Chrysler originally sold the Pacifica as a crossover SUV, but the brand has since changed its tune and sold it as a minivan instead. This came at a time when these kinds of vans were beginning to disappear off of the dealership lots. There are only a few minivans remaining, besides the Pacifica, like the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna.

However, Chrysler’s popular van model is showing itself to be a fierce competitor. In fact, we came up with five reasons why you should choose the Pacifica over Honda’s Odyssey.

1. Having an AWD powertrain available 

While both brands have popular minivans, only one has the option to choose an all-wheel drivetrain. The Chrysler Pacifica lets you get a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive on all models except the base Touring trim. 

The Hond Odyssey doesn’t come with that option. You can only get a front-wheel drivetrain. Since many people seem to like having power run to all four wheels, providing more traction on the road, the obvious choice here is the Pacifica. 

2. Choosing a hybrid model for better fuel economy

Besides having AWD, another favorite feature for many is better fuel economy. Vans aren’t exactly known to offer much in fuel savings, but Chrysler provides a way for owners to save some cash at the pumps with its hybrid version of the Pacifica. 

Fuel economy ratings on a standard Chrysler model is 21 mpg overall. If you choose the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, you can get around 27 mpg combined, which is possible with its electric-only range of 29 miles, according to Consumer Reports. Meanwhile, the Honda Odyssey does not have a hybrid model, at least not as of yet. 

3. More powerful powertrain even with the base model

The Chrysler Pacifica has a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 287 horsepower. Combine it with the nine-speed automatic transmission, and you can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds. If you add the towing package, the minivan can even haul up to 3,600 lbs. 

When it comes to the Honda Odyssey, you don’t get as much power. According to Consumer Reports, this van has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates 280 horsepower, which is decent but not as good as the Pacifica. It’s also 1 second slower in acceleration time than the Chrysler van. 

4. Better infotainment system

It seems infotainment systems come with every vehicle on the market, so what makes the Chrysler Pacifica better than the Honda Odyssey? While a 5-inch display is standard on the base, Chrysler offers a 10.1-inch screen on some of the higher trims.

Honda’s touchscreen isn’t exactly small, but it’s 2 whole inches smaller than the Pacifica. That may not seem like much of a difference, but the screen in the Odyssey isn’t as easy to use as Chrysler’s. It can be pretty frustrating to locate the setting you want through all the menus. Consumer Reports liked the system on the Pacifica much better. 

5. The ability to make more cargo room with Stow ‘N Go seating

The Honda Odyssey is roomy, but finding extra storage space outside the cargo area might disappoint. The rear seats fold down, but that’s about all you get. You could remove the second row of seats to gain more space, but not many people want to go through the hassle of doing that. 

With the Chrysler Pacifica, you get the Stow ‘N Go seating in the second row. That means you can fold down the seats and tuck them away into the floor storage compartment to gain more space while avoiding the trouble of trying to remove heavy seats.