Families have loved he minivan for generations. Now, the original inventor of the minivan has introduced a fresh take on the family-friendliest of vehicles with the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.

Built on an all-new platform, the Pacifica’s design features a wide, athletic stance with a roof that slopes inward giving the minivan a modern exterior. If you’re an adult that has to climb into the second or third row, you’ll have nearly five feet of floor to celling space to maneuver at the center for the vehicle.

Under the hood, the first 2017 Pacifica models will feature a 3.6L Pentastar gasoline engine offering up best-in-class 287 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. Later in 2016, buyers will have the option of purchasing the industry’s first electrified minivan. The hybrid Pacifica will offer 248 horsepower, an estimated range of 30 miles on electric power and an efficiency rating of 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe), based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Standard fuel-saving engine stop-start technology will be introduced later in the model year on the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.

Inside the cabin, drivers and passengers will be informed and entertained via Chrysler’s UConnect Theater system. The technology offers the opportunity for passengers to, “watch movies, play built-in games, connect personal devices to surf the Internet and stream content throughout the vehicle,” using a Bluetooth touchpad remote control.

Uconnect Theater includes:

• Screens – Two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens located on the back headrests of the front driver and passenger seats. Individual content can be displayed on each screen
• Wireless connectivity (late availability) – Connect any enabled device and take advantage of easier and more responsible access to navigation, music and phone apps while you drive. The apps run on your personal smartphone, but you see them on the high-definition screens and hear the audio via the vehicle’s speakers
• Built-in apps and games – To help keep passengers entertained, Uconnect Theater offers several embedded apps and games via the 10-inch touchscreens, including math flash cards, checkers, bingo and tic tac toe. With the “Are We There Yet?” app, passengers can view the distance remaining to their destination and estimated arrival time
• Parental controls – The driver can mute, turn off and lock out content displayed on each screen
• Supported devices – Passengers can select from a variety of devices to connect to Uconnect Theater, including smartphones, tablets, MP3 players, Apple TV, Blu-Ray/DVD, CD, gaming devices, e-readers, USB drives, laptops and digital cameras
• USB ports – A USB port located in the first row center stack can be used to play movies on the Uconnect Theater 10-inch screens. Additional ports in the second and third row also provide charging
• HDMI ports – HDMI ports are available in the second row to transfer, charge, control and shuffle between a connected device and the vehicle screens
• Remote controls – Two Bluetooth touchpad remote controls are included with the Uconnect Theater
• Headphones – Uconnect Theater comes equipped with two sets of digital wireless headphones

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica also offers comfort and convenience technologies families will love, including Keyless Enter ‘n Go, remote start, heated and ventilated seats, segment-first handsfree sliding doors and liftgate, Stow ‘n Vac integrated vacuum powered by the highest-powered in-vehicle vacuum in the market, Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system, the all-new Stow ‘n Go Assist feature and Easy Tilt second-row seats.

image courtesy of FCA