Minivans were once the choice for many families because of their versatility and passenger-carrying capacity. When they were first introduced in the 1980s, they were meant to replace the station wagon as the ideal family car. Sadly, many people have moved away from them for other SUVs. 

However, there are still a few models on the market, such as the 2022 Honda Odyssey, but how does it compare to its rivals? Let’s see how it measures up with one of its competitors, the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica, and go over three reasons to choose the Odyssey over the Pacifica.

1. The Odyssey is cheaper

According to Consumer Reports, the Odyssey has a base MSRP range of $33,040 to $48,770. The base LX model comes equipped with a 3.5L i-VTEC V6 and ten-speed automatic transmission. It also comes with Honda Sensing, a proprietary safety system that includes collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, lane assist, road departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control. 

Consumer Reports state that the Pacifica has a base MSRP of $37,095 to $58,050. The base Touring model features a 287.0-hp, 3.6-liter V6 engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Pacifica also comes standard with safety features similar to the Odyssey, such as blind-spot monitoring, a rearview camera, lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, rear parking sensors, rear occupant alert, lane keep assist, and forward-collision warning. 

For the money, you are getting essentially the same features for the Odyssey, but you will be paying less. 

2. The Odyssey has more available max cargo capacity

Sometimes you want to haul more than people, which is where the Odyssey outshines the competition. The Odyssey’s cargo capacity ranges from 32.8 cu-ft behind the third row to 88.8 cu-ft behind the second row. The maximum capacity is 144.9 cu-ft when all rear seats are folded. 

On the other hand, Pacifica’s cargo capacity ranges from 32.3 cu-ft behind the third row to 87.5 cu-ft behind the second row. The maximum capacity is 140.5 cu-ft with all rear seats folded or removed if you plan on hauling something besides people. Because every inch counts in small spaces, the Odyssey is definitely the better option. 

3. The Magic Slide seating

One of the most functional features of the Odyssey is the Magic Slide 2nd-row seats. The Odyssey’s second-row seats three across, but the middle seat is removable. This enables the two outboard seats to slide side to side, and forward and backward. This is useful for easy access to the rear seats. 

Additionally, the center seat in the second row slides forward for easy access to children in their car seats. It is also safer to have children seated as close to the center of the vehicle as possible, so this will be the safest spot in the vehicle for a child in a car seat.

The Pacifica, by comparison, does not offer sliding second-row seats. However, the second-row seats do come with the Easy Tilt Seating feature. The seats tilt forward, allowing passengers to access the third row easily, even with a forward-facing child seat in the second row. 

As the minivan era winds down, there will be fewer and fewer options each year. Car manufacturers probably won’t be investing a lot into minivan production since there isn’t much of a market for them anymore. However, the 2022 Honda Odyssey has a better value than the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica for the few die-hard minivan fans left.