Chrysler Pacifica review

The basest base model Pacifica starts near to the $40k mark while the top-tier hybrid can come in at over $61,000. You’re certainly getting lots of features, but you’re paying for every scrap of it. With that said, there aren’t too many cheaper alternatives, with competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota being similarly-priced.

As for how they stack up against the Chrysler, the Odyssey might be the most prolific challenger to be mentioned in the same breath as the Pacifica, but it’s long overdue for an upgrade and a bit plain in comparison to the rest. Toyota’s Sienna is the biggest threat to the Pacifica’s territory, with a hybrid that offers all-wheel drive among other similarities. Plus, Toyota’s hybrid system has proven itself across the lineup.

Then of course, you have comparable SUVs, but that’s a whole other can of worms.

If we’re doubling-down on a Pacifica, much of the decision is FOMO-driven, as we’d want all the cool toys and handy features, which is tricky to do while trying to keep the price down. As quiet and efficient as the hybrid is, it does bump the price up several notches, and then there’s the fact that if the battery isn’t kept topped-up, you’ve paid for less.

All of this is to say we find the standard Pacifica Limited to be the most attractive option. What we lose in fuel efficiency we gain in all-wheel drive and we still get a great deal of the options, all while staying under $60,000. This sheds some of the prettier exterior touches but hey, it’s a van, so long as it doesn’t say “free candy” on the side, nobody’s paying that much attention anyway.