Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

thegraduate

my point Honda DOES NOT even come close to the superiority/quality of TOYOTA

Not in your opinion.

cableguy06

agnosto - that's what's great about these forums. We all have opinions and have differing opinions based on what's important to each of us.

Please rest assured that there are just as many people unhappy with Toyota as there are with Honda. As I stated, I liked my Toyota and had no real issues with it mechanically. I just like the ride, roominess, power and options better in my 2006 Touring.

gujuguy

One of the dealer called me and said that 2007 invoice for Sienna lists 3.3l and not 3.5l engine as projected. Can someone confirm as I hardly believe dealers.

If thats the case than Odyssey is my first choice.

cableguy06

Nothing that I have read anywhere shows Toyota changing from the 3.3 to the 3.5 in 2007.

The Odyssey has far better off-line acceleration if that is something that's important to you. You will feel a dramatic difference if you drive both.

hansienna

I have driven many Odysseys but only 2 Siennas. The 2004 Sienna CE and my 2006 Sienna LE had much better acceleration off the line and also better acceleration at various speeds than any of the Odysseys ( 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2006 Odysseys). Maybe the Odyssey performs better at low altitudes, but at 4300 feet above sea level, the Sienna is THE BEST performing.
However, the Odysseys have always had THE most comfortable seats of any minivan. :shades:

thegraduate

That's interesting, because the 2005-current Odyssey has 29 more horsepower than the Sienna does.

cableguy06

thegraduate - you took the words right out of my mouth

hansienna

Have either of you driven a Sienna or Odyssey at higher altitudes where I have driven 2 Siennas and MANY Odysseys? :confuse:
I did NOT buy a minivan for performance. If I wanted performance, I would be driving either a Dodge Charger or Chrysler 300C with the 5.7L Hemi V8. :shades:

cableguy06

hansienna - no I have not driven ANYTHING at high altitudes. Typically, vehicles are tuned to work best at the altitudes they are sold at. I respect what you have stated and doubt that many on this forum are in a similar circumstance as you. I would go as far as saying that you are in a minority and for most on this forum, the Odyssey will easily out perform a Sienna.

No one is trying to bash the Sienna. As I have stated, I owned an 05 XLE Limited AWD for over a year and liked it before selling it to a colleague at work. Just no match for the performance of the Honda in lower altitudes

wheels13

On the 2006 LE where is the passenger front airbag located. If it comes from behind the upper storage box what happens if you have a knife or sissor stored in that upper storage area ?

cableguy06

It does come from the top of the dash and directly behind the upper glove box. No contents that you place in the upper glove box should be of concern as the air bag will not force what is in your glove box into the drivers compartment The two are completely isolated so keep your knives and scissors and guns feeling completely confident that they'll remain there unless YOU physically remove them

rorr

"That's interesting, because the 2005-current Odyssey has 29 more horsepower than the Sienna does."

The 2005-current Odyssey also has around 300 lbs more weight than the Sienna does.

Meaning that the power to weight ratio between the two is essentially a wash. You guys can't JUST focus on hp when comparing performance. The Ody makes 'only' 18 more ft/lbs of torque (and the Sienna's peak torque arrives earlier, at 3600rpm vs. the Odyssey's peak torque at 4500rpm).

To get even more esoteric, I suppose we could compare individual gear ratios and the final drive ratio.....but at the end of the day, it's all moot. Most instrumented tests give the nod (by a just a smidge) to the Ody. But I'd not discount hansienna's experience since the Sienna's earlier torque peak and lighter weight (and transmission programming for all I know) may indeed make Sienna feel 'punchier' off the line.

All that being said, I think our Odyssey moves pretty good for a 4500+ lb van.....

thegraduate

I never realized how much lighter the Sienna is than the Ody. The Sienna, at about 4,250 pounds or so, is around the same weight as our old 2000 model Odyssey. Good job, Toyota.

hansienna

Most power with highest EPA fuel economy ratings is why Forbes likes the 2007 Sienna best of the 2007 minivans. Forbes states the Sienna 3.5L V6 with 266 HP has EPA rating of 20/27 while the Odyssey Touring 3.5L V6 with 244 HP has EPA rating of 19/26 while the Odyssey LX 3.5L with 244 HP is rated at 18/25....interesting because my 2007 Odyssey brochure lists the Odyssey engine with VCM having 27 MPG highway rating.
Forbes states that the Odyssey Touring has the highest percentage resale value. :shades:

It appears to me that the Odyssey instrument cluster and dash is the best designed to prevent glare from sunshine. The Sienna has too many shiny surfaces high on the dash and shiny circles around instruments and all of these are a source of reflected sunlight....a safety hazard in my opinion.

davant

Have we forgotten the myriad of other factors besides HP to weight ratio when considering acceleration along with overlooking each factor separately? What about gearing, driver skills, road conditions, tire pressure, grade of fuel, altitude, attitude, the list goes on. I know we all need metrics to aid in decision making but there is no metric for what I call 'feel'. I'm going out on a limb as everyone is entitled to my opinion in a forum, LOL. Most Ody choosers will agree (and perhaps Sienna owners?) that the Ody has a sportier euro-sedan-like feel, the Siennas ride, handling, and feel is softer, perhaps more posh & compliant and I call that 'Buick-like' Both are great vehicles, pick the one that fits you and visa-versa. Your opinion and MPG may vary, sarcasm not included.

taxesquire

I'm a Sienna-owner and I agree with your opinion, though I think your statement that Oddy's are sportier euro-sedan-like and Siennas are Buick-like is very slanted!

If the Oddy offers a Euro-sports-sedan ride then the Sienna is a luxury-sedan ride. If the Sienna is buick-like, the Oddy is ford focus-like

cableguy06

I don't think I would use Ford and Honda in the same sentence :shades: I do agree that the Sienna rides more like a Buick or Caddy versus the Honda as I stated in prior posts and that's not, in any way, a disparaging comment...it's a complimentary one. However, I would say the Honda rides more like a sporty GM car than a Ford Focus :surprise:

Either way, i get your point

fezo

"I don't think I would use Ford and Honda in the same sentence"

You made my day!

Haven't driven an 07 Sienna yet but when we were recently trying out some vans (which resulted in deciding to keep our 02 Ody with 110K on it) I found the 05 Sienna I was driving somewhat disappointing for my tastes. It was notably slower. I was expecting that much. What surprised me were things like the dashboard which I really didn't care for because of the shiny plastic parts and the noise level which I expected to be much better than the Ody but was only about equal. I did like the overall comfort in the Toyota.

I might have been more inclined to still do something but the sales guy was very slow just clearing the car behind the Sienna and then once we actually got to drive it equally slow to deal. Saved me a bundle in the short run....

hypnosis44

Do a google search and you will find several reviews and press releases stating 3.5 engine for the Sienna.

fred222

From the horses mouth. Toyota that is. 3.3L 215 HP.
Read it and weep!
http://ebrochure.interx2.net/pdfengine/generate.pdf

caravan2

This link does not work

bobw3

"I don't think I would use Ford and Honda in the same sentence"

You made my day!

Hey...I have a Ford and Honda sitting in the same garage together night after night :P

mkk62

as an avid track driver with my porsche carrera and my wife driving a bimmer for many years, we did think the odyssey drove more Euro and the toyota was more Lexus.... but with a baby on the way and my wife's experience that she could not sleep on the highway in a porsche cayenne(loaner_) the toyota makes more sense...if i were driving alone, the odyssey would be my choice, but as a people mover, the sienna is much more comfortable and luxurious....the interior is a lot nicer than the odyssey. It has in fact in my opinion the classiest interior of any minivan...a Lexus minivan might be nice but that is why there are so many different cars, people like different things and not one is RIGHT for everyone.......

fezo

"Hey...I have a Ford and Honda sitting in the same garage together night after night."

Oh, you poor man..... :P

Actually my one experience with my very own Ford was horrid, but that was the infamous 95 Windstall. I wouldn't judge the whole company from that, but I will tell you that American Honda is a whole lot more customer oriented than Ford!

fred222

Try this:

http://www.toyota.com/sienna/specs.html

rorr

"Hey...I have a Ford and Honda sitting in the same garage together night after night."

Dang - me too!

My wife's '05 Ody EX-L right next to my '66 Mustang GT fastback... :shades:

fezo

"My wife's '05 Ody EX-L right next to my '66 Mustang GT fastback..."

Hey! Now THAT doesn't count! I mean a REAL Ford! :P

caravan2

These are 2006 specs NOT for 2007..

hondalova

Hi Guys-

I'm a regular poster on the Honda Accord 2003-current forum. Trying to unload my wife's Piece-O-(you know what) 2002 Chevy Venture and replace it with either a 2006 Sienna LE or a 2007 Odyssey EX.

I've read the last ten pages or so of posts but was wondering what, if anything I should be aware of about frequent issues with either car. I'm somewhat familiar with the engine sludge issue in the earlier Siennas and the Power Door issue on the previous generation Odyssey. I also have a sister who bought an '05 Touring and had so many problems with her doors that Honda gave her a new car and permitted her to substitute a Pilot so she could get out of her Odyssey.

Personally, I'm inclinded towards the Odyssey. I've always liked Honda (though my '04 Accord ain't nearly as good as my '91 Accord EX was) and both the wife and I liked the driving experience better in the Odyssey. However, Toyota was offering 0% financing and that's a pretty big incentive.

So what say y'all? Any words of wisdom for me?

Thanks!

-FS

thegraduate

Well, the Odyssey will be the sportier ride, and the Sienna the more luxurious one.

The Odyssey should've outgrown a lot of its teething problems since your sister's 05. My aunt had some similar issues with her 2005 (Airbag recall, misaligned rear bumper from factory), but it has been complettely reliable.

cableguy06

hondalova - I owned a 2005 Sienna XLE Limited AWD that I got rid of to get a 2006 Odyssey Touring with Nav and DVD. Both are great vehicles. I had NO problems with the Toyota but it wasn't as roomy and powerful as my wife would have liked.

The Honda is definitely the sportier of two and handles far better than the Toyota. I know that people have said the Sienna is more luxurious but I disagree. It does have a smoother ride and more play in the steering which reminds me of a big Buick or a Caddy. The Honda has a great interior with less shiny trim pieces to create a glare inside the cabin. My Honda has more options and accessories than the Toyota and even our three kids comment how much nicer the van is.

In the end, only you can choose as you and your wife know what's important to you and your family. I love both Toyota's and Honda's. They both have their share of issues as neither one is perfect. In the end, I think the Honda is built better with tighter seams, peppier engine, more interior space and handles much safer than the Toyo.

The decision is yours and you will get about 130 different opinions on this forum as that is about how many members this thread has

Best of luck with your decision and have a great Holiday!

bobw3

The only thing I don't like about the Odyssey is that you can't get a 2nd row "bench" like on the Sienna, with 3 equally sized seats. The Odyssey has that tiny middle seat, but you can't put a car seat on it. With the Sienna, I can put a carseat in the middle, and still have room on either side. Or put 3 car seats across if I want to keep the 3rd row down for more cargo. I just like having this option.

On the other hand, I do like the interior dash layout and look of the Odyssey.

fezo

Going from a Venture to either van you will think you've died and gone to heaven! You're not going to go far wrong either way. I lean to the Ody but you won't go wrong at all with a Sienna. I do think the observation about the dash on the Ody vs. Sienna is very valid.

Not to confuse matters or suggest widening your field, but we test drove a Hyundai Entourage and were just stunned. These folks have been doing their homework!

fred222

These are 2006 specs NOT for 2007..

You are correct. I did not even think to look to see if the specs listed in November would be for the last model year.
When was the last time that happened?

I guess that Toyota does not want to get stuck with a large quantity of worthless 2006 Siennas so they are drawing down their inventory before even advertising the 2007 model. Obviously the biggest change was in the HP, even though all of the Toyota lovers said the 3.3L 215 HP was good enough. Apparently parent Toyota saw the writing on the wall. I must question what the 2007s will do for the resale value of the 2006 and earlier? Ouch!

hondalova

Thanks to all for your responses. I agree with fezo about the Hyundai Entourage/Kia Sedona twins - saw 'em at the NY Auto Show in April and was similarly wowed even without a test drive. However, it bothers me to buy Korean cars when they impose such high tariffs on our own exports. If it was at least a level playing field, the automakers could more fairly compete with each other.

Moreover, after a 2002 Chevy Venture with 90k miles that has popped intake manifold gaskets at 38k, 68k, and (any day now?) as well as a front wheel bearing pack, an A/C condenser, 4 sets of brakes (2 in front and 2 in back), both sliding-door electronic junction contact patches (causing what I affectionately call the "Chevy Christmas Lights Show"), as well as a persistent but intermittent self-honking horn (that has made our dealer as nuts as it has made us) - reliability is, well, an ISSUE. I'm just not sure that the Kia/Hyundai twins will prove as reliable as a Honda or a Toyota, although I could always get a lemon from the boys who brought us Pearl Harbor, even with the best of reputations.

I've owned two Toyotas and two Hondas in my life and all have been fairly good cars. My '91 Accord EX Sedan was virtually unstoppable and I should've never sold it (at 130k with the original clutch, battery, wires, & back brakes still in it). My '04 Accord EX V-6 Coupe is good, but it ain't as good as the '91 and it has lots more rattles and loose stuff in it.

Anyway - it looks like we're headed to Honda Odyssey land for an EX in the next 2 weeks or so.

Thanks again for all the help!
-FS

cableguy06

I, too, looked at the Hyundai / Kia twins and there is no doubt they have done their homework as the vans are beautiful and well thought out. But with that said, I have to agree with you that, for today, there is nothing that will beat a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna for quality and reliability.

Great choice on the Ody my friend. I hope you enjoy yours as much as we do our 2006 Touring

fezo

With you on several points - deciding to go with the Ody, wanting a more level playing field with the Koreans and the noticing of a drop in overall quality on Accords.

On the last item, my 00 Accord is fine. It's a great car and at 120K still has the original battery, clutch, wires, exhaust.... (I did go through brakes), but my 85 and 80 were even more amazing overall. Smoother shifters and just a nicer feel to them. Still can't complain. The 80 eventually rusted out at 167K. The 85 got T-boned with me in it. Neither of us were quite the same afterward.... but at least unlike the car I wasn't totaled!

bobber1

I drove both today. They're both nice vehicles. The Sienna seemed may be just a bit wider but I thought I had a ton more head and leg room in the Honda. I'd say the Toyota was just a hair quieter on the open road particularly in the back seats. The finish of the Toyota was just a little more polished however the ergonomic layout of the controls was far superior in the Honda. I got to give Honda the edge on acceleration and low engine noise. That 3.5 engine rocks. My parents have a 3.5 Buick van and it's real dog in comparison.

I really liked the safety feature in both. I have three young children and crash test data from the Insurance Institute for Highways Safety was my first screen tool. I ruled out Kia and Hyundai due to no long term reliability studies and focused on the Honda, Toyota, and Dodge. At high highway speeds, I thought the Honda felt the most stable when swerving.

We bought a Honda EX at the end of the day. The Toyota was just bit cheaper, but didn't have dual sliding doors and dual climate control and we just felt the Honda was just the superior vehicle for the money.

gigaflops

I just bought an '05 Sienna but I'm not sure if it has All Wheel Drive. The manual has some driving tips for models w/ the AWD, but I can't seem to tell if mine has it. I have an XLE if that helps. Does anyone know how to tell by looking at the van if it has AWD? Thanks.

rorr

Look for a spare tire. The Sienna AWD models have no spare (portions of the drivetrain intrude on the space where a spare tire is normally kept on the FWD models). Your owner's manual will indicate the location of the spare.

Also, if the vehicle is equipped with Runflat tires, odds are pretty high it is an AWD model (unless the previous owner added RFT's of their own volition).

cableguy06

You could also look on the rear hatch as all AWD models have the AWD chrome lettering after the Sienna logo.

user777

without a doubt, if you look under a FWD vehicle and see an additional drive shaft extending from the front of the vehicle to the rear with some form of differential, and an axle extending between the rear wheels, those are all tell-tale signs it's probably an AWD vehicle.

(drive shaft, differential, axle extending between the rear wheels).

OK, if it's a hybrid or electic vehicle, you're on your own.

allison5

Does anyone think that the Odyessys will come out with an AWD at somepoint? I have a big SUV right now and I am in the market for a new car, either a SUV or a minivan. We do go to the mountains (Lake Tahoe) 3-4 times a winter however much more often in summer which obvioulsy I would not need it then. If I had my choice of SUV's I would buy the new Chevy Tahoe (even though I am not a big fan of American cars) but I do not like Sequoia, Pilot is too small. Anyway I really like Odyessy but I wish it had AWD, I don't think the SIenna is very comfy.

fred222

Does anyone think that the Odyessys will come out with an AWD at somepoint?
I agree with your comments. I traded a Suburban in for a 2006 Odyssey last year. My kids feel the Odyssey has more room that the Suburban. If they build an AWD Odyssey it will not be any time soon. However, the powertrain is available in the Pilot and Ridgeline. I think most people who want real 4x4 will still get the big SUVs and if you don't need that get the Odyssey.

cpsdarren

Given the demise of other AWD vans, I'd guess the sales are too low to justify it. I think people are realizing that they really don't need AWD unless they routinely drive in unplowed deep snow or on icy hills. With the high gas prices, every few mpg help if you aren't actually doing any offroading or the other rare cases where FWD+TRAC+SNOW TIRES won't do the job.

cableguy06

Bingo!

hondalova

Well, after considerable research and multiple test drives, we bought a Slate Metallic Green Odyssey EX with the Olive interior today. I took the advice I received here and also purchased the HondaCares 5 yr./100k warranty as well.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm gonna actually pay for it and, once I do, where the cheapest steady source of antacids are around here.

Thanks again for all the help!

-FS

hansienna

Congratulations. The Olive interior will look very nice with the Slate Green Metallic exterior...especially on a sunny day.

allison5

Do you miss the suburban?, my husband actually wants me to look into this but I really don't want to go that big and I worry about gas prices especially if they start to climb up even higher again. My concern is about going to Lake Tahoe here in Calif several times in the winter, it can really dump snow quickly there. I truly wonder how the Odyessy would do in those conditions, have you ever driven Odyessy in snowy/icy conditions?

bobw3

You may want to look at the new Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia that are just now coming out. They're similar to a Pilot only larger, but not nearly as big as a Suburban. And I think the next generation Pilot will be bigger too, just like the new CRV increased in size.