There was something discomfiting about the Pacifica after a few days of driving. The novelty of the überwagon–which Chrysler calls a "sports tourer"–had worn off. I was fiddling with one of the many tiny buttons on the very busy dashboard when it hit me: The Pacifica tries too hard. It tries too hard to be different, it tries too hard to make a statement, it tries too hard to carve out a profitable new niche as an SUV-lite. The Pacifica seems like a bold move at first, but it turns out Chrysler has hedged its bet.

First, however, there's a lot about the Pacifica that's quite appealing. I love the looks, partly derived from the hot-rod styling of the PT Cruiser. The Pacifica is kind of a gangster minivan: a low-riding, high-sitting familymobile with a convenient third-row seat. There are bursts of artistic elegance: The dash has an unusual undulating contour that soothes the eye and seems to create a little additional space to boot. Performance is solid. The steering is tuned for sporty driving– firm but not rigid–and meaty 17-inch tires produce a stable, if not serene, ride. The V-6 engine is smooth and capable, though not a rocket. The molded seats are plush and comfortable, and the overall driving experience is pleasant and fun.

There are some oddities, though. The Pacifica is family friendly–but so determined to avoid the stodgy minivan label that some convenient features have been left off. Instead of a pass-through between the second-row bucket seats–the gap that lets kids slip quickly into the third row–there's a stylish center console with cup holders and a storage box. I appreciate the Gulfstream touch, but guess how my 6-year-old got into the rear seat: Instead of waiting for me to flip up one of the middle buckets, she clambered right over the center console, leaving footprints on top of it. Another week and it would have been broken. Another nod to image over function: A bench seat in the middle instead of those two bucket seats would raise capacity from six to seven, but the Pacifica seems eager to avoid carpool territory.

On the other hand, cramming three rows of seats into a modest-size chassis compromises comfort, since there's minimal adult legroom in the second row and the third row is Lilliputian. Then there's that cluttered instrument panel. Yuck. Chrysler has taken a beautiful backdrop, that curvy dashboard, and junked it up with lots of pedestrian gadgetry. It feels as though the company wasn't confident that an elegant design would be enough to woo the upscale parents who form the target audience. So the designers loaded it with gadgets just in case.

Chrysler likes to say that the Pacifica is hard to categorize because it is a "segmentbuster." For the average family, it's also a budgetbuster, starting at more than $31,000 for the most basic model. This is curious territory, a family vehicle that can only be had for over 30 grand. Chrysler, which pioneered the affordable minivan in the 1980s, has been trying to move its image upscale. So for now, the only Pacificas available are luxury models. Standard features include leather and wood trim, a 10-way power seat on the driver's side, dual air conditioning , and lots of other amenities. That makes the base model a great package, but it also puts it out of reach of buyers who might enjoy the Pacifica's ride and functionality and be able to live without some of the premium features. Chrysler has suggested it might offer a more stripped-down version if it fails to win over enough minivan or SUV acolytes. My bet is that Chrysler will be relieved that it left itself a safety net while charting new territory.