Compare the2023 Chrysler PacificaVS 2023 Honda Odyssey

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/04/29

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 Honda Odyssey doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Pacifica has standard Rear Park Assist with Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Odyssey doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Pacifica offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Odyssey doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Pacifica offers an optional Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Odyssey only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Pacifica and the Odyssey 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chrysler Pacifica is safer than the Honda Odyssey:

	Pacifica	Odyssey
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	168	176
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	196	247
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	25%	32%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	63 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chrysler Pacifica is safer than the Honda Odyssey:

	Pacifica	Odyssey
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	125
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	70 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	293	369

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Pacifica is 2% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the Odyssey.

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Chrysler dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pacifica’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Odyssey’s camshafts. If the Odyssey’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Pacifica has a standard 180-amp alternator (220-amp - Pacifica optional). The Odyssey’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The Pacifica’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 7 more horsepower (287 vs. 280) than the Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the Odyssey (87 city/77 hwy MPGe vs. 19 city/28 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Odyssey (29 city/30 hwy vs. 19 city/28 hwy).

The Pacifica Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The Odyssey 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 Odyssey doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

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 Odyssey doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Pacifica’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Odyssey:

	Pacifica	Pacifica AWD	Odyssey
Front Rotors	13 inches	13.8 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.4 inches	13 inches

The Pacifica stops much shorter than the Odyssey:

	Pacifica	Odyssey
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Pacifica’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Odyssey (245/50R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The Pacifica’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Odyssey Sport/Touring/Elite’s 55 series tires.

For better load carrying, ride, handling and brake cooling the Pacifica offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Odyssey’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Pacifica can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Odyssey doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Pacifica has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Odyssey doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 Odyssey doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pacifica’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Odyssey (121.6 inches vs. 118.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pacifica is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Odyssey.

Passenger Space

The Pacifica has .2 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room, .4 inches more third row headroom, 1.1 inches more third row hip room and 1.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Odyssey.

Cargo Capacity

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 Odyssey only has a third row One-Motion Magic Seat which folds into the floor. The Odyssey’s second row seat has to be removed for maximum cargo room.

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

Towing

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

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the Pacifica (except Hybrid/Touring) uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Odyssey doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

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 Odyssey does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Pacifica and the Odyssey 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 Odyssey prevents the driver from operating the rear 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 Odyssey’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Pacifica has standard extendable sun visors. The Odyssey doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the Pacifica and the Odyssey have standard heated front seats. The Pacifica also offers optional heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Odyssey.

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 is only available on the Odyssey Elite.

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 Odyssey doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pacifica is less expensive to operate than the Odyssey because it costs $36 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Pacifica than the Odyssey, including $135 less for a water pump, $103 less for a starter, $8 less for fuel injection, $2 less for a fuel pump and $106 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2018 issue and they ranked the Chrysler Pacifica Limited first. They ranked the Honda Odyssey Elite fifth.

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

The Chrysler Pacifica/Voyager outsold the Honda Odyssey by 12% during 2020.