If you are on the market for a new minivan, and you want the best there is, then you’re decision is pretty easy, buy the Chrysler Pacifica. Easy, right? Well, now that’s out of the way, you need to decide whether you want the Chrysler Pacifica or the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Both are very similar, but there are some differences and those differences might be the deciding factor.
Seating
If you need a minivan that offers seating for eight passengers, you are going to want to go with the Chrysler Pacifica because it is available with three seats in the second-row. If eight passenger seating isn’t a must-have feature and seating for seven people is good enough, then the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is still an option.
Stow ‘n Go
One of the most loved features about the Chrysler Pacifica and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system. Exclusive to FCA minivans, Stow ‘n Go seating makes it possible for users to easily fold select seats into storage compartments that are built-in to the floor. That capability is awesome because it makes it a breeze for people to reconfigure the cabin to accommodate large cargo whenever they need to. Other minivans only offer the ability to fold the top half of the seat flat or the option to completely remove the seats from the vehicle. Additionally, when the seats are not folded into their storage compartments, those storage compartments can be used to store other items, so it keeps the cabin nice and organized.
Stow ‘n Go seating is standard on the Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, but there is one difference. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid only offers Stow ‘n Go seating in the third-row seats, and that’s because the battery that is a part of the vehicle’s powertrain is located under the second-row seats. The Chrysler Pacifica features Stow ‘n Go seating in the vehicle’s second- and third-row seats.
Fuel Economy
Fuel economy and powertrain is the biggest difference between the Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The Chrysler Pacifica has an internal combustion engine, and the engine is a 3.6-liter V6 engine. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which means the vehicle has an internal combustion engine as well as dual electric motors that are powered by a large battery, and overall the Pacifica Hybrid has a much better fuel economy.
Overall, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a much better fuel economy. The Chrysler Pacifica averages 18 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, has a combined city/highway fuel economy of 22 mpg, and it has a total driving range of 418 miles on a single tank of gas. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid actually has a few different fuel economies. When the Chrysler Pacifica is only powered by its internal combustion engine, it has a combined city/highway fuel economy of 32 mpg; when the vehicle’s electric motor and engine work together in hybrid mode, the vehicle averages 84 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent); additionally, the Pacifica Hybrid can travel up to 33 miles when only powered its battery. Thanks to the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid’s increased fuel economy, the Pacifica Hybrid has a total driving range of 566 miles when the vehicle has a full tank of gas and a fully charged battery.
Cost
The Chrysler Pacifica has four trims that have a lower starting price than the lowest starting price of the most affordable Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid , but if money is your deciding factor, there are some other things you should consider. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit and buyers can benefit from the tax credit when they do the taxes for the year they bought their vehicle. So if a buyer can use that tax credit to their advantage, the cost of the Pacifica Hybrid would theoretically be reduced to $32,495 (plus destination fee), which is $100 less than the Chrysler Pacifica Touring Plus (starting MSRP $32,595 (plus destination fee)), which has the exact same features.
Additionally, the fuel savings of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will save drivers money throughout the time they own the vehicle. According to FuelEconomy.gov, the average driver will spend about $1,900 in fuel costs per year with the Chrysler Pacifica. However, Fueleconomy.gov estimates that the average driver will only spend about $950 per year in fuel costs driving the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. So essentially, every year, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will cost $950 less to drive. In five years, that adds up to a total savings of $4,750!
Want to come and see what the differences of the Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid are like for yourself? Come to Miami Lakes Automall to test drive them both! We can show you all of the different features so you can decide for yourself.