Nothing beats the everyday practicality of a minivan, but in recent years, many families have transitioned to 3-row SUVs anyway. In response, manufacturers like Chrysler and Toyota have added utility features to their minivans while doubling down on convenience.
Both the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna offer the option of all-wheel drive (AWD) for buyers in the far north. Toyota even offers a Sienna Woodland trim level with a bit of extra ground clearance. On the convenience side, both minivans offer hands-free capability for their power-sliding rear doors.
Minivans have traditionally offered no significant fuel economy advantage over SUVs, and Chrysler and Toyota have also addressed this issue. The Toyota Sienna is now an exclusively hybrid minivan, while the available Pacifica Hybrid model is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
If you’re shopping for either of these minivans, this 2022 Chrysler Pacifica vs. 2022 Toyota Sienna comparison will help you sort out the essential details.
Price and Value
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid
Consumers shopping for a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica minivan will find that it comes inTouring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trim levels. You might encounter a lower-cost Pacifica known as the Voyager that Chrysler is selling only to commercial customers for 2022. If you find one, it likely is a used vehicle.
Chrysler offers a conventional gasoline V6 engine on all Pacifica trim levels. Alternatively, you can get a plug-in hybrid powertrain on any trim, except the base Touring.
Pricing on the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica ranges from $36,665 to $54,480, not including the $1,495 destination charge. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid starts at $46,145 but qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit. All-wheel drive costs $2,995 extra on the Touring trims but is standard on the Limited and Pinnacle. Note that AWD is not available on the Pacifica Hybrid.
Seven-passenger seating is standard on the Chrysler Pacifica. Eight-passenger seating is optional on the Touring and non-hybrid Touring L. With this setup, there’s a removable center seat between the second-row captain’s chairs.
All 2022 Pacificas provide a one-year trial subscription to Sirius XM Guardian connected services. The package includes remote locking and engine start, automatic collision notification, live emergency assistance, rapid access to roadside services, stolen-vehicle services, and a vehicle-finder feature for unfamiliar parking facilities. The minivan’s Wi-Fi hotspot includes a 3-month trial subscription.
Chrysler does not offer complimentary scheduled maintenance.
Shoppers will find that the 2022 Toyota Sienna minivan comes in LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland, Limited, and Platinum trim levels. All 2022 Siennas have a hybrid powertrain without plug-in capability.
The 2022 Toyota Sienna ranges in price from $34,560 to $50,000, not including the $1,215 destination charge. All-wheel drive is optional, but the price varies depending on the trim level. The new-for-2022 Sienna Woodland trim level has standard AWD and slightly more ground clearance.
Toyota offers both 7- and 8-passenger seating configurations. The standard 8-passenger configuration includes a removable center seat between the fore-and-aft adjustable second-row bucket seats. The available 7-passenger configuration provides more deluxe second-row captain’s chairs with a more extended fore/aft travel range.
All 2022 Toyota Siennas come with one year of Safety Connect, which includes automatic collision notification, live emergency assistance, rapid access to roadside assistance, and stolen-vehicle location. You also get a 3-month trial subscription for the Wi-Fi hotspot. The XLE adds one year of remote locking and engine starting (known as Remote Connect), while the higher trims add one year of live concierge services (Destination Assist).
Toyota provides complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 25,000 miles that you own a 2022 Sienna.
Toyota’s minivan historically holds its value well. The previous-generation Toyota Sienna ranks second among minivans in the J.D. Power 2020 Resale Value Awards.
Advantage: Toyota
Reliability and Quality
2022 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD
The Chrysler Pacifica ranked third among Minivans in the J.D. Power 2021 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) but did not rank in the top three in the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica comes with the following warranty and roadside assistance coverage:
- Standard warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Hybrid system warranty: 8 years or 80,000 miles
- Hybrid battery warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles (10 years or 150,000 miles in California emissions states)
- Roadside assistance: 5 years or 60,000 miles
The Toyota Sienna is the highest-ranked Minivan in the 2021 VDS and ranks third in its segment in the 2021 IQS. The 2022 Toyota Sienna comes with the following warranty and roadside assistance coverage:
- Standard warranty: 3 years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Hybrid system warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles
- Hybrid battery warranty: 10 years or 150,000 miles
- Roadside assistance: 2 years or 25,000 miles
Advantage: Toyota Sienna
Performance and Efficiency
2022 Chrysler Pacifica
Consumers shopping for a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica minivan will need to decide between a traditional V6 engine and a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Most Pacificas will have a 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. A standard 9-speed automatic transmission drives the front wheels or all four if you select a Pacifica with AWD.
In the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, a hybrid-specific version of the V6 engine joins forces with a front electric-drive motor and a battery pack. The combined output is 260 hp. Instead of a conventional automatic transmission, an electric continuously variable transmission (eCVT) manages the flow of torque to the Pacifica’s front wheels.
With the added weight of its battery pack, the Pacifica PHEV feels slower than the regular V6 Pacifica minivan. Nevertheless, most families will find the hybrid Pacifica sufficiently responsive in everyday driving, and its near-silent operation in electric mode is particularly desirable in a minivan.
With the regular V6 engine, the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica has a 3,600-pound tow rating when properly equipped. Towing is not recommended with the Pacifica Hybrid.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says a front-wheel-drive 2022 Chrysler Pacifica with the regular V6 will return 22 mpg in combined city and highway driving. With AWD, the Pacifica rates 20 mpg combined. The 2022 Pacifica
Hybrid rates 30 mpg in combined driving and provides an estimated 32 miles of all-electric driving range.
Toyota has offered buttery-smooth V6 engines on the Sienna in years past, but the 2022 Toyota Sienna is now a 4-cylinder hybrid minivan. Every 2022 Sienna has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that develops 189 hp and 176 pound-feet of torque and a front electric-drive motor rated at 180 hp and 199 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel-drive Siennas have an additional rear electric-drive motor that’s good for 54 hp and 89 pound-feet.
The combined output is 245 hp, and an eCVT blends the power sources to get torque to the Sienna’s front wheels. Acceleration is not as vigorous as on the old V6 Siennas, but consumers will find this hybrid Sienna perfectly adequate in most situations and far more fuel-efficient. A properly equipped 2022 Toyota Sienna has a respectable 3,500-pound tow rating.
Front-wheel-drive 2022 Toyota Siennas rate 36 mpg in combined city and highway driving. All-wheel-drive Siennas rate 35 mpg.
Advantage: Chrysler Pacifica
Safety and Driving Assistance
2022 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD
Minivan shoppers typically put a high priority on safety. If you’re looking for advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica offers most of the important ones as standard. Every Pacifica comes with a forward-collision warning (FCW) system with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning (LDW), lane-keeping assistance (LKA), a blind-spot warning (BSW) system with rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking (active when you’re in reverse), and adaptive cruise control (ACC).
The Pinnacle trim level adds low-speed, front automated braking to keep you from tapping obstacles when parking. All 2022 Pacificas have a standard rear-seat reminder system.
The 2022 Chrysler Pacifica received the top 5-star safety rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash testing. In addition, the structurally similar 2021 Pacifica earned top Good ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in all crash-test categories.
Every 2022 Toyota Sienna comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0). On the Sienna, this package includes FCW with AEB and pedestrian and cyclist detection, LDW, and LKA. The Sienna’s TSS 2.0 also provides Level 2 semi-autonomous driving assistance in the form of a traffic jam assist (TJA) system that integrates ACC with stop-and-go capability, lane centering (known as Lane Tracing Assist), and traffic sign recognition.
In addition, all 2022 Toyota Siennas have BSW with rear cross-traffic alert. All Siennas except the base LE have low-speed front and rear automatic braking to help avoid parking mishaps. Toyota’s minivan also comes with a rear-seat reminder system.
The 2022 Toyota Sienna earned a 5-star overall NHTSA crash rating. The IIHS named the structurally similar 2021 Sienna a Top Safety Pick+, the Institute’s highest safety rating.
Advantage: Toyota Sienna
Infotainment and Technology
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid
If you enjoy technology, you’ll be right at home in the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica, which comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen interface running on the new Uconnect 5 infotainment platform. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration are standard, along with simultaneous, dual-phone connectivity and Amazon Alexa virtual-assistant capability. The available TomTom-based factory navigation system uses over-the-air updates.
There’s also the Uconnect Theater package, which adds dual, 10.1-inch rear displays and allows you to stream content from Amazon Fire TV for Auto. The package also includes HDMI ports, a 115-volt outlet, a Blu-ray player, and the FamCAM rear-seat monitor (which has multiple camera angles so you can see children in rear-facing car seats).
The 2022 Toyota Sienna has a standard 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Factory navigation is standard or optional, depending on the trim level. An available entertainment package provides an 11.6-inch rear display and an HDMI input. Toyota’s Driver Easy Speak in-cabin public address system is standard on all trims, except the LE.
Advantage: Chrysler Pacifica
Comfort and Utility
2022 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD
The Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna will simplify your life in ways you never imagined (unless you’ve owned minivans in the past). Both offer an ideal step-in height, and parking lot-friendly power-sliding doors are standard. In addition, both Chrysler and Toyota make it easy to upgrade to hands-free sliding doors and a hands-free liftgate.
Although you’ll find abundant space and storage in either minivan, you might prefer the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica’s more traditional styling. Its dashboard has a flowing design and softer shapes.Tucked between a pair of rounded vents is the large infotainment display.
Chrysler offers standard Stow’ n Go fold-flat seats in the Pacifica’s second row. These seats are convenient when you need to get the seats out of the way to haul large items, but once your children are out of car seats, they aren’t very comfortable for sitting. In addition, their long seat-bottom cushions can get in the way when getting in and out of the van. The Pacifica Pinnacle and all Pacifica Hybrids have conventional captain’s chairs.
Cargo capacity in the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid ranges from 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row to 87.5 behind the second-row seats. With all rear seats folded or removed, the maximum capacity is 140.5 cubic feet.
The 2022 Toyota Sienna has a more modern vibe than the Chrysler, though it retains a traditional shifter versus the Pacifica’s rotary dial for selecting gears. The Sienna’s rear doors offer an extraordinarily wide opening, making it easy to access the third-row seats.
Second-row comfort is superb with either the 7- or 8-passenger seating configuration. The Toyota Sienna’s available captain’s chairs offer 25 inches of seat-track travel so that passengers of any size can get comfortable. On the high trims, they include fold-out ottomans.
Cargo capacity in the 2022 Toyota Sienna ranges from 33.5 cubic feet of volume behind the third row to 75.2 cubic feet behind the second-row seats. With all rear seats folded, the maximum capacity is 101.0 cubic feet. This is significantly less capacity than the Chrysler offers, but it will meet most owners’ everyday needs.
Advantage: Neither
The Pacifica offers more cargo space, but the Sienna has the edge in seat comfort.
