2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, available in Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims, presented a sleek appearance with the mid-trim Limited featuring the S Appearance Package. This package added body-colored door handles and exterior mirrors, a gloss black surround on the grille, and black accents, complemented by 18-inch wheels with a "Foreshadow" finish. The split grille was flanked by standard LED headlamps, and the LED tail lamps spanned the rear width, enhancing its visual appeal. Despite minivans lacking the allure of SUVs, the Pacifica Hybrid offered practicality with sliding doors and ample cargo space. Inside, the Limited trim's black interior featured Nappa leather seats and a sophisticated dash design, though the proximity of the HVAC and audio knobs to the transmission selector dial could cause confusion.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan exuded a premium feel, often perceived as more upscale than its non-European counterparts. Standard LED headlights and taillights, along with an illuminated grille light line on the SEL R-Line, added to its stylish exterior. The SEL R-Line also featured silver roof rails, while lower trims had black ones. The model name was centered in all-caps at the rear, accompanied by the classic Volkswagen badge. The base trim offered only grayscale colors, with limited options for interior and exterior combinations. The Tiguan S came with heated front seats and cloth upholstery, while higher trims added features like leatherette upholstery, dual-zone climate control, and a power tailgate. The SEL R-Line boasted real leather, front-seat ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and driver’s seat memory.

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. It 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. In practice, it exceeded these numbers, achieving 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range. Charging the battery on a Level 2 home charger took two hours, while a standard outlet predicted a 14-hour charge time. The Pacifica defaulted to all-electric mode, which was efficient in city driving but quickly depleted on highways. The hybrid model was front-wheel drive only, lacked a spare tire, and couldn't be equipped with a towing package. Despite these limitations, it offered a smooth driving experience with a continuously variable automatic transmission and a lower center of gravity for better handling.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive available for an additional $1,500 on lower trims and standard on the top trim. The AWD option slightly reduced fuel economy, with the base Tiguan S achieving 25 mpg combined and the R-Line trims rated for 24 mpg combined. The Tiguan SEL R-Line offered mixed driving experiences, with inconsistent power delivery and a touchy gas pedal. The steering was light but provided good visibility and handling, making the vehicle feel maneuverable. Road noise was minimal, and the ride was comfortable, though the seating surfaces drew some complaints.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered features like the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor children in the second and third rows. The heated and cooled front seats, along with a heated steering wheel, provided comfort, while the second-row seats were comfortable but low. The center pathway allowed easy access to the spacious third row, though taller passengers might prefer the legroom in competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. The Pacifica's flat-fold Stow ‘n Go seats were unavailable in the hybrid due to the battery placement, but cargo space remained at 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 87.5 cubic feet with seats folded, and 140.5 cubic feet with all seats down. However, competitors like the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey offered more space.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan, in its top-trim AWD-only SEL R-Line, seated five, sacrificing the third row for more cargo space. The two-row Tiguan provided 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The three-row configuration reduced cargo space but maintained passenger space, offering 39.6 inches of headroom and 40.2 inches of legroom in the front. The second row offered 38.7 inches of legroom, dropping to 36.6 inches with the third row. The third row, with 33.8 inches of headroom and 27.9 inches of legroom, was tighter but still more spacious than competitors like the Mitsubishi Outlander.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 5, offering ease of use and crisp graphics. It included 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 streaming capabilities from Amazon Fire TV and HDMI ports. Charging options included USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan's infotainment system featured haptic touch slider buttons for climate control, which were responsive and easy to operate. However, the physical volume knob's integrated on/off button was sensitive and could be frustrating. The infotainment system relied on monochromatic graphics, accessed through an 8-inch center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base Tiguan S had a 6.5-inch touchscreen and two USB-C ports, while higher trims offered four ports and wireless charging. Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit System was standard, with the SEL R-Line featuring a fully configurable 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro screen. The nine-speaker Fender Premium Audio System on the SEL R-Line received positive feedback.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came with standard safety features like 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, while the adaptive cruise control system offered smooth braking and quick acceleration. However, features like parallel parking assist and front and rear parking assist required additional packages or the top Pinnacle trim. The 2023 model had not been rated by the NHTSA, but the 2022 version received a five-star overall safety 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.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan earned a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, and its safety offering improved for 2024 with the standard inclusion of Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE suite. This included adaptive cruise control with stop and go capabilities, active blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. These features provided semi-autonomous highway driving, detected unresponsive drivers, and assisted with parking. Additional standard features included rain-sensing wipers, rear cross-traffic alert, an automatic post-collision braking system, and forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking. Park Distance Control became standard at the SE R-Line Black trim level, though its Maneuver Braking feature was found to be intrusive.