The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, a popular family-hauler, is a Top Safety Pick+, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Shoppers will need to look closely to find top-rated Pacifica variants, however.
Last week, the insurance industry-funded non-profit said headlight and pedestrian-detection system improvements made during the 2021 model year elevated the van to its top tier.
Still, all redesigned-for-2021 Pacifica vans scored the highest possible ratings in nearly every instrumented crash test performed by the IIHS. Overall, the vans have top-notch crash-avoidance tech, including automatic emergency braking, at least when detecting and braking for other vehicles. A few tweaks made during October 2021 production improved the automatic emergency braking system’s ability to detect and apply the brakes for pedestrians and cyclists.
Additionally, the IIHS says the standard LED headlights were improved beginning in April 2021, which saw a reduction in headlight glare and resulted in a shift from “Poor” to “Acceptable” ratings.
The Pacifica was revamped for 2021, though its predecessor was also rated a Top Safety Pick. That model missed out on the “+” rating due to its “Poor”-rated standard halogen headlights. The closely related 2021 Chrysler Voyager, sold only to fleet buyers, is equipped with those “Poor” headlights.
The IIHS has not said whether the Top Safety Pick+ rating will carry over into 2022, though the Pacifica sees only minor updates for the new model year. See Chrysler Pacifica models for sale
