2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh that included a revised exterior. New standard LED headlights flanked the Pacifica’s new hexagonal grille, giving the front end a more muscular aesthetic compared to the previous three years. The rear featured a new all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, with the Chrysler wing badge at its center. The S Appearance Package, which debuted in 2017, was also available, adding darkened features and black accents to the exterior.

Inside, the Pacifica stood out from its competitors like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona. While the Sienna emphasized spaciousness and the Sedona opted for a utility-vehicle-like design, the Pacifica balanced practicality with premium touches, especially in the Pinnacle trim. The Pinnacle offered a flat dashboard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Piano Black plastic trim, wood accents, and real metal surrounds. Quilted leather seats, suede center row pillows, and Beber floor mats added to the upscale feel. The doors had a well-weighted feel, and sound deadening technology kept road noise at bay.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The grille appeared more upright, flanked by large fake air intakes, giving the Equinox a chunkier look. Unlike the rugged styling of the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4, the Equinox maintained a car-based crossover appearance, with a tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia.

Inside, the Equinox featured a dashboard divided into two petal-like elements, with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center. The design was cohesive, and materials and fit and finish were decent for the price. Most trims came with cloth seats, but perforated leather upholstery was available. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, a black interior with red stitching, and a model-specific shift knob. While the exterior trim added personality, the black interior felt too subdued.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and a V6 hybrid engine paired with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission and a 16-kilowatt-hour battery, achieving 260 horsepower from the engine and 198 horsepower from its motors. 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. The AWD system, new for 2021, activated on-demand based on various driving conditions and deactivated to improve fuel efficiency when not needed. 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 seeing a slight decrease in fuel efficiency.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured a single powertrain option: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Equinox offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). While the Equinox had more torque than most rivals, it had less horsepower. The Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4 all offered more horsepower. The Equinox's torque was beneficial in stop-and-go driving, but the engine felt coarse and unresponsive at higher speeds. The automatic transmission's shifts were also a bit rough. The Equinox lacked sporty handling and the solidity and refinement of the Honda CR-V, but it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained pavement.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious seating and ample storage. The front seats were roomy, with a padded center console lid replacing armrests. Storage 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 provided ample legroom, and the Stow ’n Go seats tumbled into the floor for easy loading. The Pacifica Pinnacle offered best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox had seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good, but some competitors offered more legroom for front seat occupants. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though the rear pillars created a bit of a blind spot, and the small rear window hampered rear visibility. The climate control buttons and knobs were clustered below the touchscreen, making them easy to access. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked a sliding second-row seat and cargo-area storage bins found in some competitors.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica featured Uconnect 5, a modern and customizable infotainment system with a clean design and quick responsiveness. Standard features included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 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 options available. 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 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels featured an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage. The Equinox also offered multiple USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for a phone was too small.

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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top “Good” scores in most Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests but received a “Marginal” rating in the updated side crash test. It received the highest “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and the second-tier “Advanced” rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The Equinox also received an “Acceptable” score for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy’s Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.