2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Buick Encore GX

The 2022 Buick Encore GX was often mistaken for its sibling, the Encore, due to their strikingly similar designs. Both SUVs featured Buick's signature trapezoidal "waterfall" grille, high beltline, and comparable headlight styling, front fascia designs, and fog light placements. The Encore GX, however, had a slightly longer wheelbase and additional length, making it appear less tall and stubby. The optional ST (Sport Touring) appearance package enhanced its aesthetics with body-color bodyside and rocker moldings, custom grille, sport bumpers with red accents, 18-inch aluminum wheels, and an "ST" badge on the liftgate.

Inside, the Encore GX offered a five-passenger cabin with soft-touch materials and minimal hard plastic. Base models came with cloth seats, while the top Essence trim featured leather seats. Our test vehicle had heated seats in Whisper Beige leather with Ebony accents, adding a touch of elegance. The heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel was well-sized and functional, though the rotary toggles embedded in the spokes were somewhat cumbersome. Overall, the controls and instrumentation were straightforward and user-friendly.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, available in Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims, featured a mid-trim Limited with the S Appearance Package. This package added body-colored door handles and exterior mirrors, a gloss black grille surround, and black accents, complemented by 18-inch wheels with a "Foreshadow" finish. The split grille was flanked by standard LED headlamps, and the rear boasted LED tail lamps spanning its width. Despite minivans lacking the cool factor of SUVs, the Pacifica Hybrid was a practical choice with sliding doors and ample cargo space.

The Limited trim's interior was predominantly black, with Nappa leather seats and a sophisticated dash design. The chunky HVAC and audio knobs were user-friendly, though they were easily confused with the transmission selector dial due to their proximity. The Pacifica Hybrid's interior was comfortable, with heated and cooled front seats and a heated steering wheel. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the third row offered enough space for adults, though taller passengers might prefer the extra legroom in competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX offered two turbocharged three-cylinder engine options: a 1.2-liter engine producing 137 horsepower and a 1.3-liter engine making 155 hp. The 1.2-liter engine was standard on the Preferred and Select trims, while the 1.3-liter engine was standard on the top Essence trim and optional on the lower trims. Front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard across all trims, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. FWD models used a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while AWD models employed a nine-speed automatic transmission.

In our test vehicle, the 1.3-liter turbo engine and CVT combination proved surprisingly capable, though it was a bit buzzy and harsh. The power was sufficient for merging onto highways, and the engine stop/start feature, while beneficial for fuel economy, was somewhat annoying. The Encore GX's ride was less settled than expected, and noise, vibration, and harshness levels were higher than anticipated. Despite Buick's QuietTuning and active noise cancellation technologies, the interior was noisier than expected. The CVT, however, did not drone, which was a positive aspect.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two small electric motors, making it the only plug-in hybrid minivan available. The EPA rated it for 32 miles of all-electric range, 520 miles of total range, 82 MPGe, and 30 mpg combined fuel economy. In our testing, we achieved 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range, exceeding the EPA estimates. Charging the battery on a Level 2 home charger took two hours, while a standard outlet would take 14 hours.

The Pacifica Hybrid defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode once the EV range was depleted. This was efficient for city driving but less so for highway commutes. The Pacifica Hybrid was FWD only, lacked a spare tire, and could not be equipped with a towing package. Despite these limitations, it offered a smooth driving experience with 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. The continuously variable automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the lower center of gravity improved handling.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX, despite its small size, provided a comfortable and spacious interior. Ingress and egress were easy, and the controls were clearly marked and legible. The slightly elevated ride height improved visibility, aided by the optional rear camera mirror. Front-seat headroom and legroom were adequate, though rear-seat knee room was tight. The cargo space measured 23.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 50.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. The two-level cargo floor created a flat load floor when the rear seats were folded, accommodating items up to eight feet in length.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor children in the second and third rows. The driver’s seat was comfortable and easily adjustable, with a soft center armrest. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the third row offered enough space for adults. The Pacifica Hybrid's cargo space remained the same as the standard model, with 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 140.5 cubic feet with all seats folded. However, it lacked the built-in vacuum cleaner and heated second-row seats available in the standard Pacifica.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came with an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth audio streaming, Buick Connected Services, a built-in WiFi hotspot, front and rear USB ports, OnStar telematics, and SiriusXM satellite radio. A navigation system was available on Select and Essence trims, along with built-in Amazon Alexa capability. Our test vehicle had the Advanced Technology package, which included HD surround vision, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and a memory card receptacle. The Convenience package added automatic parking assist, wireless phone charging, a rear camera mirror, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and the ability to connect two phones via Bluetooth. Our tester had the optional rear seat entertainment system, which added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, streaming content from Amazon Fire TV, and various games. The Pacifica Hybrid also had multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging.

The 2022 Buick Encore GX came standard with driver assistance features such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. It also included Teen Driver technology and a tire-fill alert system. The Encore GX earned five stars from the NHTSA for overall crash protection and "Good" ratings from the IIHS in all crash tests. The top Essence trim received an "Acceptable" rating for its LED headlights, while lower trims received a "Marginal" rating for their halogen headlights.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came standard with blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking assist, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features like parallel parking assist and front and rear parking assist were available in higher trims. The 2022 Pacifica Hybrid received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings from the IIHS, except for "Marginal" grades for seat belt reminders and "Average" grades for headlights and LATCH ease of use.