What Minivan, 2021+, Pacifica vs Carnival

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dareo

Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
3,706
Location
utah
So, i'm having a 3rd kid and have to buy a Mini van. Would you rather buy:

Pacifica Hybrid Limited/Pinnacle-about 52-54k MSRP with HUUUUGE discounts/rebates/tax credit to arrive at about 36k cost after filing 2021 taxes.

2022 Kia Carnival SX at full sticker plus doc fee, and the only incentive is an attractive 1.9% rate. It will cost about 43.6k.

OR Suggest any other new vehicle. Budget is not firm although the value of the mini van is very strong compared to an expensive full size suv.

I need to pull the trigger soon or i may miss the chance to obtain the Kia, they are very hard to get and i will have to fly out to get either one.
 
If fuel prices bother you get the Pacifica. If not-IMHO the new KIA is the best execution of a mini van since minivans were first "a thing".

Isn't there a warranty length/terms to consider as well?
 
The Kia is pretty impressive in terms of fit and finish and driving quality. The Pacifica would beat it out by a lot on fuel economy but the hassle of plugging it in would negate some of that. I would probably dump the chrysler in a few years for another one as long as the big tax credit and incentive picture stays the same. Some people have made money trading theirs in for a new one for example. Kia is exciting in that it is totally brand new and fresh.
 
Go for the Pacifica Hybrid. Can’t speak for the new Kia but we test drove the Pacifica Hybrid today again and the new Toyota Sienna. We had test drove the Pacifica 2 or 3 years ago and should have bought that instead our Pilot. In our eyes the Pacifica is the better vehicle than the Toyota in every way other than reliabilty and is just a really nice and comfortable vehicle overall. I rode in the very back while my wife and the salesman were in the front, kids were in the middle. I’m 6’3 and still was comfortable enough to ride back there for hours if needed. The 2.5 engine in the Toyota was noisy and the infotainment seems dated already. On the other hand the Pacifica has maybe the best infotainment out there and was both quiet and powerful. My biggest gripe is the dealers around here seem to have only the Pacifica with the “S” option than has the black trim and dark wheels. I’m not a fan and prefer chrome trim and gray or chrome wheels.
Also I think you will find plugging in isn’t much of a hassle. I’m on my 2nd PHEV and the Pacifica will be the 3rd if we pull the trigger next week. It becomes 2nd nature pretty quickly to plug in when you get home from work or whatever.
 
oilstudent24 said:
Have you checked out the new Toyota Sienna Hybrid redesigned for 2021?
Click to expand...
Yes, we even have a big Toyota dealer very close by our home, but it wasn't that impressive. You ask for power and your given the sad songs of a flogged 4 cylinder. If only it was the V6 hybrid like the Lexus RX. I find the styling of the Toyota a bit much, ahead of the looks of a Honda but far behind the Pacifica and Carnival. I think the Toyota is a great buy for those looking at entry level trims but to spend $50k on a 4 cylinder van is nuts.

I really like both Pacifica and Carnival a lot so its hard to choose. The Chrysler is much more available but has to be haggled hard. The Kia its just pay MSRP if your so lucky to get one, so negotiation is not a factor.
 
Sienna :)

Toyota can charge 50k for a 4-cylinder minivan because they make the best cars. Also, the I4 is much more BITOG-friendly than a scary transverse V6

The Metris is also worth considering, though it is RWD

The 10k price difference between the Pacifica and the Carnival isn't nothing, though :unsure:
 
slacktide_bitog said:
Sienna :)

Toyota can charge 50k for a 4-cylinder minivan because they make the best cars. Also, the I4 is much more BITOG-friendly than a scary transverse V6

The Metris is also worth considering, though it is RWD

The 10k price difference between the Pacifica and the Carnival isn't nothing, though :unsure:
Click to expand...
Pacifica Math works something like this, $53k sticker with over 10k total discount up front and a federal tax credit of 7.5k, so all in all it ends up cheaper. A Carnival SX has great equipment and a low sticker of like 42k so that one ends up about 43k with the expensive kia doc fees they all charge. The Chrysler saves between 6-7k when the tax credit lands next year. Kia would have more favorable initial financing but that can be refinanced or just paid off.
 
dareo said:
Yes, we even have a big Toyota dealer very close by our home, but it wasn't that impressive. You ask for power and your given the sad songs of a flogged 4 cylinder. If only it was the V6 hybrid like the Lexus RX. I find the styling of the Toyota a bit much, ahead of the looks of a Honda but far behind the Pacifica and Carnival. I think the Toyota is a great buy for those looking at entry level trims but to spend $50k on a 4 cylinder van is nuts.

I really like both Pacifica and Carnival a lot so its hard to choose. The Chrysler is much more available but has to be haggled hard. The Kia its just pay MSRP if your so lucky to get one, so negotiation is not a factor.
Click to expand...
dareo said:
Yes, we even have a big Toyota dealer very close by our home, but it wasn't that impressive. You ask for power and your given the sad songs of a flogged 4 cylinder. If only it was the V6 hybrid like the Lexus RX. I find the styling of the Toyota a bit much, ahead of the looks of a Honda but far behind the Pacifica and Carnival. I think the Toyota is a great buy for those looking at entry level trims but to spend $50k on a 4 cylinder van is nuts.

I really like both Pacifica and Carnival a lot so its hard to choose. The Chrysler is much more available but has to be haggled hard. The Kia its just pay MSRP if your so lucky to get one, so negotiation is not a factor.
Click to expand...
That’s good you checked it out and were able to check it off your list. I bet it is down on power compared to last years V6. The rated 36 MPG seems good during these $3.00 gallon gas prices though.
 
Pacifica sounds like a win to me.. I’m trying to sell my wife on one and we only have two kids.. sliding doors in the garage and parking lots would be sweet
 
nwjones18 said:
Pacifica sounds like a win to me.. I’m trying to sell my wife on one and we only have two kids.. sliding doors in the garage and parking lots would be sweet
Click to expand...
“i am not driving a big van with only 2 kids!” -my wife 2 years ago, when we bought the Regal TourX. I was down for a van at 2 kids just because with certain models you can slide the seats far back. Keeping your annoying children far enough back that they cant kick your seat is priceless. Sienna, Carmival, and non sto n go pacifica like the hybrid will do this.
 
I’d get the Pacifica
slacktide_bitog said:
Sienna :)

Toyota can charge 50k for a 4-cylinder minivan because they make the best cars. Also, the I4 is much more BITOG-friendly than a scary transverse V6

The Metris is also worth considering, though it is RWD

The 10k price difference between the Pacifica and the Carnival isn't nothing, though :unsure:
Click to expand...
I think you’re the only person who considers transverse V6’s “scary” based solely on how you post about it on every thread involving one.

While I haven’t driven a Pacifica, every vehicle with the Pentastar I have driven (Ram, 300, Grand Caravan, Journey, 200, Charger) has always felt at minimum powerful enough to get out of its own way, and the v6 does sound good if you wind it out IMO. I’d personally not get the Hybrid though, just the regular Pacifica because Stow n Go is the greatest vehicle invention ever. FWIW, our Grand Caravan has 71,000 miles on it, 40k of those being rental abuse, and it’s been rock solid so far.
 
dareo said:
“i am not driving a big van with only 2 kids!” -my wife 2 years ago, when we bought the Regal TourX. I was down for a van at 2 kids just because with certain models you can slide the seats far back. Keeping your annoying children far enough back that they cant kick your seat is priceless. Sienna, Carmival, and non sto n go pacifica like the hybrid will do this.
Click to expand...
If anyone is honest with themselves they know the mini-van is the best tool for the job. Its just getting past that minivan image.. Personally Highlanders and pilots look/drive just like minivan's to me with none of the benefits of sliding doors/stow and go seating..
 
Having had a minivan for the last 16 years (the age of our oldest child), nothing beats the utility. As a comfortable people mover and even with bikes and stuff loaded in the back, it can’t be beat. If I were in the market for a new one, sadly, Toyota’s hybrid wouldn’t be on the list. Having ridden in my sister’s 2021 highlander hybrid, that is one rough drivetrain, and slow to boot. Once you get over RAV4 sizes, the V6 hybrid should be used, in my opinion. A suburban isn’t as good in the people moving department. Towing, sure, but not as a family vehicle.
 
Now if Toyota was not years behind in the supply and demand curve with plug ins, we would have a plug in Sienna. Tax credit, more acceleration without the lawnmower engine coming on, pure EV miles, ect.

However they cannot even supply Rav4 Primes to people. They get rationed out like those shots that have to be frozen...
 
Pacifica would be my choice.
What kind of mileage are you going to be putting on this minivan? If around 10k miles or less, I would skip the hybrid version. Stow and go truly is a fantastic invention and I’m pretty sure the middle seats have to be taken out in the hybrid version to get full access to the cargo. I’m pretty sure they don’t have the ability to fold against the front seats like in Toyota or Honda.
 
Hybrid Pacifica does nix the sto and go middle row, in exchange you get to slide those seats forward and back and they are made with a lot more padding. I would never sto the seats as i have a real cargo van for hauling.

Going to pass on used vans at least for now. If i did go used i would get something for like 15k and really save. I'm to the point with my portfolio that i can generate a car payment very easily, so borrowing at these rates is nearly free money.

Annual mileage won't be a lot, perhaps 10k or so, but it would spend a lot of time in the EV range. For example you can get to In and Out in 5 miles round trip but your engine is running for 45 minutes by the time you've made it through the massive line. The Hybrid would be ultra efficient in these city driving line scenarios like food runs and school drop offs.
 
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