Kelley Blue Book: The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan: This spacious plug-in hybrid performs its duties admirably, including the equivalent of about 82 mpg

What’s the difference between a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid? The plug-in hybrid (often referred to as a PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) has a stronger battery than a straight-ahead hybrid, which means it can cover a useful amount of ground on electricity alone.

Learn more: What is EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV? Here’s your guide to types of electric cars

In the Pacifica Hybrid’s case, that could be as much as 32 miles. For families using their minivan for regular short hops like the school run, they could recharge a Pacifica Hybrid every night (that’s the plug-in part) and hardly ever use any gasoline. But for those occasional road trips, there’s still a V-6 engine on board.

In other areas, the Pacifica Hybrid performs duties admirably as comfortable and spacious transport for up to seven occupants, with attractive features like powered sliding side doors as standard, along with a comprehensive set of safety features.

The non-hybrid 2022 Chrysler Pacifica is reviewed separately. That model offers all-wheel drive.

2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid pricing

The most affordable 2022 Pacifica Hybrid has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $46,760 plus a destination charge. The non-hybrid Pacifica range begins at a lower trim level, this hybrid version kicks off with the Touring L trim.

The Limited starts at $51,055, and the top Pinnacle trim is $55,035. Once at this extremely well-equipped point, there aren’t many options to push the price up further.

The main rival is the Toyota
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Sienna, whose entire range uses a hybrid (but not a plug-in hybrid) drivetrain. This model also offers all-wheel drive. The Sienna starts from about $35K, with seating for eight. A fairer comparison might be the next-up XLE trim, at approximately $41K.

Starting prices for non-hybrid rivals like the Honda
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Odyssey and Kia
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Carnival are practically $10K less than a 2022 Pacifica Hybrid, with their second-from-lowest trims costing between $3,500 to $5,500 more.

Also, keep in mind that the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid is eligible for a federal tax credit of $7,500. Various state incentives reduce the final amount even more. And then there are the savings in fuel.

Before buying, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to find out what others in your area paid for their new Pacifica Hybrid. Toyota and Honda have the strongest resale values.

Also check out: The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is an enticing blend of power and fuel economy

Driving the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Firstly, there’s no real learning curve to dealing with a plug-in hybrid. You can drive it just like a regular vehicle. Put it in gear, check surroundings, and off we go, steering and braking when necessary.

It’s easy enough in the Pacifica Hybrid. Outward vision is enhanced by a raised driving position, along with blind-spot monitoring. Maneuvering is aided by a 360-degree camera system, plus parking sensors at both ends with automatic braking.

To make the most of the hybrid battery’s capacity, though, it’s good to get into a habit of replenishing it at night or in parking spaces that have charging stations. And become familiar with the location of the “EV mode” button.

A new feature in the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid is a Max Regeneration message that comes up in the instrument cluster whenever recovered braking energy or particular conditions result in optimum fuel efficiency.

Also see: VW’s new electric microbus is retro outside, modern inside. When can you get one?

Interior comfort

The regular Pacifica starts out as an 8-seater. The 2022 Pacifica Hybrid seats seven, with a pair of captain’s chairs as standard in the second row. The third row can fold into the floor when more cargo space is required.

Occupant space and comfort are in plentiful supply, even in the third row. There are 10 cup holders, up to 12 USB ports, and now an N95 cabin filter that prevents 95% of particulates from entering the cabin, including bacteria, pollen, and other allergens.

A FamCam interior camera is offered, so grown-ups in the front seats can keep watch on the antics of those less mature passengers. Even the entry-level model still has a convex “conversation mirror” above the usual rearview mirror for a view into the back of Pacifica Hybrid.

Despite the extra hardware, this plug-in hybrid model doesn’t compromise on cargo space compared with its non-hybrid stablemate. Behind the rearmost row is a luggage area of 32.3 cubic feet. Maximum cargo volume behind the front seats measures 140.5 cubic feet. That’s pretty good, but if this aspect is particularly important, the Honda Odyssey does better.

Check out: 7 off-the-radar places worth stopping on a California road trip

Exterior styling

We’ve all seen hybrid cars looking different from regular cars, making whatever eco-friendly statement the driver wants to get across. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid doesn’t do that.

Apart from some understated badges, the casual observer would assume this was just another minivan, not the fuel-efficient family transport marvel it really is. But people don’t buy minivans for the looks, which are affected by the practical considerations of accommodating three rows of seating, plenty of headroom, and a generous luggage area.

Where a minivan wins over an SUV is the low step-in height and sliding side doors, making it so easy to get in and out.

Favorite features

Hands-free sliding side doors
Parents tend to need another pair of hands at most times, but especially when trying to get the herd into the car. Or, in this case, minivan. A wave of the foot opens the side doors or the tailgate. Touring L has these on the options list, and they’re standard in the top two trims.

Uconnect theater
It’s a grand-sounding name for a rear-seat entertainment system, but this is quite a grand setup. It now includes Amazon
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Fire TV for Auto streaming content, apps, and games, plus a Blu-ray player, twin 10.1-inch screens, a domestic 115-volt outlet, a cabin camera, and a vacuum cleaner. Those sitting up front can enjoy features on the infotainment touchscreen when the vehicle is in Park. Standard in Pinnacle trim, optional in Touring L and Limited.

Related: Does driving an electric car really save you money? A cheapskate runs the numbers

Standard features

At its entry level, the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, power-sliding side doors, powered tailgate, keyless entry/start, remote start, tri-zone automatic climate control, N95 cabin air filter, heated/leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat (with memory settings), simulated leather seating surfaces, self-dimming rearview mirror, garage door opener, and sunshades for the second and third seating rows.

Safety and driver assistance features include rain-sensing wipers, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control with stop/go, 360-degree camera system, front/rear parking sensors with automatic stop, self-parking feature for parallel and perpendicular spaces, and automatic high beams.

A 10.1-inch touchscreen controls the infotainment system, which includes wireless Apple
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CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, Amazon Alexa compatibility, voice commands, and satellite radio.

Factory options

Limited raises the luxury quotient with a dual-pane sunroof, Nappa leather seating surfaces, hands-free operation of the sliding side doors and tailgate (optional in the Touring L), heated/ventilated front seats, 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated 2nd-row seats, vacuum cleaner, navigation, and a 20-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

Pinnacle comes with quilted Nappa leather seating surfaces, 2nd-row lumbar pillows, 18-inch alloy wheels, a posher center console, and the Unconnect Theater package that now includes Amazon Fire TV for Auto. Depending on trim, the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid offers up to 12 USB ports, including USB-C versions.

Touring L trim is also eligible for a 13-speaker Alpine sound system when ordered with the Uconnect Theater bundle.

Engine and transmission

Making a muscular 260 horsepower in total, the 2022 Pacifica Hybrid has a 3.6-liter V6 (using regular 87-octane gasoline) and a pair of electric motors energized by a lithium-ion battery. An automatic transmission sends drive to the front wheels.

On battery power alone, the Pacifica Hybrid can travel for up to 32 miles. With a full tank and a full battery, the total range is 520 miles.

The Environmental Protection Agency calculates miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) figures for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. The 2022 Pacifica Hybrid is estimated to achieve 82 MPGe in combined driving (a mix of 45% on the highway and 55% in the city). When running as a conventional hybrid, it averages around 30 mpg. These EPA figures are for the 20221 Pacifica Hybrid; we don’t expect them to change for the 2022 model.

Read: Your complete guide to MPGe, the electric equivalent of miles per gallon

3.6-liter V6/dual electric motors, 16 kWh battery
260 total system horsepower
EPA city/highway combined fuel economy: 30 mpg/82 MPGe
Battery-only range: 32 miles

This story originally ran on KBB.com.