Compare the2023 Chrysler PacificaVS 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Pacifica and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, 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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Pacifica	Highlander Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	168	292
Neck Injury Risk	29%	38.2%
Neck Stress	230 lbs.	347 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	75/194 lbs.	321/243 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	196	328
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	25%	28.4%
Neck Stress	117 lbs.	179 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	440/251 lbs.	545/323 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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Pacifica	Highlander Hybrid
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	114
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
HIC	293	366
Hip Force	616 lbs.	664 lbs.

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 4.8% to 6% less likely to roll over than the Highlander Hybrid.

Warranty

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

Engine

The Pacifica Hybrid’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 17 more horsepower (260 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Pacifica’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 44 more horsepower (287 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chrysler Pacifica is faster than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Pacifica Hybrid	Pacifica V6	Highlander Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	7.9 sec	6.7 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.1 sec	15.1 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	92.4 MPH	85.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Pacifica
	FWD	Hybrid Electric Motor	87 city/77 hwy
Highlander Hybrid
			MPG
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/35 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/35 hwy
		2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/34 hwy

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

Both the Pacifica and Highlander Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Pacifica (except Pacifica Hybrid) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Pacifica’s standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander Hybrid (19 vs. 17.1 gallons).

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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Pacifica AWD	Highlander Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	13.3 inches

The Pacifica stops shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

	Pacifica	Highlander Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	136 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Pacifica’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander Hybrid (245/50R20 vs. 235/65R18).

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 Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pacifica’s wheelbase is 9.4 inches longer than on the Highlander Hybrid (121.6 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pacifica is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Highlander Hybrid.

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Pacifica has 23.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Highlander Hybrid (165.1 vs. 141.3).

The Pacifica has 1.8 inches more front hip room, 4.8 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom, 7.8 inches more rear hip room, 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.6 inches more third row headroom, 8.5 inches more third row legroom, 3.9 inches more third row hip room and 6.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Highlander Hybrid.

The front step up height for the Pacifica is 2.7 inches lower than the Highlander Hybrid (16.3” vs. 19”). The Pacifica’s rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the Highlander Hybrid’s (18.2” vs. 19.2”).

Cargo Capacity

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

	Pacifica	Highlander Hybrid
Behind Third Seat	32.3 cubic feet	16 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	87.5 cubic feet	48.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	140.5 cubic feet	84.3 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 Highlander Hybrid’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

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

	Pacifica	Highlander Hybrid
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	23.2”/57.5”/92.5”	17.8”/48”/80.7”
Max Width	49.3”	50”
Min Width	48.8”	45.8”
Height	47.6”	31”

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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

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

Ergonomics

The Pacifica Touring L/Limited/Pinnacle’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Highlander Hybrid does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Pacifica’s standard sliding doors can be opened with less than three inches side clearance. The Highlander Hybrid’s standard rear swing-out doors are bulky and make loading in tight spots difficult.

The Pacifica’s power side sliding doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the van. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a power rear door.

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 Highlander Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Highlander Hybrid offers 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 is only available on the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum.

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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Pacifica as the 2017 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Highlander Hybrid has never been chosen.