2018 Chrysler Pacifica vs. 2018 Honda Odyssey: Which Is Best?

Crossovers and SUVs may be all the rage these days, but there’s still a place for the family minivan like the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and the 2018 Honda Odyssey. When you have kids along for the ride, you need room for all their stuff as well as room for extra kids and cargo. It’s also important to have features that make day-to-day living easier, like rear-seat entertainment systems, plenty of storage cubbies, and lots of flexibility.

A minivan offers all these features and more. Let’s take a closer look at the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Honda Odyssey and see which is a better fit for your family.

The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica is available in six trims starting with the base L at $26,995 and topping out with the Limited at $44,095. The base model comes with a minimum of amenities, but as you move through the lineup to the Limited, the Pacifica gets increasingly luxurious with better interior materials and a wider range of features.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey offers five trims from the base LX at $29,990 to the Elite at $46,770. Like the Pacifica, the higher up the trim line you go the better it gets. The Pacifica, however, offers a greater range of trims and has lower pricing, whether you’re looking at the base model or the fully-loaded Limited.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

Safety is a priority when you have a car full of kids. Both the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey scored well in crash tests with an overall five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They also did well in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests. Each earned a top rating of Good in all crash tests and a Superior for available front crash prevention technologies, which was enough to make them 2018 Top Safety Picks.

Where the ratings differ significantly is on the ease of using the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system for installing child seats. The Honda Odyssey received a top Good+ rating while the Chrysler Pacifica received only a Marginal rating.

Winner: 2018 Honda Odyssey

Both these minivans have room for either seven or eight passengers, depending on whether you opt for second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. The Odyssey’s second row has outboard seats that slide left and right when the center seat is removed. Keep that seat installed, and it can move forward so it’s easier to reach from the front.

The Pacifica has second- and third-row Stow 'n Go seats that easily fold into the floor when not in use. There’s available automatic Advance 'n Return for the first-row for better access to the rear seats and Easy Tilt second-row seats that slide and tip forward even with an empty car seat installed. The Pacifica has the edge.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

It’s tricky balancing the family budget, and a vehicle with good fuel economy is a big help. The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined. The 2018 Honda Odyssey posts the exact same numbers.

While the numbers are tied, which makes picking a winner difficult, the Pacifica has a trick up its sleeve. You can get it as a plug-in hybrid, which boasts an EPA-estimated 84 MPGe. We’re giving the win to the Pacifica for offering this fuel-efficient option and not just the traditional gas-powered engine.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

If you’re looking for a hybrid vehicle, then you have lots of options. If you’re looking for a hybrid minivan, then you have exactly one choice. The Chrysler Pacifica is the only hybrid minivan currently available. It gets an EPA-estimated 84 MPGe, which help keep more of your money in your wallet, and it can run solely on battery power for up to 33 miles.

In addition to the hybrid powertrain, this version of the Pacifica seats only seven passengers and does not have Stow 'n Go seating because the space under the floor is used for the battery instead. Those are small sacrifices for anyone who puts a priority on fuel economy.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

It’s not always about people in a minivan. The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica offers lots of flexibility to handle people or cargo. There’s 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 140.5 cubic feet behind the first row. It also has the Stow 'n Go seating system that includes storage cubbies beneath the floor when the seats are upright.

The Honda Odyssey also offers ample room for cargo, with up to 32.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 89.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 144.9 cubic feet behind the first row. Although the Pacifica offers underfloor storage, the overall cargo capacity of the Odyssey makes it the winner.

Winner: 2018 Honda Odyssey

Minivans are popular with families because they offer so much flexibility. They can not only carry people and cargo in a variety of configurations, but they can also tow. While you won’t get the kind of towing capacity you’ll find in full-size SUVs, minivans still have the option of towing for when the inside doesn’t offer quite enough room.

The Pacifica can tow up to 3,600 pounds on any version except for the hybrid, which is not rated for towing. The Odyssey offers a range of towing capabilities with base models rated at 3,000 pounds and the top two trims rated at 3,500 pounds when equipped with an available towing package.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

In a minivan, the screens in the back are almost as important as the screen up front. The Chrysler Pacifica features Uconnect with either a 7-inch or 8.4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and optional upgraded audio systems. It also offers a single rear overhead DVD player or Uconnect Theater with two 10-inch touchscreens in the seatbacks.

The Honda Odyssey counters with a 5-inch or 8-inch touchscreen up front, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all but the base trim, and available upgraded audio. Rear passengers get a single optional 10.2-inch overhead screen. The Pacifica's rear entertainment system with its two individual screens gives it the win.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

The Pacifica has a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It’s a strong engine that easily gets the Pacifica up to highway speeds and still has enough power for a burst of speed to pass slower vehicles.

The Odyssey has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque paired to either a nine-speed or 10-speed automatic transmission, the latter coming only on the top two trim levels. Although the Odyssey provides the benefit of a smoother drive with the 10-speed transmission, it’s not as spirited as the Pacifica and doesn’t offer quite the same performance.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica

While both the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Honda Odyssey are solid minivan choices, when you drill down and look at the details, the Pacifica comes out ahead. It beats the Odyssey in all but a few areas with more flexible seating, a hybrid option, better towing, and stronger infotainment offerings. It’s also a more affordable choice for families on a tight budget.

The Odyssey does have better cargo capacity and offers easier installation of car seats with it superior LATCH system, but that’s not enough. The Pacifica is the overall winner for providing a more complete package.

Winner: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica