The Chrysler Pacifica has gone from being a minivan to a crossover, and back and forth again, ever since it was introduced to the market in 1999. For 2022, the car has returned to its original minivan status and competes with the Honda Odyssey, the Kia Sedona, and the notoriously reliable Toyota Sienna.
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The 2022 Pacifica gets 19 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. Its 3.6-liter engine has six cylinders and 287 hp. Its cargo space holds 32.3 cubic feet with the seats up, it has a curb weight registering at around 4300 lbs and a towing capacity of 3600 lbs. On paper, the Chrysler Pacifica is an amazing minivan for families. But here's how it stacks up against its rivals, the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey, and the Kia Carnival.
9The Honda Odyssey Is Slightly Less Expensive
The Chrysler Pacifica starting price is $36,425 with 4 other additional trims to choose from, the most expensive costing just over $40,000. The Honda Odyssey however starts at $3,000 less at $33,000.
The Odyssey is comparable to the Pacifica because it has equal towing capacity, the same fuel economy, and almost equal horsepower (280 hp).
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8The Chrysler Pacifica Has Better Reviews Than The Kia Carnival
Both are comparable and highly well-reviewed, both averaging almost a full five stars. The Kia Carnival is the 2022 replacement for their previous minivan option, the Kia Sedona, but the nameplate change is only that, otherwise the Sedona and Carnival are basically the same van, as Carnival is built on chassis similar to the Sedona and comes with all of the same features.
The Carnival gets the same city mileage as the Pacifica but less on the highway, 26 MPG. The Carnival is also comparable to the Pacifica but with just a little more horsepower, 290 hp. The Carnival is also the cheaper option, starting at $32,000.
Related: Here Are Our Favorite Features Of The 2022 Kia Carnival
7Both the Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica Have V6 Engines
Both vans are front-wheel-drive vehicles with V6 engines and relatively equal horsepower but one little difference is in the transmission system.
The Pacifica comes with a 9-speed automatic transmission but the Odyssey a 10-speed. The Odyssey’s transmission is built with Shift-By-Wire and paddler shifters.
6The Toyota Sienna Gets Much Better Gas Mileage
While the fuel economy of the Chrysler Pacifica, The Kia Carnival, and the Honda Odyssey are all respectable, the Toyota Sienna blows them all away. Starting at only $34,000, the 2022 Toyota Sienna gets 36 MPG in both the city and on the highway!
It has lower horsepower than the other vans, only 245 hp, but still has a towing capacity comparable to the Pacifica, 3,600 pounds.
5The Kia Carnival Has The Most Cargo Room
In addition to price and fuel economy, another advantage the Toyota Sienna has over the Chrysler Pacifica is cargo space. The Sienna has 33.5 cubic feet of built-in cargo room, an extra foot more than the Pacifica.
The Honda Odyssey has just under 33 cubic feet, but the Kia Carnival wins with 40 cubic feet of built-in cargo space.
Related: Here’s How The 2022 Kia Carnival May Compare With Its Rivals
4The Pacifica Has A 5 Star Safety Rating
The National Highway Traffic Safety Association gave the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica a 5-star safety review. The Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna also both have 5 stars. The five star rating is a vast improvement for Chrysler, in 2018 the Pacifica suffered numerous recalls due to safety concerns.
2018 was not a good year for Chrysler’s safety rating, the company recalled almost 5 million of their vehicles that year alone.
3The Pacifica Has Remote Start As A Standard Feature
Remote start means that one can start their car with either an app or a special key before entering the car to either properly warm up an engine or defrost a windshield, or for whatever reason one might need. For the Chrysler Pacifica, remote start is a standard built-in option.
It is also available in the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. The Kia Carnival also can come with remote start, and like most modern vehicles it operates with a smart key, however, Kia customer forums report more problems with Kia’s remote start and key than with the other vehicles.
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2Differences In Horsepower Between Its Competition Is Negligible
Except for the Toyota Sienna’s 245 hp, all of the cars competing against the Chrysler Pacifica can achieve between 280 - 290 horsepower.
All the vehicles have 3.5 or 3.6-liter engines and similar transmissions, however, the Kia Carnival only has an eight-speed transmission, all the others are either nine or ten-speed.
1The Kia Carnival Comes With A Better Warranty
While most of the Chrysler Pacifica’s competitors all have similar warranties, 3 year 36,000 miles or 5 year 60,000 miles, the Kia is the only one to offer a 10 year 100,000-mile warranty. The five-year warranty is standard for most American made cars, like Chryslers, but Kia has become famous for their 10-year warranty and they have used it as a marketing point for almost 2 decades.
In conclusion, while the Chrysler Pacifica can hold up its own when it comes to safety, horsepower, and fuel economy, the Toyota Sienna is both a cheaper option and has far superior gas mileage. The Kia is also a cheaper option and offers a much better warranty and the most cargo room. The Honda Odyssey is pretty evenly matched against the Chrysler Pacifica for all specs and features with the Pacifica coming out ahead on fuel economy, but just barely.
10 Chrysler Cars From The '90s That Could Have Been So Much Better Read NextShareTweetShareEmail Related TopicsAbout The AuthorJames J. Jackson(81 Articles Published)
James J. Jackson is a writer with words in TheThings, Sacramento News and Review, Ariel Chart Journal, and more.Like many a gear head, he grew up holding the flashlight for his mechanic dad.
