Compare the2023 Chrysler PacificaVS 2023 Acura MDX

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Chrysler Pacifica are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Acura MDX doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

Both the Pacifica and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

There are almost 9 times as many Chrysler dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pacifica’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Pacifica’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the MDX’s camshafts. If the MDX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chrysler vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Chrysler higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chrysler vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chrysler 9 places higher in reliability than Acura.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chrysler Pacifica V6 is faster than the Acura MDX V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica running on electricity gets better mileage than the MDX:

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the MDX:

The Pacifica Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The MDX can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Pacifica Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The MDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chrysler Pacifica uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Pacifica Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The MDX doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Pacifica stops much shorter than the MDX:

The Pacifica’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The MDX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pacifica’s wheelbase is 7.8 inches longer than on the MDX (121.6 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Pacifica’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55% to 45%) than the MDX’s (57.4% to 42.6%). This gives the Pacifica more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Pacifica’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the MDX’s (39.7 feet vs. 40.5 feet). The Pacifica AWD’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the MDX’s (40.2 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

The front grille of the Pacifica uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The MDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Pacifica offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the MDX can only carry 7.

The Pacifica has 26 cubic feet more passenger volume than the MDX (165.1 vs. 139.1).

The Pacifica has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, .5 inches more rear legroom, 7 inches more rear hip room, 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.5 inches more third row headroom, 7.4 inches more third row legroom, 8.9 inches more third row hip room and 6 inches more third row shoulder room than the MDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pacifica’s middle and third row seats recline. The MDX’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Pacifica’s cargo area provides more volume than the MDX.

The Pacifica has standard Stow ’n Go second and third row seats (except Hybrid for the second row), which fold flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The MDX doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Pacifica Limited/Pinnacle’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The MDX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Pacifica’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (3600 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Pacifica’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The MDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Pacifica and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Pacifica is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The MDX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Pacifica’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The MDX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Pacifica’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The MDX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Pacifica has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the MDX.

The Pacifica’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chrysler Pacifica will be $5368 to $8991 less than for the Acura MDX.

The Pacifica was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 6 years. The MDX has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

The Chrysler Pacifica/Voyager outsold the Acura MDX by 41% during the 2021 model year.