2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE had a mixed reception regarding its exterior design. While it showed promise with an aggressive nose and sloping hood, it lost its appeal past the A-pillar, resembling older models. The flat taillights and contoured rear helped mitigate its minivan-like appearance, but it still lacked the pitch-perfect proportions of competitors like BMW, Audi, and Jaguar. The AMG trim added a sporty touch, but it couldn't compete with the likes of the BMW X5 M or Porsche Cayenne Turbo. However, the interior was a different story. The redesigned GLE Coupe boasted a streamlined and cohesive look, with a luxurious interior featuring high-quality materials, vibrant colors, and advanced technology. The red and black interior, LED-outlined grab handles, and a mix of wood, metal, leather, and suede created a palatial feel, though some controls felt flimsy.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh, resulting in a more muscular aesthetic with new LED headlights and a hexagonal grille. The design retained some of its original sophistication, especially when viewed from the sides and rear, where a new all-LED taillamp spanned the width of the model. The Pacifica offered six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which added darkened features and black accents. Inside, the Pacifica stood out with its practical and premium design, especially in the Pinnacle trim. The flat dashboard housed a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and the interior featured quilted leather seats, suede pillows, and Beber floor mats. The Pacifica's doors felt well-weighted, and the sound deadening technology ensured a quiet ride.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE excelled as a multi-purpose vehicle with a complex suspension and engine setup. The base GLE 350 featured a coil-sprung setup, while the GLE 450 offered self-leveling air springs with adaptive dampers. The AMG Ride Control+ and E-Active Body Control provided advanced handling capabilities, including leaning into turns and bouncing to free the vehicle from sand. The AMG GLE 53 Coupe featured an electric supercharger for instant throttle response, while the GLE 580 and AMG GLE 63 S offered powerful twin-turbo engines. The GLE's hybrid system provided additional horsepower and torque, though it didn't significantly improve fuel efficiency. The GLE 350 had 255 hp, the GLE 450 had 362 hp, the AMG GLE 53 had 429 hp, the GLE 580 had 483 hp, and the GLE 63 S had 603 hp. The GLE could tow up to 7,700 pounds and offered exceptional ride quality and steering.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, and a hybrid powertrain with a V6 engine, dual-motor electrically variable transmission, and a 16-kWh battery, achieving 260 hp. The base Touring and Touring L trims came with the V6 engine, while the Limited and Pinnacle trims offered AWD or the hybrid powertrain. The AWD system activated on-demand and deactivated for improved fuel efficiency. The hybrid model 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 city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, while the AWD version had slightly lower fuel efficiency.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a spacious interior with optional third-row seating, allowing for up to seven passengers. The second-row seats had power controls for recline, fore-aft, and headrest adjustments, and could slide and fold for easier third-row access. The GLE Coupe, however, only accommodated five passengers and had limited cargo space due to its sloping roofline and large rear tires. The standard GLE provided 34 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 75 cubic feet with all rows folded, while the Coupe offered 23 and 61 cubic feet, respectively. The new MBUX infotainment system improved usability with a single touchpad and simplified interface, though some controls required setup before driving.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious seating and practical storage solutions. The front seats provided ample space and a sense of togetherness, with a padded center console lid replacing armrests. The Pacifica featured power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, power windows, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, Stow 'n Go bucket seats, and a Stow 'n Go third-row bench seat. The second-row seats had under-console storage, 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, making family travel a breeze.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE featured a 12-inch touchscreen with Interior Assistant, which could read hand gestures and magnify icons. The system was controlled via a touchpad or thumbpad and included features like seat massage, Track Pace app, Seat Kinetics, and Energizing Comfort. The head-up display and instrument panel were customizable, and the ambient lighting offered 64 colors. The navigation system projected front camera feed with overlay arrows, and the voice assistant responded to "Mercedes" commands. The GLE also included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and semi-automated functionality for lane changes and curve slowing.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica's Uconnect 5 infotainment system was modern and customizable, with a clean design and responsive interface. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and easy-to-use navigation. The second-row in-seat entertainment system offered games and ports for external devices. The Pacifica featured a six-speaker sound system, with optional 13-speaker Alpine and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon systems. The Pinnacle trim included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and included standard features like blind-spot monitoring, driver attention monitor, and forward emergency braking. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, evasive steering assist, front cross-traffic braking, and semi-automated control. The GLE also featured Pre-Safe Sound, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, and advanced braking and stability control systems.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with 97 safety features, increasing to 100 in the Pinnacle trim. Key features included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, 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 NHTSA.