A few years ago, I looked at the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and its Uconnect 4 infotainment system featuring CarPlay and Android Auto, which I found to be a well-designed and eye-catching system with great CarPlay-integration. Fiat Chrysler, which merged with Groupe PSA earlier this year to become Stellantis, is now starting to roll out its next-generation infotainment system, the Uconnect 5, and I recently had the chance to test it in a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica.
Uconnect 5 was announced just over a year ago, but it’s still in the early stages of making its way to updated models, and the Pacifica was the first to get the new system. Uconnect 5 on the Pacifica runs on an excellent 10.1-inch infotainment screen that’s standard on all trims, though built-in TomTom navigation requires a higher-level trim or package beyond the standard Uconnect 5 system.
One of the key new features of the Uconnect 5 is support for wireless CarPlay, which until now has been limited to only a few large premium brands but is starting to roll out more widely as a growing number of manufacturers revamp their infotainment hardware. and software.
‘CarPlay’ home screenAs with the Uconnect 4, I found the new Uconnect 5 system to do an excellent job of integrating CarPlay, keeping a continuous, customizable menu bar at the bottom of the display and a thin status bar at the top, even when turning most parts. Display in ‘CarPlay’. The result is an excellent level of integration, allowing you to easily switch back and forth between CarPlay and the rest of the Uconnect system as needed.
Once your phone is connected the bottom menu bar allows for a dedicated ‘CarPlay’ icon and you can rearrange the icons to your liking. Whether you’re in ‘CarPlay’ or the main Uconnect system, the top status bar offers eye-catching information like the time and outside temperature, as well as configurable quick-access icons for features like climate control (manual climate controls are also available) and the interior “FamCam” that lets you see where the kids are sitting. Lets keep an eye on them.
‘CarPlay’ Apple MapsWireless CarPlay – Setup is super easy, with just a few taps on the Uconnect system and settings on your iPhone to confirm pairing. In that respect, CarPlay is a seamless experience, connecting automatically once the car is started and I didn’t experience any lag or problems with the wireless connection in my testing.
Carplay: “Now playing” screenThat nimble performance was evident throughout the Uconnect 5 system, with FCA saying the new hardware that comes with the Uconnect 5 has five times the processing power of the Uconnect 4 system. I also found the screen to be high-quality with bright colors. Overall, the Uconnect 5 system offers a clean, modern layout that will be familiar to those who used the previous version.
Uconnect 5 comes with a new home screen experience that supports multiple pages, customizable widgets and more, giving you a quick glance at your most important types of information, though less useful if you’re a heavy ‘CarPlay’ user. With the ability to configure five user profiles, preferences such as media, climate settings and seat and mirror positions can be customized for different drivers. Uconnect 5 is capable of supporting two phone connections simultaneously.
Connect up to 5 home screens with widgetsWireless CarPlay is great for short trips around town, but if you’re planning a long trip, you’ll probably want a way to charge your phone, and that’s where wireless charging comes in. The Pacifica has an optional wireless charging pad located at the base of the console, which lets you put your phone down and get some juice while driving.
Wireless charging pad and front USB portThe charging pad keeps your phone in place, which also helps reduce the temptation to pick it up and look at it. I found that the pad was large enough to accommodate my iPhone 12 Pro Max, although I found the placement a bit finicky as it gave me a red error light a few times when I put my phone down. A quick adjustment of the phone’s position, however, quickly changed the light to blue, confirming that it was charging my phone.
Unfortunately, while wireless CarPlay is standard with Uconnect 5, wireless charging is not standard on the 2021 Pacifica. The feature is only available on the high-end Limited and Pinnacle trims, as these are the only two trims that include an integrated console design with room for one.
Center console with USB and 12V portsIf you’re interested in or limited to a wired connection, the Pacifica certainly has you covered, with my Limited trim featuring two sets of USB inputs at the base of the center stack, with each set including USB-A and USB-C port options. . The storage compartment in the center console offers an additional set of USB-A and USB-C ports as well as a 12V power port.
Connect the theater seatback screenFor second-row users, my test Pacifica came equipped with the Uconnect Theater, which is great for kids on road trips. I gave a more extensive overview of the system in my 2018 Pacifica review, so I’ll just say that the system has a pair of 10-inch touchscreens for second-row passengers to offer games, media options, and more.
Each seatback screen has a headphone jack and HDMI and USB-A ports for connecting external devices, and a Blu-ray player and the front USB-A port can be used to send media to the rear screen. Each screen is paired with wireless headphones and a remote with touchpad and buttons, housed in a storage pocket specially designed for accessories.
Connect the theater port and accessory connectionsUConnect Theater is standard on Limited and Pinnacle trims and available on Touring L and Touring trims as part of the UConnect Theater Family Group Package.
Third-row passengers won’t get their own screens, so they’ll have to watch over their siblings’ shoulders, but at least they’ll get a set of USB-C/USB-A ports for charging their own devices on the Limited and the top trims. It is part of an optional package on lower trims.
In addition to all the infotainment bells and whistles, my Pacifica has a few other tech features including a “Stow ‘n Vac” integrated vacuum system with crevice and brush tools, which I take advantage of to clean up messy kids. Built-in vacuums are becoming increasingly popular in minivans and are very handy for taking care of messes without needing to haul a separate vacuum out from inside the house, garage or basement. Stow ‘n Vac is standard on the Limited and Pinnacle trims and included in the Uconnect Theater Family Group package on the Touring L trim.
Instrument cluster with 7-inch customizable information displayWhile my test 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was a Premium AWD trim that comes in at under $50,000 (there’s a higher Pinnacle trim for a few thousand more), even the base Touring trim that starts at more than $35,000 gets a 10.1-inch screen with wireless. . carplay
Infotainment systems are increasingly central to car buyers, so I appreciate the uniformity across Pacifica trims, and I’d like to see more manufacturers offering high-quality infotainment systems and convenience features like wireless CarPlay across all trim levels.
Wireless phone charging remains a high-end option, and sometimes quite expensive. As seen on the Pacifica, the availability of wireless charging is sometimes bundled with other features such as high-end console design, which is understandable, but I’m hopeful that it will roll out more widely across models and trims, especially with wireless ‘CarPlay’ and Android. Expand automatically and more customers demand an all-wireless experience.
