2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vs 2023 Hyundai Palisade

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai's largest SUV, had a commanding presence on the road, further enhanced by its 2023 styling update. The new front fascia, with its bold strokes and squared-off grille, framed the new headlights, giving the SUV a stronger look. LED accents, daytime running lights, and headlights were standard across the lineup, while the Ultimate Calligraphy trim featured LED taillights. The body-colour mirrors, standard across all trims, were equipped with features like heating and power adjustments, with approach lighting included in the Ultimate Calligraphy. The 20-inch alloy wheels, standard in Canada, added a premium feel, especially with the new multi-spoke design on the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. A new colour, Robust Emerald, was available for the Ultimate Calligraphy models, offering a subtle and elegant appearance.

Inside, the Ultimate Calligraphy trim boasted a stylish and attractive interior, brightened by a dual-pane sunroof. The premium Nappa leather seats and horizontal quilting on the dash added a touch of luxury. The base Preferred model came with cloth seats, while other trims featured leatherette or leather seats with power-adjustable options. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated second-row seats were standard, with ventilated seats available in higher trims. The second-row seats came in a bench configuration for lower trims, with captain’s chairs available or standard on higher trims, accommodating up to eight passengers.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, available in Touring L, Limited, and Pinnacle trims, offered a practical and stylish minivan option. The mid-trim Limited with the S Appearance Package featured body-coloured door handles and mirrors, a gloss black grille surround, and black accents, complemented by 18-inch wheels with a "Foreshadow" finish. The split grille was flanked by standard LED headlamps, and the LED tail lamps spanned the rear width. While minivans lacked the cool factor of SUVs, the Pacifica Hybrid provided practicality with sliding doors and ample cargo space.

Inside, the Limited trim's interior was dark but sophisticated, with Nappa leather seats and sweeping dash lines. The chunky HVAC and audio knobs were user-friendly, though their proximity to the transmission selector dial could cause confusion. The Pacifica Hybrid's interior featured heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a comfortable driver's seat. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the centre pathway allowed easy access to the spacious third row. However, taller passengers might prefer the legroom in competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. The Pacifica Hybrid's battery placement limited the availability of Stow 'n Go seats, reducing its versatility, but cargo space remained generous.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade was powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine, delivering 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This made it more powerful than competitors like the Mazda CX-9 and Volkswagen Atlas, and slightly more so than the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder. The eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard paddle shifters, provided smooth gear changes. In Canada, the Palisade came with standard all-wheel drive, and its HTRAC system proved capable during a muddy off-road test. While not suited for rock-crawling, the Palisade offered a comfortable ride and competitive towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. Fuel economy was rated at 12.6 L/100 km in the city, 9.5 on the highway, and 11.2 combined.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid combined a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine with a 16-kWh battery and two electric motors, offering a unique plug-in hybrid option. Official ratings from Natural Resources Canada included 51 km of all-electric range, 784 km of total range, and 2.9 L/100 km equivalent fuel economy. In practice, the Pacifica Hybrid exceeded these numbers, achieving 53 km of electric range and 885 km of total range. Charging the battery took two hours on a Level 2 charger, while a standard outlet required 14 hours. The Pacifica Hybrid defaulted to all-electric mode before switching to hybrid operation, which was efficient in city driving but less so on the highway. The plug-in hybrid model was front-wheel drive only and lacked a spare tire and towing package. With 260 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, the Pacifica Hybrid offered sufficient power for highway passing, while the CVT provided smooth operation.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade offered ample space for seven or eight passengers, with 1,052 mm of legroom in the front row, 1,077 mm in the second, and 798 mm in the third. Passenger volume measured 4,397 litres, and the second-row seating facilitated easy access to the third row. The third-row and second-row bench seats featured 60/40-split folding, with power folding available in higher trims. Cargo space totalled 509 litres behind the third row, 1,297 litres behind the second row, and 2,447 litres with all but the front-row seats folded. A hands-free smart liftgate was standard on all but the base trim. The Palisade's interior included HVAC vents in all three rows, two cupholders per person, and a centre console with a phone holder and storage space.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid featured the FamCam interior camera, allowing parents to monitor second-row and third-row passengers. The camera included a view of rear-facing child seats and a zoom function. The interior boasted heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a comfortable driver's seat. The second-row seats were comfortable but low, and the centre pathway allowed easy access to the spacious third row. However, taller passengers might prefer the legroom in competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna. The Pacifica Hybrid's battery placement limited the availability of Stow 'n Go seats, reducing its versatility, but cargo space remained generous, with 914 litres behind the third row, 2,477 litres with the third row folded, and 3,978 litres with all seats folded.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade featured a 12.3-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was standard in higher trims. The Palisade supported up to two Bluetooth connections and offered USB ports in all rows. A wireless charger was standard on the Ultimate Calligraphy trim. The driver enjoyed a 4.2-inch colour info display or a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in higher trims. Remote accessibility and management features were enhanced with Hyundai's Bluelink system, allowing remote control of heated and cooled seats and other functions.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid came with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10-inch screens for second-row passengers, with apps, games, and streaming capabilities. The Pacifica Hybrid featured USB ports, 12-volt outlets, a 115-volt outlet, auxiliary ports, and wireless charging, ensuring devices remained charged throughout the journey.

The 2023 Hyundai Palisade earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. It came with Hyundai's Smart Sense suite of safety features, including forward collision avoidance, driver attention warning, high beam assist, lane-keeping assist, and lane-following assist. Blind-spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance were standard, along with adaptive cruise control. Highway Driving Assist I and II were available on higher trims, and a full-display digital rearview mirror was offered on the Ultimate Calligraphy. Safe exit warning and rear seat occupant alert were standard, with rain-sensing wipers on the Ultimate Calligraphy.

The 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid included standard safety features like blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, pedestrian automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The forward collision warning system provided visual and audible alerts, while the adaptive cruise control system offered smooth operation. Additional features like parallel parking assist and front and rear parking assist required a package or the top trim. The 2023 Pacifica Hybrid had not been rated by the NHTSA, but the 2022 version received a five-star rating. The IIHS gave it Good marks, with some areas rated Marginal or Average.