Apparently, Chrysler looked around the van-life scene and said, “Hold my latte.” The result is the Pacifica Grizzly Peak Concept, an off-road-ready family hauler making its debut at Overland Expo Mountain West, August 22-24, 2025, in Loveland, Colorado. Yes, the company best known for school-drop-off shuttles is now gunning for a spot among Sprinters, Transits, and Tacomas. Bold move.

Minivan Meets Mountain Pass

The Chrysler design studio decided the Pacifica’s all-wheel-drive system and cavernous interior were too good not to reimagine. They cranked the suspension up 2.75 inches in the front and 2.5 in the rear, then fitted 31-inch BFGoodrich A/T KO2 all-terrains onto 18-inch Foreshadow wheels. Suddenly, this minivan doesn’t look like it’s heading to the carpool lane. Instead, it looks like it’s ready to chase trails into the Rockies.

Inside, Chrysler yanked out the third-row seats and replaced them with a flat cargo floor panel. That means you can finally stretch out and sleep in the back without contorting yourself around folded seatbacks. It’s not quite #vanlife luxury, but it’s a heck of a lot better than trying to nap across the second row with a cooler digging into your ribs.

The versatility of the Chrysler Pacifica Grizzly Peak concept is highlighted with an ARB retractable awning, providing shaded outdoor space.

Creature Comforts, Overland Edition

Of course, Chrysler didn’t stop at a lift kit and tires. They stacked the Grizzly Peak concept with gear that makes it look more like an overlanding rig than a PTA shuttle. There’s a Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform rack up top for hauling gear, along with roof-mounted TYRI LED lighting and a set of Baja Designs LP4 fog lights for turning night into day. An ARB retractable awning deploys from the roof for those moments when you realize sunscreen was an afterthought, while the exterior is wrapped with protective film and Mopar splash guards to keep the matte Arktos paint from looking like it lost a fight with gravel.

Step inside and you’ll find Katzkin leather seating trimmed with orange seat belts, a sport steering wheel with paddle shifters, and a Cement Gray and Liquid Titanium color scheme that looks more trail chic than soccer mom. Chrysler even tucked in some thoughtful details like stackable Mopar totes for your gear, a 115-volt/450-watt outlet in the rear for powering camp essentials, and a Mopar roadside first-aid kit, just in case your mountain biking ambitions exceed your actual skills. There’s even a space-saver spare tire—something you’d think would be standard on a concept built for off-road use, but hey, better late than never.

A large cargo floor panel opens up to provide loads of extra storage space for the Chrysler Pacifica Grizzly concept.

Chrysler’s Pacifica Trail-Side Pitch

Chris Feuell, Chrysler’s CEO, explained the vision behind the concept:“We’ve been following van life for years, and we know adventurers really value the versatility the Pacifica delivers. Our design studio nailed the brief… lifted the suspension, added functional features, and tailored the cabin for sleeping. We’re excited to get feedback from van-life adventurers on our newest concept of the most awarded minivan ever.”

Translation: Chrysler saw what you did with plywood and Amazon awnings in your driveway and thought, “We can do this, too.”

The Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform storage rack on the roof of the Chrysler Pacifica Grizzly Peak provides extra space for gear during van-life adventures.

So, Should You Take The Pacifica Grizzly Peak Seriously?

For now, the Grizzly Peak is just a concept. But showing it off at Overland Expo sends a clear signal: Chrysler wants in on the overlanding conversation. Whether it ever makes it to showrooms remains to be seen, but the idea is fun. It’s a reminder that van life doesn’t have to mean mortgaging your house for a Sprinter or resurrecting a thirty-year-old Mitsubishi Delica. Sometimes, all it takes is a minivan on 31s.