I love mini-vans. There are so many perks to driving a minivan over an SUV, to be really honest. I’ll tell you more about why in a moment, but first, I want to tell you a little more about the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Canada’s ONLY Hybrid mini-van.
With amazing fuel economy, thanks to the Hybrid option, it’ll cost you less at the pump over a year than any other large family vehicle.
OK, back to why I love mini-vans. I drove a Honda Odyssey for 13 years up until I sold it and moved into an SUV this past Summer.
Mini-vans are fantastic and convenient for families:
SLIDING DOORS
I love dual sliding doors because you never have to worry about your kids dinging the cars or your possessions in the garage, damaging both your vehicle and others.
Plus, you can open the doors from your fob before you get to the vehicle so the kids just have to hop in or out. Plus, when you’re lugging an infant car seat around, it makes getting baby in and out of the vehicle SO MUCH easier.
CARGO SPACE
In an SUV, you have limited space behind the passengers, especially if you are using the third-row seats. If you’re hauling a stroller and gear, a minivan just makes it so much easier.
REAR CAMERA
Many vehicles offer the backup camera now, but not all that I’ve test-driven have the overhead view. This is my favourite feature in the Pacifica.
DIAL GEAR CHANGE
At first, the dial to change gears from Park to Drive and so on put me off. It’s the first time I’ve seen this option. But by the end of the week, I really liked it. No gear column or steering column shift!
ENTERTAINMENT FOR KIDS
My youngest daughter absolutely loved that this van had screens and chargers on the back of all the seats. She played the games every time we got in the van.
A solid choice for a family vehicle, starting at $46,095 in British Columbia, less in Ontario and excellent fuel economy.
*I was provided with the Chrysler Pacifica for a week to facilitate this post.