Chrysler Pacifica vs Lexus TX

The 2024 Lexus TX was based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, yet it distinguished itself as a luxury SUV. It presented an upscale appearance, contrasting with the Grand Highlander's resemblance to a larger RAV4. The test model, featuring Luxury trim, showcased striking 22-inch silver wheels, an expensive option that significantly enhanced the SUV's aesthetic and presence. The TX's styling was more subdued compared to other Lexus models, resulting in a conservative look that might appeal to those previously put off by the brand's design. The TX lineup included the TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance, and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid models, with prices ranging from $55,050 to $69,350, though the TX 550h+ was not yet available. The TX 350, likely the most popular version, offered a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with FWD or AWD options. The test vehicle, equipped with FWD and Luxury trim, had a base price of $60,950, which increased to $67,869 with additional packages. The interior, while luxurious, felt dark due to the Peppercorn color scheme, but overall, it met the expectations of a Lexus badge.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica, despite not being refreshed or redesigned frequently, maintained a contemporary exterior styling. It offered a smooth design with a modest grille, providing a contrast to the flashier Toyota Sienna and avoiding the SUV-like appearance of the Kia Carnival. The Pacifica's sliding-door tracks were cleverly hidden, contributing to its clean look. Available in Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims, the Pacifica also offered a de-contented Voyager version for commercial fleets. Standard features included LED lighting and various wheel options, with additional packages like the S Appearance and Road Tripper enhancing its appeal. The interior was distinctive, with a minimalist dashboard and well-integrated controls. The test vehicle, a Pacifica Pinnacle, featured luxurious brown Nappa leather upholstery, though some interior elements felt less premium. The rotary shifter was a quality touch, but its proximity to the volume knob could cause confusion.

The 2024 Lexus TX 350 was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Despite initial skepticism about its suitability for a midsize, three-row luxury SUV, the engine performed adequately in typical driving situations with up to four passengers. Lexus claimed the TX 350 could accelerate to 60 mph in eight seconds (7.8 seconds with AWD), though it felt quicker due to the torque. The EPA rated the TX 350 FWD at 23 mpg in combined driving, a slight improvement over the previous RX L model. During testing, the TX 350 FWD averaged 20.4 mpg. AWD, available for an additional $1,600, offered slightly quicker acceleration and improved traction in adverse conditions. The TX 350's suspension provided a balance between road feel and comfort, with commendable body motion control and accurate steering. The interior remained quiet on the highway, though the brake pedal felt too soft in the pre-production test vehicle.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, delivering 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. FWD was standard, with AWD available on higher trims. The Pacifica Hybrid offered a FWD plug-in hybrid powertrain. The V6 engine, a staple in the Stellantis lineup, provided peppy acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, effectively damping body motion and road imperfections. However, some weight transfer was noticeable during acceleration and deceleration. The Pacifica maintained Chrysler's reputation for being a step above mainstream, offering a quiet, comfortable, and refined ride compared to competitors like Honda, Kia, and Toyota.

The 2024 Lexus TX addressed previous shortcomings in Lexus's three-row SUVs. The TX 350 Luxury model featured premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The standard second-row bench seat could be replaced with heated and ventilated captain's chairs. While the front seats lacked a massage function, they provided a supportive driving position. The second-row seat, though comfortable, had limited legroom, impacting third-row comfort when adjusted. The third-row seat was habitable for adults, offering leg support and a good view. The TX provided 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 57.4 cubic feet with the third row folded and 97 cubic feet with the second row down. Storage options were plentiful but lacked lining, potentially causing noise and vibration.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica offered the innovative Stow 'n Go seating, allowing second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating large storage bins. The standard configuration included second-row bucket seats and a 60/40 split-folding third-row bench seat, accommodating seven passengers. An eight-seat configuration was available with the Touring L trim but couldn't be combined with Stow 'n Go or AWD. Pinnacle and Limited models featured a power-folding third-row seat and an optional power liftgate. The Pacifica provided competitive passenger space, with 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 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 140.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. The Pacifica included a Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner, standard on the Pinnacle trim, and a raised center console with a small storage area.

The 2024 Lexus TX featured an optional Technology Package, including a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, surround-view camera, and semi-autonomous parking assist. However, the package replaced marked steering wheel controls with unmarked dual-purpose ones, requiring drivers to reference the head-up display, which was often invisible with polarized sunglasses. The Lexus Interface infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen, offered a three-year Drive Connect subscription, providing cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant with natural voice recognition. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, along with 10-year subscriptions to Service Connect and Safety Connect. The test vehicle had an optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay surround-sound system, delivering impressive audio quality.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The instrument cluster included analog gauges with a 7-inch digital display. The Pacifica offered up to 12 USB-C ports, built-in navigation, and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Uconnect 5 was intuitive and sharp, though a shortcut for the 360-degree camera system would have been appreciated. The Pacifica could be equipped with a rear-seat entertainment system, including Uconnect Theater with dual 10.1-inch touchscreens, wireless headphones, and Amazon Fire TV connectivity. The FamCam interior camera allowed parents to monitor rear-seat occupants, though an intercom system was not available.

The 2024 Lexus TX was equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, featuring adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, road sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Proactive Drive Assist, part of LSS+ 3.0, offered braking and steering assistance but was not transparent in operation. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a safe exit assist system. Optional features included front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist, which provided hands-free driving at low speeds on approved highways.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica received a 2023 Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, with some limitations in crash test scores and ratings for headlights and front crash prevention tech. The NHTSA awarded the Pacifica a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and rear park assist. Optional features included a 360-degree camera system, front park assist, and parallel/perpendicular park assist. A new Emergency Vehicle Alert System provided warnings about nearby emergency vehicles or road hazards.