At the present moment, only two minivans available stateside come with all-wheel drive, those people carriers being the Pacifica and Sienna. Pictured on a Colorado runway, said minivans couldn't be more different in the quarter mile.
The Pentastar V6-engined Pacifica gets poorly off the line, even with brake torquing and traction control turned off. Rated at 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet (355 Nm), its 3.6-liter mill is connected to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Of course, said transmission is the 9HP48 that's well known for being a bit meh. The Sienna, by comparison, sports an electronic continuously variable transmission with sequential shift mode. Under the hood, you'll find a 2.5-liter I4 with merely 189 horsepower and 176 pound-feet (239 Nm) to its name. However, there's a catch.
The four-cylinder lump is assisted by permanent magnet synchronous motors for a net hybrid system output of 245 horsepower. Given that Colorado has an average altitude of more than a mile above sea level, the hybrid system's oomph makes a world of difference in a drag race.
Naturally-aspirated engines have it rough at high altitudes because of thinner air. The generally accepted rule is 3 percent less power for every 1,000 feet (305 meters) of elevation gain.
We also have to remember that an electric drive unit produces torque much quicker than a combustion engine, with said torque helping the Sienna finish the quarter mile ahead of the Pacifica. The question is, can the Chrysler redeem itself from a rolling start? The answer is no, and that's a bit of a shame from the maker of the Hellcat and 392 HEMI, wonderful beasts that are unfortunately going away after the 2024 model year.
The Fast Lane's Nathan and Brendon also performed an emergency braking test from 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), which – totally unexpected – the Chrysler won. Why is it surprising? Because the Pacifica is heavier than the Sienna, tipping the scales at 4,883 pounds (2,215 kilograms) versus 4,625 lbs (2,098 kgs).
Care to guess which of these minivans is easier on fuel? That would be the Sienna AWD, which averages 35 miles per gallon (6.5 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined test cycle. As per the Environmental Protection Agency, the Pacifica AWD manages 20 mpg (11.8 l/100 km).
What about pricing? $37,620 sans destination charge for the Pacifica FWD is more than $36,885 for the Sienna FWD. Opting for all-wheel drive hikes up those prices to $44,770 for the Chrysler and $38,885 for the 'Yota. Why this big of a jump? Well, if you want all-wheel drive in the Pacifica, you'll need to upgrade from the entry-level Touring grade to the Touring L.
That being said, the Pacifica does sell better than the Sienna. As per Chrysler's Q2 2023 sales report, no fewer than 73,845 units were delivered in the United States in the first six months of the year. By comparison, Toyota moved 27,937 units.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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