By Blaze Sky
The Chrysler brand has been producing minivans for four decades, with several successful generations of modern Pacifica, and the current model received several updates for its anniversary year. The American brand, part of the auto giant Stellantis, is now continuing to work on expanding its model range. Today, it includes only two models—the Pacifica minivan and the Chrysler 300 sedan, which will retire soon. The brand connoisseurs from Indy Auto Man prepared an overview of the Chrysler plans for 2024.
Anniversary year
Chrysler recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the minivan segment and extended the Pacifica through the 2024 model year. The brand dedicated a minute-long video to it, which recalled milestones in the history of the class—from the Plymouth Voyager, which rolled off the assembly line of a plant in Ontario, Canada, on November 2, 1983, to the modern single-volume car, which today is the only plug-in hybrid in its segment. In the future, the Chrysler line should be replenished with several new products, while the company hopes to keep the current “old man” Pacifica in service.
In the US, the Pacifica enjoys strong demand and is the only plug-in hybrid in the family minivan class. Chrysler recently released its 100,000th plug-in hybrid minivan. The gas-electric Pacifica travels about 33 miles on electricity alone, and the 16-kilowatt-hour battery can charge from a household electrical outlet. The 2024 Pacifica received new exterior colors, an additional interior trim option, and a reduced range of plug-in hybrid versions – now only Select and Pinnacle. The powerplant is based on a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline engine, working in tandem with an electric motor (total power – 260 hp). The pair is offered with a variator, front-wheel drive only. It is too early for the minivan to retire: Chrysler suggests that the Pacifica will remain in the model range until the beginning of the next decade.
Plans for the future
Chrysler intends to introduce its first electric vehicle based on the STLA Large platform by 2025. According to Christine Fuell, the head of the brand, the “green” new product will be a two-row crossover based on the Airflow concept.
The show car in different versions was demonstrated at the CES consumer electronics exhibition, which takes place annually in Las Vegas. Thus, the first concept with this name debuted in 2020, and its evolved version appeared in 2022. Initially, it was assumed that the Airflow would be brought to a production version, but in the spring of this year, information appeared that the company had abandoned these plans. However, according to the head of the Stellantis design department, Ralph Gilles, who is responsible for the new product development, the company will continue to work with the concept.
Its next iteration will be presented in 2024, and based on this pre-production show car, the manufacturer plans to create a production electric vehicle that will go to the market a year later. There is no new data about the future crossover yet; it is expected that Chrysler new electric vehicle’s range on a single charge will be about 400 miles. The product version will differ from those concepts that have previously been demonstrated to the general public. The design of the new SUV will reflect a “fresh direction” for the brand’s corporate identity. The model may not receive the revived Airflow name (it was used for four- and two-door Chrysler cars produced between 1934 and 1937).
Another new Chrysler product will likely be a sedan. The new model will replace the outgoing Chrysler 300. According to preliminary data, the successor to the “300” will be a large sedan with an all-electric filling, and the range on one charge for such a model will be about 500 miles. It may enter the lineup in 2026.
While buyers wait for new SUVs and sedans, the 2024 Pacifica is already taking the American market by storm. The MSRP for the novelty is $38,425, while the average cost of a used Pacifica is around $25,000. The vehicles from previous years began to lose their value, and those who have long dreamed of a reliable and stylish minivan can buy a used Pacifica at an attractive price.
