2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive exterior styling, with a boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood that visually tied it to the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. Despite these retro callbacks, the design was thoroughly modern, featuring rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights that gave the Defender a unique personality. The modern Defender was also much larger than the original, offering more interior space and improved ergonomics.

Inside, the Defender balanced rugged character with modern comfort. The interior featured a mix of leather upholstery and suede, exposed screws, and bare metal, which added to its rugged appeal. The driving position was more comfortable than the original, with generous headroom and legroom. The Defender 90 V8 test car's interior was designed to handle mud and dirt better than traditional all-leather interiors, making it a practical choice for off-road adventures.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, available in Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims, featured a sleek exterior with body-colored door handles and mirrors, a gloss black grille surround, and black accents. The Limited trim with the S Appearance Package added 18-inch wheels with a "Foreshadow" finish. The split grille was flanked by standard LED headlamps, and the rear featured LED tail lamps that spanned the entire width. While minivans lacked the cool factor of SUVs, the Pacifica Hybrid was a practical choice with sliding doors and ample cargo space.

Inside, the Limited trim's interior was dark but sophisticated, with Nappa leather seats and a dash with sweeping lines. The chunky HVAC and audio knobs were user-friendly, though they were situated close to the transmission selector dial, which could cause confusion. The Pacifica Hybrid's interior was designed for comfort, with heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a spacious third row accessible through a large center pathway. However, taller passengers might find the second-row seats a bit low.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains. The base model had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The mid-level option was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain rated at 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The new-for-2022 V8 engine produced 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case.

The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. However, the Defender 90 V8 felt less poised than the six-cylinder model, bringing unwanted drama to cornering. Despite this, the Defender was impressively comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimal noise from the 22-inch tires. The Defender's off-road capabilities were also impressive, with a 4WD system, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance. The optional Terrain Response 2 system and All-Terrain Progress Control further enhanced its off-road performance. The Defender also had a maximum towing capacity of 8,201 pounds.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two small electric motors, making it the only plug-in hybrid minivan available. The EPA rated it for 32 miles of all-electric range, 520 miles of total range, 82 MPGe, and 30 mpg combined fuel economy. In real-world testing, it achieved 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range, with combined mpg exceeding the EPA estimate. Charging the battery on a Level 2 home charger took two hours, while a standard outlet required 14 hours.

The Pacifica Hybrid defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode once the EV range was depleted. This was efficient for city driving but less so for highway commutes. The Pacifica Hybrid was front-wheel drive only and lacked a spare tire and towing package, which were available on gasoline-only models. The hybrid's 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque were sufficient for highway passing, but acceleration was not as brisk as the non-hybrid model's 287 hp and 262 lb-ft. The continuously variable automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the lower center of gravity improved handling.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were comfortable but challenging to access in the two-door Defender 90. The four-door Defender 110 offered more versatility, with two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models had 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. Two-row versions offered 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a spacious center-console storage bin that could be equipped with refrigeration or replaced with a jump seat. Optional exterior cargo solutions included a basket-style roof rack and side-mounted cargo boxes.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor second-row captain’s chairs and third-row seats. The driver could zoom in on specific seats, making it a useful feature for families. The front seats were heated and cooled, with a heated steering wheel, and the driver's seat was comfortable and easily adjustable. 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 remained the same as the standard model, with 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 on the standard Pacifica.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. The user interface was well-designed, with easy-to-navigate menus and a distinctive color palette. However, the touchscreen required a firm touch to respond. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, which was particularly useful for off-roading.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, known for its ease of use and crisp graphics. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and the ability to connect two phones via Bluetooth were standard. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, with games and streaming content from Amazon Fire TV. However, the cost of this feature was high, and most kids already had devices that could perform similar functions. The Pacifica Hybrid also had numerous USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging, ensuring that devices could always be charged.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist features such as lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit adapter. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. While some non-luxury SUVs offered these features as standard, it was common for luxury brands like Land Rover to offer them as options. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including 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 both visual and audible alerts, and the adaptive cruise control system operated smoothly. However, features like parallel parking assist and front and rear parking assist required additional packages or the top Pinnacle trim. The 2023 Pacifica Hybrid had not been rated by the NHTSA, but the 2022 model received a five-star overall safety rating. The IIHS gave it Good marks in most categories, with Marginal grades for seat belt reminders and Average grades for headlights and LATCH ease of use.