Battle of the Minivans: Chrysler Pacifica vs. Honda Odyssey

Minivans
The minivan is the hands-down best car for families. ?: Connie Peters

Minivans are the greatest everyday people mover and best all-around family road-trip car.

In a battle of the minivans, I recently tested the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Touring and the 2020 Honda Odyssey Touring back-to-back to see which one proved to be the best family vehicle.

There is so much cargo space and comfortable seating for plenty of people in minivans, and their price point is great because it saves you thousands over an SUV. Plus, you can’t get any better than sliding doors, seating for eight, and plenty of room for kids, car seats, and cargo.

Honda Odyssey
The sliding doors on minivans are just one reason I love them for families. 2020 Honda Odyssey. ?: Connie Peters

Now, I must be fully open with you and admit that I have personally owned two Honda Odysseys when my girls were babies and elementary school-aged, and I think they’re pretty great. But this post isn’t about that (and I promise I’m not biased). This is about helping you choose between the two if you’re in the market for a minivan and these happen to be your top contenders!

Chrysler Pacifica
The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica ?: Connie Peters

Price matters, but it’s not that different

The Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica minivans are not so far off in pricing and options, so there’s no clear winner in that department. The big decision will come when you consider options and styling features. Plus, it’s always a good idea to visit your local dealer to personally see what they have in stock and see if you click with the salespeople before you make a decision.

Here is a quick breakdown of the pricing:

USA pricing:

CHRYSLER PACIFICA: Base “Touring” USD $34,045; Loaded “Limited” USD $41,475

HONDA ODYSSEY: Base “LX” USD $31,790; Loaded “Elite” USD $47,820

Canadian pricing:

CHRYSLER PACIFICA: Base “L” CAD $37,995 Loaded “Limited” CAD $55,295

HONDA ODYSSEY: Base Starting “LX” CAD $39,690 Loaded “Touring” in CAD $52,390

See? We’re operating in the realm of a few thousand dollars which, in the grand scheme of minivan purchasing, isn’t that much. So let’s talk about some of the features.

@xoconniepetersPart 2 is here! Honda Odyssey Touring ??(Elite in ??) back seats tour. ##honda ##tiktokmoms ##carsoftiktok♬ alors on danse remix – hazellclouds

Related: Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 8 Reasons to Love It – A Girls Guide to Cars

Safety First

When we’re talking about family cars and minivans, safety is number one on the list of things that are important to parents, am I right? So, let’s ease some concerns and compare the base models to the top models when it comes to safety features in our two competitors.

The base Chrysler Pacifica includes no advanced safety features. You’ll have airbags and a backup camera, but that’s it. When loaded, Pacifica includes rear park assist with active braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. These will help you understand the cars around you in relation to yourself and either alerts you or slows your car in order to  avoid those vehicles.

The Honda Odyssey includes Honda Safety Sensing on all trims, even the base, which features collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise with stop and go, lane-keeping assist, and departure warning. It also has rain-sensing wipers. In a few words, these features let you know when you’re veering out of your lane and can help you navigate the flow of traffic.

I would say the win right here is the advanced safety features on all trims with the Odyssey. When it comes to parenting and keeping my kids safe, this would be my deciding factor. The more safety features, the better.

My Honda Odyssey review video:

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Related: Could the Honda Odyssey Minivan Be the Best Family Car Ever?

Comfort and convenience

They both have power sliding doors, fold-flat interiors, and multiple ways to configure the seating up to 8 people and space for 5 LATCH and tether car seats. That said, you’ll need to make sure you opt for the second-row bench seat for 5 LATCH.

And those aren’t the only features:

  • Both have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Both have an available in-car vacuum, which is standard on the top trim in the Odyssey.
  • Both have manual window shades in all three rows in the top-of-the-line trims.
  • Both have in-car entertainment systems with headphones available in both models.
  • The Odyssey has features that projects your voice into the third row and allows you to see what’s happening in the back via the camera on your touchscreen.
  • There are USB ports in all three rows in the Pacifica – on select higher trims, only first and second rows in the Odyssey.
  • The wireless charging pad is standard in the Odyssey top-of-the-line and optional with Pacifica top two trims.
  • A panoramic sunroof is optional on the top two trims in the Pacifica. On the Odyssey, there’s just a standard-sized sunroof.
  • The leather interior is standard on the top trims on both models.

Pretty similar, right? If the safety features haven’t already made your decision for you, it can be tough to decide based solely on the little conveniences. I have to admit, though, that the ability to project my voice and monitor the third row is always a bonus!

My Chrysler Pacifica review video:

 

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Related: 2021 Honda Odyssey Minivan: A Family-Friendly Bubble of Comfort, Convenience and Safety

A note about fuel economy

If you’re looking for a hybrid, Odyssey has yet to announce this availability. You can, however, can get the Pacifica and the Toyota Sienna in a hybrid model, both getting up to 2.9 L/100km and up to 33 MPG!

Both the Pacifica and Odyssey are stated to get 10.6 L/100 KM and 22 MPG.

While I think both are pretty great minivans, I would choose my personal favorite, the Honda Odyssey, for its advanced safety features at all trim levels and a more modern feel. There was a reason I chose it to transport my growing family a few years ago!

There are even more modern updates in the 2021 model, read about that here.

Connie Peters
Connie Peters

Connie Peters is a mother of 3 girls in suburban Vancouver, Canada and has been an online entrepreneur since 2008. Entrepreneurship, social media, cars, fashion, and travel are her passions.

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