The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica minivan is a wonderful family-friendly vehicle, whether you have young children or older kids. It has plenty of room to keep everyone comfortable, no matter how long you are on the road. The question becomes, do you go with the traditional gas engine or the hybrid version?
Engine
The most significant difference between the two Pacifica models is under the hood. The traditional
2020 Pacifica uses a 3.6-liter V-6 engine, which produces 287 horsepower and 262 pounds-feet of torque with regular unleaded gasoline. The front-wheel-drive van pairs a nine-speed automatic transmission to the engine to give you a smooth ride regardless of the traffic or road conditions. It gets 19 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway using a 19-gallon gas tank.
On the other hand, the
 2020 Pacifica Hybrid uses the 3.6-liter V-6 engine as a backup to the 360-volt lithium-ion battery pack. It creates a net power system of 260 horsepower. The hybrid system lets you drive 32 miles on pure battery power. The backup V-6 uses a smaller 16.5-gallon fuel tank to get 29 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Like the traditional version, this is also a four-wheel-drive van. Rather then a nine-speed transmission, it uses a continuously variable transmission.
Charging
You do not need to charge the traditional van. The hybrid version comes with a home charger you can have professionally installed. You have the option of using the standard charger, which takes up to 14 hours to charge the van or a level II charger, which charges it in two hours. You can also use the level II public chargers and charge the system while you are out.
SeatingÂ
When you are considering the vehicles, think of the number of people who regularly travel with you. The traditional van allows for you and seven passengers over three rows of seats. The second row is either a bench seat or two bucket seats. You can still get eight people in the van with the bucket seats; if you open the center armrest, it turns into a small jump seat.
The hybrid version of the van has seating for you and six other people. There are two bucket seats in the second row. The battery pack for the hybrid system is under the second row, which eliminates one of the seats.
Room for Everything
Storage is essential when planning for a family outing. If you do not need all of the seats in either van, fold them into the floor to create more cargo space. With both the second and third-row seats folded into the floor, you get 33.2 cubic feet of cargo space. You can also use the van, with proper equipment, to haul up to 3,600 pounds.
As you research both vans, stop by
Orange Park Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to see them in person. Our friendly staff is happy to show you both vehicles so you can make the final decision after you explore them as a family.