We know that minivans are great for people who have kids, but some people question their usefulness beyond the “soccer mom/dad stereotype. I recently spent time with the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle AWD and I used it for a short road trip to a Pantera concert, during which time the minivan proved to be a better tailgating machine that a pickup truck.
I go to lots of concerts and do lots of tailgating, usually with my Ram 1500. My Ram comfortably seats four adults or five, if the folks in the back are real friendly. Of course, the bed has loads of space to carry things like chairs and coolers, and once there, we can sit on the tailgate while enjoying pre-show libations and food. As for the Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle, it seats six comfortably, and with the plush cushions and premium leather surfaces, it does so more comfortably than most trucks will seat four or five.
Prior to heading out on the 90-minute drive to the Pantera concert, I loaded a couple coolers, a few chairs and a huge bag of popcorn into the rear cargo area of the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle, which fit easily with plenty of extra space. I then put a crock pot between the second row seats, plugging it into the outlet located next to the passenger’s side third row seat. We put some hot dogs in the crock pot and when we got to the show, they were nicely cooked. My Ram has a plug in the second row, but with five people in the cabin, or four people with any cargo that cant go in the bed, the crock pot cuts into space for the rear passengers’ feet. Since the Pacifica Pinnacle has captains chairs in the second row with a pass-through between them, that area served as a great location for the crock pot without being in anyone’s way.
On the drive to the venue, the concertgoers in the second row of the Pacifica played games on the screens that are mounted on the upper seatbacks of the front seat while we all listened to Pantera on the 19-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 provides great power, making the Pacifica quicker than many people would expect and we got around 26mpg on the highway on the way there.
Once we got to the venue, I had a chance to put the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle all-wheel-drive system to the test. Paved parking at this venue is largely reserved for VIP parking and those who get there really early, so by the time we arrived, we had to park in the gigantic field parking area. The path into the parking area is loose gravel and dirt, with sections of mud puddles, and with some rain a couple hours before the show, the field itself was wet and fairly slick. Some fans with rear-drive pickups were having some fun sliding around in the mud, but the AWD Pacifica handled the loose footing with ease. Had I been in a FWD model, I would have had to make a few moves around obstacles along the drive to the rear of the field, but with the AWD system, I confidently took on the roughest and sloppiest portions of the field.
Once we got to our parking space, we moved the crock pot into the rear cargo area, set up the chairs and did some tailgating without a tailgate. A couple people sat on the chairs and a couple of us sat on the edge of the rear door sill. It isn’t as comfortable as a tailgate, but it works just fine for a seat in that situation. We kept the music playing from the HK system and took requests from the others parked around us while enjoying our hot dogs, popcorn and beverages.
When it was time to head into the show, we loaded everything up into the cargo area and that was where it stayed until we got home after the show. With my truck, which does not have a tonneau cover, I have to put everything in the cab, then move it all to the bed to make room for people when we leave the show. Thanks to the interior space of the Pacifica, there was no cleanup to do after the show.
The morning after the show, I used Chrysler’s Stow ‘n Vac system to clean up a few bits of popcorn that escaped from the bag at the venue. When I clean my truck after a show, I have to lug the shop vac out to the driveway, so that advantage for the van is indisputable when it comes to cleanup.
On top of that all, this very well appointed 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle AWD has an MSRP of $59,720 – which is much less costly than my Ram 1500 Big Horn with far less luxury. Whether you are going to concerts or sporting events, the Chrysler Pacifica offers all sorts of upsides that make it a better tailgating vehicle than many trucks.
Patrick Rall is a professional writer and photographer with a passion for all things automotive. Having grown up in his father’s performance shop, he spent extensive time at the oval track and drag strip – both driving and wrenching on various types of vehicles. In addition to working as a writer, Patrick previously worked as an automotive technician before moving on to a business office position with a chain of dealerships, and this broad spectrum of experience in the industry allows him to offer a unique look on the automotive world. Follow Patrick on Twitter, Facebook and on Youtube.
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