AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Five stars highest possible score in NHTSA's safety rating program
- All-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan achieves highest possible rating – five stars – in each of three individual crash
tests performed by NHTSA
- High-strength steel, which also contributes to fuel-saving weight reduction, accounts for 72 percent of new Pacifica's
body structure; 38 percent is Advanced High-strength Steel (AHSS)
- 2017 Chrysler Pacifica checks boxes on all of NHTSA's recommended advanced technologies – backup camera system,
lane-departure warning and forward collision warning
- Pacifica's Parkview rear backup camera, which is standard equipment, among more than 100 available safety and security
features
- Available Forward Collision Warning-Plus enabled by sensor-fusion technology
- NHTSA five-star rating complements Top Safety Pick+ status
- All-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan starts at $28,595 (excluding destination)
The all-new 2017
Chrysler Pacifica has earned a five-star overall safety rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA).
Five stars is the highest possible safety rating given by NHTSA.
The Chrysler brand's all-new minivan also scored five stars – the highest possible rating – in each of the crash tests
included in NHTSA's safety assessment program.
The tests simulate:
- Frontal collision
- Side-impact simulating a two-vehicle collision
- Side-impact simulating a single-vehicle collision with a pole
These latest test results complement the Top Safety Pick+ rating previously given to the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).**
"These results are a clear indicator of our unwavering commitment to engineering excellence," says Mike Dahl, Head of Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance, FCA – North
America.
FCA US engineers conducted more than 8,500 simulated crashes and more than 80 full-vehicle
impacts. These tests led to the development of a body structure that integrates 12 different steel grades.
High-strength steel accounts for 72 percent, of which 38 percent is Advanced High-strength Steel (AHSS).
And because these materials were used strategically, the new Pacifica's body structure is also 250 pounds lighter than that of
the vehicle it replaced – an enhancement that contributes to the vehicle's class-leading 28 miles-per-gallon highway-cycle
fuel-economy rating.
NHTSA's rating system acknowledges the availability of three "recommended" safety features: rear-view cameras, lane-departure
warning and forward-collision warning. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica checks the box for each category:
- ParkView rear backup camera: Standard equipment, it provides a wide-angle view of the area immediately behind the
vehicle, giving the driver greater peace of mind before reversing at low speeds; features dynamic grid lines to aid the driver
when maneuvering into parking spaces or narrow areas; image is displayed on the navigation screen when the transmission is
shifted into Reverse
- LaneSense Lane Departure Warning-Plus: Available as part of the Advanced Safety Tec Group, it leverages electronic
power steering (EPS) to deliver a torque input to alert and assist the driver with corrective action
- Available Forward Collision Warning-Plus: Available as part of the Advanced Safety Tec Group, it utilizes radar
sensors and cameras to detect whether the Pacifica is approaching another vehicle or large obstacle in its path too rapidly,
and warns or may assist the driver in avoiding/mitigating the incident
The blending of radar sensors and cameras is known as sensor-fusion technology. Such redundancy affords greater
object-detection precision. Similar systems on competitive vehicles feature one technology or the other.
Once reserved for luxury-segment vehicles, FCA US currently makes sensor-fusion technology
available across six vehicle segments – from small SUV to minivan. It is the Company's technology of choice for driver assistance
in crash mitigation.
Collision-warning systems are a prerequisite to earn Top Safety Pick+ status from the IIHS. Top Safety Pick+ status is
contingent on the availability of such systems, provided they achieve ratings of "advanced" or "superior."
The Pacifica's system is rated "superior," and its performance in each of the following IIHS crash tests was classified as
"good," the highest-possible rating. The tests simulate:
- side impact with a large SUV or pickup truck
- moderate-offset frontal impact
- small-offset frontal impact
- roof-deformation consistent with a rollover
- rear collision capable of inducing whiplash
The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica boasts more than 100
available safety and security features. It starts at $28,595,
excluding destination charges.
** Designation applies to any 2017 Chrysler Pacifica produced after August 2016.
About Chrysler Brand
The Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs, craftsmanship, intuitive innovation and technology all at an
extraordinary value since the company was founded in 1925.
Whether it is the family-room-on-wheels functionality of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the groundbreaking, bold
design of the Chrysler 300, or the simple elegance and extraordinary driving experience of the Chrysler 200, Chrysler brand
vehicles reward the passion, creativity and sense of accomplishment of its owners. Beyond just exceptionally designed vehicles,
the Chrysler brand has incorporated thoughtful features into all of its products, such as the innovative center console with pass
through storage and sliding cup holders in the Chrysler 200, the industry-exclusive Stow 'n Go seating and storage system on the
Chrysler Pacifica and the fuel-saving Fuel Saver Technology in the Chrysler 300.
The Chrysler brand's succession of innovative product introductions continues to solidify the brand's standing as the leader
in design, engineering and value. The premium for the Chrysler brand is in the product, not the price.
Follow Chrysler brand and FCA US news and video on:
FCA Content On Demand (COD): www.fcacod.com
Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com
FCA360: www.fca360.com
Chrysler brand: www.chrysler.com
Chrysler blog: blog.chrysler.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrysler
or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/
Flickr: www.flickr.com/chryslerautos or
www.flickr.com/chryslergroup/
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/chryslerautos or www.pinterest.com/FCAcorporate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/chryslerautos or
www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
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www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
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SOURCE FCA US LLC