2024 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2025 Lincoln Aviator

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 the Pacifica like an SUV, as seen with the Kia Carnival, contributed to its clean and uncluttered look. The hidden sliding-door tracks further enhanced its sleek appearance, eliminating the need for additional styling features to camouflage them, unlike the Honda Odyssey. The Pacifica was available in various trims, including Touring, Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle, with options for LED lighting and different wheel sizes. The S Appearance and Road Tripper Packages added unique exterior and interior trims, while new paint options like Baltic Gray and Red Hot expanded the color palette.

Inside, the Pacifica's interior was as distinctive as its exterior, featuring a minimalist and sculpted dashboard design. The controls were seamlessly integrated, with the infotainment touchscreen framed by winged vents reminiscent of the Chrysler logo. The Pinnacle trim, the most luxurious version, boasted brown Nappa leather upholstery with quilted contrast stitching and small pillows for the second-row seats. However, some interior elements, such as the rotary shifter, felt less premium, and the shifter's proximity to the volume knob occasionally led to confusion. Overall, the Pacifica's interior offered a blend of luxury and practicality, though some areas could have benefited from higher-quality materials.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator, built on a rear-wheel-drive platform shared with the Ford Explorer, showcased classic design proportions. Its blunt nose, short front overhang, and appealing dash-to-axle ratio contributed to its sports wagon-like appearance, although the 2025 styling updates made it appear more generic. The optional Jet Appearance Package further diluted its elegance. Inside, the Aviator exuded a classic architectural sensibility, with a plush interior that didn't rely heavily on screens. The traditional approach was appreciated, though the remote keyless entry fob felt cheap and oversized. The Aviator's Phone as a Key technology and touchpad entry system offered convenient alternatives.

Lincoln offered the Aviator in Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label trims, with prices ranging from $60,990 to $89,090. Our test vehicle, in Reserve trim with optional all-wheel drive, featured extra-cost Whisper Blue paint and a center console between the second-row captain's chairs. The Reserve II, Jet Appearance, and Dynamic Handling option packages added desirable features, including upgraded exterior lighting, 30-way-adjustable Perfect Position front seats with massage, heated and ventilated second-row seats, a 28-speaker Revel Ultima audio system, and 22-inch wheels. The Aviator's interior comfort and technology made it a compelling choice for luxury SUV enthusiasts.

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 the Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims. The Pacifica Hybrid, with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, was also an option. The V6 engine, known as the Pentastar, had a long history in the Stellantis lineup and provided sufficient power for peppy acceleration. It also offered a maximum towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The Pacifica's chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, making it a quiet and comfortable minivan compared to rivals like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Toyota Sienna.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator featured a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Drivers could choose from various driving modes, including Excite, Conserve, Normal, Slippery, and Deep Conditions. The adaptive air suspension, available in our test vehicle, firmed up in Excite mode but didn't make the Aviator particularly exciting to drive. The twin-turbo V6 provided ample power for acceleration and passing, though the observed fuel economy of 17.7 mpg fell short of the EPA's 20 mpg rating. The Aviator offered clear sightlines and a 360-degree camera view for urban driving, but the ride quality suffered on rough roads due to the large 22-inch wheels and thin tires. The adaptive Air Glide suspension helped maintain composure, but the Aviator's driving character leaned more toward comfort than athleticism.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica offered ingenious Stow 'n Go seating, allowing second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating large in-floor storage bins. However, this feature required strategic option choices, as it dictated second-row bucket seats and limited configurations. The Pacifica accommodated seven passengers with standard seating and offered an eight-seat configuration with the Touring L trim. Pinnacle and Limited models featured a power-folding third-row seat and a power liftgate. Passenger space was competitive, with ample headroom and legroom in the first two rows, though rear-seat legroom was slightly less generous than some rivals. The Pacifica provided 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 the second and third rows folded. The Stow 'n Vac built-in vacuum cleaner was available on select trims, adding convenience to the cargo area.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator offered exceptional comfort with its available Perfect Position front seats, featuring 30-way adjustability, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The second-row captain's chairs were roomy and supportive, with heating and ventilation, while the quad-zone automatic climate control system ensured personalized comfort for all passengers. However, the third-row seat was less accommodating, with low, flat cushions and limited legroom, making it more suitable for children. Storage space in the Aviator was excellent, with a well-organized center console, deep door panel storage pockets, and an optional console between the second-row seats. The Aviator provided 19.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 42.7 cubic feet with the third row folded and 78.6 cubic feet with both rear rows down. While not the largest in its class, the Aviator's cargo capacity remained practical for various needs.

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 connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, 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. Uconnect 5 was praised for its intuitive interface, though the lack of a shortcut for the 360-degree camera view was noted. 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, though an intercom system was absent.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator featured a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system powered by Lincoln Digital Experience technology. It included Google Built-in, Alexa Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. However, the Google Assistant in the test vehicle struggled with voice prompts, while Apple CarPlay and Siri worked seamlessly. The Aviator's infotainment system included an app called Elevated Journey, offering mindfulness coaching for the road. The 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D sound system delivered impressive audio quality, and the available head-up display provided valuable information, including lane departure warnings and blind-spot alerts.

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, though 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 systems. The new Emergency Vehicle Alert System provided warnings about nearby emergency vehicles or road hazards.

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator came with the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Drive 2.0 suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including active blind-spot monitoring, intersection assist, evasive steering assist, and reverse braking assist. The reverse braking assist system required deactivation in certain situations, as it could bring the SUV to a halt when backing out of an angled driveway. Adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist worked effectively, and BlueCruise, a hands-free driving assistance system, was standard with a four-year subscription. BlueCruise operated on approved highways and proactively handed control to the driver when necessary. The Aviator received five-star ratings from NHTSA and Good ratings from IIHS, indicating strong safety performance.