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Six ways to rock a minivan like a boss

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“I’ll never drive a minivan.”

Have you ever said that?  I did, many times and you know what?  Karma was listening because she’s  all-seeing and programmed to hear every single “I never” that flies out of your pie hole. It becomes her mission in life to bite you in the ass and make you eat your words. Utter the word “never” one time and it’s on like Donkey Kong.

Six reasons minivans are awesome

I don't remember how many times I swore I would never drive a minivan. We bought our first – and maybe not last – minivan in 2014 when our boys were five. It was one of the best purchases we ever made.

I resisted for the longest time because I thought driving a mommy van was an insult to my coolness. I finally realized that driving a minivan has a lot of perks…see also that I’m not cool.  I still like to pretend, though.

We have a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. I recently got the chance to review a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, which is pictured in this blog post. It will eventually be time for a new ride and if we get another minivan, the Pacifica Hybrid would be an awesome upgrade. 

Here are six great reasons why I love my minivan.

Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
Minivan life isn't all bad. The sliding doors are super convenient for getting kids in and out of the car. If you've got little ones in a car seat, it's really easy to load them in the second row.

1. Increased distance between me and my small humans 

This is easier on my eardrums and really, just all around safer for everyone. Cries of “he’s touching me” are easier to tune out when they’re coming from the way, way back. In fact, my next vehicle may very well be a tractor trailer. Plus, I’ve got dual controls on the sound system, so I can rock out to Poison and Motely Crue up front without having to pay attention to whatever annoying kid cartoon is playing on the built in DVD player. Yes, I said built-in DVD player. It’s fabulous.

The 2020 Pacifica Hybrid has a really sweet second row infotainment setup. My kids love the Uconnect Theater entertainment system with two 10-inch seatback touchscreens was my kids' favorite feature. And, since it keeps them quiet and reduces the amount of bickering I have to put up with from the second row, I love it, too.

The second row screens make long car trips bearable. There's also a control where you can adjust the sounds in the backseat and listen to something different up front. It really works!

You can pop a DVD in up front and your kids can watch a movie using the included wireless headphones. I don’t know about you, but hearing Sponge Bob from second row gets old in about 20 seconds. And, best of all? There’s a setting where the adults in the front can listen to separate audio. We can play one of our favorite playlists or tune in to a podcast and not be disturbed by the second row audio. It’s like magic.

2. When guys check me out while I’m stopped at a traffic light, I know they’re really looking at me and not my hot car. 

Shut up, they are! This is totally true, as all badass minivan moms will tell you. 

This is what I look like in my mind when I get into my mininvan. I'm OK with being occasionally delusional. This is a Lexus LC 500, by the way, and it's REALLY fun to drive.

3. Parties!

People mover by day and party bus by night? If I want to plan an adults-only outing we’ve got tons of room. There will probably be some rock, paper, scissors going on to see who has to be designated driver, but hey…it is what it is. Safety first, right? Drunk driving is for losers.

Most minivans seat seven and there's plenty of leg room, even in the way back. If you have a need to transport a group of adults, this is a great way to do it.

4. Get up & go!

The Pacifica Hybrid kicks some serious ass when it comes to get up and go. The added torque of the electric motor helps this minivan accelerate quickly. But seriously, the stereotype of the minivan driving 40 MPH on the freeway is crap. Most of the newer vans on the market have a surprising amount of giddy up, which is a nice feature for any reluctant husbands who may be suffering from the delusion they should be driving a sexier car. Puh-leeze. I’m not advocating driving above the speed limit (ahem) but this gem is great for highway driving…very smooth.

5. Buttons. Lots of buttons…

I can sit behind the wheel and pretend I’m in the NASA control room (don’t laugh, you probably do it, too.) I can push a button to open and close the back hatch, adjust my seats, the volume of the DVD player in the back (because I am freakin’ sick of hearing Elsa belt out Let it Go, AKA the last song ever that anyone needs to hear when trying to keep road rage at an acceptable level.)

The 8.4 inch front screen is controls the audio and lots of the important functions like seat cooling and heating. Seat cooling (not on the base model) is essential in Texas.

Sometimes, I just sit in my driveway and push buttons, saying stuff like “Wesley Crusher to the bridge.” Seriously, people. Buttons are badass.

While I’ve touted several reasons why a minivan is pretty freakin’ awesome, driving the people mover about town does take off a little bit of pressure to be super cool and hip 24/7. Besides, when I look halfway decent while driving my van, it tends to make me look way better in comparison. If my clothes match and I’m wearing lipstick – on my lips and not my teeth –  while I’m loading up that pallet of toilet paper at Costco, some young dude is likely to think I’m a MILF.

And, who doesn’t like that?

The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is super easy to charge. It fully charges in about 12-13 hours and you can run about 30 miles exclusively on battery until it switches over to the backup gas tank.

6. More about the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

  • Starting MSRP is $39,500. Because this minivan is part electric, you'll have substantial savings in fuel costs.
  • It takes about 12-13 hours for the battery to fully charge and you can go 30-35 miles on battery before it switches to the backup gas tank. The car runs just fine on gas, by the way.
  • You can get a $7.500 tax credit for purchasing a hybrid or electric car
  • This is a great everyday ride for someone who doesn't cover a lot of miles in a day. I run my kids around a lot on a typical (pre-pandemic) day but I stay inside our neighborhood bubble. For my husband who commutes 50 miles each day round trip, this wouldn't be the best choice for an everyday car.

 

 

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2 Comments

  1. When I found out I was pregnant with the twins (what??? surprise! You already have grown children and now you’re pregnant with not one, but two!) my husband committed the ultimate act of love: He sold his Porsche to buy me a minivan. He bought me a brand spanking new 2011 top of the line Chrysler Town & Country. I loved that thing. It served us well for many years but eventually it came time to replace it. After much research we decided to stick with Chrysler and bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid with all the bells and whistles. I’m cooler in this thing than I ever was in my Mitsubishi Eclipse. The sound system (20 speakers – no lie) blows away anything I’ve had in any other vehicle I’ve ever owned. Yas man – I can rock out to AC/DC like nobody’s business! The twins are 9 years old now but I still like the minivan over an SUV because the sliding doors prevent parking lot door accidents, plus I have so much cargo space when I fold down the 3rd row seats. You mentioned that it charges in 12 hours. But get this. We had an electrician install a 240 volt outlet in our carport for a few hundred dollars and bought a special charger and the van charges zero to 100% in 2 1/2 to 3 hours! The vast majority of my driving is around town, so I stay within the 30 mile range most of the time. I hardly ever use gas and rarely have to fill the tank with gas. I just plug it in every time I get home and it’s charged up and ready to go when I am. Also – heated steering wheel, heated seats, air conditioned seats. Awesome!! Remote start. This I love in all seasons. When it’s freezing out I can get it nice and toasty before I head out. When it’s scorching hot I can cool it down quickly before I get to the van. Entertainment system. Couldn’t live without it. It has games built into it. Each 2nd row seat has its own screen that can be doing different things at the same time! Yes! Seriously, there is so much more I could say about this van. I love it and may drive it forever!

    1. I really did love the Pacifica Hybrid. We’ve been talking about replacing the T&C with a Hyundai Palisde or Kia Telluride in a year or so. But now I am not so sure – it’s just so darn convenient. And yes, that is true love!!