Vehicle: 2004 Chrysler Pacifica AWD
Performance: Powered by the 3.5L V6 24-valver with 250hp and 250 lb/ft of torque. This engine delivers more than adequate low-end torque considered its maximum torque arrives at a rather medium 3950rpm. What I meant “adequate” is because it doesn’t have the zippy and responsive low-end response as many of the 6 bangers on the market. The throttle response is pretty responsive and quick to tip-in. The throttle travel feels more like a Mercedes than a Chrysler considered it got longer travel than most American cars. It performs exceptionally well on high rpm range, it runs without breathlessly until redline. The most impressive area of this engine is the gearing. I clocked 120km/h at a 2950 rpm during the freeway crusiing speed. As for the transmission. The Autostick manumatic is willing to upshift and downshift despite Pacifica’s design doesn’t allow you to rev pass the redline for upshifting. Judging by the fact that Pacifica is a vehicle that’s emphasize more on comfort than all-out performance, this setting is more than acceptable.
Handling: Pacifica is based on Mercedes’s proven E-Class platform. That means a rigid chassis that is completely lack of flex and rattles. I have already mentioned that Pacifica is a vehicle designed for comfort. Its suspension tuning is more on the soft side. The steering lacks both on and off-center feel although it provides decent response and turn-in. There is quite amount of body rolls and understeer when push through corners. However, all these traits are easily absorbed by most consumers when they are looking for an utility vehicle that has more sportiness than those so-called sport-utility vehicles. The ride comfort is excellent. The ride is silky smooth and absorbs every bumps + washboard pavement beautifully. For an enthuisast. If Chrysler offers some aftermarket suspension upgrade parts for the Pacifica in the near future, this chassis has lots of potential to be the ultimate sleeper.
Interior: The highlight of Pacifica has to be its interior. The materials and build quality of Pacifica have to be the best efforts from Chrysler in recent years. All the materials are world-class. The leather seats are comfortable with “seatogram” similar to ones standard in Mercedes. It allows for easy adjustability of seats and find of a driving position. The adjustable pedal is another excellent idea because it allows the short drivers to seat further from the airbag. The automatic climate control works exceptionally well. A/C is ice-cold in this hot weather. On the second-row of seats. It got a seperate set of auto climate control that allows passengers to control their own temperature. All in a very comfortable environment with superb seats and nice materials. Although the 3rd row is not as comfortable as 1st and 2nd row, it got more than adequate space for kids. On the back, the automatic tailgate is a wonderful feature after shopping. Despite the tailgate is quite heavy, the system works as advertised. As expected, the instrumentation is derived from Mercedes which means large speedometer in the middle while tachometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge are smaller than what they should be. The main problem with instrumentation is the shift indicator is green, which means its easily wash out under sunlight. Another issue is its too small.
Brakes: Although Pacifica is a relatively heavy vehicle, its braking ability is more than average. The pedal feel firm and solid, while the stopping distance is short and decisive. Overall a very good system.
Conclusion: Factor in all the Pacifica’s excellent features, creature comfort, AWD system and excellent chassis shares with Mercedes. It has more “sport” and “utility” than most SUVs on the market. Along with the competitive pricing than is on par with the average price of SUVs on the market, its an excellent alternative for those who are getting tired of a truck-based SUV and looking for something with more style and substance.
OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA AWD
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.75/5
Value-for-money: 3/5
Overall rating: 3.75/5