While some buyers have eschewed the minivan in favor of crossovers, there's no denying that the minivan is still the best, most practical option for family transportation. And today, we're comparing two of the most popular minivans on the market: The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2019 Toyota Sienna.

Design: Pacifica vs Sienna

The Chrysler Pacifica is a relatively new design, premiering for the first time in 2017. However, it's built on Chrysler's legacy as the innovator of the minivan, replacing the now-retired Town & Country. The 2019 Sienna, meanwhile, is still based on the same design from 2011. While it has remained a popular choice, there are several design elements that show their age when compared to the Chrysler Pacifica.

One of Chrysler's big design innovations comes in the form of their Stow 'n Go seating. This allows the second and third rows to easily fold flat into the floor of the van, easily opening up its massive storage area. Meanwhile, the Toyota Sienna's heavy seats must be manually removed to maximize cargo room. So for buyers who plan to alternate driving the kids to school and pickup up supplies at Home Depot, this is an important consideration.


In addition to its feature-rich trim levels, the Chrysler Pacifica has also attracted buyers with its sleek styling compared to other minivans. When it comes to tech, the Toyota Sienna employs Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay for 2019, but misses out on Amazon Auto. For its part, the Chrysler Pacifica offers Android Auto & CarPlay as standard across the range.

When it comes to seating, both the 2019 Pacifica and Sienna offer seating for up to eight, but they do so differently. The Pacifica comes standard with the more popular captain's chairs for a total capacity of seven passengers, while the Sienna comes standard with a rear bench. That means that Sienna owners who want captain's chairs will be paying extra, and that removing the second row seat in the Toyota is especially hard for drivers who choose the base trim.


Safety & Features

For any family shopping for a minivan, safety is a serious consideration. While the Chrysler Pacifica did score better than the Sienna on NHTSA crash tests, they both received overall 5-Star ratings. However, it's not quite the same story from the IIHS. In new passenger-side crash tests, the Sienna received Marginal overall scores (the second-lowest) and a lowest Poor rating for the structure of the vehicle in that crash test. The Pacifica received an Acceptable rating in that same crash test.


That one poor showing from the Sienna aside, both the Pacifica and Sienna offer advanced safety features to keep families safe on the road. But when looking at other feature content, it becomes hard to justify the higher price of the Sienna when looking at what you get for the money. The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica offers features like leather interior, upgraded sound system, and more at a lower price point than the older 2019 Toyota Sienna.


Conclusion

It's really no surprise that the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica was named the Cars.com Family Car of the Year. Offering impressive features and convenience, as well as top safety scores, the Pacifica is the perfect choice for South Carolina families looking for their next minivan. While the Toyota Sienna is unique in being the only minivan to offer AWD, it lags behind when it comes to ease of storage, safety, and technology. Considering that it consistently comes in at about $4,000 more than a similarly equipped Chrysler Pacifica across the range, it's no wonder that the Toyota Sienna is overdue for a complete overhaul.

If you've been shopping for a minivan, test driving a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica is a great place to start. Check out our inventory of Chrysler Pacifica models below, and schedule a test drive to try one out for yourself.