Minivans may no longer be the Czars of family cars, as the swarm of parents make the switch to SUVs, but among those the people carriers to have persisted, the Chrysler Pacifica still remains king. Chrysler introduced the minivan to the market in 1984, and nearly four decades on, the brand remains the leader in the segment.

While it may not lead the pack in all categories compared to its fellow stalwarts like the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey, or the newcomer to the minivan party, the Kia Carnival, the Pacifica - particularly the hybrid models, reign supreme over the competition as the ultimate purpose-built family hauler.

Updates for the latest model are minimal following a remodel in 2021 but include some family-friendly features. Amazon Fire TV connectivity is now available, allowing passengers to connect to the service through the onboard 4G Wi-Fi hotspot and optional middle row entertainment system.

The Pacifica also now offers a new color, Silver Mist, and a new air filtration system. In addition, the Touring L trim now includes additional driver’s aids like a surround-view camera while Limited models come with a Harmon Kardon audio system.

Under the hood, the Pacifica Hybrid features the same 3.6-liter V-6 as its gas-only counterparts and pairs with two electric motors and a 16kW lithium-ion battery for a total output of 260 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard with a 63kW motor motivating the front wheels and an 85kW motor driving the rear. The setup pairs with an electrically variable transmission.

It should come as no surprise that the Pacifica Hybrid is not a snarling beast underneath its sensible attire, but overall power and grunt is certainly sufficient for a family-focused vehicle. Though not quick, the Pacifica still has enough oomph for adequate acceleration and passing power on the highway.

Though it’s easy to bemoan CVTs, the Chrysler’s transmission is one of the better offerings in the segment. It does not come with the persistent jolts or indecisiveness typical of CVTs in stop-and-go traffic, and it is supremely smooth under mild acceleration and while cruising.

The Pacifica Hybrid will, unsurprisingly, not excite an enthusiast from behind the wheel. Its steering is numb, the brake pedal is somewhat spongy and, while body roll is minimal, it’s still certainly present.

But for its intent — moving a group of people and all their stuff — it certainly excels. The Pacifica irons out road imperfections for smooth sailing, the cabin is quiet and it is surprisingly nimble around town or in parking garages.

With its hybrid powertrain, the Pacifica earns notable fuel efficiency figures. The EPA rates the hybrid Pacifica at 30 combined mpg, a full 10 miles more gallon than its AWD, non-hybrid cousin, and more than you will get from any similarly sized gas-only SUV.

Though the Toyota Sienna is also hybridized and returns 36 combined mpg, it can’t run solely on electric power while the Pacifica has a max electric-only range of 32 miles. Building that range following electric-only driving is also a subtle affair — regenerative braking is unobtrusive.

With the onboard Level I, 120-volt charger, the Pacifica Hybrid will fully replenish its charge in approximately 14 hours. Using a Level II, 240-volt charge cuts that time to two hours.

Minivans are not known as leaders in style, just as you have never passed someone and commented on the attractiveness of the clogs on their feet. However, the Pacifica’s redesign for 2021 resulted in a more SUV-like appearance with a reworked front fascia and liftgate. It certainly still looks like a van, just in a more attractive form.

The S Appearance Package ($995) adds 18-inch aluminum wheels, black badging, body-color door handles/exterior mirrors, piano black interior accents, and other styling features.

Like the exterior, the Pacifica puts function over styling. The dash is more attuned for ease-of-use than allure, so pragmaticism takes the reigns. Sure, there is a swooping dash, but other than that, the buttons look like buttons, the vents are vent-shaped and the center stack houses plenty of buttons and knobs for fiddling.

Again, the Pacifica won’t win any awards for its style, but the controls are sizeable enough to keep your eyes on the road and laid out intuitively. There are a plethora of controls baked into the touchscreen, but the system is quick to respond and there aren’t an endless amount of menus to go through, easing the process of finding what you need.

The Pacifica Hybrid will accommodate seven passengers, and with ample room throughout its three rows, kids won’t have to fight over who gets to sit where. Okay, so kids need nothing more than the Earth to have an atmosphere to quarrel, but at least with the Chrysler, they can do so comfortably.

The Pacifica Hybrid comes standard with mid-row captain’s chairs that provide easy access to the bench third row or can fold away easily. Two adults will be a bit squeezed in the back, but there is still enough space back there. For smaller kids, the three available seats offer generous room. Headroom is ample no matter the seat, and leg room is plentiful for adults in either the first or middle row.

A parent could seemingly lose a child in the Pacifica’s cavernous cabin filled with enough storage cubbies to haul the entirety of the nuts and bolts aisle from The Home Depot. The door pockets aren’t particularly wide, but they are deep enough to store enough loose items to fill a suitcase.

There is a variety of storage space — in the center stack between the center console storage area, another space under the dash, more space under the center stack, and a slide-out tray, complete with additional cupholders, that slides out from underneath the center console. Cargo space behind the rear row is still a whopping 32.3-cubic feet and 87.5-cubic feet behind the second row.

One downside to the hybrid setup is the loss of Chrysler’s Stow ‘n Go seating for the middle row due to the battery pack, but the feature is still present for the rear row and folds away the back seats uniformly into the floorboard with the pull of a strap. When the rear seats in place, the cubby they fold into serves as a deep storage space ideal for hauling taller items or preventing groceries from sliding around.

The Pacifica Hybrid is well-equipped across the range with the typical features of modern cars, but being a purpose-built machine for transporting a brood, the Chrysler offers a long list of standard and available amenities geared toward families. In addition to the Stow ‘n Go seating, there are two 12 volt DC power outlets and USB ports throughout with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa connectivity.

The Uconnect Theater Family Group ($3,895) is available on Touring L ($3,895) and Limited ($2,395) trims with plenty of ways to keep kids entertained on road trips and amenities for parents. It includes dual seatback video screens with built-in Amazon Fire TV alongside remotes, USB seatback USB/HDMI/headphone ports, and a 13-speaker Alpine audio system.

The package also includes a hands-free power liftgate and power sliding rear doors (standard on Limited and Pinnacle trims), a front seat “auto return” feature, navigation, and other amenities. Perhaps the most useful feature for those with small families is the innovative FamCam, a camera that can display a video feed on the driver’s touchscreen of the middle and rear seats, to keep an eye on the kids.

• Touring L o Leather upholstery o Heated front seats o Tri-zone automatic climate control o Satellite radio o Power liftgate o Remote start o Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel o Eight-way adjustable power driver’s seat with memory

• Limited o Nappa leather seating o 20-speaker Harmon Kardon audio o Dual-pane panoramic sunroof o Hands-free power-sliding rear doors and liftgate o Ventilated front seats

• Pinnacle o All previous options o Uconnect Theater Family Group as standard

The Pacifica Hybrid Touring L starts at $48,573, the Hybrid Limited starts at $54,000 and the Pinnacle Hybrid carries an MSRP of $57,767. The hybridized Pacifica is also available with a $7,500 federal tax credit, helping greatly to offset the higher initial cost over gas-only models.

The step-up in the price for a Pacifica Hybrid is notable, but the savings on annual fuel costs will remedy the difference over time. The Pacifica does cost more than the hybrid Toyota Sienna across the range, but the Chrysler comes with more features, electric-only driving capability, and more power.

So to summarize, the Pacifica Hybrid provides exceptional pragmaticism, agreeable and comfortable road manners, a long list of standard features with a focus on family, a wealth of cargo and passenger space, and strong fuel efficiency.

Many sing the praises of sports cars for their performance, trucks for their capabilities, or off-road toys for their prowess on the off-beaten path. But it’s time that minivans too, particularly models like the Pacifica, also get their praise as fantastic, purpose-built machines.

2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid - Driven