Compare the2023 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2023 Chrysler Pacifica

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chrysler Pacifica doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander Hybrid has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Highlander Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander Hybrid and the Pacifica have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Chrysler Pacifica:

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

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Pacifica is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chrysler doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Pacifica.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander Hybrid’s reliability 68 points higher than the Pacifica.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 93 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chrysler is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Chrysler is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Chrysler is ranked 19th.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is faster than the Pacifica Hybrid 3.6 DOHC V6 hybrid:

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Highlander Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Chrysler Pacifica (5 to 7). This means the Highlander Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pacifica every 15,000 miles.

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

The Highlander Hybrid’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pacifica are solid, not vented.

The Highlander Hybrid stops shorter than the Pacifica:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE/Bronze has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Pacifica.

The Highlander Hybrid has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Highlander Hybrid flat and controlled during cornering. The Pacifica 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Highlander Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53% to 47%) than the Pacifica’s (55% to 45%). This gives the Highlander Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander Hybrid’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Pacifica’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The Highlander Hybrid’s turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the Pacifica AWD’s (37.4 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander Hybrid has a 2.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pacifica (8 vs. 5.4 inches), allowing the Highlander Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Highlander Hybrid is 9.4 inches shorter than the Pacifica, making the Highlander Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Highlander Hybrid has 1.1 inches more front headroom and .9 inches more front legroom than the Pacifica.

While the Pacifica Hybrid is not recommended to tow, any Highlander Hybrid can tow a minimum of 3500 pounds.

A Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is standard on the Highlander Hybrid, using the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Pacifica and isn’t available on the PacificaHybrid/Touring.

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander Hybrid’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Pacifica’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander Hybrid the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Pacifica can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. A locking fuel/charge port door is only offered on the Pacifica Hybrid.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Pacifica’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Pacifica’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Hybrid Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Pacifica doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE/Bronze/Limited/Platinum has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Pacifica doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Highlander Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chrysler Pacifica isn't recommended.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Chrysler Pacifica/Voyager by almost two to one during the 2022 model year.