2021 Lexus RX vs 2021 Chrysler Pacifica

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh that gave it a more muscular aesthetic with new standard LED headlights and a hexagonal grille. The front end's streamlined design moved away from the elegance of previous years, while the sides and rear retained some of the original sophistication. The back featured a new all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, with the Chrysler wing badge at its center. The Pacifica offered six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which included darkened features and black accents.

Inside, the Pacifica stood out from other minivans like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona by balancing practicality and luxury. The top-tier Pinnacle trim was designed for premium and luxury customers, featuring comfort, soft-touch materials, and classy finishes. The flat dashboard, anchored by a 10.1-inch touchscreen, was tilted toward the console and housed the shifter and climate controls. The Pinnacle trim boasted Piano Black plastic trim with wood accents, real metal surrounds, quilted leather seats, suede center row pillows, and Beber floor mats. The Pacifica also excelled in sound deadening, with new windows, seals, and insulation keeping noise at bay.

The 2021 Lexus RX showcased the modern design aesthetic of Lexus with its large grille, angular headlamps, shapely body, and floating roof. The interior featured sumptuous seating, perforated leather upholstery, and a somewhat bland center console. Lexus offered the RX in five variants: RX, RX F Sport, RXL, RX Hybrid, and RXL Hybrid. The RX and RX Hybrid were the base models, while the RX F Sport focused on performance, and the RXL and RXL Hybrid had extended bodies with a third row of seating.

The RX retained the body changes made in 2020, including elongated headlights and a redesigned front end. Standard features included 18-inch aluminum wheels, LED headlights, daytime running lights, brake lights, rear privacy glass, side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals, and an integrated rear spoiler. Available upgrades included 20-inch split five-spoke wheels, triple-beam LED headlights, a windshield wiper de-icer, and a heavy-duty heater. The F Sport Appearance package added 20-inch F Sport wheels, black outer mirrors, F Sport steering wheel, F Sport badging, and unique fascia.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a hybrid powertrain combining a V6 engine with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission and a 16-kilowatt-hour battery, delivering 260 horsepower. The base Touring and Touring L trims came standard with the V6 engine, while the Limited and Pinnacle trims offered either all-wheel drive (AWD) or the hybrid powertrain.

AWD was a new addition to the Pacifica lineup, automatically activating on-demand based on various conditions to improve fuel efficiency. The hybrid model, designated as the Pacifica Hybrid, had 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 models slightly lower at 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined.

The 2021 Lexus RX, RXL, and RX F-Sport were powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) RX 350 was the most fuel-efficient, earning 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. AWD and RXL models had slightly lower fuel economy. The RX Hybrid and RXL Hybrid combined a 3.5-liter V6 with three electric motors, delivering 308 horsepower and achieving 29-31 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.

The RX's suspension and handling systems were tuned for better dynamics, with AWD models feeling planted in corners despite some body roll at higher speeds. The F Sport Handling package added adaptive variable suspension, heated and ventilated F Sport front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The RX was limited to 124 mph and accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7-7.9 seconds, depending on the drivetrain. The RX Hybrid matched this acceleration but had a top speed of 112 mph.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious seating and practical storage solutions. The front seats were roomy, with a padded center console lid replacing armrests. Storage included an under-stack area with a rubberized bin for various items. Standard features included power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, power 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-row passengers benefited from under-console storage that slid outward, providing a bin for charging cords, tissues, headphones, and art supplies, as well as cup holders. The second- and third-row seats offered ample legroom, with Stow 'n Go seats that tumbled into the floor for easy loading. The Pacifica Pinnacle boasted best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters, making family travel a breeze.

The 2021 Lexus RX was a functional SUV with seating for five in the two-row RX 350, RX F-Sport, and RX 450h, and six or seven in the three-row RXL and RXL Hybrid. Front-seat occupants enjoyed plenty of space, while the second row was comfortable for adults. The third row, however, was tight for any age. The sport seats provided a comfortable ride even on long journeys.

The RX's cargo space was limited compared to traditional SUVs. The two-row RX offered 18.4 cubic feet behind the second row and 56.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The three-row RX had just 7.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 23 cubic feet behind the second, and 58.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free liftgate available.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica featured advanced technology, including hands-free sliding doors on mid-grade and above models. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system was modern, customizable, and responsive, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The second-row in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with four new games added to the existing roster. A six-speaker sound system was standard, with 13-speaker Alpine and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon upgrades available. The Pinnacle model included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2021 Lexus RX came standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, voice recognition, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, HD Radio, a WiFi hot spot, six USB ports, and a nine-speaker sound system. Upgrades included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, additional USB ports, a moonroof, a panoramic roof, wireless charging, navigation, a 12-speaker audio system, and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system.

The touch aspect of the infotainment screen worked well, though the operating system was not the easiest to use. The Remote Touch controller allowed drivers to navigate the screen without touching it, but it took up valuable center console space. Steering-wheel controls were user-friendly, but the RX lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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 lockout, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2021 Lexus RX earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick designation, with Good marks on crashworthiness tests. The RXL and RXL Hybrid had not been tested by IIHS. The NHTSA rated the RX 350, RX 350L, and RX 450h with four out of five stars overall and five out of five for side-impact crashworthiness. Standard safety features included a rearview camera, 10 airbags, enhanced vehicle stability control, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which included a pre-collision system, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, and road sign assist. The RX had two complete sets of LATCH connectors in the rear outboard seats.