2004 Chrysler Pacifica Review

Specifications

Top Marks from a Top Cop

With what may be the two most important elements of his life by his side, golf clubs and spouse Gail, Vancouver, BC, Canadas top cop Chief Constable Jamie Hamilton Graham set off for Sun Valley, Idaho in a Chrysler furnished, 2004 Pacifica-R. Intending to take advantage of the beautiful drive from Vancouver, BC to Sun Valley, Idaho, Chief Graham ordered up this ideally suited set of wheels and committed himself to the role of automotive test pilot in the process.

At 54 years young, the Chief is a long-standing auto fanatic who enjoys critically evaluating a new set of wheels almost as much as he does commanding the 1,100 member Vancouver Police Department. Upon hearing stories of his driving adventures and misadventures behind the wheel of black and whites over his 33 years as a police officer, one would undoubtedly give the Chief full credit for his dual role. Unfortunately the statute of limitations has yet to expire permitting the unfettered disclosure of such events - but take my word for it the yarns are plentiful and amusing.

In addition to road testing Chryslers crossover touring vehicle, the Chiefs 1,240 mile journey was structured on attending the 2004 Major Cities Chiefs of Police Conference held in the mountain resort of Sun Valley - where I am led to believe the golfing is good. The Major Cities Chiefs conference is held three times per year and includes police Chiefs from every major city across North America. Discussed at these summits are the difficult and challenging issues such as organized crime and terrorism that threaten major metropolitan areas throughout the continent.

Fortunately for Chief Graham there was a lighter side to his trip which began when Chryslers local PR representative handed over the keys to a fully loaded - and Im not talking pistol - Inferno Red 2004 Chrysler Pacifica. A few minutes were needed in order to get acquainted with the vehicles many features, beginning with a demonstration of the power liftgate, standard on the “R” model. Next were instructions on how to optimize the first class leather seating arrangement to best suit the Chiefs specific traveling arrangements, beginning with the third row split bench which folds flat to produce a commodious cargo area behind the second row captain chairs. The second row chairs are heated and separated by an extension of the center console, providing second row occupants with a storage bin, cup holders and their own fan speed control for the rear ducts. When the second row is also folded flat, and folding parcel shelf attached to the rear of the drivers side seatback dropped into place, an immense, flat floor cargo area materializes.

With Chief Graham and his real-life boss onboard, only the front seats would be required to support derrieres en-route to Sun Valley, lest the Chief should decide to pick up a hitchhiker or two, in which case he could comfortably accommodate up to four thumb-dependent travelers in the vacant perches. Regardless of human density, the Pacifica is a wonderful automotive environment in which to take in the rugged scenery of British Columbia, Canada and the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Described by Chrysler as a “destination thats well beyond the SUV,” the Pacifica crosses over several traditional automotive lines of segmentation by incorporating the virtues of an SUV with those of a minivan cum car based wagon. Although the Chief piloted a front wheel drive model, an all-wheel drive variant would have been made available if the trek would have been attempted mid-winter.

Many of the virtues that Chrysler brought together in the Pacifica were experienced firsthand by the Chief as he and Gail encountered “gale-force” winds and “rain by the bucket” throughout the majority of their excursion. “It handles very well for a heavy set of wheels,” said Graham. “Coming back on highways 182 and 184 there was a heck of a wind. The Pacifica cut right through it without any problem,” he affirmed before adding “the wiper system was great and got a big-time workout.”

The benefits highlighted by Chief Graham are resultant of the low center of gravity and lower than SUV roofline engineered into the Pacifica. These criteria enhance its stability over that of a traditional SUV when Mother Nature is angry. Also enhancing the pleasure of touring in a Pacifica is its exceptionally smooth, car-like ride and much better than average handling dynamics. The Chief certainly put the Pacificas fully independent suspension to the test as he engaged varying degrees of highway degradation, state to state. At the front of the Pacifica, Chrysler utilizes a MacPherson strut suspension setup, while at the rear a five-link design manages dips and bumps. An automatic height and load leveling system keeps things on an even keel, so to speak, as well.

Chrysler has calibrated the suspension components to favor ride quality over tire-blistering handling - and quite appropriately so given the Pacificas emphasis on touring. Matching its compliant suspension is an equally smooth drivetrain that begins with a well balanced, if not slightly dated, 3.5-liter, 4-valve per cylinder V6 mated to a 4-speed autobox featuring the brands AutoStick sequential manual mode.

More than adequate at 250-horsepower and 250 foot-pounds of torque, the spirited powerplant satisfied the Chiefs need for power, although some of his opponents might dispute that claim. “The vehicle performed very well passing semis and getting through the mountain passes,” exclaimed the Chief. The speed limit varied state to state reported Graham. Anywhere from 55 to 75 miles per hour, “but I never exceeded it,” he insisted. I wonder if he would be willing to submit to a lie-detector test on that one.

As noted by Vancouvers principal police officer, the Pacifica is a fine highway cruiser. The solidity of its construction and nicely balanced chassis isolates passengers from road surface imperfections and wind and road noise, especially impressive given the Pacificas large frontal mass. Quite wisely Chief Graham made good use of the vehicles cruise control system by setting it within the various legal speed limits. Due to the Pacificas impeccable highway manners, failing to do so would have almost certainly resulted in a cash forfeiture to a local court of jurisdiction. Chryslers crossover cruises so effortlessly that it is easy to overstep the law and not even realize it.

Congruent with the Pacificas highway cruising talent, Chrysler coined term “Sport Tourer” to describe its blended automotive genre. In keeping with the sport tourer designation, the Pacifica-R is equipped with a navigation system integrating a uniquely located screen. Snugly situated within the semi-circle arc of the speedometer gauge is a slightly smaller than normal nav screen that performs all of the functions and tasks one has come to expect of modern-day automotive navigation. The worthiness of co-locating the screen with the speedometer is as obvious as the screen is when the driver glances at the speedometer. The more information that can be imparted in a single glance, the less potential there is for driver distraction.

Chief Graham was most appreciative of the Pacificas navigation system, as most men are when traveling with their significant other. The real reason that navigation technology was invented had nothing to do with global positioning and everything to do with matrimonial harmony. The XY chromosome pairing inhibits any innate ability a male may have to ask for directions. Thats why the top-cop was so exuberant when he described the navigation system as, “great!” He also praised the layout of the dash, finding the controls intuitive to use especially the door mounted buttons that adjust the drivers seat. In true Mercedes fashion the three buttons resemble the shape of the drivers seat, making it straightforward to adjust the 10-way power seat while on the move.

My guess is that Chrysler doted on the various aspects of occupant comfort and convenience to ensure they got it right, and I am self-confident the Chief would agree with me in concluding that they did. Accoutrements such as dual zone climate control, steering wheel mounted audio and one-touch power windows in the Pacifica make getting to your destination just a little sweeter. And despite the wrath of Mother Nature, the Grahams experienced just that.

Not one to miss an opportunity to show off a set of wheels, the Chief wasted little time in parading some of the most distinguished, and perhaps cynical major city chiefs through the Pacifica. Although it was a tough crowd, praise for Chryslers crossover sport-tourer was evident. Interspersed with the usual jocularity about whether the Pistons or Lakers would take the NBA championship were many comments about Chrysler and their cutting-edge vehicles, such as the new 300C which has drawn ample interest in the field of policing.

After debating the critical issues plaguing our communities and pledging to carry on the struggle for peace and security, the conference came to a close. However not all of the deliberations were of the formal sort. Chief Graham debated with Chief James Bolton of the Memphis Police Department about just how Memphis City acquired the former Vancouver Grizzlies NBA basketball team. Unfortunately, as I understand it, the discussion was not fruitful in returning our beloved Grizzlies to lotus land. Shortly after the conference dust settled, the Grahams were back on the road, taking the long way home to Vancouver.

Although the sun made a few sporadic appearances during the trip, Chief Constable Graham advises the Pacifica provided the warmth and enjoyment that the sun failed to. Whether in base form or the upgraded R-variation, the Pacifica is a vehicle that combines the best of several automotive worlds. As part SUV, part minivan and part wagon, the Pacifica hits multiple homeruns from a single swing of the bat. If you want verification, just speed past the Chiefs regular business wheels, a shiny black Crown Victoria, and youll have an immediate opportunity.

In wrapping up his road test review of the 2004 Pacifica-R, Chief Constable Jamie Hamilton Graham praised the virtues of the Pacifica, emphasizing its high level of comfort and competent handling dynamics. He also wryly noted that Chrysler installed more airbags in the Pacifica than he met at the conference. Those referred to in the Pacifica include driver and front passenger airbags, side-curtain airbags and a driver-knee blocker that inflates simultaneously with the front airbags. Just who the airbags were at the conference Ill leave to the readers imagination. One final thought from Vancouvers leading police officer, “Happy motoring, and drive safely - as if I was in your back seat.”

The Pacifica is available in three major trim packages beginning with the well-equipped Premium package at $29,525 and moving up to the Luxury and Luxury AWD Packages beginning at $31,230 and $32,980 respectively.