2020 Honda Pilot vs 2021 Chrysler Pacifica

The 2020 Honda Pilot exhibited a dynamic styling consistent with the Honda lineup, featuring thin LED headlights and a multi-tiered grille. Its design cleverly masked its size, giving it a more streamlined appearance. Inside, the Pilot offered a modern cabin with a semi-digital instrument panel, combining analog gauges with a digital screen for essential information. While the cabin was comfortable and spacious, it fell short of the upscale feel provided by some competitors, with hard plastics in various areas. The Pilot's trim levels ranged from the value-packed LX to the luxurious Black Edition, each adding more features and refinement.

In contrast, the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh, resulting in a more muscular aesthetic with new LED headlights and a hexagonal grille. The design retained some sophistication, especially noticeable from the sides and rear, where a new all-LED taillamp spanned the width of the vehicle. The Pacifica offered six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which added darkened features and black accents. Inside, the Pacifica balanced practicality with premium touches, especially in the Pinnacle trim, which featured quilted Nappa leather seats and upscale finishes. The flat dashboard housed a large 10.1-inch touchscreen, and the cabin was designed to minimize noise, enhancing the overall driving experience.

The 2020 Honda Pilot was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It came standard with all-wheel drive in Canada, with a 6-speed automatic transmission on lower trims and a 9-speed automatic on the Touring and Black Edition trims. The 9-speed transmission offered smoother acceleration and improved fuel efficiency. Despite its power, the Pilot was not the segment leader in acceleration but provided ample power for everyday driving. The ride was comfortable and refined, with drive modes available through the Intelligent Traction Management System, although the controls were not intuitive.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered a choice between a traditional 3.6-litre V6 engine with 287 horsepower and a hybrid powertrain combining a V6 engine with electric motors for a total of 260 horsepower. The hybrid model provided an all-electric range of over 50 kilometres and a total range of 784 kilometres. All-wheel drive was available for the first time in 16 years on the internal combustion engine models, activating automatically when needed. The Pacifica's fuel efficiency varied, with the hybrid achieving 2.9 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres, while the traditional V6 with AWD consumed 14.1 L/100 km in the city.

The 2020 Honda Pilot offered a spacious 8-passenger cabin, with optional second-row captain’s chairs on higher trims reducing capacity to seven. The third row was adult-friendly, with ample head and legroom, and higher trims featured one-touch fold-down rear seats for easy access. With the rear seats folded, the Pilot provided 1,583 litres of cargo space, surpassing many competitors. The SUV was designed for family use, with numerous storage spaces and features like a conversation mirror and CabinTalk to facilitate communication with rear passengers.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, featuring spacious front seats and a practical cabin layout. Standard features included rear power-sliding doors, three-zone climate control, and Stow ’n Go seating for both the second and third rows, allowing for easy storage and loading. The Pacifica offered best-in-class total storage of 3,979 litres, making it ideal for family travel. The interior included thoughtful storage solutions, such as under-console storage for second-row passengers, enhancing its practicality.

The 2020 Honda Pilot featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across all trims. However, the system's interface was criticized for its lack of intuitive controls, relying heavily on the touchscreen for radio interaction. Higher trims added features like navigation, a rear entertainment system, and an upgraded audio system. The Touring and Black Edition trims also included a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless charging pad.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica's Uconnect 5 infotainment system was modern and customizable, with a clean design and responsive interface. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The second-row in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with additional games available. The Pacifica offered multiple audio system upgrades, including a 19-speaker Harman Kardon option. The Pinnacle model featured FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with advanced features like a rear-facing child seat view.

The 2020 Honda Pilot came standard with the HondaSensing suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. It earned a five-star overall crash test rating from the NHTSA and a Good rating from the IIHS, with a Superior score in crash prevention technology.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered up to 116 safety features, with many standard on higher trims. These included automatic pedestrian emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision warning with active braking. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though the IIHS had not yet rated it.