The minivan segment in Canada isn’t exactly rife with options, and amongst what’s available the Chrysler Pacifica ranks at the upper end of the list. And why shouldn’t it be boasting windswept looks and room for up to eight passengers and lots of cargo.

As far as vans go, the Pacifica is on the sleeker side with a low hood and wearing the more compact LED headlights and larger, squarer mesh grille from the last 2021 refresh. Our Limited press loaner had the S Appearance Package equipped (+ $695) bundling exclusive dark-coloured 20×7.5-inch aluminum wheels shod in Pirelli all-season rubber, glossy black exterior mirrors and other sporty contrasting bits of trim.

Though remote sliding side doors are nothing new, they are still such a cool and convenient feature and really came in handy while loading and unloading the family in a tight parking situation.

Inside, the aforementioned package adds black Nappa leather upholstery and accenting. With the optional captain’s chairs, it really made moving about the cabin much easier for rear occupants, particularly young children. When there’s not a full complement of passengers, signature Stow ‘n Go seating make it easy to fold chairs out of the way to accommodate carrying large items. The storage area behind the third row is surprisingly deep and rated at 914.6 litres of capacity can hold a lot of stuff. A cargo cover would be nice for privacy, however.

Utilizing the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system, the 10.1-inch central touchscreen showed what were perhaps the crispest images I’ve seen on an in-vehicle display. The available FamCAM overhead interior camera makes keeping an eye on little ones at the back an easy task.

Propulsion is provided by a tried-and-true 3.6-litre Pentastar engine making 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. I was genuinely surprised how good the throttle response is, but I did find the nine-speed automatic transmission feeling a tad laggy.

With the sunsetting of the Chrysler 300C sedan, the Pacifica is now the lone offering under the Chrysler name. The brand has indicated the model is receiving a “significant makeover” in 2025.