Chrysler Pacifica vs Toyota Sienna: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Toyota Sienna burns about $1,700 of fuel annually against $1,900 for the Chrysler Pacifica. That $200 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,000 over five years and $1,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Toyota Sienna leads in both cycles — 36 mpg city and 36 mpg highway against 32 and 33 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Chrysler Pacifica is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (3.6, PHEV, Stop-Start), the Toyota Sienna with 3 (SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, SIDI & PFI, 3.5). Across 31 recorded Chrysler Pacifica configurations and 24 for the Toyota Sienna, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Chrysler Pacifica is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Sienna with Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Minivan - 2WD and Minivan - 2WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Chrysler Pacifica emits 106 g/mile of CO2 versus 246 g/mile for the Toyota Sienna. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.