Compare the2026 Toyota Highlander VS 2027 Chrysler Pacifica

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chrysler Pacifica doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chrysler Pacifica, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Highlander	Pacifica
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-22 MPH	-4 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-6 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-1 MPH
37 MPH Brights	-25 MPH	-22 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2 sec	1.4 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-25 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	2 sec	No Warning

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Highlander. But it costs extra on the Pacifica.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Pacifica doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

To deliver safety and visibility under dusty conditions the Toyota Highlander’s backup monitor has a standard rear washer to keep the view clear. A camera washer system is only offered on some models of the Chrysler Pacifica.

Both the Highlander and Pacifica have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Highlander Limited/Platinum has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Pacifica’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

The Highlander’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander and the Pacifica have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Chrysler Pacifica:

	Highlander	Pacifica
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	72
Chest Movement	.3 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	149 lbs.
Hip Force	300 lbs.	395 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	54 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	764 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	50 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Pacifica:

	Highlander	Pacifica
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	71	167
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	.94 in
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.06 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	357 lbs.	424 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.97 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	POOR
Pelvis Force	201 lbs.	1450 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chrysler doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Pacifica.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 36 points higher than the Pacifica.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Chrysler vehicles. With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Chrysler.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 120 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chrysler is ranked 34th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Chrysler is ranked 22nd.

The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 262) than the Pacifica’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Highlander is faster than the Chrysler Pacifica:

	Highlander	Pacifica
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.4 sec	5.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92 MPH	90 MPH

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Pacifica:

			MPG
Highlander
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Pacifica
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/28 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

The Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Pacifica. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

For more complete vehicle control the Highlander has Direct Shift, with the available convenience of an automatic transmission and the complete gear control of a manual transmission without the inconvenience of a clutch. Direct Shift allows the driver to eliminate unwanted shifts and maximize engine braking by down shifting while cornering. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a transmission that allows complete gear control.

For better stopping power the Highlander’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Pacifica:

	Highlander	Pacifica
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	13 inches

The Highlander stops shorter than the Pacifica:

	Highlander	Pacifica
60 to 0 MPH	133 feet	136 feet	Consumer Reports

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Pacifica.

The Highlander has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Pacifica; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Highlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Highlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Pacifica 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Pacifica’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet). The Highlander’s turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the Pacifica AWD’s (37.4 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a 2.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pacifica (8 vs. 5.4 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Highlander is 8.9 inches shorter than the Pacifica LX, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pacifica’s (5000 vs. 3600 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is standard on the Highlander, using the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Pacifica and isn’t available on the Pacifica LX/Select.

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Pacifica doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Pacifica can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Pacifica LX’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Pacifica’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Pacifica’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Pacifica doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Toyota Highlander has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the Pacifica Select/Limited/Pinnacle.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Highlander has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Pacifica.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Toyota Highlander retains 58.21% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 45.33% resale value of the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica after five years, which can save the Toyota’s owner up to $6570 in depreciation.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Highlander, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chrysler Pacifica isn't recommended.