2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive exterior styling, reminiscent of its original version with a boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, and flat hood. Despite these retro elements, the design was thoroughly modern, featuring rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights that gave it a unique personality. The modern Defender was larger than its predecessor, offering more interior space and better ergonomics. The interior design emphasized the Defender’s rugged character, with a mix of leather upholstery and suede, exposed screws, and metal trim, making it suitable for off-road adventures without worrying about ruining the interior.

In contrast, the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, particularly in the Limited trim with the S Appearance Package, featured body-coloured door handles and mirrors, a gloss black grille surround, and black accents. The exterior was completed with 18-inch wheels with a "Foreshadow" finish. The Pacifica Hybrid was a practical choice, offering sliding doors and ample cargo space. The interior was dark with Nappa leather seats and a sophisticated dash design. However, the proximity of the HVAC and audio knobs to the transmission selector dial could cause confusion. The Pacifica Hybrid was more about practicality and comfort, with features like heated and cooled front seats and a spacious third row.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains, including a base 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and a mid-level 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain with 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The highlight was the new-for-2022 V8 engine, producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 240 km/h. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the 22-inch tires. It offered a 3,500-kilogram towing capacity and impressive off-road features like a 4WD system with low range and the optional Terrain Response 2 system.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, offering 51 kilometres of all-electric range and 784 kilometres of total range. In testing, it achieved 53 km of electric range and 885 km of total range. The Pacifica Hybrid defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode, which was efficient in city driving but less so on highways. It lacked AWD and a towing package, unlike its gasoline-only counterpart. The Pacifica Hybrid delivered 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, with a smooth CVT and light steering. The battery's placement improved handling by lowering the centre of gravity.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, with the Defender 90 model providing limited cargo space but impressive usability for a two-door vehicle. The four-door Defender 110 model offered more versatility, with two-row and three-row configurations. The three-row model had 160 litres of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 1,826 litres with seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space and a spacious centre-console storage bin. Optional roof racks and cargo boxes enhanced its cargo-carrying capabilities.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, heated and cooled front seats, and a spacious third row. However, the plug-in hybrid model lacked the Stow ‘n Go seats due to the battery placement, reducing its versatility. It offered 914 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 3,978 litres with all seats folded. Despite this, competitors like the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey offered more space. The Pacifica Hybrid also lacked features like a built-in vacuum cleaner and heated second-row seats.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with a standard Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all but the base model, with an optional 11.4-inch touchscreen. The system had a distinctive interface with muted colours, though the touchscreen required a firm touch. A surround-view camera system was standard, with optional features like a 14-speaker Meridian audio system and head-up display.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 5, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and the ability to connect two phones via Bluetooth. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, with apps and games for long trips. The Pacifica Hybrid had numerous USB ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging, ensuring devices remained charged.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist features like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control was optional. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, which was common for luxury vehicles.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including 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. The 2022 version received a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, and the IIHS gave it Good marks, except for Marginal grades for seat belt reminders and Average grades for headlights and LATCH ease of use.