Off-roading and minivans aren’t usually a thing, since with the rare exception it’s an activity that ends in disaster. But Chrysler said screw it and came up with its own trail version of the Pacifica, called the Grizzly Peak Concept, and it’s really pathetic. Like we didn’t think Chrysler could become more of a parody of itself, but then it did this.
The Nissan Xterra is coming back.
There are some weirdos out there who think minivans are really cool – they’re not. Sure, they’re incredibly practical people movers and we don’t blame parents with a bunch of young children for owning them.
But minivans aren’t outdoor adventure rides for a good reasons.
Chrysler took one of this all-wheel-drive versions of the Pacifica, gave it a suspension lift of 2.75 inches up front and 2.5 inches in the rear, then slapped some 31-inch BFGoodrich KO2 ATs mounted on 18-inch wheels, finally bolting up a roof basket.
This is about the laziest concept we’ve seen in the past decade.
First of all, even with the lift, the ground clearance on this minivan is laughable. And with that nice long wheelbase, the breakover angle is scary bad. That says nothing for the approach and departure angles, which are all sorts of wrong for any real trails.
We know the Subaru crowd won’t like this, but we speak from experience that all-wheel drive is enough to get your vehicle where it shouldn’t go in the great outdoors. With no set of lower, stronger gears for getting out of much and no lockers, it’s just a bad idea.
Chrysler didn’t even fabricate some steel bumpers that improved the approach and departure angles. It could’ve added a front-mounted winch that way and some more auxiliary lights that way. Like we said, this is a lazy concept, a half-hearted attempt from a dying brand.
This is sad.
Images via Stellantis
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