2020 Chrysler Pacifica

The volume gas Touring/Touring L configuration uses the standard naturally aspirated 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 rated at 287 hp.

The gas Pacifica's standard Pentastar V6 produces 262 lb-ft, typical output for a naturally aspirated minivan engine.

Instrumented testing places the representative gas FWD Pacifica at 7.3 seconds, adequately quick for the segment.

The naturally aspirated V6 delivers smooth, healthy, lag-free output and feels peppy around town, though its response is sometimes dulled by the transmission.

The nine-speed supports good acceleration and highway economy, but indecisive logic plus occasional clunky or slow shifts make it less polished than segment leaders.

With the Trailer Tow Group, the gas Pacifica can tow 3,600 pounds, slightly above the common 3,500-pound minivan rating.

Most 2020 Pacificas are FWD, but a late, limited AWD Launch Edition brought a sophisticated automatic disconnecting system exclusively to the Touring L gas trim.

This is a pavement-oriented minivan with only 5.1 inches of clearance and no low range, skid plates, lockers, terrain modes, or dedicated off-road trim; the rare AWD edition mainly adds all-weather traction.

Two genuinely distinct choices cover mainstream and electrified use: the 287-hp gas V6 and a 260-hp plug-in hybrid. Late-year AWD adds drivetrain choice to one gas trim, though there is no alternative gas engine or full EV.

The volume FWD gas configuration returns 22 MPG combined; the rare late-year AWD Launch Edition drops to 20 MPG.

The engine stop-start-equipped FWD volume trim earns 19 MPG city, while the heavier AWD Launch Edition earns 17 MPG.

Tall nine-speed gearing helps the FWD V6 reach a competitive 28 MPG highway, though the AWD version loses 3 MPG.

The volume FWD configuration's 19-gallon tank and 22-MPG combined rating provide 418 miles; the 20-MPG AWD model works out to about 380 miles.

At the EPA's current reference fuel price and 15,000-mile annual-driving assumption, the 22-MPG FWD Pacifica costs an estimated $2,850 per year.

The 3.6-liter gas engine is designed for widely available regular 87-octane fuel, and premium provides no benefit.

The gas, front-wheel-drive 2020 Pacifica earned NHTSA's maximum overall rating.

The pre-refresh 2020 Pacifica was a Top Safety Pick only with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights. It earned Good in five crashworthiness evaluations but Acceptable in the passenger-side small-overlap test.

Touring L includes blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection, but AEB, adaptive cruise, lane-departure prevention, auto high beams, and the surround-view camera require the optional Advanced SafetyTec Group.

The optional Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus system earned IIHS Superior and avoided impacts at both 12 and 25 mph. IIHS did not publish pedestrian day/night results for this 2020 system, keeping it below the top band.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection are standard on the Touring L and broadly useful, but they are alert-oriented and lack safe-exit or trailer-aware coverage.

LaneSense lane-departure warning with corrective assistance is available through Advanced SafetyTec, but it is not standard on Touring L and is not a continuous lane-centering system.

Optional adaptive cruise operates with stop-and-go capability, a strong feature for 2020, but it is package-dependent and is not integrated with true lane centering or a dedicated highway-assist system.

No hands-free highway-driving system was offered on the 2020 Pacifica.

The Touring L's standard halogen projectors are IIHS Poor, with inadequate illumination on every curve. Adding Advanced SafetyTec and auto high beams raises the same lamps only to Marginal; only Limited's optional HID setup reaches Acceptable.

Large glass areas and strong natural sightlines make all-around visibility excellent; the optional surround-view camera further helps, though it is not standard on Touring L.

The spacious cabin, sliding doors, and four complete rear LATCH positions support multiple child seats, but IIHS rates the anchor hardware only Marginal for ease of use.

Seven-passenger captain's-chair layout is the volume configuration; eight-seat bench available.

Generous front headroom without the sunroof.

Front legroom trails the minivan class leaders.

Roomy second-row headroom.

Good second-row legroom, though Stow n Go chairs limit slide range versus rivals.

A three-across third row with 38.7 in headroom and 36.5 in legroom fits adults for moderate trips; Easy Tilt second-row seats keep access workable even with a child seat installed.

Large space behind row two with third row stowed; deep well behind row three.

Stow n Go gives a flat floor with both rear rows in the floor.

Standard Stow n Go second- and third-row seats that disappear into the floor (with in-floor bins when upright) remain a segment benchmark; Stow n Vac is available on Limited.

Front seats are comfortable and well adjusted, but the fold-into-floor second-row captain's chairs have narrow, thinly padded cushions that reviewers criticize.

Independent suspension delivers a smooth, controlled ride that reviewers rank among the best minivans.

Standard active noise cancellation keeps road noise low; the 2021 refresh later added further acoustic improvements.

Tri-zone automatic climate, heated front seats and heated wheel are standard on the volume Touring L; heated second row and ventilated fronts require L Plus/Limited, and rear-window shades come on Touring L.

For 2020 Chrysler dropped the cheaper L, LX and Touring Plus Pacifica trims (their role moved to the new Voyager nameplate), so the gas Pacifica opened at the Touring, over $6,000 more than the 2019 base.

Touring L FWD is the representative mainstream gas trim, sitting below the Touring L Plus and the luxury Limited, which matches the 2021 scorecard's choice of volume trim.

CarEdge's first-five-year projection is model-level rather than specific to the 2020 Touring L, and it pairs the dollar figure with a 32.8% chance of a major repair (worse than similar vehicles). Edmunds' trim-level 2020 page returned 403, so the figure is not corroborated.

Resale is weak for the segment. The 2020 Pacifica holds noticeably less of its value than an Odyssey or Sienna.

FCA's standard basic coverage is at the floor of the 3–5 year band.

The gas Pacifica's powertrain coverage is at the minimum of the 5–10 year band.

There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance. Only 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance and a trial of Uconnect/SiriusXM services are included, while Toyota bundled 2 years of ToyotaCare with the Sienna.

$38,240 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (45.3% retained, or about $17,323) leaves about $20,917 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,658 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $24,575 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2020 Pacifica as less reliable than the average 2020 vehicle. Owners reported problems with brakes, the transmission, electrical accessories and in-car electronics. The scored gas Touring L avoids the PHEV's high-voltage problems, but the survey result still puts it below the Odyssey, Sienna and Carnival.

Around this model year Chrysler ranked in the bottom third of J.D. Power's dependability studies, well above the industry average for problems. Its lineup was thin (Pacifica, Voyager, 300), which makes the brand figure noisy, but it never showed a top-half result.

Seven NHTSA recalls is a heavy count for one model year, though several of them (battery-fire, inverter-connector and 12V isolator campaigns) cover only the PHEV. The gas van still carries safety-relevant campaigns for the side-curtain airbag connector and the rear-camera display, which puts it below a typical recall record.

The 3.6L Pentastar V6 is a mature, widely used engine with a decent high-mileage record. The 948TE nine-speed automatic paired with it has a mixed history of rough shifting and software reflashes, and CR owners flagged both the transmission and start-stop battery failures in 2020.

The pre-refresh 2020 Touring L cabin is stylish and competitive for the class, with soft-touch upper surfaces. Reviewers noted hard plastics lower in the cabin, and it lacks the richer finishes of the Limited. The materials are adequate for the price but not class-leading.

CR owner reports of electrical-accessory and infotainment glitches, together with reviewer comments on middling perceived quality, point to below-average assembly consistency. The complaints are more than scattered cosmetic issues but do not show a pattern of structural rattles or misalignment.

The shared Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealer network gives broad nationwide coverage, but service-satisfaction evidence is only average. Coverage is good, while the service experience does not merit the top band.

A high-volume domestic minivan with the widely used Pentastar engine has abundant dealer and aftermarket parts, and its average annual repair cost is favorable. Pacifica-specific electronics and power sliding-door hardware keep it out of the top band.

The volume Touring L comes with the 7-inch Uconnect 4 screen; the larger 8.4-inch unit is upper-trim.

Uconnect 4 was widely considered one of the easier and quicker systems of its era with physical knobs retained, though the 7-inch screen is small and the processor is older than the 2021 Uconnect 5.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2020 trim but wired only; wireless projection arrived with Uconnect 5 in 2021.

Integrated voice command is standard; native TomTom-based navigation is only on the 8.4-inch Uconnect 4C NAV of upper trims.

Base six-speaker audio is ordinary; a 13-speaker Alpine (L Plus) and 20-speaker Harman Kardon (Limited option) are available.

Touring L uses analog gauges with a small 3.5-inch center display; the 7-inch color driver display is reserved for Touring L Plus and Limited.

Uconnect 4/4C can receive occasional infotainment software updates (dealer/USB or over-the-air on connected units), but there is no whole-vehicle OTA.

Uconnect Access app remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle finder require the 8.4-inch 4C system and a subscription; the 7-inch Touring L lacks embedded connectivity.

Multiple USB-A ports across the first two rows; a 115V outlet comes on L Plus and up; no wireless charging pad and no USB-C before the 2021 refresh.

Proximity entry and push-button start with power sliding doors and liftgate are standard on Touring L, as is key-fob remote start; hands-free doors/liftgate are Limited-only and there is no phone-as-key.

ParkView rear camera and rear ParkSense are standard; 360-degree surround view and parallel/perpendicular park assist come in the optional Advanced SafetyTec Group.

No head-up display was offered on the 2020 Pacifica.

Power sliding doors, Easy Tilt second-row access with a car seat installed and Stow n Go flexibility make it an excellent family tool, tempered by Marginal IIHS LATCH ease of use.

Five-star NHTSA overall and strong IIHS crash results, but automatic emergency braking, lane-departure and adaptive cruise are in the optional Advanced SafetyTec Group on Touring L; BSM and rear cross-path are standard.

Quiet, smooth ride, tri-zone climate, sunshades, available Uconnect Theater dual 10-inch screens and 32.3 cu ft behind the third row suit long family trips; second-row seat padding is the weak spot.

Smooth ride, good visibility and a quiet cabin make it an easy daily driver, but the nine-speed automatic is often slow or indecisive in traffic.

The gas V6 returns about 22 mpg combined on regular fuel — average for a non-hybrid minivan, well short of the hybrid Sienna.

Large footprint and a 39.7-ft turning circle demand care, offset by excellent visibility, standard rear sensors and an available surround camera.

A 3,600-lb tow rating with the Trailer Tow Group and 140.5 cu ft of flat-floor cargo space handle light duty.

A family-oriented, comfort-trimmed minivan with a middling reliability record and nine-speed complaints; not built for hard use.

Flat Stow n Go load floor and available 115V outlet help; no dedicated work features or meaningful upfit ecosystem (Voyager/fleet trims serve that role).

Smooth, quiet highway ride and a 19-gal tank good for about 418 miles combined (roughly 530 at 28 mpg highway); adaptive cruise is optional rather than standard.

Front-wheel drive with just 5.1 in of ground clearance for nearly all 2020s (AWD only on a late-year Touring L Launch Edition); roof rails and 3,600-lb towing help with toys.

Stow n Go fold-into-floor seats in both rear rows, a 32.3 cu ft deep well, roof rails on Touring L and an available hitch make it one of the most flexible gear haulers of its time.

Reviewers note composed handling and good body control for a minivan; the FWD gas model is lighter than the hybrid and later AWD versions.

Steering is accurate and easy to place, but offers little feedback.

Brakes are described as strong with a linear pedal; typical minivan stopping distances.

The 287-hp Pentastar V6 is smooth and strong, but the nine-speed automatic is slow to react and sometimes clunky.

V6 is mostly unobtrusive at cruise with active noise cancellation, turning coarse when the transmission forces hard downshifts.

Typical minivan turning circle.

Wide seat/wheel adjustment, excellent sightlines, easy ingress, and a rotary shifter that frees console space.

Peppy V6 and tidy handling make it one of the more pleasant minivans, though it remains a family appliance at heart.

The Touring comes standard with Stow 'n Go seating, three-zone climate control and Uconnect 4 with CarPlay and Android Auto. Automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise, however, were still optional on the lower trims, while the 2020 Odyssey (Honda Sensing) and Sienna (TSS-P) had them standard. Standard driver aids arrived only with the 2021 refresh.

A 287-hp V6, the class's best seat-folding flexibility and a roughly $38k Touring L make for solid content for the price. Weak resale and optional active safety keep it from bargain territory. Large 2020 incentives improved real transaction value.

Buyers could choose gas Touring, Touring L, Touring L Plus and Limited, a plug-in hybrid line, and Red S / 35th Anniversary appearance packages, so the powertrain choice was unmatched in the class. However, the entry trims had moved to the Voyager and AWD was not offered until 2021.

The Pacifica was the best-selling US minivan in calendar 2020, ahead of the Odyssey, while Sienna volume dipped ahead of its redesign.

Chrysler was a shrinking two-model brand without Honda's or Toyota's reliability and resale halo. The Pacifica itself was well regarded as the brand's flagship, which keeps the score around neutral.

FCA backed the 2020 Pacifica with large cash rebates, and during the pandemic with 0% financing for up to 84 months, which is much deeper support than Honda and Toyota rivals got. Run-out deals ahead of the 2021 refresh added more.

2020 was the fourth year of a generation launched for 2017 and mostly a carry-over; the main change was the trim reshuffle. The restyled 2021 model, with a new infotainment system and AWD, was revealed in February 2020, so 2020 buyers faced an imminent refresh.

Critics widely ranked the Pacifica at or near the top of the class, and it was a repeat award winner, though the Odyssey often won head-to-head comparisons in this period.