2024 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica maintained its contemporary appeal despite not undergoing frequent redesigns. Its smooth exterior styling, with a modest grille, offered a refreshing alternative to the flashier designs of competitors like the Toyota Sienna. Chrysler's decision to keep the sliding-door tracks hidden above and below the door frame contributed to the Pacifica's clean look, avoiding the need for additional styling features to camouflage them, as seen in the Honda Odyssey. The Pacifica was available in various trims, including the base Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle, with options for different wheel sizes and appearance packages. The interior of the Pacifica was distinctive, featuring a minimalist dashboard with well-integrated controls. The Pinnacle trim, in particular, boasted luxurious touches like brown Nappa leather upholstery and quilted contrast stitching, although some elements still felt less premium due to the presence of plastic materials.

In contrast, the 2025 Land Rover Defender presented a rugged and customizable design, with the Defender 110 four-door model striking a balance in its appearance. The Defender offered a range of base prices, with the Defender OCTA being the most expensive. The test vehicle, a Defender 130 in X trim, featured the Extended Black Exterior Pack and upgraded interior materials. The Defender's interior embraced an industrial theme, with quality materials and a purposeful design. The Defender X trim upgraded to premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, enhancing the cabin's appeal. Despite its rugged nature, the Defender's interior was not traditionally luxurious, but it provided a comfortable and functional environment for occupants.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, while all-wheel drive was available on higher trims. The Pacifica's V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, had been a reliable choice across various Stellantis vehicles, offering peppy acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The minivan's chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, making it a quiet and refined option compared to rivals like Honda, Kia, and Toyota.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender, on the other hand, featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid system, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system with a low-range setting for off-roading. The Defender 130 X could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and had a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. The Defender's adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes enhanced its off-road capabilities. Despite its off-road prowess, the Defender's on-road performance was less engaging, with noticeable body motion and slow steering. The test vehicle's fuel economy was lower than expected, averaging 16.2 mpg.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica offered the innovative Stow 'n Go seating, allowing second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating additional storage space. The Pacifica accommodated seven passengers with standard 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 all-wheel drive. The Pacifica's interior space was competitive, with ample headroom and legroom in the first two rows. Cargo space was generous, with 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 140.5 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner was a convenient feature, although the raised center console's storage area was less accessible.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 provided three rows of spacious seating, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The Defender's tall seating position offered excellent forward visibility, although the square side mirrors seemed undersized. The panoramic sunroof and fixed glass panel over the third row contributed to an open and airy feel. The Defender's cargo space was limited, with 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 89 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, but a button in the cargo area allowed for lowering the air suspension to ease loading.

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 system was intuitive and user-friendly, although a shortcut for the 360-degree camera view would have been appreciated. The Uconnect Theater system provided rear-seat entertainment with dual 10.1-inch touchscreens, wireless headphones, and Amazon Fire TV connectivity. The FamCam interior camera allowed parents to monitor rear-seat occupants, although an intercom system was not available.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L, and connected services. While Pivi Pro had previously been criticized for its slow response and convoluted interface, it performed well during testing, with accurate voice command recognition and an improved user experience. The Defender's Meridian premium sound system was impressive, and additional features included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system. The optional Towing Pack added a hands-free trailer reverse-steering system.

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. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named it a 2023 Top Safety Pick, although it missed the highest award due to low scores in updated crash tests and middling ratings for headlights and front crash prevention tech. 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 park assist.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with several driver aids, including automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The Defender's lane-keep assist was decisive, although it occasionally attempted to steer the vehicle into a turnout area. The adaptive cruise control operated smoothly, with minor issues in heavy traffic. Crash-test ratings for the Defender were unavailable at the time of testing.