2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a popular choice for families due to its practical design and family-friendly features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load and unload children, especially in tight parking spaces. The minivan offered a comfortable third-row seat, making it ideal for carpooling or family trips with grandparents. With ample cargo space, the Odyssey could transform into a cargo hauler by folding down the third-row seat and removing the second-row seats. Despite the limited number of minivans in the market, the Odyssey stood out with its stylish design, featuring kinked sliding doors and dark gray 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels on the Touring trim. The interior boasted quality leather upholstery and a spacious, open-concept design, although the centre stack's switchgear placement required some getting used to.

In contrast, the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Limited with the S Appearance Package offered a sleek and modern look with body-coloured door handles, gloss black accents, and 18-inch wheels. The minivan featured a split grille with LED headlamps and tail lamps that spanned the rear width. While the interior was predominantly black, the Nappa leather seats and sweeping dash lines added a touch of sophistication. The Pacifica Hybrid's interior was equipped with chunky HVAC and audio knobs, although their proximity to the transmission selector dial could cause confusion. The minivan's practicality was enhanced by its sliding doors and generous cargo space, making it a practical choice for families seeking a stylish yet functional vehicle.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls. Unlike some competitors, the Odyssey did not offer all-wheel drive or an electrified powertrain, resulting in a Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimate of 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. Despite this, the Odyssey was praised for its enjoyable driving experience, with quick acceleration, responsive handling, and remarkable composure on various road types. However, the brakes tended to heat up during downhill driving, leading to pedal vibration and audible grumbling, especially when the van was fully loaded.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, making it the only plug-in hybrid minivan available. It offered an all-electric range of 51 kilometres and a total range of 784 kilometres, with a fuel economy rating of 2.9 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres. In testing, the Pacifica Hybrid exceeded these estimates, achieving 53 kilometres of electric range and 885 kilometres of total range. The minivan's electric power delivery defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode, which was efficient in city driving but less so on highways. The Pacifica Hybrid was front-wheel drive only and lacked a spare tire and towing package. Despite these limitations, it provided a smooth driving experience with 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, aided by a continuously variable transmission.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, the Touring trim featured quality leather seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, along with a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The minivan boasted impressive storage options, including shelving in the front door panels and a floor tray between the dashboard and centre console. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, enhancing safety and convenience. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Odyssey provided 929 litres of cargo space behind it. Folding the third-row seat expanded the cargo capacity to 2,452 litres, while removing the second-row seats created a massive 3,984 litres of space.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor children in the second and third rows. The minivan offered heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a comfortable driver's seat. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the centre pathway provided easy access to the spacious third row. However, the Pacifica Hybrid lacked the Stow 'n Go seats due to the battery placement, reducing its versatility. Cargo space remained generous, with 914 litres behind the third row, expanding to 2,477 litres with the seats folded. The total cargo capacity was 3,978 litres, although the Odyssey offered more space overall.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Touring was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The Touring trim added navigation, HondaLink connected services, and CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology. The rear entertainment system featured a 10.2-inch display with media playback options and a "How Much Farther?" app. However, the infotainment system was considered outdated, with a small screen and limited voice command functionality. The Odyssey's technology package required a significant upgrade in future redesigns.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens with apps and games, although it was an expensive addition. The minivan featured multiple USB ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging, ensuring devices remained charged throughout the journey.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was equipped with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. The minivan also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, the safety systems lacked refinement, with occasional false warnings and abrupt responses. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered standard safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The forward collision warning system provided visual and audible alerts, while the adaptive cruise control system operated smoothly. Additional features like parallel parking assist required an upgrade. The 2022 Pacifica received a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA and Good marks from the IIHS, with some exceptions.