20 States, One Minivan, Zero Regrets: Living With the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica
Some families plan a road trip around the vehicle they own. This time, the vehicle made the trip possible. GT: Garage Talk® spent 16 days and 3,175 miles in the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD. We traced a path from the mountains of Vermont all the way home to Texas, and we touched 20 states along the way. In fact, the Pacifica did far more than haul three people and their luggage. Ultimately, it quietly handled the hard parts, and that is exactly what let the trip happen.
A Midnight Handoff in the Mountains
First, Chrysler flew us from Texas to Vermont to meet our tester. After a long travel day, we grabbed the Pacifica at the Burlington airport at 11 p.m. Then we pointed it toward Stowe, an hour away, through dark, rain-soaked mountain roads. Chrysler chose that town as a punny nod to the van’s Stow ‘n Go seats and Stow ‘n Vac vacuum. Naturally, it set the tone for the whole trip.
That first drive could have been stressful. Instead, it reassured us. Notably, standard all-wheel drive gave us confidence on wet pavement, and the rain-sensing wipers kept up with a steady downpour. Meanwhile, the big windows and the camera suite made the unfamiliar switchbacks easy to read in the dark. None of us had ever set foot in New England, so Holli and I made a decision before we even reached the hotel. On the way home, we would hit as many states as we could. Twenty, as it turned out.
Here is the full run, in order: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and finally Texas. That run stretches from New England’s maple country to the Gulf Coast to our own driveway, all in one minivan.
Stow ‘n Go, a Third-Row “Teenager”, and the Doors Tucker Loves
Tucker chose to ride in the third row for this trip. After all, automakers keep telling me that modern teenagers prefer the “way-back”, and our eight-year-old rose to the occasion. So we folded the second-row seats into the floor with Stow ‘n Go and opened up a cavern of space. Even with the seats up, though, the Pacifica swallows an astonishing amount of gear.
Our tester added the optional Interior Protection by Mopar package, and its cargo bins drop right into the Stow ‘n Go wells. As a result, we could pivot on the fly. One minute the seats folded flat for maximum cargo, with the cargo bins neatly securing all our snacks and gear from sprawling across the massive space. The next, the seats sat up with our cargo still neatly organized, but hidden under the floor. Consequently, that flexibility paid off in Hartsville, South Carolina. We met family there, both local and traveled-in, and we loaded six people for a dessert run. Everyone rode comfortably, and none were the wiser to all the hidden goodies just below their feet.
Then there are the sliding doors, which rank as Tucker’s favorite feature by a mile. He never tires of hopping out and tapping the button to close them behind him. His parents loved them because neither of us had to worry that he was going to fling a door wide open and ding a car next to us.
The Beach Day That Sold Us on Stow ‘n Vac
One feature turned me into a true believer: Stow ‘n Vac. We spent a day on Tybee Island, Georgia, and a thunderstorm cut our beach time short. We rinsed the Georgia sand off at the outdoor showers as best we could, given the storms rolling in. Even so, by the time we reached the Airbnb, sand had still managed to migrate across the black carpet and all-weather floor mats. So I grabbed the van’s built-in vacuum. About 30 seconds later, the floors looked clean, and my family avoided another round of Tucker and me doing our best Anakin Skywalker “I hate sand” impression.
I mean this: I am not sure I would take a vehicle to the beach again without a built-in vacuum.
Clean up from a 20-state road trip, and all the debris we vacuumed up was easy as well. The Stow ‘n Vac collects all the dirt in a small tray accessed under a panel in the rear of the van. A simple turn of a blue latch and a dump of the tray into a garbage can made quick work of everything we vacuumed up over our long adventure.
Comfortable Enough to Cross a Continent
Over 3,175 miles and 70+ hours of engine runtime, the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica proved to be an easy companion. Of course, the driving characteristics never surprised us, and outward visibility stayed excellent. The cabin also stayed quiet enough to hold a normal conversation, even with Tucker in the third row. When storms rolled through, and we drove through several big ones, the rain-sensing wipers earned their keep again.
The Nappa leather front seats were a highlight for me. In particular, I leaned on the ventilated function constantly, and the driver-seat memory made driver swaps between 5-foot Holli and me painless on long stretches. In the interest of an honest family review, though, Holli did mention her back bothering her during one long leg. So the front chairs may not suit every body over marathon travel days.
Glass, Climate, and Keeping an Eye on Tucker
The dual-pane panoramic sunroof became one of the trip’s quiet MVPs. Notably, it opened up to showcase the Spanish-moss-draped streets of Savannah, and it framed the skylines of Philadelphia and Boston beautifully. Meanwhile, the second- and third-row sunshades kept the interior cooler whenever we parked in the sun. Tri-zone climate control let everyone dial in their own comfort, though Tucker runs cold and mostly kept his vents off while he stayed under a blanket.
FamCam was given attention for 2027, too. For instance, the cabin-based camera let us check in on Tucker via the infotainment screen and chat with him without turning around. FamCam no longer ties to the rear entertainment system, which is how our tester came configured, and I prefer it that way. As a result, FamCam becomes far more budget-friendly, because you no longer have to opt for the rear entertainment screens. We would not use them anyway, especially with Tucker in the third row.
Visibility overall ranks as a Pacifica strong suit, and one detour drove that home. In Boston, after we walked the Freedom Trail, we called an Uber that turned out to be a Toyota Sienna minivan. I rode in its third row, and its tiny rear window hid a landmark that Holli easily pointed out to Tucker from their second-row perch. By comparison, the Pacifica never creates that problem, because its glass stays generous in every row.
Fuel Economy That Kept Us Moving
Overall, fuel economy never worried us. In fact, we averaged 24.1 MPG across the trip, which comfortably beat the van’s EPA combined rating of 20 MPG. We also cleared more than 400 miles on a single tank of regular fuel time and again. Indeed, we crossed the entirety of several states without stopping for fuel. By the end, the engine had logged 73 hours and 32 minutes of runtime, and the capless fuel filler kept every fill-up quick and clean. Win, win, win.
The Nitpicks
None of what follows changed how much we love this van. These are nitpicks, and I want to call them exactly that.
New for 2027, With a Few Wishes
The 2027 model year brings some welcome changes. ParkSense now triggers the 360 Surround-View cameras automatically as it senses the van nearing an obstacle, which helps. Even so, I would appreciate a physical button, not just a digital one, to bring up the surround-view camera view on the infotainment screen.
The system also has one quirk. Say I activate the cameras while pulling in headfirst to a narrow parking spot, shift to reverse to adjust, then shift back to drive for the final maneuver. The camera view shuts off the moment I switch from Reverse back into Drive. Of course, the van should know I asked for help and hold the camera view on screen until I dismiss it or drive off faster than the system allows.
One Screen, Too Many Jobs
Certainly, the new turn-signal-activated blind-spot cameras sound great in theory. Flip the blinker, and the infotainment screen shows a live feed from a camera mounted under the mirror on that side. For example, we love this feature in other vehicles that pipe the feed into the gauge cluster. The Pacifica cannot do that, though, because it still uses analog gauges plus a small digital helper display. As a result, that little screen apparently cannot stream video, and it feels vastly underutilized.
Meanwhile, some new vehicles, like the 2027 Lincoln Nautilus and its 48-inch display, arguably carry more screen real estate than they need. In contrast, the Pacifica has the opposite problem. If any Stellantis vehicle needs another screen, it is not the Ram 1500 or the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It is the Pacifica. Ultimately, one 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen does all the heavy lifting. For instance, it handles climate, heated and ventilated seat controls, phone projection, navigation, FamCam, and the blind-spot cameras. That is far too much for one display, so the engineers clearly had to referee a priority battle.
The Priority Battle in Real Time
Here is how that battle plays out. Apple CarPlay yields to the climate and seat controls. Those yield to the blind-spot cameras. Then, the blind-spot cameras yield to FamCam. And everything yields to the emergency alerts for nearby crashes or approaching emergency vehicles. More than once, while Holli adjusted her temperature, my blinker wiped the controls off the screen by triggering the blind spot cameras. Other times, we leaned on CarPlay for navigation, glanced down, and found the side of the van staring back at us because we had the audacity to let drivers around us know we were turning. The blind-spot cameras also lag a beat. If you tap the indicator stalk to signal a lane change, the cameras usually engage around the second blink, then vanish after the third and final one.
A Couple of Smaller Gripes
A couple of smaller notes round it out. Front storage impresses, thanks to the pass-through in the center console, but upper storage is limited.
The USB-C ports for wired CarPlay also feel weak. On our first 11 p.m. drive, we plugged in for navigation instead of going wireless, and the connection kept dropping. Only to find out that if you even look at the cable the wrong way, it disconnects.
The Verdict on the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica
Trip and van together, we really love the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica. This exact spec, the Limited AWD with the family-friendly packages, is the one we would most likely buy for our own family. At a hair over $57,000 as-tested, the pricing stays reasonable for everything you get. After 20 states and 3,175 miles, the nitpicks never outweighed one simple fact: this van made the whole adventure possible. We picked wild blueberries in Acadia National Park and visited the Old Man of the Mountain (or what was left of the feature). We ate lobster and chowder in Maine and Massachusetts and toured the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philly on Tucker’s “education vacation.” Through all of it, the Pacifica stayed the constant that tied everything together.
2027 Chrysler Pacifica Limited AWD Specs
Here is how our Limited AWD tester came equipped.
Powertrain and Drivetrain
- 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with Stop/Start
- 287 horsepower
- 262 lb-ft of torque
- 9-speed automatic transmission
- Standard all-wheel drive (AWD)
Capability and Capacities
- Towing: 3,600 lbs (best-in-class, per Chrysler)
- Curb weight: 4,883 lbs
- Seating: seven passengers
- Fuel tank: 19 gallons
- Cargo volume: 140.5 cubic feet behind the first row, 87.5 behind the second, 32.3 behind the third
Dimensions
- Length: 204.3 inches
- Width: 79.6 inches
- Height: 70.7 inches
- Wheelbase: 121.6 inches
- Legroom: 41.1 inches (first row), 39.0 inches (second row), 36.5 inches (third row)
Efficiency
- EPA-estimated 17 MPG city / 25 MPG highway / 20 MPG combined
- Observed: 24.1 MPG over 3,175 miles
- Engine runtime: 73 hours, 32 minutes
- Regular fuel
Notable Equipment
- Uconnect 5 with 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Stow ‘n Go second- and third-row seating with in-floor storage bins
- Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum
- FamCam interior camera
- Safety Sphere: turn-signal-activated Blind-Spot View, ParkSense-based camera activation, 360 Surround-View camera system
- 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio with 760-watt amplifier
- Dual-pane panoramic sunroof
- Nappa leather bucket seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, heated steering wheel, driver-seat memory
- Tri-zone automatic climate control
- Second- and third-row window shades
- Adjustable-height, hands-free power liftgate
- 20-inch diamond-cut painted wheels with 245/50R20 self-sealing tires
- Standard driver assistance: adaptive cruise control with Stop and Go, lane-departure warning, full-speed forward-collision warning, pedestrian emergency braking, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection
Warranty
- 3-year/36,000-mile Basic Limited Warranty
- 5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty
Pricing (as tested)
- Base price: $50,990
- Red Hot Pearl-Coat paint: $495
- Safety Sphere: $395
- Interior Protection by Mopar: $995
- Family Tech Group: $1,495
- 20-inch diamond-cut wheels: $995
- Destination: $1,995
- Total as tested: $57,360
