Pacifica overtures

The SUV continues its downward spiral with domestic automakers trying to extricate themselves from the vortex. You could say there was good and bad news, with the latter rather more problematic: Ward’s data shows sales of large SUVs dipped 43 percent in September from the year before. Hardest hit overall was GM (24.2 percent sales decline from last year) and Ford (20.3 percent).

In particular anguish were the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, as well as the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe (all off more than 50 percent). Meanwhile, Honda, Toyota and Nissan, with economy cars and hybrids in the fleet, saw sales gains of from 10 to 16 percent.

As Americans struggle to cut back on high-priced driving, gasoline sales also took a dive several weeks in a row. Meanwhile, President Bush, who did all but don Jimmy Carter’s sweater in asking his fellow citizens to stay off the roads, was himself tooling around on planes and helicopters and in automobiles as if there was no tomorrow.

"Almost every vehicle Mr.ush uses is custom-made to add security and communications capabilities," AP reported, "and the heavier weight of these guzzlers further drives up gas and jet fuel costs."

It costs $110,975 to fuel up Air Force One for much-needed New Orleans photo ops.

I said there was good news for the industry in all of this. Newsweek says one in four vehicles sold is still a sport-utility vehicle. And an AutoPacific survey found 56 percent of Americans say they will not downsize their gas guzzlers. J.D. Power is still predicting growth in the SUV market, from 24.6 percent today to 26.6 percent by the end of the decade.

Before Detroit celebrates, it should be pointed out the SUV market is shifting markedly, from the big boys to much smaller, car-based crossover vehicles. Out goes the Hummer H2 in comes the H3. And to that field add the Chrysler Pacifica, which is currently in my driveway. It should be pointed out DaimlerChrysler was the one Big Three member that saw some sales bright spots, largely because it has an extensive car and crossover inventory.

I first saw the Pacifica on a New York show stand in 2002 and it upheld Chrysler’s reputation for major styling coups. It’s big, sure, but it’s also very sleek and as much station wagon and minivan as SUV. The minivan resemblance is enhanced inside with a wide range of thoughtful bins and storage pockets, as well as third-row seating. The kids get a fold-out DVD player, complete with privacy headphones.

Under the skin, there’s a lot of Chrysler 300 in the Pacifica, including the 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine (there’s no economy option). The vehicle weighs 900 pounds more than the 300 and the penalty is felt in fuel economy: 17 mpg city, 22 on the highway.

Prices start at $25,895 for a base model with front-wheel drive and two rows of seats and zooms up to $37,415 for a Limited with all-wheel drive. The latter also includes 19-inch wheels, auto climate control, heated leather seats, a fancy stereo and the aforementioned DVD system. The navigation system in our tester was sidelined by a bum DVD.

The Pacifica was practical and fun to drive. It’s a step away from the Excursions and Hummers of this world, but it may not be quite far enough as the energy wars continue to heat up. And heat up they will. Despite GM honcho Bob Lutz’s optimistic prediction gas will soon be below $2 a gallon, I read the tea leaves differently.