Chrysler

Chrysler’s regular new Pacifica, introduced earlier this year, uses a 3.6-liter V6 and a nine-speed automatic transmission planted in a new chassis making extensive use of lighter aluminum and magnesium, netting a chassis 250 pounds (113kg)  lighter than before. We’ve driven this iteration (the review is coming soon) and were fairly blown away by its total competence and convenience, plus the fact that small misbehaving children can be stowed under the floor where the “Stow ‘n Go” center-row seats play hide-and-seek. The new Pacifica also looks quite svelte, cutting a far more dashing figure than the minivan it replaces.

At this year’s LA Auto Show, Chrysler launched the Hybrid version, which also plugs in for charging and uses a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack netting a pure electric range of 30 miles (48km) (and a total of 260 hp/194kW), making it the world’s first plug-in hybrid minivan. For families who seek the utility, space, and easy ingress/egress of a minivan in a hybrid package, it’s a no-brainer.