Chrysler Pacifica vs Chrysler Town & Country - Old vs New

The Chrysler Pacifica is the automaker's first minivan to be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

After five generations, the Chrysler Town & Country nameplate has finally been put to rest with the unveiling of the Chrysler Pacifica at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit last month. Here's a pictorial comparison between the fifth generation Chrysler Town & Country and the Chrysler Pacifica.

Exterior

Unlike the boxy and very traditional-looking Chrysler Town & Country, the Chrysler Pacifica has an aerodynamic design. The fluid and curvaceous design is inspired by the Chrysler 200. LED-accented headlights and tail lights, dual-pane panoramic sunroof and a fixed glass pane over the third row add to the modern appeal of the Pacifica.

Interior

The center console is no longer connected to the storage space between the front seats. This makes switching seats very easy. The gear stick has been replaced by a rotary selector on the center console. The equipment has been upgraded and there's an all-new Uconnect Theater infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display. Rear seat passengers can keep themselves busy with an all-new Uconnect Theater rear seat entertainment system with two 10-inch HD touchscreens.

Technical

The fifth generation Town & Country was based on the company's RT platform, while the Chrysler Pacifica is based on a newly-developed platform. Chrysler says that the successor offers class-leading aerodynamics, ride and handling. Like its predecessor, the Pacifica also features a 3.6-liter Pentastar naturally aspirated V6 gasoline engine, but it's a new generation unit. It produces 287 hp and 262 lb.-ft. (355 Nm) of torque, 4 hp and 2 lb.-ft. (3 Nm) respectively more than before. Power is still sent only to the front-wheels, but not via a 6-speed automatic transmission, but a new TorqueFlite 9-speed automatic transmission.

The Chrysler Pacifica has a plug-in hybrid variant - a segment first. It features the V6 engine, in combination with two electric motors which can individually drive the front wheels for up to 30 miles (48 km). The electric motors are powered by a 16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. The company aims to achieve 80 MPGe EPA rating in city driving for the hybrid variant.

The Chrysler Pacifica will be available in six grades and go on sale in Spring 2016 in the USA. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will be available in two grades and go on sale in H2 2016. Pricing for both variants will be announced closer to market launch.