Perhaps no other type of vehicle does a better job of delivering what it offers than a minivan.
The new Chrysler Pacifica is off to a strong start as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles pumps new life into the segment many analysts had written off long ago.
Matt McClear, senior manager for the Chrysler Brand said during a briefing outside FCA headquarters that sales of the new Pacifica have steadily grown since it was launched in April. During June the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica continued to gain momentum in the marketplace, selling 7,207 units, up significantly, from May, said McClear, even though dealers didn’t have a full supply.
FCA also sold more than 8,000 Town & Country minivans during June. But FCA has stopped building the older Chrysler Town & Country at the company’s assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario. The last 2016 Town & Country has been shipped to dealers and Chrysler is now totally dependent on sales of the new Pacifica going forward, McClear said.
In addition, dealers in California, the largest market in the U.S., are now getting a wider selection, McClear said, FCA will continue to build the Dodge Caravan for the foreseeable future. But the Caravan “transacts” in a space all of its own since the manufacturer suggested retail price of the Dodge minivan is less than $25,000.
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The average transaction price, or ATP, for the Pacifica is running between $30,000 and $35,000. In addition, FCA will introduce the hybrid version of the Pacifica later this year, McClear said.
With the 2017 Pacifica, Chrysler aimed to enhance styling as well as the features owners love.
“It will be a halo vehicle for us,” he said.
But the Pacifica is still about $500 less than comparable vehicles rom Toyota, Honda and Kia, which are the chief competitors. The fact is 10 years ago manufacturers sold about 1 million minivans annually, McClear noted, but there were 17 different competitors. Now there are only six and FCA still accounts for roughly half of all sales.
McClear said the most promising aspect of the Pacifica launch is that it is attracting the interest of younger buyers in the 30s from the millennial generation.
(Click Here for TDB’s first drive in the new Chrysler Pacifica.)
“They’re looking a vehicle that different from the vehicle that their parents or grandparents drove,” he said, adding the Pacifica by all accounts is an excellent family vehicle.
The Pacifica, with its fresh styling and smooth driving dynamics, appears to fit the bill. In addition, dealers report that buyers of the new Pacifica are trading in SUVs and crossovers for the new van, he said.
“There has been a lot of fun and excitement around the vehicle,” he said.
(Chrysler takes aim at Honda, Toyota and Hyundai; drops price on new Pacifica. Click Here for more.)
Jessica LaFond, the lead engineer on the Pacifica, noted the architecture underneath the Pacifica has been completely redesigned to provide excellent ride and handling and to support a functional interior with ample space and storage. In addition, the V6 engine in the Pacifica is more powerful than the motors found in key competitors, adding to Pacifica’s overall appeal, she said.