2025 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2024 Chrysler Pacifica

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 Toyota Sienna and the SUV-like Kia Carnival. The Pacifica's design cleverly concealed sliding-door tracks, providing a clean look without the need for additional styling features. Available in various trims, including the base Touring and the luxurious Pinnacle, the Pacifica featured standard LED lighting and offered wheel options up to 20 inches. The S Appearance and Road Tripper Packages added unique exterior and interior trims, enhancing its visual appeal. Inside, the Pacifica's dashboard boasted a minimalist, sculpted design with well-integrated controls. The Pinnacle trim showcased luxurious touches like brown Nappa leather upholstery and quilted stitching, though some interior elements felt less premium.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas, available in five trims, including the off-road-ready Peak Edition and the sporty SEL Premium R-Line, impressed with its chiseled, upscale appearance. The Atlas SEL Premium R-Line, in Mountain Lake Blue, featured polished aluminum detailing, front and rear light bars, and 21-inch wheels, exuding a muscular and refined look. Inside, the Atlas continued its premium feel with diamond-stitched leather, metallic accents, and artificial wood, creating a warm and inviting environment. The digital instrumentation and large infotainment touchscreen promised a high-tech experience, though the touch-sensitive controls for temperature and stereo volume were less satisfying to use. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Atlas's design and features contributed to its overall appeal.

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, with all-wheel drive available on higher trims. The Pacifica's V6, known as the Pentastar, had a long history in the Stellantis lineup, providing peppy acceleration and a towing capacity of 3,600 pounds. The minivan's chassis tuning prioritized comfort and stability, effectively damping road imperfections and minimizing car sickness. While some weight transfer was noticeable during acceleration and deceleration, the Pacifica maintained a quiet and comfortable ride, living up to Chrysler's reputation for refinement.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas featured a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous V6. With 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, the engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, offering front-wheel drive or 4Motion all-wheel drive. Despite initial skepticism, the engine proved refined and satisfying for daily driving tasks, especially when utilizing the generous torque curve. However, the Atlas's ride quality was less impressive, with a brittle suspension over road imperfections and excessive body motions at highway speeds. While handling was predictable, the Atlas's performance was hindered by its modest acceleration and lackluster efficiency, returning 15.5 mpg in urban conditions and 19.2 mpg overall.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica excelled in interior space and versatility, featuring the innovative Stow 'n Go seating system. This allowed second-row seats to fold flat into the floor, creating large in-floor storage bins. The Pacifica offered seven seats with standard second-row bucket seats and a 60/40 split-folding third-row bench. An eight-seat configuration was available with the Touring L trim, though it couldn't be combined with Stow 'n Go or AWD. The Pacifica's passenger space was competitive, with ample headroom and legroom across all 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 added convenience, though the raised center console's storage area was less accessible.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas shone in form and function, offering a spacious and comfortable interior. The SEL Premium R-Line model featured heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, though the leather felt slightly stiff. Visibility was excellent, aided by large mirrors and a surround-view camera system. The second-row bench seat accommodated three adults comfortably, with ample legroom and a panoramic sunroof overhead. Access to the third-row seat was outstanding, providing adequate leg support and room for longer trips. Storage space was commendable, with practical compartments throughout the cabin. The Atlas offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 96.6 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. While slightly less accommodating than some competitors, the Atlas's third-row seating was more appealing.

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, 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 5 system was intuitive and sharp-looking, though a shortcut for the 360-degree camera system would have been appreciated. The Uconnect Theater system provided rear-seat entertainment with 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 Volkswagen Atlas utilized the VW Group's MIB3 operating system, accessible through a 12-inch touchscreen display. While lacking traditional controls, the system offered touch-sensing temperature buttons and a touch-and-slide volume control. The Atlas's native digital voice assistant was unreliable, making tasks like tuning the radio challenging. However, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto provided a more satisfying experience, offering navigation and music streaming. The Atlas SEL Premium R-Line's Harman Kardon audio system delivered excellent sound quality. Despite some user-experience glitches, pairing a smartphone and using familiar platforms improved the Atlas's infotainment experience.

The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. The 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. New for 2024 was an Emergency Vehicle Alert System integrated with the Uconnect infotainment system.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas featured standard IQ.Drive driver-assistance features, including Front Assist, Active Side Assist, Lane Assist, Emergency Assist, and Travel Assist. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The Atlas earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick. The IQ.Drive systems were accurate and refined, with occasional false warnings but no major issues. Volkswagen also provided a complimentary five-year subscription to Car-Net Safe & Secure services, offering crash notification, SOS emergency assistance, and anti-theft alerts.