2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe

When shopping for a new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, buyers chose between SE, SEL, and Limited trim levels. Versions with a “2.0T” in the trim name received a power and performance upgrade courtesy of a turbocharged engine. All-wheel drive (AWD) was an option, allowing the automatic transmission to transfer power from the front wheels to the rear wheels when necessary. Aside from deciding about AWD, a turbocharged engine, and—if you were getting the SEL—an optional Convenience Package, buyers picked a paint color, interior color, and upgrades from a shortlist of dealer-installed accessories. The test vehicle had Limited 2.0T trim and a set of dealer-installed floor mats, bringing the price to $39,170.

The Santa Fe's design was bold and experimental, which didn't always appeal to everyone. Controversial points included the grille shape, stacked front lighting elements, asymmetrical fender stampings, and oversized rear “skid plate” trim. Inside, the dual-cowl dashboard design swept into door panels containing diamond-textured speaker grilles. Versions with gray or beige interior colors presented a high-contrast visual feast. However, materials quality couldn't quite match Hyundai’s high-style design, with glossy plastic covering the lower half of the interior and fairly stiff leather seat upholstery. Build quality was exceptionally good, and the controls operated with refinement.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh, featuring new standard LED headlights and a hexagonal grille, giving it a more muscular aesthetic. The rear had a new all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, featuring the Chrysler wing badge at its center. Chrysler offered six new wheel designs for 2021 and the S Appearance Package, which included darkened features and black accents on the exterior.

Inside, the Pacifica differed from other minivans like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona. Chrysler balanced practicality and luxury, especially in the new Pinnacle trim, which featured comfort, soft-touch materials, and classy finishes. The flat dashboard was anchored by a largest-in-class 10.1-inch touchscreen, with an abundance of Piano Black plastic trim, wood accents, and real metal surrounds. Quilted leather seats, suede center row pillows, and Beber floor mats completed the upscale look. The Pacifica’s doors had a well-weighted feel, and the minivan featured advanced sound deadening technology for a quiet ride.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe had a minimum curb weight of 3,591 pounds and a maximum of 3,946 pounds. The standard 185-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine was not ideal for this weight. Instead, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, making 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, was recommended. This engine provided better performance, especially at altitude. An eight-speed automatic transmission funneled power to the front wheels unless the optional AWD system was chosen. The test vehicle had FWD and suffered from torque steer under hard acceleration, an issue that disappeared with AWD. Properly equipped, the Santa Fe had a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. The EPA rated the Santa Fe 2.0T front-driver at 23 mpg in combined driving, and the test model returned 22.1 mpg.

The Santa Fe offered a smooth ride, decent handling, light-effort steering, and brakes that withstood some abuse. Limited trim had laminated windshield and front window glass, providing a quiet highway ride. The Santa Fe handled moderate off-roading with ease but lacked driver engagement, making it more of a tool than a toy.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came with either a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, or a V6 hybrid engine paired with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission and 16-kilowatt-hour battery, achieving 260 horsepower from the engine and 198 horsepower from its motors. The base Pacifica Touring and Touring L came standard with the V6 engine, with the hybrid powertrain and AWD as options. The upmarket Pacifica Limited and Pinnacle were available with either AWD or the hybrid powertrain.

AWD was a new addition, automatically activating on-demand based on various conditions. The hybrid powertrain offered an all-electric range of over 30 miles and a total range of over 500 miles, delivering 82 MPGe and 30 mpg combined. The traditional V6 Pacifica achieved 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined, with AWD reducing these numbers slightly.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe featured thoughtful attention to detail, with creative storage spaces and stain-resistant fabric in versions with cloth seats. The test vehicle had eight-way power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, with additional features like four-way power-adjustable lumbar support and an extending thigh support. The dual-zone automatic climate control system included a Clean Air ionizer, and the air conditioning was effective even with the panoramic glass sunroof.

The back seat was comfortable for adults, with air conditioning vents, rear side-window sunshades, and heated bottom cushions. However, the Santa Fe fell short in cargo space, offering 35.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and a maximum of 71.3 cubic feet. Large storage compartments under the cargo floor were a positive note. The hands-free “smart” liftgate was a convenient feature, opening automatically when the key fob was in proximity.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, from the powertrain to the rear of the minivan. The front seating was spacious, with a padded center console lid replacing armrests. Storage space included an under-stack area with a rubberized bin. Standard features included power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, power first- and second-row windows, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, Stow ’n Go bucket seats with in-floor storage bins, and a Stow ’n Go third-row bench seat.

The second- and third-row seats offered plenty of legroom, with Stow ’n Go seats that tumbled into the floor for float loading. The rear cargo area was spacious, with the Pacifica Pinnacle offering best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe’s touchscreen infotainment system was user-friendly, with stereo control knobs, main menu shortcut buttons, and a programmable button. Every Santa Fe had Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. SEL trim added SiriusXM satellite radio, Blue Link connected services with three free years of service, and remote engine starting with climate pre-conditioning. Limited trim included a larger 8-inch display, navigation system, surround-view camera, wireless smartphone charging, and a 12-speaker Infinity surround sound system. A head-up display provided data on the windshield, including blind spot information.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica featured Uconnect 5, a modern and customizable infotainment system. It was graphically appealing, quickly responsive, and easy to use. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard. The second row's in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with additional games available. A six-speaker sound system was standard, with 13-speaker Alpine and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon options. The Pinnacle model included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with a rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe earned a five-star overall crash-test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. SEL trim added blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and a safe exit assist system. The SEL Convenience Package included an ultrasonic occupant alert system. Limited trim featured a Blind-Spot View Monitor.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with 97 safety features, increasing to 100 in the Pinnacle trim. Key safety technologies included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, advanced brake assist, third-row lock out, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.