Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

dilbertzzz · August 2005

Yes, thank you. I should have pointed that out myself. That is exactly the place where I discovered the frustrating (to me!) fact that I didn't really have all the choices Toyota's website on Sienna seemed to indicate that I had. :confuse: :mad:

Ah well, ce la vie!

isellhondas · August 2005

I don't think so. This sure didn't happen with the 1999=2004's.

LX's simply don't sell nearly as well as the better equipped models. Even as used cars that attract a lot fewer buyers.

People want it all these days!

user777 · August 2005

and what you are saying isn't inconsistent with what we are saying. some, many, most(?) people do want and expect more. however some, many don't. we merely contend that if you had more LXs, you'd sell them all!

well no, maybe not you. you might prefer to sell EXs.

isellhondas · August 2005

I understand what you are saying and I don't care what model I sell. We order what our customers WANT. We always try to keep a couple of LX's on our lot because there is a market for them. It's just a VERY small market compared to the higher end models.

For every LX we order, that is one EX or above we CAN'T order!

vrm · August 2005

Before you spend a lot of synapse firings trying to figure it out, have you checked to see if either or both is actually available to you? Toyota seems to offer a lot of option packages, but the actual vehicles available in your area will have only a very small subset of those option combinations available.

The minivan market today is very competitive. Plenty of choices at great prices. Not sure why you guys put up with this Toyota nonsense. What a waste of time.

hoops1 · August 2005

We had an 04 Sienna LE, last Saturday our nanny and a friend were driving on the freeway during rush hour traffic. A car cut them off and then slammed on their brakes and stopped almost dead to avoid who knows what. Our nanny Sabrina could not stop in time and she rear ended the car at around 45 mph. The good news is everyone in the Sienna was fine and walked away from the accident without a scratch, both front air bags deployed and the front of the vehicle was pretty much destroyed, we are still waiting to hear whether the van will be totalled but I expect it will. Needless to say we will be replacing it with a new 05 Sienna XLE. I am sure the Odyssey would have done well also but I now know about the Toyota.

We loved our 04 LE except my wife who is petite always complained about the lack of a power hatch after we bought it. I will admit it is a pain sometimes. Had we known we would have opted for the XLE to begin with which has the power hatch standard. We considered a new Honda but we want the power hatch and dealers here are not dealing so we would have to spend about $5K more for the Touring, plus I prefer the Toyota's styling and they are dealing on the 05's left. I agree with people who do not like Toyota's option packages and regional differences. They make it way to hard for the consumer to figure out what is and what is not available, Honda's approach is much better. Both are great vehicles and I don't think you can go wrong with whatever one you prefer.

dilbertzzz · August 2005

You missed the point. IF (and that is a very big IF) you found what you really want the most in a Toyota (and I mean actually available for sale to you!), then my advice would be to buy it and not let their poorly-done option shenanigans keep you from getting the best for your needs/desires/budget. If you find something better in another make, then by all means buy that! Just don't cut off your nose to spite your face, that's all.

There are principles in life that are worth depriving yourself for, some even worth dying for. Missing what you want over a sales technique ain't either of those IMHO. YMMV

05ody · August 2005

I am an Odyssey owner and if I liked the way the Toyota drove better, I would of bought one despite how stupid I think the option packages are. If for say it was the other way around and the Odyssey had stupid option packages, I still would of bought the Odyssey because I like it better. I see what Toyota tried to do by giving you a choice but its too confusing. It was a nice approach though and hey at least not every Sienna CE, LE or XLE is the same!

meg7 · August 2005

This is a legitimate problem. I own a 2004 Sienna XLE Limited with AWD. Two of my Dunlop run-flats have no tread remaining, even though my car has only 13,000 miles. This is my fourth Toyota but had I known of this problem, I don't think I would have purchased this car. I am considering switching to standard tires (not run-flats) and have the spare tire kit installed. But what good is a minivan without storage?

user777 · August 2005

if the runflats wore down prematurely, if you replace with standard tires or even if you purchase replacements for the runflats, i would have all wheels balanced and a 4wheel alignment performed by the installer. did you contact dunlop? will they pro-rate the tires? did you rotate your tires as recommended by toyota? i'd have the dealership take care of this one.

cccompson · August 2005

It's well known that the run-flats on the Sienna AWD have absymal tread life.

ctsang · August 2005

True. I just replaced my runflats at 19000 miles. My dealer told me I had it better than some who had to replace their at 13000 miles. The fault lies with the tires, not the car or dealer.

user777 · August 2005

did your RFT wear symmetrically?

05ody · August 2005

I was on http://www.hondacars.com and it has the 2006 Odyssey. No changes from what I can see but it quotes "The Odyssey packs a 244hp engine leading the class" or something along that line. Why the would they put the Odyssey's hp lower?!I am SO confused right now can someone explaine this to me? :confuse: :confuse: :confuse: :confuse:

ctalk · August 2005

They are using the new SAE rating. A lot of Honda's cars were 'over rated' in power. The Acura TL went from 270 to 258hp. Toyota's cars also had a HP change, the Camry is now at 210 from 225hp.

http://www.sae.org/certifiedpower/details.htm

"J1349 was updated last year to eliminate some ambiguities that allowed engine makers to cite power and torque ratings higher than the engine's actual capabilities."

You might see a drop in HP on a lot of the cars, or maybe even a increase. Some GM cars had an increase in HP.

05ody · August 2005

Oh...well then does this mean also that the Sienna is not 230hp? Will my Accord still have the 200hp that I thought it had for the 7 years I owned the car?:confuse: so was every car affected by it? thanks for the info

05ody · August 2005

Oh and also does this mean every new Honda car is affected? like the new Accord, Civic, Ridgeline etc...? How did this happen? because I would like to know what horsepower my Odyssey and Accord actually has....and what the Sienna and all the other cars actually have

mich_chow · August 2005

As far as I understand about the new HP rating is that none of the engines were changed in design, rather they now have a standard to test and rate their HP. Manufacturers, after they design and make their own engines, had their own way of testing or rating them to show that the engines are XXXHP. These testing or ratings are now being standardized by SAE. Therefore, now (more than before), we will be able to compare similar models of a different manufacturers with more accuracy.

texasbuyer1 · August 2005

I went and checked out both Odyssey and Sienna last week at local dealerships in Houston. I couldn't help noticing that Sienna appeared to be better built. It was mostly just a feel. But then, I went on to Edmunds.com to run a side-by-side comparison for all the specs etc. There was a section on J.D. Powers and Assoc. Quality rating. Right there, Sienna was rated much higher than Odyssey. As a matter of fact, Odyssey was rated the worst and Sienna the best among five Makes I compared - Odyssey, Chevy Venture, Grand Caravan, Nissan Quest, and Sienna.
The details were
Mechanical quality
Feature and Accessory Quality
Body and Interior Quality

Sienna was rated five stars in all categories
Odyssey was rated 4 stars, 3 stars, and 2 stars respectively in the above 3 categories.

Any comments to the above would be greatly appreciated. If quality is as bad as JD Powers indicated for Odyssey, I can't understand why Odyssey is a hot buy??

ctalk · August 2005

I am not sure what the HP rating will be on your Accord (I read your profile you have a 1998 one) But i know the 2006 Accord will have 244 HP V6 engine (it had a HP increase) Probably the Sienna will have its HP numbers changed, because the Camry had it done to. Maybe around 215-225, I am not really sure.

Well, If Honda lied about its HP ratings on every car, then every car will be effected and same goes with Toyota and other manufacturers.

05ody · August 2005

Oh...so I guess so far Honda only tested the Accord V6 and the Odyssey, and Toyota only tested the Camry. I read somewhere about that the camry went from 225hp to 210hp. Well it said the Odyssey still has the most power for a van....so I'm guessin the Quest didnt go up much. Thanks everyone for their help!

str · August 2005

I read the same stuff you did and I am under the same impression as you are about the Sienna and Odyssey. I drove both vans and researched both for months and I feel that the Sienna is better built, has a more appealing interior and exterior, and is a lot more plush.

One thing I did like about the Odyssey is that is has dual sliding doors on the EX-L but not enough to sway me in it's direction when it came time to buy. The dash is cheap looking to me and I think the exterior is outdated.

To me the extra money spent on the Sienna is worth it, as well as all of the time spent on package shopping, I was not impressed by the Odyssey.

heywood1 · August 2005

I had my Dunlop RFT's evaluated by a Dunlop dealer a few weeks ago. He said they look better than most he's seen, but won't last another summer season. I have 30K on this van, and 12K was using my winter tires (Blizzak RFT's, which show almost NO wear). I'm considering conventional replacements. This van rarely leaves my small town, so if I purchase the spare, it will be on board only for long-distance road trips.

My snows go back on in less than four months, so I'm waiting until spring to see if better RFT options have hit the marketplace before I go conventional....

donnie2494 · August 2005

The sienna is better. We drove both the sienna and the odyssey and everyone in the vehicle noticed that the sienna was much more comfortable than the odyssey. The seat quaility was much better in the sienna. Much less road noise also, The road noise in the odyssey reminded me of our 98 windstar or should I say junkstar. Needless to say we bought a new sienna le with the bz package. Now is the right time to buy as toyota is trying to clear the lots to make room for the 06's.

mi_sat · August 2005

I have driven SUVs for the past 7 years. Now that I have a newborn, I'd like to buy a minivan.

I thought I read somewhere that Odyssey does NOT have door locks that lock automatically when you put the car in drive.

Can you tell me whether either the Sienna or the Odyssey offer auto door locks? I cannot tell from the brochures -- they each state something like "power door locks." To me, that doesn't answer the question.

Thanks for your input.

05ody · August 2005

Oh really. I found that the Sienna's dash design and that shifter looked like the stupidest thing I ever saw. But thats just my opinion. I found the Odyssey's dash to look more classy and more expensive. I also found the Odyssey's seats to be WAY more comfortable expecally on long trips. The Sienna's seats were way too soft. Also the steering on the Sienna sucks, way to lose and doesn't drive like a car whatsoever. And to answer the question above, the Odyssey does not have the auto door locks, and yes the Sienna does.

isellhondas · August 2005

You have to lock your own doors by simply hitting the button. If it's a Touring Odyssey you can program the doors to lock automatically.

This has been discussed in these forums before and auto locking doors is a "feature" a lot of us don't want!

ctalk · August 2005

Well in general i dont like minivans, but one day i decided to test drive the Odyssey at my Honda dealership (while my accord was in for oil change) and wow is it nice. Very car-like. It felt quite powerful, and luxurious. If i was shopping for the minivan i would most likely buy the Odyssey. I've also test drove the Sienna (when i owned a Corolla), its a great minivan. But I find the Odyssey better (maybe because i prefer a more entertaining drive)

str · August 2005

We just bought a Sienna LE with package #4 and some other stuff and we had the leather upgrade, wood dash and trim, as well as a sunroof added. What is the package BZ? I'm not as familiar with the letters as I am the numbers on the packages.

I was an unbiased shopper when we started looking at minivans last spring. I was having a really hard time giving up my SUV because we had never had a van and I thought driving a minivan in my 20's was crazy! However, after four months of research and many test drives and testimonials from various minivan drivers we decided on the Sienna over the Odyssey and it all boiled down to quality and style, period.

str · August 2005

You know, we owned a Lincoln Navigator and drove it for four years and my husband just loved it but the gas prices persuaded us not to purchase another large SUV. He is a very picky man when it comes to style and he actually compared the interior of the Sienna to that in our Navigator, he was very impressed and that is not an easy task to accomplish.

boodad · August 2005

I'd like to address the Sienna shifter and seats comment by 05ody.

Regarding the shifter, I, too, thought the snaky shift design to be wierd. Having driven 5K miles now with my XLE, I can truly say that this design is way better than the straight up and down design of many auto shifters. Why? It is virtually impossible to go from drive to reverse/neutral, even without looking, because of the pattern's feel. In fact, I usually find myself not looking down anymore to make sure I'm going from drive to reverse in those situations were I need to make a quick reverse - - going the wrong way on narrow streets, for example). Mercedes Benz feels the same way about this shift pattern, too, BTW. However, YMMV.

Regarding the seats, I've found them very comfortable during short and long 6-8 hour trips. I'm 6'1" and have a 34" inseam, too. The telescoping wheel allows me adjust to the steering AFTER positioning the seat with the pedals - - thereby allowing the perfect legroom and reach to the wheel I've ever had in a car. I've sat in an Ody and even with the adjustable pedals I could not achieve the perfect driving position (although I could call it semi-acceptable - - but shelling out 30K plus bucks should buy me more than semi-acceptable in my book). YMMV.

05ody · August 2005

I know what you mean, I am not a very tall person and I think it might just be my back, but I cannot have extreamlly soft seats. If I was very tall however, I can see the need for a telicoping steering wheel. I found a comfortable driving position in the Odyssey, but couldnt find one in the Sienna. I think it depends on who you are. The shifter in the Sienna I would get use to, but I really dont like the looks of it. The Odyssey has a very simple, but very good looking design IMO. I really liked the handeling and pickup on the Odyssey over the Sienna, but then again thats just me. It just get me a little ticked off when someone will say "the Sienna is better", or even when they say "the Odyssey is better". Both vans are very nice, all depends on the person.

boodad · August 2005

I agree with you. It depends on who you are. Both are great vans, generally speaking. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. In the end, you buy the one YOU prefer for YOU.

mwdream · August 2005

We also went through the whole minivan research process and it came down to the Toyota or Honda. In the end we chose the one we liked best based on our own personal feelings, the price and the options offered.

For us we took the Odyssey because we thought it handled tighter. Felt more powerful. Had dual power sliding doors on the model we wanted, had side curtain airbags on the model we wanted... we liked the dash configuration better... etc... etc...

The Toyota was very nice, just not "us." To each his own. Drive it, enjoy it.

By the way, we also looked at the Quest and its interior was quite disturbing. I hope they completely redesign that.

05ody · August 2005

Exacally. The only thing I would want from the Sienna though is the HID headlights. The Odyssey's are bright though. And for the post above, yes the Quest's interrior is hideous. :sick:

jsb16 · August 2005

I have a 99 EX Ody which I am ready to replace but I can hold it and would prefer to get a hybrid minivan. I have not seen anything written on anticipated availability on either model. Also, does anyone have a link to the date of an anticipated redesign of the Sienna? As a Toyota/Lexus/Honda owner, I have found my Toyotas to be better made, more reliable, more comfortable driving position with tilt/telescope wheel and with better dealer service. I would prefer to get a Sienna but the electronics on the Honda (Nav/CD Changer/DVD) are all superior to Toyota's offerings at the current time.

boodad · August 2005

jsb16, email me and I'll point you in the right direction.

str · August 2005

Agreed, we considered the Quest for about a week until we saw it in person, the inside was frightening! No way.

However, they are supposed to redesign the center pod for 2006 or 2007, I can't remember which one it's been a while since I read about it, so we'll see what they come up with. We also did not like the seats in the Quest in our opinion they looked thin and cheap.

05ody · August 2005

Yeah and I also hate gauges in the middle. It looks just stupid! And I totally agree with you about the cheap looking seats, it looks like there are no cushions. When they rediisigne the interior middle console, they should put the gauges where they belong, and arrange the buttons right so you are not constantly looking for the button you want. And the fact that the whole thing is on a round console, it looks terrible. I have no clue what they were thinking! :confuse: . But I will say that the exterior looks kinda neat

ctalk · August 2005

Kind of looks like the Mazda5.

06 Sienna

petl · August 2005

Looks more like an oversized Toyota Camry.

mcase2 · August 2005

I love this forum! Its like reading about trouble in paradise. While we hem and haw over shifter look and the feel of the interior, the Kia Sedona forum rings with cries despair about multiple transmission replacements, multiple engine replacements, and cars that simply burst into flames. 05ody is right, the Ody and Sienna are both "very nice".

ctsang · August 2005

as they say, you get what you pay for

jimt3 · August 2005

New Sienna rating 210 HP. No change actual engine.

05ody · August 2005

Oh, is that rated with premium fuel? because I know when they used to think it was 230, it was also rated with premium. The Odyssey has 244hp now, using regular, no engine changes for 2006. Thanks for the info.

hvan3 · August 2005

My wife just bought these really nice running boards for herself. She's only 5'1" tall and had difficulty get in and out before the boards were installed. Now, she really enjoys her new Sienna. Also, my mother-in-law (in her 80's) can now enter and exit the vehicle safely with ease..... Our 4 year old daughter digs them! As for me, it does make the vehicle look nicer.

www.qualitycustomboards.com

She told me that the Toyota dealers quoted her $1200 for these very same boards!! These boards cost us only around $650 painted and installed.

kjo · August 2005

She told me that the Toyota dealers quoted her $1200 for these very same boards!! These boards cost us only around $650 painted and installed.

That is odd, the running boards that were on my 05 LE when I bought it are listed on the window sticker for $599.00. They are a nice addition.

mi_sat · August 2005

"My wife just bought these really nice running boards for herself. She's only 5'1" tall and had difficulty get in..."

Let the jokes begin.

:P

dilbertzzz · August 2005

Hey! Watchit now! My wife is 5 foot too (yes, also!, not the number -- cute, eh?

) and doesn't appreciate elevation-challenged comments. :P

In fact, if she caught me writing this post, my nether regions would be burnt and crispy! :surprise:

pmickle · August 2005

Perhaps you are forgetting, but the Toyota Sienna, like the Chrysler Town & Country came out very early in the year before. Meaning, although it seems as though the Sienna has been around for a long time, this design is a 2004. Most models, like the Odyssey last at least five years before getting a major redesign.

Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

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