[8BitChrysler]

Am I reading things right? That is, when the batteries are drained, the engine starts to run the electric motors, which drive the wheels. This means that with dead batteries, there would be half the available HP and torque?

Does this mean with batteries drained, it becomes wimpy, so to speak?

 

[snorth]

In the Alex on Autos review, he seemed to say that there is some HP loss when the battery is drained, though I think saying "half" is an overstatement. It sounded like he said you'd notice it more going up a mountain. This van probably won't sell well in the Rockies.

 

[generaltso]

Yeah, but at least when you go back down the mountain you'll gain some power back into the batteries. Shift the transmission to L for even more regeneration.

 

[8BitChrysler]

Hmmm this could be a bigger deal breaker than missing rear sun shades, still considering the $14,000 difference with incentives in Ontario. I wouldn't be able to stand it if a battery drained Pacifica ran 15-second 0-60. The worse car I've driven recently was the base engine Jetta -- even manually rowing was painful.

 

[snorth]

I missed the bit about the rear sun shades being removed. Where did you see that? Are we talking about the same thing (those black pull-down shades on the side windows)?

 

[generaltso]

I missed the bit about the rear sun shades being removed. Where did you see that?

Check out the back of the Pacifica brochure HERE. You can compare all the features of the Hybrid and other trims. One thing to note is that Chrysler decided to "upgrade" the originally planned Hybrid Limited to Hybrid Platinum. So any of the features that have a P (package required) under Hybrid Limited are actually standard on the Hybrid Platinum.

 

[Nails1]

Watch the car mag video reviews. None of them said they experienced a noticeable loss of power when the engine runs more regularly. The batteries re gen during braking while regular driving. This allows both electric motors to give a torque assist to the engine when you really stomp on the accelerator when you need it. The Q & A videos with Chrysler's hybrid development team on YouTube gives a good description of how the power rain works.

 

[8BitChrysler]

Thanks nails1, I'm still going through the videos but that's good to know. Will search for the Q&A.

 

[snorth]

Check out the back of the Pacifica brochure HERE. You can compare all the features of the Hybrid and other trims. One thing to note is that Chrysler decided to "upgrade" the originally planned Hybrid Limited to Hybrid Platinum. So any of the features that have a P (package required) under Hybrid Limited are actually standard on the Hybrid Platinum.

Thanks for that. Very interesting to see some of the things that are present in the gas model, but not the hybrid:

Lighting
— Glove box lamp (come on, really?)
— Liftgate, single floodlamp
— Rear reading courtesy (really?! ALL other trims offer this standard.)

Shades
— Second- and-third-row retractable

Storage
— Super console (don't understand why not available on the Platinum.)

Universal Garage Door Opener

 

[generaltso]

No garage door opener?! I guess they really stripped out quite a few little things that must add up to enough of a cost savings to keep the Hybrid's pricing competitive. But all those little things also add up in customer satisfaction. I can live without things like the glove box lamp, but no seat memory or garage door opener might just kill me (figuratively, of course).

 

[8BitChrysler]

Storage
— Super console (don't understand why not available on the Platinum.)



Wait, is that the huge bin underneath the center console? The one that has the coin holders?!

 

[generaltso]

No, the Super Console is the one that has the tiny little compartment behind the cup holders with the sliding cover to hide its contents. The standard console has a tray there with no sliding cover. The compartment is so tiny that it's really not a huge loss.

 

[snorth]

No garage door opener?! I guess they really stripped out quite a few little things that must add up to enough of a cost savings to keep the Hybrid's pricing competitive. But all those little things also add up in customer satisfaction. I can live without things like the glove box lamp, but no seat memory or garage door opener might just kill me (figuratively, of course).

"Death by a thousand cuts" is what worries me, too. Everybody has their "one thing" that is a deal breaker. For you it might be garage door opener, for me it might those rear window shades. :frown2: I just don't understand why they can't be options at least. Then everybody wins: we get the feature, and Chrysler gets paid extra for adding it at the customer's request.

 

[generaltso]

I just don't understand why they can't be options at least.

Because now they can say a "fully loaded" Hybrid Platinum maxes out at ONLY $46k (or whatever the price is with a sunroof). If they offered all those little things as options, that maxed out number would be higher. I don't agree with that strategy, but I see why they're doing it. I hope that strategy changes for the 2018 Hybrid. I have no problem paying for the options that I want, but I can't do that if they don't make them available.

 

[BrettP]

What I find interesting is that almost everything in snorths missing features list is unusually easy to add back in. With the big exception of Sto-n-go only trivial to add back things were dropped. The dealer could even offer these upgrades by simply ordering repair parts for the gas Pacifica Limited and the dealer's tech could install them in just minutes. Garage door opener?...just replace the visor (one or two screws and a power connector = 5 minutes). Glovebox light...easy peasy. Super console - 6 bolts and two electrical connectors and it is replaced. Sun shades...not sure but maybe not hard at all.

 

[generaltso]

What I find interesting is that almost everything in snorths missing features list is unusually easy to add back in. With the big exception of Sto-n-go only trivial to add back things were dropped.

Driver's seat memory may be tougher to add.

 

[BrettP]

Driver's seat memory may be tougher to add.

Agreed. I do know that you can't just switch out the trim piece around the door handle with one containing the 3 buttons because the function also has to be enabled in the Body Control Module. I know this because my third row power seat got stuck and they reset the Body Control Module to fix but in doing so accidentally disabled my Drivers Seat Memory in the process. It took about a week to realize the Driver Seat Memory was broken because that week had only one driver using the van.

 

[snorth]

What I find interesting is that almost everything in snorths missing features list is unusually easy to add back in. With the big exception of Sto-n-go only trivial to add back things were dropped. The dealer could even offer these upgrades by simply ordering repair parts for the gas Pacifica Limited and the dealer's tech could install them in just minutes. Garage door opener?...just replace the visor (one or two screws and a power connector = 5 minutes). Glovebox light...easy peasy. Super console - 6 bolts and two electrical connectors and it is replaced. Sun shades...not sure but maybe not hard at all.

That is exactly what I was getting at. And how could those have added up to hundreds or thousands of dollars of savings to make the hybrid cost competitive. I'm not talking about the electronic stuff like driver seat memory, just the simple hardware like shades. At least leave the option there and let us pay for it!

I'd like to see interior photos of console vs super console. I thought there was a significant difference. The build and price photo on the website is zoomed out too far. Eh, I'll probably just have to go to a dealership.

 

[BrettP]

That is exactly what I was getting at. And how could those have added up to hundreds or thousands of dollars of savings to make the hybrid cost competitive. I'm not talking about the electronic stuff like driver seat memory, just the simple hardware like shades. At least leave the option there and let us pay for it!

I'd like to see interior photos of console vs super console. I thought there was a significant difference. The build and price photo on the website is zoomed out too far. Eh, I'll probably just have to go to a dealership.

Yeah, I'm in total agreement with snorth and was expanding to say that maybe customers can still buy them...but as dealer options since they only took off things that were crazy easy for a dealer to put back on...like a toy store removing the bells and reflectors from all the bikes that come in the store and charging $$$ to put them back on.

Here's pictures of the three consoles I know about with an extra shot of the Super Console with the rear drawer open. The removable cup holder fits in the back of the drawer for backseat passenger use.