Compare the2023 Chrysler PacificaVS 2023 Audi Q7

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

Safety

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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 Audi Q7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Pacifica are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q7 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Chrysler Pacifica has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q7 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Pacifica and the Q7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

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 Audi Q7:

	Pacifica	Q7
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	25%	44%
Neck Stress	117 lbs.	118 lbs.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Chrysler Pacifica is safer than the Q7:

	Pacifica	Q7
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	71	225
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	20 cm	30 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	4%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD

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 Audi Q7:

	Pacifica	Q7
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	72	187
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	337
Spine Acceleration	54 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	764 lbs.	888 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches

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 4.1% to 4.8% less likely to roll over than the Q7.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Pacifica its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q7 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Chrysler’s powertrain warranty covers the Pacifica 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Chrysler dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pacifica’s warranty.

Engine

The Pacifica’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 26 more horsepower (287 vs. 261) than the Q7 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica running on electricity gets better mileage than the Q7:

			MPGe
Pacifica
	FWD	Hybrid Electric Motor	87 city/77 hwy
Q7
			MPG
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	19 city/25 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	18 city/22 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Pacifica running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Q7:

			MPG
Pacifica
	FWD	3.6 V6 Hybrid	29 city/30 hwy
		3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/28 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy
Q7
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	18 city/22 hwy

The Pacifica Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The Q7 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chrysler Pacifica uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q7 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Pacifica has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Chrysler Pacifica, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Q7.

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 Q7 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Pacifica stops shorter than the Q7:

	Pacifica	Q7
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	166 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The Pacifica has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q7; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the Q7 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

Suspension and Handling

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 Q7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pacifica’s wheelbase is 3.7 inches longer than on the Q7 (121.6 inches vs. 117.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pacifica is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Q7.

For better maneuverability, the Pacifica’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Q7’s (39.7 feet vs. 41 feet). The Pacifica AWD’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Q7’s (40.2 feet vs. 41 feet).

Chassis

The Chrysler Pacifica may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 250 pounds less than the Audi Q7.

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 Q7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Pacifica uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Pacifica offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Q7 can only carry 7.

The Pacifica has .2 inches more front headroom, 4.3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .2 inches more rear legroom, 4.5 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row headroom, 7.3 inches more third row legroom and 11.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Q7.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pacifica’s middle and third row seats recline. The Q7’s third row seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Pacifica is 2.3 inches lower than the Q7 (16.3” vs. 18.6”). The Pacifica’s rear step up height is .5 inches lower than the Q7’s (18.2” vs. 18.7”).

Cargo Capacity

The Pacifica’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q7.

	Pacifica	Q7
Behind Third Seat	32.3 cubic feet	14.8 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	87.5 cubic feet	37.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	140.5 cubic feet	69.6 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Pacifica easier. The Pacifica’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 24.3 inches, while the Q7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

The Pacifica’s cargo area is larger than the Q7’s in almost every dimension:

	Pacifica	Q7
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	23.2”/57.5”/92.5”	19.5”/44.7”/80.7”
Max Width	49.3”	52.5”
Min Width	48.8”	42.6”
Height	47.6”	30”

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 Q7 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Towing

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 Q7 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 Q7 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Pacifica has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 Q7.

The Pacifica offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The Pacifica is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Pacifica owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pacifica will cost $2455 to $5685 less than the Q7 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pacifica is less expensive to operate than the Q7 because it costs $582 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pacifica than the Q7, including $45 less for a water pump, $36 less for a muffler, $600 less for a starter, $590 less for fuel injection, $423 less for front struts, $539 less for a timing belt/chain and $142 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chrysler Pacifica will be $19403 to $20777 less than for the Audi Q7.

Recommendations

The Chrysler Pacifica/Voyager outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.