It is not a minivan, not a sedan, not a "crossover,' nor a sports-utility model. It is a family wagon, available in Base, Touring or Limited trim with front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. It has seating for five people in Base format and seating for six in the Touring and Limited iterations.

Newer rivals, such as the General Motors trio of the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, have seating for up to eight adults. For that and other reasons, this column currently ranks the GM trio as the leaders in the family wagon segment.

Ride, acceleration, and handling: The Pacifica Touring gets good ratings in all three categories. That means it meets or exceeds the driving expectations of most commuting families.

Head-turning quotient: Attractive, mainstream.

Body style/layout: The Pacifica is a front-engine, mid-size, entry-level luxury family wagon available in three trim levels (Base, Touring, Limited) with front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. It has four side doors and a rear liftgate, the latter available with an automatic option.

Engines/transmissions: The Pacifica Touring and Limited models come with a four-liter V-6 engine that develops 255 horsepower at 6,000 revolutions per minute and 265 foot-pounds of torque at 4,100 rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The Base version gets a 3.8-liter, 200-horsepower V-6 mated to a four-speed automatic with manual shift capability.

Capacities: There is seating for six people in the Pacifica Touring. Maximum cargo space is 80 cubic feet with second- and third-row seats folded and 13 cubic feet with second- and third-row seats up. The wagon can be equipped to tow up to 3,500 pounds. Fuel capacity is 23 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.

Mileage: We averaged14 miles per gallon in the city and 22 miles per gallon on the highway. Improvement is needed here.

Safety: Side and head air bags are standard. Ditto antilock brakes, electronic stability and traction control.