The Murdered-out Chrysler Pacifica of Your Dreams Is Just a Dealer Away

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

You’ve decided to stay in the minivan fold. Or, to Fiat Chrysler’s delight, you’ve decided to join it. Just because your Pacifica spends its days shuttling around colorful little Playskool houses and playing Paw Patrol videos on the seatback media screens doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also strike terror into the hearts of passers-by on the mean streets of America.

Right on cue, or perhaps a little belatedly, Chrysler is adding a hint of menace to a decidedly non-menacing model with the return of the S Appearance Package to its minivan stable. Last offered on the defunct Town & Country, the package does for the Pacifica what it does for the 300 and what it did for the departed 200.

Bring on the darkness.

“The Chrysler Pacifica definitely stands out in the school drop-off line, and its class-leading style has won over many new customers,” says Tim Kuniskis, head of FCA’s North American passenger car brands.

Well, with the S variant, available for the 2018 model year, those parents might wonder if the child of a custom motorcycle builder/reformed gang member just enrolled at the school. Adorned with black accents in every conceivable nook and cranny, the package transforms the Pacifica into a stow ‘n go gangstermobile. To be fair, the Pacifica pulls off the look better than the Town & Country.

Included in the $595 package are a bevy of gloss black accents. The list of newly darkened items includes the grille surrounds, headlamp eyebrows, daylight opening molding, rear valance molding, roof rails (in most cases), wheels, seats, steering wheel, and basically all interior features ahead of the rear seat. Light gray stitching and lettering helps breaks up the inky void. Outside, 18-inch wheels with “Black Noise” finish comes standard, but 20-inchers will run you an extra $995.

If generating schoolyard mystique is your plan, the S Appearance Package is available on Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus and Limited trims. Only the base LX model shuns the dark side.

Regardless of trim or package, all Pacificas undergo a tech upgrade for 2018. Now standard across the board are FCA’s SafetyTec suite of driver’s aids and upgraded Uconnect 4 systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 4G LTE Wi-Fi with unlimited data becomes an available feature later in the model year.

Given its meager lineup, any spice capable of sweetening the Chrysler sales pot is a good thing for the brand. As sales of the full-size 300 sedan continue a downward slide, U.S. Pacifica sales rose 18 percent in September, year-over-year.

[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Mike N. Mike N. on Oct 12, 2017

    I don't know which demographic other commenters are alluding to when discussing this minivan's appeal, but TBH I'd be all over this. Rented a Pacifica and loved it. I also hate chrome trim, when I was looking for a lightly used X5 it was worth the effort to find a slightly higher spec version with the "shadowline" (high gloss black) trim. It looks so much better to my eyes.

  • I parked next to a new Pacifica last night. The impression it gives is that it's a Dodge Caravan that's been slightly inflated like a balloon, especially from the rear quarter view.

  • ToolGuy This might be a good option for my spouse when it becomes available -- thought about reserving one but the $500 deposit is a little too serious. Oh sorry, that was the Volvo EX30, not the Mustang. Is Volvo part of Ford? Is the Mustang an EV? I'm so confused.
  • Mikey My late wife loved Mustangs ..We alway rented one while travelling . GM blood vetoed me purchasing one . 3 years after retirement bought an 08 rag top, followed by a 15 EB Hard top, In 18 i bought a low low mileage 05 GT rag with a stick.. The car had not been properly stored. That led to rodent issues !! Electrical nightmare. Lots of bucks !! The stick wasn't kind to my aging knees.. The 05 went to a long term dedicated Mustang guy. He loves it .. Today my garage tenant is a sweet 19 Camaro RS rag 6yl Auto. I just might take it out of hibernation this weekend. The Mustang will always hold a place in my heart.. Kudos to Ford for keeping it alive . I refuse to refer to the fake one by that storied name .
  • Ajla On the Mach-E, I still don't like it but my understanding is that it helps allow Ford to continue offering a V8 in the Mustang and F-150. Considering Dodge and Ram jumped off a cliff into 6-cylinder land there's probably some credibility to that story.
  • Ajla If I was Ford I would just troll Stellantis at all times.
  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
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