I've always had a negative prejudice against Chrysler products. The reliability headache that followed my mother's patriotic impulse to buy an American-made Plymouth Grand Voyager LE has a lot to do with that. I had not seen anything different since then to sway my opinion: after driving various rental Neons and Sebrings, I was far from convinced that any paradigm shifts had taken place.

Recently, I had an interview trip to Memphis, TN. For sake of being economical, I had rented (sigh) another Neon. Fortunately, the gentleman behind the Dollar Rent a Car desk informed me they were out of Neons. Unfortunately, he informed me the replacement vehicle was a Dodge Caravan.

"Uhh... no minivans, please." I stammered.
"Well then, you've got to pay more in order to get up to the next class."
"What's the car in the next class?"
"Let's see... a Chrysler Pacifica. It's gonna cost you a total of $60 extra for the five days that you rent it."

Sixty (extra) bucks later, off I went in my brand-new Chrysler Pacifica. "Brand new" is no overstatement: the car had a mere 5 miles on it, and the new car smell had not yet been tainted. And it was mine... all mine!

In the end, it was the best $60 I ever spent. Five days and one thousand miles later, here are my impressions...


BACKGROUND:
DaimlerChrysler has been doing pretty well for themselves: they reported a $1.8 billion dollar profit last year... (and that's in spite of weak showings from Mercedes Benz for 2005), while Ford and GM are mired in financial difficulties.

The Pacifica debuted in 2004. Hailed as a "sports tourer" by Chrysler, the car was meant to take on a growing and diverse crossover sport utility market, with crosshairs set squarely on the Buick Rendezvous and Nissan Murano on the lower end, and the Acura MDX and Volvo XC90 on the higher end. To the surprise of many in the industry, the Pacifica delivered: during the summer of its introductory year, the Pacifica's sales surpassed those of all these competitors. Accolades were plenty, too... to include "Crossover of the Year" by Road and Travel, and "Best Pick" by the IIHS.


EXTERIOR: 7
If you ask someone what kind of car they drive, they can usually give you an answer. Even in the world of crossover automobiles, people can at least find a genre of car they identify with most...
"The Lexus RX330 over there? Yeah, that's my SUV."
"That Volvo X90? My SUV."
"That Chrysler Magnum? Yeah. My ugly station wagon." (Sorry had to throw that in.)

Ask a Pacifica owner the same question, and you might get a more cryptic response: "ah, well... let's see... it's like a minivan... crossed with a station wagon... and an SUV... actually, I'm not sure what kind of car I drive!"

My (lousy) joke actually isn't far from truth. Can you say what kind of car it is in one word? Without uttering the words "it's like..."? I can't. I got it... "crossover vehicle." Wait... that's two words.

All that said, if you look at it right, the Pacifica looks upscale; stately. Overall a handsome vehicle, although from the front and rear it looks just like a minivan. Its profile is the least flattering view (as it is for just about anything), giving the car an appearance of a station wagon sitting on big tires. Still, with the exception of the Volvo XC90 and Lexus RX330, I'd say the Pacifica is nicer looking than say, the boxy Toyota Highlander, the
"wagony" Ford Freestyle, and Nissan Murano.

And, the exterior is functional. Step in height is quite forgiving, and the rear tailgate opens upwards, both "minivan" conveniences. Would be nice if it had a power option... but then again that would bring it that much closer to "minivan" status.

My biggest complaint with the Pacifica's design is the poor visibility caused by the shape of the A and D pillars. Ordering at a drive thru and parallel parking suddenly became a real chore. Chalk this up to the Pacifica's swooping, curvy shape. Oh, the price we pay for appearances. It's not a subtle problem, either. I noticed this nuisance right away, and it took some getting used to.


INTERIOR: 8
Overall I'd say the folks at Chrysler got things very right here. Access and egress are easy, thanks to the Pacifica's low floor. The power seats are very comfortable, though I couldn't find a lumbar support setting I was happy with. The controls are made from quality materials and are logically placed. My car was not equipped with the navigation system that is situated under the speedometer, though I think it could prove useful.

The Infiniti Sound System is very much like the ones I've heard in other Chrysler minivans... deep but not punchy bass, and muddled mid and high ranges. For the non-audiophile, this setup is quite acceptable, though. Listening to my Elvis CD compilations recently purchased from Graceland, I felt The King would have approved.

With three rows of seats, there's room for up to six passengers. It should be pointed out that the third row of seats is better described as a "kids only" zone, and you won't have much room for cargo if you have to use them. Thankfully, both the second and third row seats fold flat for convenient storage of cargo when the seats are not occupied.


ENGINE: 6
Since 2005, the Pacifica has been powered by a 3.8-liter V6, which puts out a respectable amount of grunt. Still, weighing in at 4675 pounds, the Pacifica is pretty darn heavy, making for sluggish acceleration... and meager fuel economy numbers. Although rated at 16-18 mpg / 24-25 mpg city/highway, my numbers weren't so glowing.

For 2007, Chrysler will drop in a 4.0 liter V6 which hopefully should be a noticeable improvement.


HANDLING: 8
While not exactly nimble thanks to the car's curb weight, the Pacifica handled better than I expected... certainly more confident than most SUV's or minivans. Emergency maneuvers (*cough* in an empty Walmart parking lot) were handled with aplomb. Make no mistake; this isn't one of those cars that feels smaller than it really is - because it still felt like a hefty vehicle - but if you want great handling then get a friggin sports car. For its size, the turning radius is also quite acceptable (39.8 ft).

I had the opportunity to drive on the icy streets of Memphis, and overall, the Pacifica handled herself very well. The stability assist kicks in at just the right time, though it's not exactly seamless: you feel the system kick in. The antilock brakes did something kind of weird, too. Even with a slow, controlled stop on the ice, the brake pedal suddenly pushes back against your foot, while the antilock brakes make a horrible sound similar to grinding metal. (Before you guys jump on me, I know what antilock brakes sound like, and trust me... this sound was obnoxious!) At any rate, I always felt secure driving in snowy/icy conditions, but wish the brake pedal would ease off the cough syrup.


RIDE: 9
Whether on the highway or around town, the Pacifica delivers on its promise of a capable cruiser. Street irregularities are soaked up nicely, and city noise is pleasantly hushed. The engine only makes itself known under moderate to hard acceleration.

On the highway, the Pacifica really shines. Driving from Memphis to Nashville and back, I was pleasantly surprised at how little road fatigue I felt. One stop was all I needed between cities, and had the Pacifica been fitted with a Port-A-Poddy, those stops might not have even been necessary! Road and tire noise was mild at most.

Other features such as a load-leveling suspension are a definite plus.


SAFETY: 10
Five Star front- and side-impact ratings. "Good" frontal offset crash ratings. Side curtain airbags, tire-pressure monitoring system, and stability control system with traction control/brake assist will be standard on all 2007 Pacifica models. Higher end 2007 models can also be equipped with a backup camera. Not too shabby at all for those wanting a safe family hauler. Top marks, here.


RELIABILITY: 4
I don't care how great a car is... reliability is one of my top priorities when I consider a car for myself or for someone else. I picked up my most recent issue of Consumer Reports, hoping to read that the Pacifica had at least average reliability ratings. Nothing doing. Poor. Poor reliability ratings?! Has Chrysler learned nothing from its lemon minivans? Apparently not. I scoured the Internet trying to find evidence to the contrary, but discussion groups across the board whine about the car's reliability woes, particularly with electrical issues and dashboard squeaks. Needless to say, I was very disappointed by this.


UPCOMING CHANGES FOR 2007...
The Pacifica will get a bit of a facelift for 2007. All models will have their front end revised. Under the hood, all models except the base trim will get a new 4.0-liter V6 engine. The instrument cluster will be freshened, and a new audio system will debut, with MP3 capability. The rear-seat entertainment system will also be upgraded, with a larger 8" video screen. In terms of safety, side curtain airbags and stability control will be standard on all models, and a backup system complete with camera and sensors will be optional.


VERDICT: MY CONFIDENCE IN CHRYSLER PRODUCTS HAS IMPROVED, BUT NOT MUCH...
I have to hand it to the folks at Chrysler, because I think the Pacifica is a good alternative to your cookie-cutter minivans and SUV's. It blends many of the good aspects of cars, SUVs, and minivans into one package. Of course, the tradeoff is that you're left with a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none kind of vehicle design. And, the good value quotient dissipates quickly once options are tacked on. Then, you'll approach Acura MDX / Lexus RX330 territory, which in my opinion is a no-brainer (sorry, Chrysler). But even regardless of the value factor, if you don't make a reliable product, who's going to wanna buy it? At the very least, I would encourage prospective buyers to avoid the 2004 model year when buying this car...

Let me make myself clear because I don't think I've gotten across how much I enjoyed driving the Pacifica across the Tennessee highways. It was a pleasure. Really. And I almost resent being forced into a position of not recommending an otherwise great car because of poor reliability ratings. But here I am, and there goes my recommendation.


AVERAGE SCORE: 7.4 out of 10
MY PERSONAL RATING: 6 out of 10