The Pacifica Proves Minivans are Better than Ever

SUVs have taken over much of the auto industry in the last few decades, and in the process, they’ve pushed minivans aside for a lot of people. Yet, some manufacturers continue to offer minivans that are not only large and spacious but include features far beyond what you might expect. As your Colorado Springs Chrysler dealership, we are incredibly pleased to offer the full lineup of Chrysler vehicles, including the Pacifica, the most impressive minivan on the road.

That might seem like a bold claim, especially when you look at some other fine options from brands like Honda, Toyota, and Kia. We’re certainly not about to say that something like the Honda Odyssey or the Toyota Sienna are bad – it’s just that the Chrysler Pacifica is better. From its impressive standard engine and available all-wheel drive to the fact that the Pacifica offers a plug-in hybrid engine that delivers a great all-electric range for running errands or getting around town, the Pacifica does it all better. But you don’t have to take our word for it; let’s see how Chrysler’s remarkable minivan stacks up against the competition.

Engine and Performance

In terms of its engine, the Chrysler Pacifica certainly has some stiff competition, and though it’s superior, it’s not by a huge margin. That being said, the Pacifica’s engine is the perfect example of how much better minivans are these days than they used to be. The Pacifica features a 3.6L V6 engine that delivers 287 hp and comes paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is available for boosted performance and traction in rough or slippery conditions. There’s also a 260 hp hybrid engine available, but we’ll get into that more when we look at fuel economy.

By comparison, the Honda Odyssey has an impressive engine of its own: a 3.5L V6 that delivers 280 hp, which is quite close to what you get in the Pacifica. The Toyota Sienna lags behind quite a bit with a 2.5L hybrid engine that offers just 245 hp, while the Kia Carnival (Kia calls it a Multi-Purpose Vehicle or MPV, but we can all see it’s a minivan) features a 3.5L V6 with 290 hp. We’ll admit the power of the Carnival is impressive, though we should note it offers 3,500 lbs of towing capacity, just like the Odyssey, both of which are beat by the Pacifica’s 3,600 lbs of towing.

Fuel Economy

Minivans like the Chrysler Pacifica are large vehicles, as big and with as much seating as the largest SUVs. As such, a lot of people assume they have fuel economy as bad as the most egregiously gas-sucking full-size SUV. In reality, however, there’s been a lot of work to make models like the Pacific as fuel-efficient as possible – in fact, with a plug-in hybrid option available, the Pacifica can have an incredible fuel economy.

With its standard engine and front-wheel drive, the Pacifica gets an estimated 19 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined fuel economy. This is pretty much as good or better than the competitors: the Honda Odyssey gets an estimated 19 MPG in the city, 28 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined, while the Kia Carnival comes in with 19 MPG in the city, 26 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined. The leader here, however, is the Toyota Sienna, which gets an estimated 35 MPG in the city, 36 MPG on the highway, and 35 MPG combined.

How does the Sienna blow away other minivans in terms of fuel efficiency? Every Sienna model is a hybrid – that’s the only powertrain option, which allows it to have great fuel economy; the downside, however, is that its horsepower is lacking. The Chrysler Pacifica has an available plug-in hybrid engine that allows you to get about 33 miles of all-electric range without touching the gas tank – you can run errands or get around town without using any gas. When fully taking advantage of this, the Pacifica has an estimated 82 MPGe combined fuel economy, destroying every other minivan on the road.

Interior Features

If you haven’t been in a modern minivan, then you might expect a barebones interior like the family vehicles of the 90s. In reality, however, these models have been updated and improved by huge degrees over the last few years. The current Chrysler Pacifica features the latest Uconnect system with advanced features and improved technology.

This starts with a 10-inch full-color infotainment display that comes standard on every model, joined by a 7-inch customizable instrument cluster display for the driver. Support for Wireless Apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto are both standard, and the 2022 Pacifica now has support for Amazon Fire TV available. This works with the pair of available 10-inch rear-seat displays to keep kids and other passengers entertained (we know it’s not just kids that can get bored on long road trips). The standard interior features an 8-way power driver’s seat, though the available Pinnacle trim features quilted Nappa leather-trimmed seating, unique satin chrome accents, and more refined details.

The technology inside the Pacifica goes even further, with available options that include a FamCAM interior camera that lets you keep an eye on your rear seats – its positioning even lets you check in on a child in a rear-facing child seat. Oh, and those rear-seat displays we mentioned come with HDMI ports, a Blu-ray player, and wireless headphones (you’re welcome). For your enjoyment as the driver, there’s an available 19-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system with a 10-inch subwoofer that’s absolutely stunning.

By comparison, the Honda Odyssey features an 8-inch infotainment display and an available 11-speaker sound system. The Toyota Sienna has a 9-inch display with an available 12-speaker JBL sound system, while the Kia Carnival has a standard 8-inch infotainment screen and an available 12-speaker sound system – though a larger display is available for the Carnival. As you can see, these options fall short of what you get on the Chrysler Pacifica. If you’re a music lover, the Harman Kardon sound system in the Pacifica just can’t be beat by any other minivan.

Safety Features

Since most of us see a minivan as a family-focused vehicle, you really want it to have great safety features to protect you and your loved ones. Fortunately, all of these minivans we’ve been looking at come through with some of the most impressive standard features we’ve seen. There are plenty of SUVs and similar models priced about the same as these ones that don’t come close to what they offer in terms of safety.

The Pacifica features pedestrian automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and a full-speed forward collision warning with an active braking system, all standard. You also get a lane departure warning with a lane keep assist system, blind spot monitoring, and a rear cross-traffic alert standard on every model. If you want to take things further, then there are a few available options like 360 Surround View, which gives you a virtual look at the area around your vehicle, plus parallel and perpendicular park assist and front park assist to make maneuvering your minivan easier.

Similarly, the Odyssey comes with Honda’s Sensing package that includes a forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control, though a blind spot information system with a rear cross-traffic alert are optional. The Sienna features Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 with a blind spot monitor, pre-collision system, and lane departure alert, all standard, but front and rear parking assist are optional. Finally, the Kia Carnival also delivers on a forward collision avoidance system with pedestrian detection, a lane departure warning, and cross-traffic alert standard, though a blind spot assist system is an available option.

The Pacifica Gives You More

As you can see, all of these great models have a lot to offer. The Chrysler Pacifica simply gives you more: impressive horsepower, unbeatable towing capacity, and the only available plug-in hybrid engine to take fuel economy to the next level. There’s no denying that minivans have come a long way in the last decade, with the Pacifica showing off everything you could want.