It’s been a few years since the House that Walter Built has had more than a couple of lonely models in its lineup. Gone are the days of hawking everything from LeBarons to New Yorkers, replaced with just two nameplates: the aging 300 sedan and the Pacifica minivan. Alright, technically the Grand Caravan is a different model but in reality, it’s just a cheaper Pacifica in last season’s clothes.
The brand was founded by Walter P. …
It’s been a few years since the House that Walter Built has had more than a couple of lonely models in its lineup. Gone are the days of hawking everything from LeBarons to New Yorkers, replaced with just two nameplates: the aging 300 sedan and the Pacifica minivan. Alright, technically the Grand Caravan is a different model but in reality, it’s just a cheaper Pacifica in last season’s clothes.
The brand was founded by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 and quickly went to work selling well-engineered cars with modern technology at affordable prices. That mission statement has largely carried through its century of existence. Early cars like the Newport and Imperial were driveway symbols of success (but not excess) while later efforts like the Intrepid arguably changed the way cars were designed – to say nothing of the innovative K-Car which turned the industry on its ear.
It is important not to confuse the Chrysler brand with its larger umbrella corporation, which many people colloquially call Chrysler but is – these days – actually called Stellantis. There have been stints in which the German company Daimler and the Italian company Fiat have had their names appended to the overarching Chrysler masthead as well. Today, both Chrysler models are built in Canada – one in Brampton and the other in Windsor.
The former is home to the Chrysler 300, a large sedan on sale in this model year with rear- or all-wheel drive and an array of engines. Touring trims offer a V6 engine powering either two or four wheels and have the typical luxury trappings one would expect from a $50,000 car. The next-rung S trim black out much of the car’s chrome adornments whilst adding the option of a 5.7L V8 making the better part of 400 horsepower. Finally, a hairy chested C trim brings a 6.4L engine from the speed freaks at SRT, packing 485 horses and the ability to reach 100 km/h from rest in a little over 4 seconds.
On the other side of the showroom are two minivans: the Grand Caravan and Pacifica. The GC offers a lower starting price and similar powertrain as a base model Pacifica but does so wearing hand-me-downs from the last-generation Pacifica. There’s a single trim, one interior colour, and few options.
Meanwhile, the tonier Pacifica can be had in everything from comfortable Touring trim to a top-tier Pinnacle which features a caramel-hued interior with – ahem – throw cushions afforded to middle row passengers along with a class-leading entertainment system in that space. An onboard vacuum cleaner can be neatly tucked into a cargo bin, Nappa leather is available, and trick Stow-N-Go seats permit the Pacifica’s chairs to vanish seamlessly into its floor like a David Copperfield magic trick.
Those trims are powered by a venerable 3.6L V6, but Pacifica Hybrid models add electrified gubbins in the form of a 16 kWh battery and two electric motors. Whilst its total horsepower is mystifyingly less than the gasser, its fuel economy is better and the hybrid van is able to travel solely on electricity for short distances. Hybrid-powered examples can currently be had in three different trims, including the luxurious Pinnacle. Note well: since the hybrid qualifies for government rebates, it may be possible to snag one for roughly the price of a gasser – even if its sticker price is much higher. Shop carefully.
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