2024 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica maintained its contemporary appeal despite not undergoing frequent redesigns. Its smooth exterior styling, with a modest grille, offered a refreshing alternative to the flashier designs of its competitors like the Toyota Sienna. The Pacifica's design cleverly concealed sliding-door tracks, providing a clean look without the need for additional styling features. Available in various trims, including the base Touring and the luxurious Pinnacle, the Pacifica offered standard LED lighting and a range of wheel sizes. Optional packages like the S Appearance and Road Tripper added unique exterior and interior trims, enhancing its visual appeal.

Inside, the Pacifica's dashboard featured a minimalist, sculpted design with well-integrated controls. The Pinnacle trim boasted luxurious touches like brown Nappa leather upholstery and quilted contrast stitching, though some interior elements felt less premium. The rotary shift knob was a quality touch, but its proximity to the volume knob could cause confusion. Overall, the Pacifica's interior was distinctive, blending style with functionality.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, while attempting to break away from the traditional minivan design, still retained its boxy shape. Its trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines gave it a unique look, though it didn't entirely escape the "Dustbuster" metaphor. The Sienna's design included hidden sliding door tracks and narrow taillights, drawing a family resemblance to the Camry sedan. The Platinum package introduced new wheel designs, adding a touch of elegance.

Inside, the Sienna's interior received updates for 2025, with the Platinum package featuring a new woodgrain finish. However, opinions on the interior were mixed, with some finding the materials less appealing. The Sienna's interior was practical, offering seating for up to eight and a range of trims from LE to Limited with the Platinum package. Despite its attempts at style, the Sienna remained a minivan at heart, prioritizing practicality over aesthetics.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine, producing 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on select trims. The Pacifica's V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, provided peppy acceleration and a towing capacity of 1,632 kilograms. The minivan's chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, though some weight transfer was noticeable during acceleration and deceleration. Overall, the Pacifica offered a quiet and comfortable ride, living up to Chrysler's reputation for refinement.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. The hybrid system produced a net horsepower of 245, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. Despite its lower horsepower, the Sienna's electric assist motor provided immediate torque, preventing it from feeling sluggish. The hybrid powertrain prioritized fuel economy, with an official rating of 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. However, the Sienna's handling was less engaging, with squishy steering and brakes that struggled during hard-braking events. The Sienna offered a smooth and quiet ride, though the CVT's droning was noticeable during hard acceleration.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica offered ingenious Stow 'n Go seating, allowing second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating large in-floor storage bins. This feature dictated the use of second-row bucket seats, providing seating for seven. The Pinnacle trim included a power-folding third-row seat and a power liftgate. The Pacifica's passenger space was competitive, with ample headroom and legroom in the first two rows. Cargo space was generous, with 914 litres behind the third row, 2,477 litres behind the second row, and 3,978 litres with all seats folded. The Pacifica's Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner was a practical addition, though the raised centre console's storage area was less accessible.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna offered unique seating solutions, with power-adjustable and heated front chairs as standard. The Platinum trim featured long-slide, reclining captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests, appealing to teenagers. The third-row seat accommodated adults, and the hands-free power liftgate added convenience. Storage space was generous, though finding secure places for large water bottles was challenging. The Sienna provided 949 litres of cargo space behind the third row, 2,129 litres behind the second row, and a maximum of 2,860 litres. However, the Sienna's cargo capacity was less than its rivals, as the second-row seats couldn't be removed or stowed.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The system was intuitive and user-friendly, though a shortcut for the 360-degree camera view would have been appreciated. The Pacifica also offered a rear-seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV connectivity and a FamCam interior camera. However, it lacked an intercom system like those in some competitors.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the Toyota Audio Multimedia system. The Limited trim included a four-zone climate control system, a head-up display, and a digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered connected services with varying subscription periods, and the digital assistant responded well to commands. The Sienna's infotainment system paired with a 12-speaker JBL audio system, though the sound quality was muddied by excessive bass. The four-zone climate control and digital rearview camera added convenience, though the head-up display could benefit from additional features.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests. However, it missed the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award due to low scores in updated crash tests. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included a 360-degree camera system and park assist.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, offering forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna's safety systems generally performed well, though the adaptive cruise control required vigilance in urban areas. The Sienna added a rear-seat reminder system for 2025, alerting drivers to movement within the cabin. The NHTSA gave the Sienna a five-star overall rating, though it scored lower in frontal crash tests.