. Stomp on the gas and it kicks in, sure, and maybe when I'm merging onto the highway, but in the driveway, on the street getting to the highway, the engine doesn't come on at all. Maybe that's a difference between model years, maybe its something in how I drive, but if I don't make any extra trips on a typical Monday to Friday I drive about 200 miles on less than a gallon of gas.
If I don't charge it or on longer trips I'm still getting between 35-40 mpg after the plug-in battery is used up, which seems pretty good to me for a minivan.
The 4 chains are a good thing because the actual timing chains are much shorter . And Port Fuel Injection is just great, I wish I could get rid of my Cadillac 3.6 DI system, and exchange it for TPFI like in the old days.
A family member got the Pacifica "Road Tripper" front wheel drive non-hybrid with the 3.6 and it's a very nice van.
As commented by many, he missed the fact that this vehicle has resistance heaters for the battery and HVAC as primary and engine heat to supplement. I think there's debate on if this or a heat pump like the RAV4 prime is better in cold weather. Good info on how the coolant system works, I imagine that's a weak point on all phevs and evs, so us owners will need to stay vigilant about checking levels, especially after any services or minor accidents! Even though there's a lot of hoses and plastic, one encouraging thing is that brittleness should be delayed/reduced as a result of far fewer heat cycles. We have 55k on our 2018 model, but only maybe 20k with the engine running thus creating the higher temps to stress plastics. These have been on market since 2017, so there should be a lot of service info on them by now, but I'm guessing most is done under warranty so not much service content on youtube still. Ours has been trouble free so far, but more service vids would make me feel better! Still love our van, biggest gripes are how low to the ground it is...scrapes more than our old van and I can't easily put a bike rack hitch on it since towing is a no-no.
Or just do this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Enjoyed this review. I had been looking to get a mini van for a while and eventually purchased a 2023 Toyota Sienna Woodlands (no wait, was on the lot with no markup). I hope the Sienna holds up like the other Toyotas we have owned (Corolla, Camry, Venza). The Chrysler Pacifica was on the short list since already have owned a 2005 Caravan in the past. The 2005 Caravan was the most functional, best driving, and most comfortable vehicle I had ever owned, but ...
No matter how well it did all those things, it went to the shop on a regular basis for this or that, mostly electronic issues, which negated all the great attributes. Upon taking the van back to the dealer for warranty work, the dealer would find nothing wrong which was frustrating. An example of a simple fix made difficult was a missing rubber bumper to the passenger sliding door. The door made a metal on metal sound upon closing. Two times the service department found no issues with the door. On the third service return, had the service manager listen to how each door sounded different when closed - this is when the missing bumper was noticed. Took three trips to the dealer, and two car rentals, to replace an obvious body issue, frustrating! The big issue with the van was the electronic module which was replaced three or four times before being correctly repaired, and numerous lock actuators had to be replaced. To top off the decision not to purchase another Chrysler product, I researched the newer models to see if the same issues still persisted, and they do. If Chrysler cannot fix known issues in 15 years, they will not get my business. BTW, the Caravan had a catastrophic failure on a road trip leaving us stranded at around 110,000 miles on the vehicle. It was a costly repair and the vehicle was never the same again. One last thing about the Chrysler is the resale value. Upon purchasing a Toyota Venza, the dealership initially refused the trade-in on the Caravan (which still looked like new except for the broken cup holders on the middle seats).
Just bought the 2023 Pacifica hybrid. I love it. Can’t stop driving it as opposed to my Mercedes GLC 300. I call it the gravy boat. I love it.
Chrysler motto quantity over quality 😂😂
This is a wonderful tour of the vehicle. I mostly agree with his assessment. I disagree with his claim that it doesn't work well in the cold. I live in Chicago. If it is parked in a garage, the battery will be warm enough to use. If you are driving less than 10 miles you will have a coat on and don't need the cabin heater. If you are going further the engine will heat up and then it will be electric until you have used the battery and are running in hybrid mode anyway. Having a heat pump would have been a good idea. I have 105k miles and over 6 years on mine.
Heated seats and fully heated stwering(not 10 and 2 like Toyota/Lexus).
Also try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Holy smokes this dude knows his stuff!!impressive
This video was amazing. So much better!!! than most other reviewers. This guy should be the new Motor Trend host, seriously.
I have 235,000 miles on mine in Chicago. Preheating in the winter works to a point. Heated electric seats for front passengers are a must. Rear passengers better have coats on because you can't turn on the climate control heat without turning on the engine so heat stays off until hybrid battery runs out.
You have 235K on a PacHy!? Are you on the Pacifica Forum? I'm sure many of us who have bought used would love to hear any problems you've had.
@@RyanSommer Replaced the transmission close to 200k. Now it needs a suspension rehaul. Front/rear shocks and struts. Control arms. Etc. Otherwise been great.
@@PaulDo22 Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Did you do any transmission maintenance throughout the 200k miles?
@@PaulDo22try this below 50°F:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
There are several reasons why the hv battery pack doesn’t have electric heaters. Using coolant and heat conduction plates the vehicle can transfer heat in and out to keep battery within a temperature range. If you install electric heaters they can’t remove heat and you don’t have space left for heat sink to make contacts with batteries to cool them. If you use electric heater to heat the coolant then let it warm up the battery, it will drain battery power and reduce efficiency and propulsion power, and typical electric heater power are not as high as heat gives off by engine, and engine heat is free byproduct of combustion. You may think from mechanics perspective it’s complicated but it’s more effective
Yes from a mechanics perspective they are not serviceable anymore just throw away after 7 years , I guess it’s better for the environment that way
One note regarding the fuel tank, the normal version has a plastic tank, the steel tank is only used on the hybrid. According to their training, it's supposed to better handle the pressures and vacuum levels inherent to the way they've designed the emissions system on the hybrid only model.
I agree with what you said though, they are prone to rust in wintery areas. I suspect they learned from Ford about vacuum in plastic tanks, they had to recall/do warranty replacement on many Focus models, they would suck up the bottom of the tank, hit on the sending unit and either kill the pump, or more frequently jam up the float and cause frozen fuel gauges. Why it's hybrid only, I don't remember the reasoning given unfortunately.
This has capless gas tank is a norm these days.
@@normt430 Correct, but this system is just excessive safety, it makes sure you couldn't stick the nozzle in so fast the pressure would spray fuel, as unlikely as that would be. This system monitors pressure and dumps it from the purge valve prior to just the door itself being unlocked. As per exceedingly boring Chrysler training lol
@@alexmaclean1 most of these have remote fuel flap with a timer.
@@normt430 we're saying the same thing I think lol. I was just explaining why the hybrid has a steel fuel tank while the regular 3.6 van has a more common plastic tank.
The interior looks way better than the Sienna, I would have loved to see a Lexus version of the Sienna, I’d own one right now.
I think your criticism of the complexity is on point. However, a heat pump is also fairly complicated and failure prone.
Not if it's a Mitsubishi ( heat pump)
@@jackd1582 Ok, sure a vote for Diamond star.
Heat pumps are simple though.
Not sure about the hybrid, but my 2018 gas model is very reliable in winters, summers, falls or springs. And there is no rattling like some of the Japanese vans. The built quality is excellent. The seats are firm but it holds up very well even after almost 6 years. It’s definitely more comfortable than all the Japanese cars I own/owned. My Honda’s leather seats are very disappointing and they are hurting my back for longer drive. And my Subaru SUV are very NOT comfortable at all. There was no issue with the Pacifica except the small batteries needed to change after a little over 2 years and the main battery needed to change around 40k. That is pretty much it. Everything works as day one otherwise. The power is adequate and acceleration is adequate for passing on highways. It’s a minivan and i don’t expect it to win any race. Most of us use it to get from point a to post b with family and for family trips. The minivan tows and hauls a lot of stuff. You can’t find another one that is more practical than the Pacifica out there. Especially sienna doesn’t even offer detachable second row seats. Pacifica‘s infotainment system is the best of all systems I have used…American , Japanese, German…and the hidden entertainment screens are a very nice feature for kids and adults. The HK 17 speakers system sound better than most high end home theater system if you watch movies with it. It’s overall an excellent minivan. I’ve been using Chrysler and Jeep products for the past 15 years and none of them had
any problem honestly. I just do regular maintenance ( oil changes, brake changes, transmission, fluid change etc). But the Honda and Subaru I own /owned are different stories.
The Chrysler van I test drove felt like it had a weak engine...
Thank you for this excellent and thorough review. You bring an important perspective (engineering and reliability) that most other reviewers won't touch.
Thanks for the video i always learn something new from your content, Here is my feedback on my 2017 pacigica hybrid in 6th year running great at 60k as it is on first day of smoothness, with maintanance of 4 oil changes and one set of tires, In California engine never comes on event if temp is 40f, gas mileage is good gets 30 mpg for this much bulky vehicle, reliability is a concern for chrysler brand, so some of your feedback on quality is agreeable.
Thanks for the counter point. No need to pay Toyota Tax!
Bought it this year. Wasnt easy to find one. Expensive yes. Bought it for the plug in ability. I live in Boston. I dont see a problem with engine coming on herre and there for battery heat. There is slight clunking here and there true. But when its on electric it is smooooth, love it! But if u do alot of trips around town u can maximize on the plug in. U can also charge with home solar set up , which I have, and become VERY "green". Dont buy a hybrid for performance or price alone. There needs to be a climate consideration also. This plug in is capable of being extremely efficient climate and mileage wise....far more than a toyota regular hybrid. The rear hatch button placement is actually much better safety wise. My suv leaves me standing in the way of moving vehicles in parking lots after pressing and moving back slightly. Also the sliding doors and low rear gate are massively convenient. And mini vans are soooo versatile. This one u can remove the seats. Others cannot. I love it! I got 204k from my 2011 Town and Country. Had some repairs yes. Had 2 Toyota siennas...some repairs yes and trannys both died at approx 160k. Great job on the review
204k....at trade-in....still running well....but wanted nice new car
Also after speaking to a salesman of a different company he opened my eyes to the flexibilty of plugins vs all electric. U get the best of bith worlds. The infrastructure of millions of gas stations with no range anxiety and the ability to maximize on electricity driving around your in town needs.
Winter remote starts were useless in my brand new '12 Wrangler because it automatically activated the heater and set fan to max. Thermostat worked fine, yet coolant still couldn't warm up if flowing through heater core with fan on max. Even if I gave it 15 minutes, I would still climb into a cold Jeep with coolant gauge at zero.
This is a pretty fair video review. Nice job CCN!
This technician or engineer is incredibly knowledgeable of this vehicle. Thank you for this great information.
As far as I know all the Stellantis vehicles that came from FCA have their lift gate button on the side like that. It's actually nice as shorter people can use it w/o having to stretch their arms way up.
I use my foot on sienna
The button for the rear door is for short people. The ones on the door are too high for many people. I just close it by hand or with the key.
"Run for your life moment" is the funniest way I've heard to describe the process by which one would close an automatic hatch! 🤣
I live in FL, and it was recently "cold" at 45 -60 F. And I would intentionally floor the gas so the engine would crank on because I wanted the heat from the engine to help defrost my windshield and warm the van. I like the idea of it coming on in the winter. Love this van, well thought through. I wish it had a high wattage house outlet 110 volt. It is only 150ish watts. I had a Mitsubishi Outlander that had 1500 watt outlets, which I could use for any appliance such as a vacuum.
I don't miss stow and go at all. I wish it had a middle seat option rather. The 2nd row seats are more comfortable than stow and go.
The 140v L2 charger is the key here. Then try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
We are retired and have a 2017 non hybrid with 115,000 miles. It is a super comfortable highway cruiser and gets just short of 30 mpg driving on expressways. No repairs, only regular maintenance. Don’t want complexity of hybrid. Also having owned two other vans with Sto and Go, didn’t want to lose this important feature. I wish it had a spare tire and a jack. We have owned 4 previous Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler minivans . Kept them all with over 200.000 miles, so we know some repair will be needed. Understand that Toyotas have fewer needed repairs, and that is one of the considerations , but not the only one.
My 2012 Chrysler Town and Country has the 3.6 Pentastar. It's been a great motor. 143k so far so good.
Wish the rest of the van was as good. I'll take port over GDI, good way to avoid carbon build up.
Excellent video and I learned a lot about my wife's 2018 hybrid we owned for 5 years. We were hesitant to get a Chrysler product and took a chance on it. We have heat from the hybrid battery in the winter in electric mode without the engine kicks on but it uses so much battery power. Summer time the commute uses less than 50% of the battery, the same commute in the winter uses almost 90% power. The annoying part in the winter is when the van is idle operating in hybrid mode with heat on, the engine cycle on and off back to back, engine doesn't stay on for more than half second, so frequent and annoying, I have to turn off the van without heat. If kids sleep in the van in a parking lot then I have to deal with the annoyance for heat.
The 12V battery is a problematic area. The van needs to start every 2 weeks or the 12V battery die (we learned this from the pandemic twice), doesn't matter if there is charge in the hybrid battery. I now unplugged the battery if I travel for more than 2 weeks which makes getting in and out the van interesting. Once jump started the 12V battery, the van needs to sit idle to recharge the 12V battery for over an hour. Van will shut off itself when the 12v battery is charged. I drove it for 90 mins after jump started the van 1 time and it did not charge the 12V battery at all and it is a new battery after the dealer replaced it. Best part, 12V battery is in the back but the power liftgate won't open without power, no override. In addition, there is no way to put this van in neutral when the van is dead. Unlike the gas version, there is no cable to pull to put the van in neutral. When I called the dealership, service advisor said the only way to put it in neutral is to disconnect the drive shaft.
Mechanically we got lucky without any issue but the Uconnect infotainment is not. We bought an extended bumper to bumper warranty from Chrysler but it doesn't cover software updates (now I know, and chrysler most likely only do software fixes from my experience. Liftgate doesn't open as it should, it is a software update) We haven't made a claim to the warranty yet.
All in all, it is a great van. It is awesome when everything works. Probably will get a sienna next time.
Holy FK were the designers on crack??
Sounds like a lot of shit, I don't want to deal with. I'll keep my 2020 Toyota sienna AWD. Besides your not really saving the environment when you buy a hybrid. OOPS did I say that out loud! Please don't cancel me :o
@wes karp 100%. Buying this van was about saving gas money, my wife has free charging at work. It is nice when you can charge up at work in the morning then go to an appointment, lunch, etc. then charge again before coming home. We went for months without using gas before.
Standard options in the limited trim is different between gas and hybrid version. I thought we got HID headlight, active noise cancellation, etc. but we didn't. That was my fault though.
@@yipmarvin any updates with the bumper to bumper extended warranty claim?
@@yipmarvintry this in cold temps:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
Was curious about switching my '14 Sienna with a used '22 Pacifica, this review was amazing in terms of real world information that only ownership would tell you. Great stuff!
Hey! So what did you end up doing? I'm in a similar boat myself.
@@MysticWraithI ended up sticking with my Sienna! I couldn't justify the cost of upgrading yet as the car still works fine still. Motor will last for a while. Sure suspension needs work but cost of that vs a 'new' car is huge!
I think all the bells and whistles of the Pacifica would be super cool to have, but in the end, all the key features, my van already has. Power doors, Android auto (I upgraded the head unit before), huge trunk space.
Wow! This is probably one of the best car reviews i ever seen! Thank you so much for your expertise...
Being able to hide the 3rd-row seats and remove the 2nd-row seats is perfect for setting up this van for a camping or fishing trip.
The Pacifica's ride is amazing! Super quiet and smooth like a typical luxury car! My 2015 Sienna is super bumpy and full of squeaks and rattles from EVERYWHERE(literally) with ZERO(literally) noise insulation.
Truth!
The AWD Pinnacle is amazing, you can run the AWD system full time with a neat trick, haul ass out of the corners pedal to the metal.
Thank you for the review. I love your channel. That being said, I recently purchased a 2022 Pacifica Hybrid Limited with MSRP of $56,000 right before the new year. I obtained a $4,500 discount on MSRP, in addition to $7,500 tax credit adjusting the OTD to $47K if I include the tax credit money. Although I've yet to test it in Chicago, in northern VA where I live, I've tested it in temperatures surrounding 35 degrees Fahrenheit. I think the statement that the plug-in-hybrid is worthless in the cold is not accurate. Although it does need to turn on from time to time at my more mild temperatures, I've found the gas engine will run to keep the car heated, while the electric motor is used to propel the vehicle forward according to dashboard measurements. At 35 degrees, the engine didn't need to run long to keep the vehicle warm. Although this isn't likely as efficient as a heat pump setup, I've driven 150 miles and used 1/8 of my gas tank putting my MPG at ~72 MPG (excluding electricity charging costs). While I've yet to test the vehicle at closer to 0 F, my suspicion would be that as the temperature drops, the engine will need to run more to keep the vehicle warm but that doesn't necessarily mean that it suddenly just starts burning gas instead of electricity to propel the vehicle forward.
As for the comments on reliability, they are probably correct although my prior two Chryslers have not been as bad as expected. I purchased a factory full warranty for 8 years 85K miles to protect from these problems for an additional $2,600. At $50K for the same vehicle you drove with exception to the family camera and the TVs, the eight year warranty basically resolves the primary problem and protects partially from depreciation when I sell at around 5-6 years.
Regarding running for your life when pushing the trunk button, I've found that to be a bit dramatic. It's a small pet peeve.
Your comments on the single motor for the trunk is a good catch, and the coolant system sounds like a total disaster.
Interesting. I would have serious hesitation about buying this car at 5-6 years old, even with few years left on an extended warranty.
@@rickm8456 don’t dispute that. I think I’ll end up getting around half what I paid at that time. With the savings on gas, I think it’s good or fine. The Pacifica is better for me because it supports openpilot unlike the sienna hybrid, meaning it’s basically the only semi-self driving hybrid minivan on the market.
@@brakedncr that’s cool. It was nice I’m sure to get the hybrid tax credit. I just picked up a 2023 Corolla non hybrid. I wasn’t able to get it below MSRP unfortunately. I have been enjoying the 3.0 lane tracing assist. Not autonomous driving of course but it’s still pretty neat.
@@brakedncrtry this below 50°F on cold days:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
We had one of the earlier Pacificas. It was ok with the exception of the transmission. Once in awhile upon first starting off and usually under light throttle, it would produce a violent shift to second gear. It sounded like the transmission was going to fall out completely. The dealer flashed the PCM two different times but it only helped temporarily. The cruise control never worked right on steep hills. We gave it a new home.
It's a bushing issue most of time. Dealers are worthless for diagnosing suspension bushings.
My 2017 was fixed with the software update. The shifter worked perfectly after.
I have a friend who recently bought a 2022 Pacifica non hybrid with AWD.
Very easy to drive, lots of standard equipment and a very nice and comfortable place to be in.
People may go poo poo on it because its a Chrysler, but after doing their research, this was the smartest choice for an easy to live with vehicle that has AWD when they have two small kids.
Plus the 3.6 V6, is actually a pretty punchy motor, with it having nearly 300 HP it gets up to speed pretty quickly.
The heating and cooling ability to control the batteries is pretty cool. If not built to a high quality standard it's a ticking time bomb.
We live in Cleveland and used almost no gas from Jan through April. The battery works great in the winter.
We are on the Westside of CLE too. For cooler weather try this:
During cold weather, the way to keep the ICE from running is to prewarm the car with the Level 2 charger: Without stepping on the brake, press the button twice, then set interior heat to "max", fan on high, recirc, and combined window/floor on mode. Usually needs about 20 minutes. Then, after unplugging but before selecting "run", set temp down to 65, and reduce fan speed. If it's real damp, deselect recirc. The power display will indicate how many kW are being used for climate. You can increase temp if you like, just watch that display and keep the total at 5kW or less. I've had mine for two years, and finally got real good at this. I've bought 12 gallons of gas since last March.
This is a great review. Thank you for taking the time to research this vehicle. I own a 2021 Pacifica Hybrid. I love it. I get to recharge it at work so my daily commuting doesn’t require gas. I’ve driven the van to both ends of the country from Texas and it drove like a regular van with the gas engine. I currently have 74,000 miles. I wanted a Sienna but the dealer mark ups are too high.
I wouldn’t ever buy any Chrysler product. Excellent and totally interesting review as usual.
I literally feel bad for every Chrysler driver I see
@@fakcofee and we feel bad for every ford and chevy driver we see lol
If you ever need to tow a livestock or RV trailer, a Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 pickup with a Cummins diesel engine and manual transmission are what I would recommend. I've owned one for 24 years, and it's an outstanding tow vehicle, and will tow loads far beyond what any gas engine truck can handle. But I'd never buy a Dodge car or minivan. Look on the road for older cars, and what you will mostly see are Toyotas: Corollas, Camrys, Tacomas, and even the occasional Echo or Tercel. There are still a lot of old 1980's Ford F-150's and Econoline vans still around; somehow Ford was building those trucks to last a long time. But most cars over 20 years old are gone now, except for those with collector value like 60's muscle cars.
I had a major issue with engine blowing oil after 100k miles. Chrysler replaced all the pistons, no charge. Equinox. Other than that I have done very little maintenance. Also had an engine block crack at 38k miles on an HHR. Even though it was out of warranty Chrysler replaced the engine block. Chrysler has been really great about taking care of issues.
All my car knowledge comes from sources like you tube channels. By far, this is the most refreshing approach. no drone shots, no search for poetic superlatives in order to get views. A driving impression of a new car supplied by a factory or dealer simply does not bring knowledge, it only tries to describe an experience. I wish the creator a great journey to 1 million subscibers, -well deserved.
The rear hatch button is where it is because of shorter people not being able to easily reach a button on the hatch. Your review of the mechanicals was very eye opening. I think the complexity would cause me to stay away from it...
Yes, rear hatch button is for kids!
I have owned a couple Chrysler products.....if you are keeping it more than 5 years it wont hold up. Own a Toyota now and might not be as stylish but at least it wont fall apart and is still worth something when it ages.
I'm not familiar too much with anything Mopar related but I hear the newer 3.6 pentastar engines are good.
It's not a bad thing to use gas in very cold climate. Using resistive heating will drain your battery very rapidly. When it's too cold outside, running heat pump becomes not feasible. The only option would be to burn gas to heat up the cabin. I observed the same thing (using gas when battery is fully charged) on Rav4 prime when driving in extremely cold climate.
Imagine your old school Dodge mechanic trying to figure this one out when a Hybrig Warning light comes on. No thank you.
There is no Hybrid Warning Light...
Can’t believe Chrysler is still in business. Would touch one
Chrysler is just a front for Fiat and Peugeot's Stellantis consortium.
@@rightlanehog3151Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is one of the best vans today.
I owned 2022 Chryser Pacifica PHEV Tourig L for one year13k mles now. No complaints. Very fuel friendly I have full tank 15 gal every 6 weeks. I only used level 1 charging at home. There are other negative revews I read but not for me. And I hope I get the $7.5k tax credit this year. That will make my purchase cost to $42,500. Beat it. I got Mopar warranty for $3k. $100 deductibe. 8 yrs. 100k miles. Refundable if not used. After 8 yrs, I hope chrysler will prove the negatives wrong.
Better power and interior features (like removable seats, sound system) that i wished Sienna would consider. But i would still get Sienna in the end.
You can remove seats in sienna.
I prefer the lower tailgate close button. Our Pilot has it on the tailgate and when its WAY up there and your hands are full of heavy awkward bags of groceries its a pain to TRY and reach up to that tiny button to close it.
Thank you! Every time I see someone complain that the close button isn't on the tailgate I know that person doesn't live in the real world. I'm constantly grabbing the last items out of the car, both hands full, and I'd much rather hit a button at chest level than have to reach over my head. And the drama about having to get out of the way... yeah if you're in a manual wheelchair. Which, by the way would prevent you from even reaching an overhead button.
Honestly, I'm 6'1" and in my 3 years of owning a Pacifica I've never had issues closing the rear hatch and endangering my head. This is a non issue...would it have been better on the end of the hatch door...maybe, but then my kids couldn't shut it easily either. Don't forget there's a closing button on the FOB and on the overhead console for the driver. This isn't a problem.
Disagree re: heat pump needed for heat without ICE. I had a Volt for 5 years and never needed the ICE for heat as it had resistive heaters. The Rav4 turns the ICE on all the time in winter in EV mode.
Many EV's still have no heat pump but only resistive heating
Rented a 2024 one. Got about two miles from the airport and it said Stop safely vehicle will stop soon.
It wasn't joking about four hundred feet later the van just shut off. Stopped in the middle of the road. Nothing no power. Floored it rolled backwards.
What a piece.
Give this problem a Google - I'm not alone.
One of the main features that sets the Pacifica apart from other vans is the Stow n Go feature. Without that, might as well buy another brand. Would rather buy a gas powered Pacifica. Love your reviews!
Totally disagree, I bought the van for the plug in hybrid feature alone, i have 4 kids and had never heard of the stow and go feature before. I cant see why you would want to put the two seats that are the most comfortable in the vehicle in the floor. On the other hand, i can drive to work and home and use NO fuel at all.
@@TheBHiveRV... Just curious, if "NO fuel" is so important, why not a BEV instead of a PHEV?
@@kradius2169 No fuel is not the most important thing that is why i looked specifically for a plug in hybrid, my wife had a tesla and I prefer to have the fuel backup and range.
@@TheBHiveRV ... Seems wise.
Not sure how battery charging electricity escapes the "fuel" moniker though.
Seems eventually electricity will be mostly nuclear generated in the long term, even Bill Gates is in the nuke race now with his TerraPower.
Rented on to drive from NY to Florida and it was great, I also own a Prius prime
Good stuff. You're giving us perspective and information we don't get in typical vehicle reviews. I'm just not a fan of Chrysler vehicles. With two 4Runners in the family (and now a BMW i4), I fear any Chrysler product would be a disappointment, eventually. Fingers crossed on the i4. So far, so good.
It's interesting a lot of Toyota buyers are interested looking into Chrysler vans.
We have this feature in the 4th Gen Honda Pilots, which has the remote start feature. Press unlock and hold the start button. Engine ignites and setup heat per the outside temperature. To start driving, we just need to press the brake and power button once. :)