blacksmith
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 27, 2016
- Messages
- 89
No one likes to be knocked off of the top. But that's exactly what happened to Chrysler in the minivan market. As the creator of the modern minivan with the first Dodge Caravan all the way back in 1984, Chrysler ruled the family-hauling roost for many, many years. But the march of time proved cruel, as knockoffs from Honda and Toyota surpassed the original.
Designed during one of the company's roughest economic patches, the outgoing Chrysler minivans were outclassed by the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, and relegated to bargain-buyers and rental fleets. Adding insult to injury, in recent years families have deserted minivans in droves, sacrificing practicality for more fashionable SUVs. Chrysler's challenge became twofold: Convince buyers to opt for a minivan again, and persuade the dwindling audience to consider a Chrysler.
This mission drove Chrysler to drop the Town & Country moniker while resurrecting the Pacifica nameplate from a not-so-well-remembered crossover from the last decade. Styling also aims to reset expectations. It's sleek and streamlined for a van, with a well-hidden track for the sliding side door and optional big 20-inch wheels.
But there's far more to this redesign than a new name and sleeker styling. Thanks to corporate sharing over the years, first with Mercedes-Benz and now Fiat, Chrysler hasn't completely designed an all-new car on their own (that wasn't a Jeep or Ram truck) in decades—until now.
More on: http://www.consumerreports.org/paci...ifica-has-goods-to-challenge-minivan-leaders/
Designed during one of the company's roughest economic patches, the outgoing Chrysler minivans were outclassed by the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, and relegated to bargain-buyers and rental fleets. Adding insult to injury, in recent years families have deserted minivans in droves, sacrificing practicality for more fashionable SUVs. Chrysler's challenge became twofold: Convince buyers to opt for a minivan again, and persuade the dwindling audience to consider a Chrysler.
This mission drove Chrysler to drop the Town & Country moniker while resurrecting the Pacifica nameplate from a not-so-well-remembered crossover from the last decade. Styling also aims to reset expectations. It's sleek and streamlined for a van, with a well-hidden track for the sliding side door and optional big 20-inch wheels.
But there's far more to this redesign than a new name and sleeker styling. Thanks to corporate sharing over the years, first with Mercedes-Benz and now Fiat, Chrysler hasn't completely designed an all-new car on their own (that wasn't a Jeep or Ram truck) in decades—until now.
More on: http://www.consumerreports.org/paci...ifica-has-goods-to-challenge-minivan-leaders/