Our long-term 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is ready for a year of hard work

It's going to be a good year.

This is our long-term 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

We're going to put it through its paces over the next 12 months.

We want to show that minivans are still great options for families on the go.

Its 3.6-liter V6 puts out an ample 287 horsepower while returning 19 mpg city and 28 highway.

With a starting price of $28,995, it's affordable for the family that needs reliable transportation for a whole bunch of people.

This specific model is fully loaded, though, so the price leaps up to $48,950.

A fully loaded Pacifica comes with plenty of modern trappings, like remote start, keyless entry with automatic sliding doors, heated and ventilated leather seats, parking sensors, a vacuum and 360 degrees of camera coverage.

Its 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen packs a new, flat UI design with access to just about everything in the car, from the camera system to the 3G Wi-Fi hotspot.

Stay tuned -- we've got plenty of ideas for this bad boy over the next year.