Compare the2024 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Chrysler Pacifica

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Ascent 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 Ascent has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the Pacifica.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Ascent’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Pacifica doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Ascent’s optional 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 Ascent and the Pacifica have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors 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 Subaru Ascent is safer than the Chrysler Pacifica:

	Ascent	Pacifica
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	29%
Neck Stress	229 lbs.	230 lbs.
Neck Compression	8 lbs.	56 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	35/30 lbs.	440/251 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 Subaru Ascent is safer than the Chrysler Pacifica:

	Ascent	Pacifica
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	72
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	149 lbs.
Hip Force	274 lbs.	395 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	54 G’s
Hip Force	346 lbs.	764 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	149	293

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Ascent its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Pacifica has not been fully tested, yet.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Ascent has a 190-amp alternator. The Pacifica’s standard 180-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Ascent’s reliability 13 points higher than the Chrysler Pacifica and 41 points higher than the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 65 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 Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler With 14 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Chrysler.

Engine

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 262) than the Pacifica’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Chrysler Pacifica:

	Ascent	Pacifica Hybrid	Pacifica V6
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.9 sec	8.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	16.1 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.5 MPH	88 MPH	86.4 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Ascent
	AWD	2.4 turbo flat-4	20 city/26 hwy
		Limited/Touring/Onyx 2.4 turbo flat-4	19 city/25 hwy
Pacifica
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

The Ascent has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pacifica Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.3 vs. 16.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Ascent has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Pacifica. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

Brakes and Stopping

The Ascent’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 Ascent stops much shorter than the Pacifica:

	Ascent	Pacifica
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	114 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Ascent has larger tires than the Pacifica (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R17).

The Ascent’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pacifica’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ascent has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Pacifica.

Suspension and Handling

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

For better maneuverability, the Ascent’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Pacifica’s (38 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The Ascent’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Pacifica AWD’s (38 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a 3.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pacifica (8.7 vs. 5.4 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Ascent is 7.5 inches shorter than the Pacifica, making the Ascent easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Ascent has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear headroom than the Pacifica.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Chrysler Pacifica is limited to 3600 pounds. The Ascent offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Pacifica Hybrid is not recommended to tow, any Ascent can tow a minimum of 2000 pounds.

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Ascent, using the Vehicle Dynamics 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 Pacifica Hybrid/Touring.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Ascent is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pacifica. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Ascent’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Pacifica’s standard power windows’ front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Ascent Base). The Pacifica doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Ascent’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 Ascent’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Pacifica’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Ascent 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 Subaru Ascent offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Pacifica doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Ascent owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Ascent with a number “5” insurance rate while the Pacifica is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Ascent is less expensive to operate than the Pacifica because typical repairs cost much less on the Ascent than the Pacifica, including $656 less for a muffler, $99 less for front brake pads, $33 less for a fuel pump, $614 less for a timing belt/chain and $145 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chrysler Pacifica isn't recommended.