2021 Chrysler Pacifica

The engine under the hood is the same 3.6L V6 that is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission just like last year. The Pacifica is available in four trim lines, which are Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle. It is available in both FWD as well as AWD configurations, while the top two trims are AWD-only. Pricing starts at $35,045 and goes up to $53,390 for the top-end model. The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica competes with the 2021 Honda Odyssey, 2021 Toyota Sienna, which comes with a hybrid powertrain now, and the 2021 Kia Sedona EX. Let's see if the 2021 Pacifica will emerge victorious competing with these rivals.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica comes in four trim lines, which are Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle. All trims are powered by the same 3.6L V6 generating 287 hp and 262 lb-ft while mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. The Touring and Touring L trims are available in FWD as well as AWD drivetrain configurations, whereas the top two trims are AWD only. The base Touring trim starts at $35,045 and is feature-packed for a base trim. It can also be equipped with various packages including the ‘S Appearance package’ that adds bigger 18-inch wheels, premium cloth trimmed seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a whole lot of other exterior design touches along with an ‘S’ badging. The ‘Uconnect Theatre Family Group’ package that adds a rear-seat entertainment unit and a lot of other goodies is also an available option. 

Stepping up to the Touring L trim, you get leather upholstery along with some other features as standard. The ‘Premium and Safety Sphere Group Package’ worth $2,295 that comes with a lot of safety, infotainment, and interior features is an available option with this trim. The Limited trim has a significantly increased price from the lower trim and adds a whole lot of features. It gets some available options and packages. All of these available options and packages earlier specified are standard features in the top-end Pinnacle trim. The only available package with the Pinnacle trim is the ‘Trailer Tow Group’ package. 

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The low-end Touring and the mid-high level Limited would be the best choices in the Pacifica lineup. For someone who needs a budget-friendly option, it is better to opt for the Touring variant. Any of the available packages can be added for more features and extra comfort. It is better to stay away from the Touring L as it offers very few extra features over the base trim. The Limited, however, comes with an extensive set of features, and for a more luxurious travel experience, it is ideal. It also comes with some available package options which can be equipped for even more features.

All models of the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica are equipped with a 3.6L V6, which is the same engine that came with the 2020 model. The engine is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and puts out 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of maximum power and torque. The maximum power is outputted at a relatively higher 6,400 rpm, which means that the engine revs pretty high up for a minivan. The lower two trims come with the choice between FWD or AWD drivetrain options, whereas the higher two trims are AWD only. 

Even though the Pacifica seems plenty powerful on paper, the performance is not as expected. The engine is strong and always has enough power to deliver, but it just misses the wow factor. The 2021 Pacifica takes 7.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and crosses the quarter-mile mark in 16.3 seconds. These are not the best figures in the segment, even though the power figures are the highest. The 9-speed automatic transmission is also not the best but does the job quite well. Overall the Pacifica is a powerful minivan that just isn’t very thrilling. After all, it's a minivan, but there are more engaging competitors in the segment.

The table tells us that the Honda Odyssey is the fastest, followed by the Pacifica. When it comes to using all that power and speed in different road conditions, the Pacifica succeeds, and it delivers enough power throughout the rev range. Among the competition, the Chrysler Pacifica and the Toyota Sienna are the ones that come in an AWD version also, whereas the Kia and Honda are limited to FWD models. Based on sheer performance numbers, the Pacifica is a winner as it sprints to 60 mph and runs through the quarter-mile in respectable numbers beating the Toyota and Kia. 

How well does the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Drive and Handle?

Handling is not the turf of the Chrysler Pacifica. In fact, it is not something minivans are usually admired for. And in that regard, Pacifica’s handling is not the most enthusiastic even while keeping in mind that it is a huge minivan. There are much better handling vehicles in the segment. The Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna are the best handling vehicles in the segment, and among them, the Odyssey is the best.

The Pacifica, however, delivers impressive ride quality over different road conditions, keeping the occupants comfortable. The seats are soft and comfortable, and long rides in the Pacifica won’t make you tired. It is best suited for highway cruises as there is body roll in corners and tight turns. This is expected from a vehicle of its size, and it’s not too much to be worried about. However, on the driving and handling front, the Pacifica is not the most engaging option in the segment.

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica? 

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica comes equipped with very efficient and well-performing brakes. The front and rear wheels are fitted with 13.0-inch brake calipers that deliver impressive stopping power. The Pacifica stops from 60 mph at a distance of 120.5 ft, which is impressive and the best in class. The brake rotor size also happens to be the best in class. The Pacifica weighs slightly on the higher side, but still, the braking performance is superb.

As mentioned earlier, the Pacifica is the best in terms of braking performance. It gets the largest brake calipers and stops at the shortest distance. The Odyssey, which comes in second place even with a significant weight advantage, takes 5 ft. more than the Pacifica to stop from 60 mph. The Toyota takes a little bit more, but the difference is not very huge. The braking distance of the Kia Sedona is not available and hence the comparison is not possible.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, even with the highest power outputs and the higher rev range, still delivers an impressive fuel economy. It provides a fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city, 28 on the highway, and a combined mpg of 22 in combined city and highway conditions. The Pacifica comes with 19.0 gallons of fuel capacity and delivers a combined range of around 418 miles. The fuel capacity and the range are respectable but lower than what all of the competition provides. Still, the Pacifica can take you a long distance before it needs a refill.

The hybrid-powered Sienna is obviously the most fuel-efficient one in the segment, but let's keep that one apart from the gas-powered rivals. The Pacifica and the Odyssey provide the best gas fuel economy of an identical 22 mpg combined. When it comes to range, the Kia Sedona with the largest 21.1-gallon fuel tank delivers the best range of around 443 miles. The Pacifica provides the least range, which is evident from the table. However, the fuel economy is good, and the difference in range is not drastic, so the Pacifica does perform pretty well in the fuel economy segment. 

The interior quality in the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is good, and the cabin is well-built. The central screen, controls, buttons, and knobs are very neatly arranged and are all convenient to reach and use. The interior does feature some hard plastic at places which is not up to the mark of the overall interior quality of the vehicle. Those could have been avoided and replaced with soft-touch top-quality elements to provide a more premium look and feel. The cabin features air conditioning with 3-zone automatic temperature control and rear air-conditioning with heater as standard. The interior space is good in the front and second-row seats, while the third row is a bit cramped and not advisable for large adults.

The Pacifica features premium cloth bucket seats in the lowest base Touring trim, whereas the Touring L trim gets Mckinley perforated Leather-trimmed seats and a Leather-wrapped steering wheel. Premium Nappa Leather-trimmed seats arrive in the Limited trim, whereas the top-most Pinnacle trim features Quilted Caramel Nappa Leather-trimmed seats with second-row lumbar pillows. The seats are very comfortable and keep the occupants comfortable in short runs as well as long journeys. The second row features captain’s chairs with integrated pillows in the higher trims for added comfort. The Pacifica comes with a cargo capacity of 32.3 cu-ft, which is the least in the segment. 

The Chrysler and the Toyota come with the most stylish interior design and layout. The buttons and dials are best placed and comfortable in these models. The Honda Odyssey and the Kia Sedona come with an outdated interior that is not very appealing to the eyes. The Pacifica has the best front row space but lacks third-row legroom but still delivers more than the Kia Sedona and more shoulder room in the third row than the Toyota Sienna. However, the Honda Odyssey is the most spacious option considering the space in all three rows and the cargo area. It provides the best balance of space overall inside the cabin. Major interior features include:

• 8-Way Power-Adjustable Front Passenger Seat
• 8-Way Power-Adjustable Driver Seat with 4-way power lumbar adjustment
• Driver seat memory
• Heated and ventilated front and heated second-row seats
• Quilted Nappa leather-trimmed seats
• Suede headliner
• Soft-touch instrument panel with accent stitching
• Premium Berber bound floor mats
• Unique Satin Chrome seat controls and rear-door handles

How intuitive is the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica comes with an updated 10.1-inch Uconnect infotainment unit. The touchscreen unit is clear and of high resolution, delivering an intuitive and high-quality user interface. It is easy to use and further comes with voice response technology. The top-end model also features a rear-seat entertainment system with an integrated Blu-ray player. For audio, the lower models come with 6 speakers, whereas the Limited trim gets 13 Alpine Speakers with 506-Watt Amplifier, and the Pinnacle trim is equipped with a Harman Kardon 19 speaker setup with a subwoofer and 760-Watt Amplifier.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also standard features. The following are the important infotainment features:

• Uconnect 5 Navigation with 10.1-Inch touchscreen Display. 
• 2nd-Row USB Charge Port
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hot Spot
• Media Hubs - HDMI/USB/Headphone Ports
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
• 19 Harman Kardon Speakers with Subwoofer and 760-Watt Amplifier (Pinnacle trim)

The exterior of the Pacifica has gone through some major changes, including the new, bolder redesigned headlamps. The newly added Chrysler Voyager, which is also a minivan placed below the Pacifica, looks somewhat like the old Pacifica, and maybe that’s why the Pacifica has been redesigned to differentiate the two vehicles. The new Pacifica looks sleek and stylish, but an overall design language is a bit plane and bland. The top-end fully specced Pinnacle variant of the Pacifica looks pretty nice, but still, there's nothing much to be excited about the exterior of this minivan. 

The base trim of the Pacifica features 17-inch painted silver litho aluminum alloy wheels, while the Limited trim gets 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and the top-end Pinnacle trim comes with 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with gray painted pockets. The Pacifica is definitely not a flashy vehicle, but it’s also not a brick-like people carrier. It sure does have an aerodynamic design with a sleek exterior and a sporty design language. But the thing is, there are very few standout exterior features in the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica that turn heads. Still, it is one of the sportiest, stealthy-looking vehicles in the segment.

Based on looks, the Pacifica is the sportiest, followed by the Kia Sedona, whereas the fastest one among the competition, the Honda Odyssey has the most disappointing looks. The Toyota Sienna looks the most futuristic, elegant, and overall beautiful. The Sienna also happens to be the heaviest, while the Odyssey is the lightest. The Kia is the most practical with the best ground clearance. The Odyssey, which we found out to provide the best overall interior space and cargo capacity, is the longest. Honda has succeeded in weight reduction but failed in attaining a beautiful exterior. Major exterior highlights of the minivan are:

• Tri-Pane Panoramic Sunroof
• 20-inch Polished Alum Wheels
• Acoustic Windshield
• Automatic Headlamps
• Automatic High-Beam Headlamp-Control
• Bi-Function LED Projector Headlamps
• Rear Ambient Lighting
• Premium Fascia with Platinum Chrome Grille-Surround

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica has been crash-tested and rated by both NHTSA as well as IIHS. NHTSA has given the Pacifica a super impressive 5-star overall rating and the same best possible rating in all of the individual parameters except for rollover protection for which it gets a 4-star rating. It is found out to have a rollover risk of just 11.60%, which is actually extremely low for a vehicle of its size and class.

IIHS has also awarded the 2021 Pacifica with the best safety scores. The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is also equipped with a lot of safety features, including LaneSense Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, and auto high-beam headlamps. The following are other most important safety features available with the minivan:

• Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
• Rear Cross-Path Detection
• ParkSense Rear Park Assist System
• Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus

2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Honda Odyssey

The Honda Odyssey is faster, more engaging to drive, and more spacious than the Pacifica. It provides the most overall space on the interior along with the largest cargo area. The Pacifica, however, comes with a better quality interior along with an updated infotainment unit. The layout and overall dashboard configuration are also better in the Pacifica. The Pacifica also looks significantly better and sporty than the Odyssey even though the Odyssey is faster.

2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna, now being a hybrid-only option, cannot be compared in terms of fuel efficiency with the Pacifica, but even while keeping that apart, the Sienna is still the better option. It comes with an updated interior in a truly futuristic and beautiful exterior that is striking and a treat for the eyes. The Sienna also happens to be more spacious and more engaging to drive than the Pacifica, and all of this means that it would be the better option among the two.

2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Kia Sedona

The 2021 Kia Sedona is overall less spacious than the 2021 Pacifica while also delivering a lower fuel efficiency. However, it delivers a much better range as it comes with a higher capacity fuel tank. Both of the minivans are similar in terms of handling, but the Pacifica is somewhat more engaging to drive with more power and a higher rev range. Overall the Pacifica is the better option in this comparison.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is a great option in the segment offering good amounts of power and torque along with great fuel economy. The interior is also of high quality, even though there is bitterness due to some low-quality materials. The exterior has been given a minor redesign, and now it looks more sporty and bold. The space on the interior is good, but the third-row space and the cargo capacity are not the best. So in conclusion, if looks don't matter to you, then the Honda Odyssey is the best option for you. If it does, then the Toyota Sienna is a great choice. And if the hybrid powertrain of the Sienna is not what you need and you require a more punchy engine, then you can opt for the Pacifica as it stands below these two competitors in the segment.