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Chrysler Confirms New Electric Pacifica Minivan To Rival VW ID. Buzz

  • Chrysler’s CEO has reportedly confirmed plans for an electric version of the Pacifica.
  • The design will borrow elements from the Halcyon concept and keep Stow ‘N Go seats.
  • An updated version of the Pacifica minivan is due in 2026 and will arrive before the EV.

Chrysler has introduced an assortment of interesting concepts over the years including the Airflow, Portal, and Halcyon. However, none of them have gone into production and the closest thing we’ve gotten to a new model is the 2025 Voyager, which is based on the pre-facelift Pacifica.

That’s a terrible strategy and it’s no surprise that third quarter sales were down by 47%. While some of that can be explained by the death of the Chrysler 300, Pacifica sales were off 44% to a mere 21,504 units.

More: The Stunning Chrysler Halcyon Concept Shows The Shape Of The Future

So how is Chrysler going to escape this tailspin? With the Pacifica, of course. However, this won’t be a pre-, pre-facelift van as the company is reportedly working on a new EV.

Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell reportedly confirmed the news to Green Car Reports and said an updated Pacifica will arrive in 2026. This will reportedly “set the stage for the electric Pacifica that will follow, likely a year later.”

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The model will presumably ride on an STLA platform and Feuell said it will have styling cues from the Halcyon. She also suggested the “modern” and “futuristic” vehicle would retain the company’s trademark Stow ‘N Go seats. Feuell indicated they’ll help to differentiate the Pacifica EV from the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, which has seats that don’t fold flat into the floor. However, the details reportedly haven’t been hammered out yet.

Regardless of what happens, the model likely won’t be cheap as the 2025 Pacifica starts at $42,450 before a $1,695 destination fee. The ID. Buzz, on the other hand, begins at $59,995.

 Chrysler Confirms New Electric Pacifica Minivan To Rival VW ID. Buzz

The Number Of Car Buyers Paying Over MSRP Has Plummeted

  • The number of mainstream buyers paying over sticker has dropped 7% in the past year.
  • Lower prices and increased inventory has made the car buying process more satisfying.
  • Porsche provides the best buying experience, while Chrysler the worst, according to the study.

America is a deeply divided country, but there’s one thing that unites all of us – hatred of car dealers. However, a new study suggests things are getting slightly better.

According to J.D. Power, overall customer satisfaction with purchasing a vehicle climbed from a score of 793 last year to 801 in 2024. That’s basically an 80% grade as scores are based on a 1,000 point scale.

More: Study Finds 25% Of Car Buyers Won’t Return To Dealership That Charged Above MSRP

So what’s behind the improvement? Pricing and inventory. The shortages and markups from the pandemic have largely subsided, meaning some of the power has shifted from dealers back to consumers.

Given these developments, it’s not surprising to learn the number of people paying over MSRP has dropped significantly. J.D. Power says 15% of mass market buyers paid over sticker last year, but that number dropped to 8% in 2024. For premium buyers, the number fell from 10% to 6%.

 The Number Of Car Buyers Paying Over MSRP Has Plummeted
Source J.D. Power

While everyone can get onboard with lower prices, dealers still have a lot of work to do in regards to personnel, paperwork, and delivery. It also appears the EV buying experience is significantly worse than that of an ICE-powered vehicle.

The buyer satisfaction score for mass market ICE-powered vehicles was 857, but just 822 for EVs. J.D. Power also noted a “similar pattern exists among buyers of premium vehicles.”

Part of this appears to be a lack of dealership employees knowledgeable about electric vehicles. However, even Tesla buyers had “markedly lower satisfaction with the effectiveness of the vehicle features explanation.”

 The Number Of Car Buyers Paying Over MSRP Has Plummeted
Source J.D. Power

Among premium brands, sales satisfaction was highest at Porsche. They were followed by Infiniti and Jaguar. Genesis got a dismal rating of 781, while Alfa Romeo was second to last with a significantly higher score of 810. That put them two points behind Mercedes and Lexus.

On the mainstream side of things, top honors went to Mini, Buick, and Subaru. Chrysler, Mitsubishi, and Toyota were the worst.

 The Number Of Car Buyers Paying Over MSRP Has Plummeted
Source J.D. Power
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