2021 Chrysler Pacifica

Sitting in the driver’s seat, I’m having fun already, and here’s why.

Screen + Buttons: Good Ratio

The display is actually a pleasant surprise. It looks more expensive than you’d expect. It’s full color, easy to navigate, and you’ve got quick buttons for the things you actually use like home, media, phone, vehicle, and climate.

I also appreciate the practical buttons. You can quickly mute the screen if your kids are trying to tell you something and you’re overstimulated. I get it.

Storage Up Front: Cubby City

This van is basically one big series of places to set things down.

You’ve got open compartments, little drop zones, and lots of easy-to-reach storage. My only real critique is that there’s not a lot of covered storage. There’s one main covered compartment, but otherwise it’s mostly open bins.

Cupholders, though. We’re thriving.

• Two cupholders up front
• Two more right behind them

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I love four cupholders in reach. Today’s coffee. Yesterday’s coffee. Today’s water. Yesterday’s water. That’s the system.

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In this tour, we’re in the second-row bench, which makes this an 8-passenger Pacifica. I was genuinely excited to find a bench seat because it gives you maximum seating and it can be really practical depending on your kids and your car seat needs.

The bench is wide and the middle seat is a decent size.

For passenger comfort:

• Ceiling vents in the second row and third row (yes please)
• Climate controls back there
• In higher trims, you can add rear entertainment either on the seatbacks or mounted overhead depending on how you configure it

Also, there are so many ways to open and close the sliding doors that I lost count. Driver controls, passenger button, key fob. It’s easy.

Let's Talk About Car Seat Setup.

The second row has non-removable headrests that angle forward, which can make getting a really clean car seat install a little tricky depending on the seat. It’s doable, but it may take some extra effort to get everything sitting just right!

Second Row Bench: Anchors for Days

In the bench seat, you have:

• Lower anchors in every single seat
• Tether anchors in every single seat

That is what we love to see. That gives you a ton of flexibility for rear-facing and forward-facing installs across the row.

I installed an infant seat (Mesa) rear-facing and it fit great with room. You can install on either side, and the middle seat is workable too, depending on your setup.

Stow ’n Go Seating: The Pacifica Party Trick

If you’ve never seen Stow ’n Go, buckle up.

Chrysler is famous for this and for 2021, the press kit calls out something important: Pacifica is the only minivan offering available AWD while still offering Stow ’n Go seating. That’s a unique combo in the segment.

Functionally, Stow ’n Go is incredibly easy. The seats fold right into the floor. The labels walk you through it step-by-step, and once you do it one time, you’ll feel like you just unlocked a cheat code.

You can also remove the middle seat on the bench configuration, which adds even more flexibility.

This setup matters because it changes how you solve real family logistics.

• Big convertible car seats
• Kids climbing to the third row
• Who is buckling whom
• How do you access a rear-facing seat without doing a full-body workout in the parking lot

Pacifica gives you options.

My Favorite Feature: Car Seat Friendly Tilt for Third Row Access

This is one of my favorite family features on any car.

If you have a car seat installed with lower anchors, you can tilt the seat forward to access the third row without uninstalling the car seat. It does not mess with the integrity of the install, and it makes third-row access so much easier for real life.

Especially if you’re doing a bench seat and you need kids to climb back, this is a huge usability win.

Okay, Chrysler. I see you.

On this lower trim, we’ve got a power tailgate, and that is not a given in this class. A lot of vehicles make you climb up multiple trim levels before you get it.

And once you’re back there, you can:

• Fold the third row down easily
• Stow seats into the floor
• Remove the middle seat
• Create a huge cargo area that honestly feels like a minivan version of a truck bed

It’s giving transformer energy, and I’m into it.