Depreciation is a topic that frightens most car buyers. It’s a phrase to be muttered under your breath in hopes it doesn’t hear its mention, then come hunting for your car. Even so, depreciation is an inevitable fact of car ownership that can vary depending on your model’s desirability, reliability, practicality, and many other reasons. Every car loses value eventually — unless, of course, you happen to be wealthy enough to afford limited-production exotics that are bound to live out their lives in a garage, only to disconnect from their battery tenders to see a golf course once a year.
All that is to say, new cars will lose value; some lose more value than others, and you can take advantage of it. For example, the Chrysler Pacifica depreciates more quickly than any other minivan. While new cars may be enticing options with new features, colors, or trims every year, the Pacifica’s current used value is enough to grab our attention. Especially when it comes to comparing Chrysler’s minivan to the Toyota Sienna, which holds its value the best. If you want a brand-new model that won’t depreciate as quickly, go for the Sienna. Those of you who enjoy a better deal on the used market will be pleasantly surprised by the Pacifica’s value.
All specs have been pulled directly from the manufacturers. New prices quoted in the article exclude destination, options, taxes, incentives, and other potential fees. Used values can vary depending on location, mileage, condition and other factors. The used values quoted in this article may not reflect exactly what you’ll pay, or what your van is worth.
The Worst-Depreciating Van Is A Used Buyer’s Opportunity
2021 – 2026 Chrysler Pacifica front 3/4 angle in red while parkedChrysler
Depreciation percentages are estimations that vary from source to source. That said, CarEdge and iSeeCars are both reputable sources that are usually fairly close to one another. According to CarEdge, the Pacifica loses about 59% of its value after five years on the road — iSeeCars places its five-year depreciation rate at 51.2%. That’s an average of 55.1% depreciation, which is far worse than the Sienna offers.
Toyota consistently holds value better than almost any other brand. The Sienna’s mix of reliability, fuel efficiency, styling, and more help it hold 62% of its value (a depreciation rate of 38%, according to CarEdge). iSeeCars’ data shows the model losing just 29% of its value after five years, which comes out to an average of 33.5% of its value. No matter the source, the Sienna always comes out on top by holding onto its value better than the Pacifica. However, that’s exactly why buyers should consider a used Pacifica.
You can save thousands by opting for a Pacifica instead of the Toyota.
How Much Do New Minivans Cost These Days?
2026 Toyota Sienna XSE from the front three-quarter angle in redToyota
2026 Minivan Pricing
Model
Base Price
Chrysler Voyager
$41,395
Chrysler Pacifica
$44,445
Toyota Sienna
$40,420
Honda Odyssey
$42,795
Kia Carnival
$37,390
To put the previous passage on depreciation into perspective, it’s important to know how much a new minivan costs today in the first place. There are currently five models available. Chrysler offers two on its own (the brand’s only two models on sale), but the Voyager is getting the ax after this model year. On that note, the Pacifica is getting a major update for the 2027 model year to keep the company alive. With an average depreciation rate of 55.1% after five years, a new Pacifica will be worth about $20k — almost exactly what CarBuzz‘ own Price Trends chart shows:
The Pacifica is the most expensive model to buy new, despite the Sienna’s standard hybrid powertrain that most buyers would usually conflate with a higher price tag. Nevertheless, Chrysler’s option outsold every other minivan in the United States in 2025 with 110,006 units sold. Toyota was the runner-up with 101,486 Siennas sold. Those who bought new Siennas in 2021 are better off than anyone who buys a new Pacifica, since the 2021 Sienna base model is worth an average of $32,875.
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Both Options Are Practical Family Haulers
2021 – 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid interior view of the second-row seatsChrysler
2026 Pacifica vs Sienna Interior Dimensions
2026 Chrysler Pacifica
2026 Toyota Sienna
Max Seating Capacity
8 Occupants
8 Occupants
Legroom (1st | 2nd | 3rd)
41.1 | 39 | 36.5 inches
40.3 | 39.9 l 38.7 inches
Headroom (1st | 2nd | 3rd)
38.4–40.1 | 38–39.6 | 38.7 inches
40.1 | 39.3 l 37.4 inches
Max Cargo Space
140.5 cubic feet
101 cubic feet
So now you know why we feel a used Pacifica is a better deal than a used Sienna (and the opposite is true for new examples). Even though the Pacifica loses value quickly, it’s a practical option for large families. It offers far more cargo space than Toyota’s van; headroom is either comparable or better in each row, and legroom only suffers in the third row. It’s not perfect, since third-row passengers will be stuck with 2.2 fewer inches of legroom when compared to the Sienna.
“In the back seat, we wish the Pinnacle’s captain’s chairs could slide further back, but they do offer adequate legroom and leather-wrapped throw pillows to use as lumbar support. The optional Uconnect Theatre system includes two seat-mounted touchscreens with various media inputs and built-in gaming features. Even crawling into the third row is relatively easy.”
– Jared Rosenholtz, CarBuzz (2021 Chrysler Pacifica Drive Review)
What Makes The Pacifica And Sienna Go?
2021 – 2025 Toyota Sienna rear 3/4 angle in green while parkedToyota
2026 Pacifica vs Sienna Specs Overview
2026 Chrysler Pacifica
2026 Toyota Sienna
Base Powertrain
3.6-liter V6
2.5-liter Inline-4 Hybrid
Base Horsepower
287 hp
245 hp
Drivetrains
FWD or AWD
Fuel Economy
(cty/hwy/comb)
19/28/22 mpg (FWD/AWD)
36/36/36 mpg (FWD)
34/36/35 mpg (AWD)
Chrysler’s plug-in hybrid variant of the Pacifica was once the most efficient model in its class. Unfortunately, only its gas version is available today, due to Stellantis discontinuing all PHEV models across its brands, including Jeep’s 4xe models and the Pacifica. Now that buyers are stuck with the same old 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 as many other Stellantis vehicles, Toyota’s hybrid-only model jumped into first place for fuel economy among minivans. Both the Pacifica and the Sienna can be configured with either front- or all-wheel drive. Chrysler’s only advantage in this section has to do with a 42-horsepower lead over Toyota. When you’re behind the wheel, though, the difference is negligible. Neither model is meant to be particularly engaging, to say the least.
“While the powertrain isn’t exciting in any way, it does the job straightforwardly and efficiently but feels gutless when called on to overtake. But add its smoothness to a comfortable ride from the suspension, excellent visibility, light and easy steering, and it’s an easy vehicle to drive the rest of the time.”
– Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz (2023 Toyota Sienna Drive Review)
The Real Reason The Pacifica Loses Value Quickly
2021 – 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid rear 3/4 angle in blue while parkedChrysler
It’s no surprise that a Stellantis product is less reliable than anything from Toyota, but laying out the Pacifica and Sienna’s maintenance costs proves why the former is so cheap today. According to CarEdge, the Pacifica costs an average of $3,624 to maintain and repair over the first five years. There’s also a 15.34% chance the model will need a major repair (a repair costing $500 or more) in the same timeframe. The Sienna, on the other hand, costs owners about $2,113 over the course of five years of service, and has a 7.96% chance of needing a major repair during that time. Extending the timeframe to 10 years shows the Pacifica’s maintenance and repair costs reaching $11,453, while the Sienna rests at $6,408.
How Other Minivans Hold Up On The Used Market
The front of the 2025 Honda Odyssey in grayNicole Wakelin/CarBuzz/Valnet
The only other minivans on the market include the Kia Carnival, the Chrysler Voyager, and the Honda Odyssey. To follow Chrysler’s trend, the Voyager loses the most value, with 64% depreciation after its first five years on the road. Kia and Honda are neck-and-neck: the Carnival loses about 46% and the Odyssey loses 43% after five years of service. We can expect the Voyager to keep dropping, now that it’s on its way out the door after the 2026 model year. As for the Kia and Honda, both appear to keep steady trends and similar depreciation curves.
As for maintenance costs, CarEdge’s data shows that the Voyager costs $3,504, the Carnival costs $2,822, and the Odyssey costs $2,582. That means the Toyota Sienna beats all of its competition in terms of resale value, reliability, maintenance costs, and fuel economy.
Reliability Aside, The Pacifica Is An Affordable Used Van
2021 – 2026 Chrysler Pacifica interior view of all three rows of seats from the frontChrysler
At the end of the day, buying any car is a huge financial decision that should be carefully thought over. The main reason to skip a used Toyota Sienna is simply because it costs more than the Chrysler Pacifica — Buyers can save over 10 grand by choosing a used Pacifica. However, if you’re set on buying a new car, the Sienna makes for an enticing family mover. Budget buyers beware: you may save money up front on a used Chrysler van, but maintenance costs could bite back.
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Sources: Chrysler, Toyota, iSeeCars, CarEdge
