• The Chrysler Pacifica takes its name from the company's West Coast design studio, the place where so many amazing concept cars were created;
• Chrylser says Pacifica establishes a new category of automotive travel. It's neither a minivan nor an SUV, nor a station wagon, but a "sports tourer" that features a roomy 2+2+2 seating arrangement;
• Available in front- or all-wheel-drive, the Pacifica draws its power from the same 250-horsepower V6 engine as the hrysler 300M sports sedan.

I had very high expectations for Chrysler's new Pacifica. After all, Chrysler considers this vehicle to be so important, so revolutionary - not a minivan, not a sport utility, not a station wagon, but a segment-buster like the P.T. Cruiser - that it named this segment-setting vehicle, this "sports tourer," after the Pacifica advanced product styling studio, Chrysler's West Coast design house that has been the fount the amazing concept cars that helped the company comeback from its K-car days.

Chrysler can't afford to jeopardize the name of the place and the people who created vehicles such as the Viper, Prowler, Atlantic, Crossfire, Chronos, Willys, Razor, Super 8, Power Wagon, Citadel, Sidewinder, Pronto Spyder and even the cab-forward vehicle architecture.

Yet my first impressions of the Pacifica were not the best:

First, the bottom cushion of the driver's seat seemed too short and was angled to a degree that it created pressure points a few inches above my knees, and the person sitting in the front passenger's seat had a similar complaint.

Next, the Pacific's windowsills are so high and its C and D pillars are so wide that it was difficult to achieve sufficient lateral and rearward vision just to back the car out of its parking space. Where's one of those beeping back-up proximity warning sensors when you need one, I wondered.

Finally, the car I tested came with a $1,595 optional navigation system, but instead of being mounted in the center console, the map display is built into the regular instrument cluster, right inside the large speedometer. That means passengers can't see the map, or reset the route should you change your destination. Worse, in daylight, even when adjusted to its strongest brightness, the map can be difficult for the driver to see, and is all but invisible when viewed through polarized sunglasses.

To make matters worse, apparently so the speedometer needle doesn't cover the map, there's only a short, almost holographic needle tip that indicates your speed. Like the navigation map, this short, thin red needle point can be difficult to see when the sun is shining.

At this point I'm figuring this is going to be a long, unpleasant week, and I hadn't even left the driveway. I fear the Pacifica is going to fall far below my lofty expectations.

But as the days unfolded, I was very pleasantly surprised. The car overcame my fears. By the end of the week, I was reluctant to give back the keys.

Although the Pacifica shares some of its underpinnings with the Town & Country minivan, I certainly didn't feel as if I was driving a soccer mom mobile. Nor does the Pacifica have the trucky ride of an SUV, although all-wheel drive is an option if you live in the Snow Belt.

The Pacifica I tested was the standard front-wheel-drive version, and had the ride and handling characteristics of a large and powerful sedan. The power comes from the 3.5-liter single overhead-cam V6 engine that is used in the Chrysler 300M. The engine provides 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. That power flows to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transaxle that you can control through Chrysler's AutoStick shifter.

Standard power-adjustable pedals, a tilting steering column and 10-way power seat adjustment help the driver achieve a comfortable position. The "performance" tuned suspension that includes rear architecture and self-leveling technology borrowed from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, provides just enough firmness so the driver can enjoy the car's powertrain and just enough softness to provide a comfortable ride for as many as five passengers.

By the way, the driver and passengers are arranged in three rows of bucket seats, and the second row has enough fore-aft adjustment to provide legroom for those sitting in back. The 2x2x2 seating arrangement allows space for a center console between the second row seats, and the back of that console has knee-level vents to keep those sitting in the rear comfortable.

All three rows are covered by a side-curtain airbag system. The Pacifica also has front airbags and a special knee blocker airbag for the driver.

The car rides on 17-inch Michelin MVX Energy tires, and a tire pressure monitoring system is standard equipment. The Pacifica has 12.5-inch front and 12.25-inch rear disc brakes with twin-piston calipers in front and standard anti-lock technology. Traction control also is a standard feature.

The Pacifica has a wide stance. Its 66-inch track is three inches wider than Town & Country minivans. The new sport tourer's stance is accented by the fact that the vehicle is only 66.5 inches tall, nearly 2.5 inches shorter than the traditional people mover. While width lends stability, Pacifica's 116.9-inch wheelbase, three inches shorter than the minivan's, contributes to its nimble feel. The vehicle's overall length is 198.9 inches, nearly two inches shorter than the minivan.

While providing lots of room on the inside, Pacifica's design is far from boxy. The car has a prominent front end with headlights mounted in chromed frames. The car's waistline rises as it flows from the front fenders to the base of the D pillars. From the rear, the car looks low and wide, not at all like a minivan or SUV, or even like an old-fashioned station wagon.

Chrome trim bumper accents at each corner enhance the car's appearance while adding a touch of elegance.

Inside the Pacifica, a chair rail-like panel wraps around the front and sides of the passenger compartment. Unlike most such accents, which tend to be flat and sharply angled, the Pacifica's features wonderfully sculpted curves instead of corners and provides nice dimension to the dashboard. And where similar panels can be a busy hodge-podge of door and window controls, the Pacifica's blends wood, chrome and aluminum-colored trim and switches in a wonderful and appealing way.

Another interior design element we particularly liked was the large metal-colored base plate for the shift lever. The plate provides an eye- and tactilely-pleasing accent to an otherwise luxurious passenger compartment.

But while looking and feeling luxurious, the Pacifica's interior also is versatile. Each of the second- and third-row seats can be easily folded, and the back of the left seat in the second row has a special flap that can be unfolded to provide a full-width cargo floor above the center console.

The backs of the front seats feature grocery bag hooks, and there's cargo space behind the third-row seats, both above the cargo floor and below it in a covered compartment.

Additional standard equipment includes dual-zone climate controls, power locks and windows, an wonderful array of audio controls mounted on the back of the steering wheel (with cruise control controls facing the driver), an in-dash CD player, lighted vanity mirrors, four-way power front passenger's seat, multiple power outlets and cup holders and storage bins, as well as fog lamps and high-intensity discharge headlamps.

The basic package is priced at $30,550.

Our test version was priced at $35,985 because it included leather seats -- heated in the first two rows -- an Infinity Intermezzo digital surround-sound audio system, an in-dash six-CD changer, hands-free communication system, nav system and a power lift gate. After using the power lift gate for a week, I can't imagine anyone would buy a Pacifica, or a Chrysler minivan for that matter, without this feature.

Four-wheel-drive would add another $1,750. Other available options include a DVD entertainment system, power sunroof, satellite radio and chrome wheels.

By the end of our week, the Pacifica had met most and even exceeded many of my expectations. It was easy to drive and park. It had plenty of versatile space. Friends flying into town almost felt as if they were being picked up by a limousine service.

Sure, there are some things I'd like to see changed, such as a little more sculpting of those big interior door pockets, so water bottles will stay upright, a brighter setting for the navigation map. It would be helpful if the lid on that rear under-floor storage compartment would stay upright on its own because the plastic tray beneath is such a nice place for bringing home groceries or even small plants from the garden center. And did I mention a brighter setting for the nav system map?

Yes, I know, I'm nit picking, but this vehicle has a name that carries an amazing heritage. Though after a full week at the wheel, I think the studio can be very proud of its product.