Yahoo Autos Toyota Sienna vs Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid | Minivan comparison test
Shopping for a new car can be difficult due to the sheer number of choices. Which brand do you start with, which do you skip and are you missing something worthwhile? Thankfully, minivans are much simpler. There are effectively only four choices, they're all pretty good and they're even different enough to make choosing the right one for you a bit easier.
This comparison features the two most recently updated minivans: the all-new 2021 Toyota Sienna versus the refreshed 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Besides their common newness, they stand out in another fundamental way: they're both hybrids. Now, they're very different hybrids – the Toyota comes standard with a traditional gasoline-electric system like that of a Prius, whereas the Pacifica is offered with an optional plug-in hybrid system that provides an estimated 32 miles of all-electric range before effectively turning into a traditional hybrid – but in both cases, fuel economy is the priority.
With the rare exception, the minivan segment has exclusively used V6 engines, which provide sufficient power to move hefty loads of people and stuff. The Chrysler Pacifica comes standard with a V6, while a V6 is the sole powertrain option for the Honda Odyssey and upcoming Kia Carnival. The fuel economy difference between those and our hybrid competitors is staggering: The new Sienna gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined while the Odyssey and V6 Pacifica get 22 mpg. That equates to saving an estimated $750 every year on gas, according to the EPA. And the Pacifica Hybrid could potentially save you even more as long as you routinely utilize its electric range.
This frugality alone could send the Sienna and Pacifica Hybrid to the top of many shopping lists, but as we've seen in previous tests, they offer more than enough in other respects to warrant top consideration. But which is better, Sienna or Pacifica? Well, we knew this was going to be close, and we were right. After averaging the scores from 16 categories, the difference between first and second was a mere 0.06 out of 10. When we added extra weight to key minivan-buying attributes (second-row space/versatility, safety features and functionality, infotainment, interior storage, cargo space/versatility, value and fuel economy), the gap was only 1 point out of a possible 230. We then triple checked and conducted a recount, but the order remained. In the end, there are no losers here.
Second Place: 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
The 2021 Pacifica Hybrid is different enough from its V6-only sibling that it could arguably be considered a separate model (more so even than the stripped-down Chrysler Voyager budget version). The presence of the hybrid battery pack results in fundamental changes that not only affect fuel economy, but acceleration, handling, comfort and interior functionality. They ultimately make for a better minivan, and it's certainly the Pacifica we recommend – and yes, despite coming in second here, we definitely still recommend the Pacifica Hybrid.
In terms of efficiency, you literally cannot do better than this plug-in hybrid minivan. If you plugged in every night and kept your daily school dropoffs and errands within its 32 miles of range – a distinct possibility – trips to the gas station would be extremely rare. However, once that range is gone, the V6 engine and the van's heftier weight cause that efficiency to plummet. Even with two full charges, we managed 33.4 mpg over the course of 119.5 miles, much of which was on rural state highways. That compares to the EPA-estimated figures of 30 mpg combined when no electric range is included, or 82 mpg-E, which is as much an algorithm as it an estimate. That's also only 3.8 mpg better than what we managed in the Sienna at 29.6 mpg, which itself is well south of the EPA estimate of 36 mpg.
Maybe we just have lead feet, but either way, let's not lose sight that both vans got sensational fuel economy compared to the segment's V6-only norm of around 22 mpg combined. You're going to save a ton of money with either, but just know that the more you drive on the highway and the less you recharge, the less efficient the Pacifica Hybrid gets.
On the other hand, the Pacifica has a clear acceleration advantage over the Sienna. Although various 0-to-60-mph tests by other publications have shown the Chrysler to be quicker by only a half second or so, it feels far quicker around town and when passing on the highway due to the superior torque provided by its more prevalent electric motor and V6 engine (the Sienna has a four-cylinder). Whereas the Sienna felt strained going up hills, its e-CVT droning as Toyota hybrid systems are apt to do, the muscular Chrysler smoothly and effortlessly moved forward. Its electric propulsion makes it feel quicker than other gas-only minivans as well, including the regular Pacifica.
The Chrysler's other clear advantage is its in-car infotainment, both for the driver and those in the back. The 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen you see here is not only standard for 2021, but it’s an all-new unit (termed Uconnect 5) with beautiful graphics, rapid responses and a revised user interface. It looks better than the Sienna's and it's easier to use. It can also be upgraded with the FamCam, which fills the touchscreen with a birds-eye image of the two rear seating rows. The Odyssey offers something similar, but we greatly prefer the Pacifica's camera placement between rear rows (as opposed to above the second) and appreciate the ability to zoom in on one seat. One minor complaint: it would be nice if FamCam didn't take over the entire screen, therefore removing the menu icons normally docked at the top and bottom. It was annoying going back and forth between FamCam and satellite radio.
FamCam comes in the same $2,495 Uconnect Theater Family package that adds the Pacifica's unique rear seat entertainment system: a flip-up touchscreen, HDMI and USB ports, and a headphone jack on the back of each front seat. This eliminates the kids fighting over what to watch or play as they'll have to with the Sienna's single, roof-mounted screen (its system is $1,415). Given the increased commonality of tablets and other hand-held devices, we wonder how relevant rear-seat entertainment systems are to today's minivan buyers, but the Pacifica's is nevertheless far superior.
That cannot be said of the Pacifica's second-row seats. Though they recline more than the Sienna's veritable La-Z-Boys, their sliding distance is comparatively minuscule, which limits sprawl space, third-row access and cargo versatility. And no, the Pacifica Hybrid does not have Chrysler's Stow 'N Go seats. The hole those would normally drop into is filled with batteries. The upside, at least relative to other Pacificas, is that these seats are far more comfortable and basically indistinguishable from those up front. They even have prominent bolsters that pushed our infant car seat base a few inches forward from the seat back (only a problem in terms of clearance to the front seat).
