2024 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2025 Hyundai Kona

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica maintained its contemporary appeal despite not undergoing frequent redesigns. Its smooth exterior styling, featuring a modest grille, offered a refreshing alternative to the flashier designs of competitors like the Toyota Sienna. Chrysler's decision to avoid dressing up the Pacifica as an SUV, unlike the Kia Carnival, resulted in a clean look, with sliding-door tracks cleverly hidden above and below the door frame. The Pacifica's interior mirrored its exterior's distinctiveness, with a minimalist dashboard that gracefully integrated controls without unnecessary bulges. The Pinnacle trim, with its luxurious brown Nappa leather upholstery and quilted contrast stitching, added a touch of elegance, although some interior elements felt less premium.

In contrast, the 2025 Hyundai Kona, while visually unchanged from the 2024 model, retained its fresh and futuristic appearance. The single-piece grille and ultra-slim LED light bars contributed to its distinctive look, even in gas-powered models. The Kona's increased size, about six inches longer than its predecessor, enhanced interior space and road presence. The N Line S and N Line trims featured sportier designs with body-colored bumpers and cladding, adding to the Kona's assertive stance. The interior, unchanged from 2024, offered a solid and airy feel, with a drive selector relocated to a column beneath the wiper stalk, creating a sense of space. The Kona's interior boasted excellent storage options and a range of upholstery choices, from cloth to Alcantara sport seats and H-Tex leatherette.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on higher trims. The Pacifica's V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, provided peppy acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The minivan's chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, ensuring a smooth ride, although some weight transfer was noticeable during acceleration and deceleration. The Pacifica offered a quiet and comfortable driving experience, positioning itself as a refined option compared to rivals.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered two engine options for its gas-powered models. The SE, SEL, and SEL Convenience trims featured a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with Hyundai's Intelligent Variable Transmission. For those seeking more power, the N Line S, N Line, and Limited trims came with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was available across the lineup, enhancing traction and handling. The Kona's turbo engine provided a broader torque band, offering adequate performance, although it could feel flat at low revs. The AWD models featured a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, contributing to a competent ride and handling experience.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica excelled in interior space and versatility, thanks to its Stow 'n Go seating system. This feature allowed 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 it couldn't be combined with Stow 'n Go or AWD. The Pinnacle and Limited models featured a power-folding third-row seat and a power liftgate. The Pacifica's cargo space was impressive, with 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 140.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. The Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner was a convenient addition, although the raised center console's storage area was less accessible.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona offered a surprising amount of cargo space for its size, with 25.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.7 cubic feet with the seats folded. The dual-level cargo floor added versatility. Rear legroom measured 38.2 inches, providing ample space for passengers, while the front seats offered a generous range of movement. The Kona's interior featured excellent storage options, with numerous shelves, trays, and cubbies. Upholstery choices varied by trim, with cloth on lower trims, Alcantara sport seats on N Line S and N Line, and H-Tex leatherette on Limited. Heating and ventilation options progressed from basic single-zone air conditioning on the SE to dual-zone automatic climate control on higher trims.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The instrument cluster featured 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. The Uconnect Theater system provided rear-seat entertainment with dual 10.1-inch touchscreens, wireless headphones, and Amazon Fire TV connectivity. The FamCam rear-facing interior camera allowed parents to monitor rear-seat occupants.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona featured a 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment display across all trims, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. SEL Convenience trim and above included wireless smartphone charging and Hyundai's digital key. The digital instrument cluster, available on SEL Convenience and higher trims, offered customization options. The N Line and Limited trims featured an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system, while lower trims had a six-speaker setup. Hyundai's Bluelink connectivity enabled over-the-air software updates, ensuring features remained up to date.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. It was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although it missed the highest Top Safety Pick+ award due to low scores in certain crash 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 and parallel/perpendicular park assist.

The 2025 Hyundai Kona impressed with its comprehensive safety features, earning a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS. Standard equipment included Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and Safe Exit Warning. Higher trims added Highway Driving Assist and enhanced Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist. The Limited trim featured parking assistance technologies like Parking Distance Warning and Surround View Monitor. All Konas came with six airbags, electronic stability control, and a tire pressure monitoring system.