2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, particularly in the mid-trim Limited with the S Appearance Package, presented a sleek and modern exterior. This package added body-colored door handles and exterior mirrors, a gloss black surround on the grille, and black accents, all 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 its minivan status, the Pacifica Hybrid offered practicality with sliding doors and ample cargo space, making it a sensible choice for families. Inside, the Limited trim featured a dark interior with Nappa leather seats and a sophisticated dash design. However, the proximity of the HVAC and audio knobs to the transmission selector dial could cause confusion.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe showcased a bold departure from its predecessors, embracing a boxy design that prioritized storage capacity. This new aesthetic, while different, was not unattractive and communicated Hyundai's commitment to forward-looking technology and efficiency. The Santa Fe's upscale appearance was enhanced by a palette of sophisticated exterior colors and anodized-finish badging. The XRT trim added dark chrome and black cladding, while higher trims boasted larger wheels. Inside, the Santa Fe offered premium styling with a focus on comfort and practicality. The Calligraphy trim, in particular, featured luxurious materials and thoughtful design elements, such as a cocooning fabric headliner. The Santa Fe's interior was both elegant and functional, with ample storage and a focus on creating a relaxing space.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, making it the only plug-in hybrid minivan available. It offered an EPA-rated 32 miles of all-electric range, 520 miles of total range, 82 MPGe, and 30 mpg combined fuel economy. In real-world testing, the Pacifica exceeded these numbers, achieving 33 miles of electric range and over 550 miles of total range. However, the Pacifica's electric power delivery was limited, defaulting to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid mode, which was less efficient on highways. The Pacifica Hybrid was front-wheel drive only and lacked a spare tire and towing package. Despite these limitations, it offered a smooth driving experience with 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, though acceleration was not its strong suit.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a base 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive optional, except for the XRT trim, which had AWD standard. The Santa Fe offered Normal, Sport, and Snow driving modes, with the XRT adding off-road modes. A hybrid version with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine was also available, providing 231 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque. The Santa Fe's fuel economy varied by trim, with the hybrid achieving up to 36 mpg combined. On the road, the Santa Fe delivered smooth and stable performance, though it exhibited notable body roll through turns. The XRT trim excelled in off-road conditions, comparable to other rugged SUVs.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered family-friendly features like the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor children in the second and third rows. The interior boasted heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a comfortable driver's seat. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, while the third row provided ample space for adults. However, the Pacifica Hybrid lacked the flat-fold Stow 'n Go seats due to the battery placement, resulting in 32.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 87.5 cubic feet with seats folded. Overall, the Pacifica Hybrid offered less cargo space than competitors like the Kia Carnival and Honda Odyssey.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a longer wheelbase and body, with most of the extra space dedicated to the cargo area. Inspired by the "chabak" concept, the Santa Fe's cargo area was designed for car camping and tailgating, with an extra-wide tailgate and ample storage. The first and second rows were spacious and comfortable, while the third row was snug. The Santa Fe offered various seating options, including stain-resistant cloth, synthetic leather, real leather, and quilted Nappa leather, depending on the trim. The cargo area provided 14.6 cubic feet of space, expanding to 40.5 and 79.6 cubic feet with the third and second rows folded. The Santa Fe also introduced a UV sanitization compartment in the glovebox, a feature conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, known for its ease of use and crisp graphics. It supported wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and dual Bluetooth connections. An optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, though its value was questionable given the prevalence of personal devices. The Pacifica Hybrid offered numerous charging options, including USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe featured a curved panoramic display in the XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy trims, providing an elegant and intuitive interface. The touchscreen display offered easy access to controls, intuitive menus, and crisp graphics. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a 12-speaker Bose stereo, dynamic voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The SE and SEL trims had a simpler 12.3-inch touchscreen display. The Santa Fe also included Hyundai's BlueLink system for vehicle access and information, with upgraded features on higher trims. Hyundai Pay and a biometric fingerprint scanner were introduced, enhancing convenience and security.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offered a range 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 was effective, and the adaptive cruise control provided smooth operation. 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 version received a five-star overall safety rating. The IIHS gave it Good marks, with some areas rated Marginal or Average.

The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Hyundai vehicles typically performed well in these evaluations. The Santa Fe offered a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, intersection assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, safe-exit assist, lane-keep assist, lane-following assist, driver-attention monitoring, and a rear-occupant reminder system. Higher trims added advanced features like a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot view monitor, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and remote automatic parking. The Santa Fe also introduced driver monitoring, combining infrared cameras and capacitive sensors to ensure driver alertness.