The "Base" model was created as a deconted version of the car for 2005, in response to slow sales. Chrysler did a similar thing with the Pacifica, when it was realized that mid to high $30K vehicles were a little out of step with the realities of the Chrysler brand at the time. To this day, it remains debatable if Chrysler is an upscale brand, a midrange brand, or a value brand. Still, it blows my mind that loaded 4x4 trucks sell like hotcakes for well over $30K, but the excellent Pacifica would not move until the price dropped deep into the 20K range.