Pilot vs Pacifica or other related SUV's

[jl_ss]

Originally posted by BubbleSparkxx


Nope - check wikipedia. The evolutionized k-car platform was modified to for optional AWD - which chrysler eliminated from the caravan/voyager with the intro of Stow and Go seating and the Pacifica. The Pacifica is avail with FWD or AWD. The previous e class platform was not designed / or modified to be only FWD.

I believe the first domestic usage of the previous gen E was the Crossfire - followed by the magnum / 300.

This could be what jay remembers (from Edmunds): ....The Pacifica uses a five-link independent rear suspension that was optimized in the Mercedes-Benz driving simulator in Berlin. Its architecture (not parts) is borrowed from the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan.....

[jay]

Originally posted by jl_ss


This could be what jay remembers (from Edmunds): ....The Pacifica uses a five-link independent rear suspension that was optimized in the Mercedes-Benz driving simulator in Berlin. Its architecture (not parts) is borrowed from the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan.....

There you go. So I'm only half losing it. My mind, that is.

[NJGuy]

While my Pilot was getting repaired for minor collision damage, Enterprise provided me with a Pacifica for a few days.

I only drove the car for four days, so I can't give a thorough assessment of the vehicle. However, I can bring up a few of my observations about it.

When the rental car agent asked me if a Pacifica was okay for my rental, I immediately agreed. I reserved and was expecting a full size sedan, but I had the opportunity to get something with a bit more space and comparable with the Pilot (without paying the extra $20-25/day for an SUV rental). Of course, all of the negative thoughts of Chryslers and rental cars were stirring in the back of my mind, so I had very low expectations of the vehicle.

Features: The Pacifica I rented had a decent set of features, some of which I would have chosen if I had to buy one: roof rack, cargo net, cd player w/ mp3 read capability. I believe the model I had was the FWD base model with the leather value group.

Interior: Although I'm used to the interiors of my Pilot and my wife's '06 Accord EX-L, the interior of the Pacifica wasn't too bad. Fit and finish were adequate and no better than my Pilot. I was able to find a decent driving position and had no problems finding and using the controls. I didn't care much for some of the styling cues (like the fonts, button shapes, etc.) as they were typical Chrysler and I'm partial to the styles in my Hondas. However, the analog clock in the dash was a nice touch. The stereo system sounded ok, but I didn't listen to CD's or adjust the sound settings. Radio reception seemed stronger than in the Pilot. Right before I returned the car, I discovered that there were radio control buttons on the back of the steering wheel. There was also an A/V input in the headunit, but no video screen in the back... ?. The leather on the seats was actually not as nice as the one in my Pilot and almost felt fake. This Pacifica was a five-seater model and therefore had a good amount of cargo space behind the second row.

Driving impression: The Pacifica's lower stance helped out alot in this category. There was less body lean in turns than in the Pilot. The steering was somewhat sharper than I expected, but it was less precise than the steering of the Pilot. Steering effort was also noticeably lighter in the Pacifica than that in the Pilot. The suspension felt softer than the Pilot's.
The engine provided decent power in the low revs. I didn't really get to test it at it's upper rpm limit under full throttle (like we should all do with rentals ).
When I saw that the transmission was an autostick, I thought that driving it might be somewhat fun. However, any idea of fun went away soon after I realized I only had four gears to make use of. In normal stops, the brakes were more than adequate. I did not test the brakes in emergency stops (again, like we all should do with rentals ).
In terms of noise, I paid more attention to the radio than vehicle noise. I bet that the Pilot is a bit noiser, especially at higher speeds.
I did not check the actual weight of the model I drove; but with the combination of the all of the driving feel factors I noted above, the Pacifica felt significantly lighter than the Pilot.

Although I had low expectations of this vehicle initially, I was not disappointed at all. The Pacifica was a better vehicle than I expected for the term of my rental. I can only comment on those few days that I had it and can't comment on ownership. I used a 1/2 tank of gas so I didn't see how it compares in terms of fuel economy. If I had to drive one for a longer period of time I could probably drive it for two weeks before I'd really start to miss all of the little things about my Pilot.

[jay]

Originally posted by NJGuy
While my Pilot was getting repaired for minor collision damage, Enterprise provided me with a Pacifica for a few days.

...

I was in a Pacifica for 3 days last week - an Enterprise rental. I found the audio and climate controls confusing at best. And the Pacifica I was in would "stumble" while accelerating through 30 mph, and the whole front end would shake. If I accelerated faster or slower, the transmission would clunk going from 1st to 2nd at about 18 mph.

The experience gave me a new appreciation for my Camry.

[NJGuy]

Originally posted by jay
I was in a Pacifica for 3 days last week - an Enterprise rental. I found the audio and climate controls confusing at best. And the Pacifica I was in would "stumble" while accelerating through 30 mph, and the whole front end would shake. If I accelerated faster or slower, the transmission would clunk going from 1st to 2nd at about 18 mph.

The experience gave me a new appreciation for my Camry.

I didn't have that problem during acceleration, but I guess you unfortunately did. I actually thought that the 1-2 shift in the Pacifica was smoother than the Pilot's.

One thing I forgot to mention was my assessment of the climate control system. I didn't think the controls were that confusing. After driving other crappy rentals, I guess I got better at figuring out these types of things. However, the A/C in the Pacifica is WEAK! The weather was hot when I rented it and it took forever to cool down the car. The HVAC system in the Pilot totally blows away the system in the Pacifica.

[jay]

Originally posted by NJGuy


I didn't have that problem during acceleration, but I guess you unfortunately did. I actually thought that the 1-2 shift in the Pacifica was smoother than the Pilot's.

One thing I forgot to mention was my assessment of the climate control system. I didn't think the controls were that confusing. After driving other crappy rentals, I guess I got better at figuring out these types of things. However, the A/C in the Pacifica is WEAK! The weather was hot when I rented it and it took forever to cool down the car. The HVAC system in the Pilot totally blows away the system in the Pacifica.

I've been spoiled by the eCVT transmission in the Camry Hybrid - it's totally smooooth.

[jay]

I must say that except for the stumble on acceleration through 30 mph, and the confusing audio/hvac controls, the Pacifica was fine. Yesterday I was in a Highlander Hybrid while mine was at the dealer getting XM installed.

I've owned a Highlander and two RX330s, and forgotten how "trucky" and bouncy the ride was. While the Pacifica appeared to have a more elevated seating position than the Highlander, and felt "tippy," it didn't feel "trucky," if that makes any sense.

I guess my age is showing. I really do prefer the sedan ride feel the Camry has. And the Hybrid with the eCVT transmission is smooooth. The new integrated Toyota XM sounds great, too!

And by comparison, I recall that my Pilot was both "trucky" and "tippy," but I'd take its reliability over the less "trucky" Pacifica.

[klinger]

I purchased a 2007 exl pilot 3500 below invoice. T he 3500 is a factory to dealer incentive. This rebate is 1000 now and will turn to 3500 again soon due to new model in 09. Hope this helps.