2024 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe presented a more conservative exterior design compared to some of Hyundai's more daring models. While it maintained an attractive appearance, it didn't stand out as much as other vehicles in the brand's lineup. The Santa Fe continued with the same design as the 2022 model, available in five trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. The Calligraphy AWD trim, tested in a Stormy Sea color with a black-on-black interior, had a base price of $42,600, with additional costs bringing the total MSRP to $45,845. The SUV's wide upper and lower grilles and thin LED headlights were its most distinctive features, while the interior, though high-quality, was dark and monotone. The Nappa leather seats were comfortable and attractive, with heated and cooled front seats standard in the Calligraphy trim.

In contrast, the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica maintained a contemporary look despite not being refreshed or redesigned for several years. Its smooth exterior styling and modest grille offered a nice alternative to the flashier designs of its competitors. The Pacifica's clean look was enhanced by hidden sliding-door tracks, and it was available in four trim levels: Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle. The Pinnacle trim, tested with brown Nappa leather upholstery and quilted contrast stitching, featured a minimalist dashboard with well-integrated controls. However, the interior mixed high-quality touches with more basic elements, and the rotary shifter was easily mistaken for the volume knob.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe offered two engine options: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged version delivering 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine, available in the Limited and Calligraphy trims, provided a significant performance boost with immediate acceleration and no discernible turbo lag. The Santa Fe's handling was smooth, with minimal body lean during cornering, and it offered a drive-mode selector with four customizable modes. The turbocharged version could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the non-turbo version had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Pacifica's V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, provided peppy acceleration and a maximum towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The minivan's chassis tuning emphasized comfort and stability, with the suspension effectively damping out body motion and road imperfections. However, some weight transfer was noticeable during acceleration and deceleration. The Pacifica was not quite a luxury minivan but offered a quiet, comfortable, and relatively refined ride compared to its rivals.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, with its two-row configuration, offered generous rear-seat legroom of 41.7 inches and competitive cargo space of 36.4 cubic feet behind the second row. Folding down the second row provided 72.1 cubic feet of storage space, with an additional underfloor storage compartment. The Santa Fe's seat comfort was a strength, with features like an eight-way power driver's seat and heated front seats available in higher trims. The Calligraphy trim included a head-up display, premium door and seat accent trim, and ambient lighting. However, the wide center console limited driver leg and hip space, and the driver's seat position could be uncomfortable for some.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica featured Chrysler's Stow 'n Go seating, allowing the second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating large in-floor storage bins. The Pacifica offered a seven-seat configuration with second-row bucket seats and a 60/40 split-folding third-row bench seat. An eight-seat configuration was available with the Touring L trim but couldn't be combined with Stow 'n Go or AWD. The Pacifica's passenger space compared favorably to other minivans, with nearly identical headroom in the first two rows and slightly more third-row legroom than the Kia Carnival. Non-hybrid models offered 32.3 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 140.5 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The Pacifica also featured a Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner, available on certain trims.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe excelled in in-vehicle technology, offering a standard 4.2-inch color LCD multi-information display in lower trims and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in the Limited and Calligraphy trims. The infotainment system included an 8-inch display in the base SE trim, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while higher trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The system's graphics were clear, and the home screen icons were logically arranged, though voice-recognition capabilities were mixed.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The Pacifica also offered up to 12 USB-C ports, built-in navigation, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The Uconnect 5 system was intuitive and sharp-looking, though a shortcut icon for the 360-degree camera system would have been appreciated. The Pacifica could be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system, including Amazon Fire TV connectivity and a FamCam rear-facing interior camera.

The 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety-related ADAS, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. Highway Driving Assist was standard on SEL and above trims, leveraging adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Santa Fe received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. Optional features included a 360-degree camera system and park assist. New for 2024 was an Emergency Vehicle Alert System, providing warnings about nearby emergency vehicles or road hazards.