2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Kia Telluride

The 2022 Kia Telluride boasted a muscular design with balanced proportions, enhanced by trendy blacked-out wheels and trim. Kia made only minor changes to the grille pattern and added new badges for 2022, maintaining its handsome midsize SUV appeal. The Telluride was available in LX, S, EX, and SX trims, with prices ranging from $32,790 to $44,590, plus a $1,225 destination charge. The interior was well-organized and upscale, though the glossy plastic on the lower half of the cabin detracted from its overall quality. The SX Prestige trim featured Nappa leather upholstery and a simulated suede headliner, contrasting sharply with the shiny plastic panels. New standard features for 2022 included a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, automatic climate control, Highway Driving Assist, and Smart Cruise Control-Curve.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid was available in Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims. The mid-trim Limited with the S Appearance Package added body-colored door handles and exterior mirrors, a gloss black grille surround, and black accents, topped off with 18-inch wheels. The split grille was flanked by standard LED headlamps, and LED tail lamps spanned the rear width. The interior of the Limited trim was dark but sophisticated, with Nappa leather seats and sweeping dash lines. The HVAC and audio knobs were chunky but could be confused with the transmission selector dial. The Pacifica Hybrid's practicality was evident with its sliding doors and ample cargo space, though the black interior was standard unless upgraded to the top trim.

The 2022 Kia Telluride featured a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Telluride offered front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost. The SUV's Lock mode evenly split power delivery to the front and rear axles, and its eight inches of ground clearance made it capable on snowy and muddy roads. The Telluride's brake-based Torque Vectoring Cornering Control system and selectable driving modes (Eco, Comfort, Smart, and Sport) contributed to its enjoyable driving experience. The Telluride achieved an EPA fuel economy estimate of 21 mpg in combined driving, with our SX AWD test vehicle returning 21.1 mpg. The SUV's towing capacity was 5,000 pounds.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, offering 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. The Pacifica Hybrid was the only minivan available as a plug-in hybrid, with an EPA rating of 32 miles of all-electric range, 520 miles of total range, 82 MPGe, and 30 mpg combined fuel economy. Our testing exceeded these estimates, achieving 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range. The Pacifica Hybrid required a Level 2 home charger for a two-hour battery charge, while a standard outlet took 14 hours. The minivan defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode, which was less efficient on highways. The Pacifica Hybrid was front-wheel drive only and lacked a spare tire and towing package, unlike its gasoline-only counterpart.

The 2022 Kia Telluride balanced form and function with an upscale, organized interior. Thoughtful details included overhead air vents, manual rear side window shades, rear smartphone storage pouches, USB ports in the front seatbacks, and accessible rear cupholders. Dual-zone automatic climate control served front-seat occupants, while a single-zone panel served the rear. The SX Prestige package added Nappa leather upholstery and a simulated suede headliner. The Telluride's three rows of seats were comfortable for adults, though the third row was less preferred. The SUV offered 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 46 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 87 cubic feet with all seats folded. The Telluride's folding seats and flat load floor made it easy to haul large items.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor children in the second and third rows. The Limited trim included heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a comfortable driver's seat. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the center pathway allowed easy access to the spacious third row. The Pacifica Hybrid's cargo space was 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 140.5 cubic feet with all seats folded. However, the plug-in hybrid lacked the Stow 'n Go seats, built-in vacuum cleaner, and heated second-row seats available in the standard Pacifica.

The 2022 Kia Telluride came standard with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including navigation and voice recognition technology. The system required a wire for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the voice recognition was not conversational. USB charging ports were available in all three rows, with airline-style ports in the front seatbacks. A wireless smartphone charging pad was standard in all trims except the LX. Kia Connect provided connected services, including emergency assistance, safe teen driving alerts, remote engine start, and home-to-car smart speaker integration. The Telluride also featured Quiet Mode and Driver Talk functions, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a head-up display, and a surround-view monitoring system.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and the ability to connect two phones via Bluetooth. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, with games and streaming content from Amazon Fire TV. The Pacifica Hybrid included USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging throughout the cabin.

The 2022 Kia Telluride included numerous standard driver assistance and collision avoidance technologies under Kia Drive Wise. These features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control with curve speed reduction. The Telluride also featured Highway Driving Assist, Smart Cruise Control-Curve, and Safe Exit Assist. The Blind-Spot View Monitor showed camera-based imagery in the instrumentation display. The Telluride earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" designation from the IIHS.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid included standard safety features such as blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking assist, and adaptive cruise control. The forward collision warning system provided visual and audible alerts, and the adaptive cruise control system offered smooth braking and quick acceleration. Optional features included parallel parking assist and front and rear parking assist. The 2023 Pacifica Hybrid had not yet been rated by the NHTSA, but the 2022 version received a five-star overall rating. The IIHS gave it Good marks except for Marginal grades for seat belt reminders and Average grades for headlights and LATCH ease of use.