A vehicle built in Windsor is still generating acclaim in the auto industry.
The Chrysler Pacifica minivan, built at the automaker's Windsor Assembly Plant, has made Car and Driver magazine's ten-best truck and SUV list for the second year in a row. The 2018 version of the Pacifica was named the year's best van.
The list is a supplement to the magazine's traditional naming of the year's ten best passenger cars, which has been published since the early 1980s.
Car and Driver's Greg Fink praises the Pacifica for its interior comfort and tight handling.
"In keeping with its mission, the Pacifica moves with aplomb, not overstarched vigor," writes Fink. "Its suspension is tuned for passenger comfort, while light and faithful steering makes navigating tight parking lots as effortless as knocking back a glass of Yoo-hoo. Even so, the Pacifica proves willing enough to dance down a twisty two-lane road."
The Pacifica's fuel economy is also noted. In a road test performed by Car and Driver, fuel economy registered at almost 7.6 L/100 km. For the hybrid version, average fuel economy is at 2.8L/100 km.
The news comes just after Chrysler Canada's announcement that sales for the model were the best ever for the month of December. According to figures from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, 638 were sold last month.
The 2018 Pacifica will be among hundreds of new vehicles on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Press previews of the event begin next week.