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Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

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    user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    threaten the kids that the food that drops to the floor will get placed in the lazy susan for their future grazing pleasure.
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    LOL...and an excellent idea.
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    rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    Nice idea BUT......

    1. All this would get me would be stern looks from my co-pilot.
    2. I would be the one to, 6 months later, have to clean out the Lazy Susan.
    3. Kids would probably get the bright idea that stashing french fries in there while dad's not looking was FUN!
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    user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    my co-pilot constantly reminds me that w.r.t. discipline:

    1). pilot and co-pilot must be following same flight-plan. there are many approaches to the final fix, but only one path may be followed by the plane at any given time if you want to get where you're going and land safely in 1 piece.

    2). pilot and co-pilot PA announcements must be followed up with action. if you say there is a consequence, the only way the passenger behavior will change with the discipline is if the consequence is implemented / enforced.

    those passengers in the back of the vehicle love testing us don't they?

    suggest you pull a stale french fry or cheese cracker from the "hold" and force one of the little ones to consume it. the others will fall in line. however, avoid sending milk bottles and sippy cups to the hold. you still have to drive the vehicle...
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    go4samgo4sam Member Posts: 5
    rorr:

    Thanks for your reply.

    What is the main advantage of traction/VSC option. Also some people were tellling me that Sienna needs gas 89. Is that true ??.

    I am planing to buy either Honda Odessy/Pilot or Toyota Sienna.

    Also which one has better resale value.
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    rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    For the benefits of stability control, read this column from a past issue of Car and Driver:

    http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=27&article_id=9036

    Regarding gas: the Sienna 'requires' only regular unleaded. The owner's manual for the Sienna 'recommends' the use of premium for maximum performance. I've read plenty of anecdotal evidence which indicates the van will run with absolutely no problems on regular fuel.

    As far as resale, I haven't seen any data on the current generation of Odyssey since it's only been out a year. Both models should have pretty good resale though the '05 Ody may have slightly lower resale considering some of the first year teething issues they've had on the van. No way for me to verify this but I imagine that the '06 editions should be more trouble-free.
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    austruaustru Member Posts: 14
    The Odyssey and Toyota are almost equal there are a few diffrences. If your looking at the EX-L your going to get the VCM(variable cylinder management) this will give you better fuel economy by deactivating 3 cylinders when not needed. Also your going to get side airbags(these are standard on all Odysseys) plus the vehicle stability assist. If your looking for something all wheel drive Toyota is the way to go. If your not worried about that probably take a look at the Odyssey, the resale value is a little better(look at intellichoice). Even though the base models of the Sienna are cheaper to get all of the options that are standard Odyssey it would put the Odyssey being the better deal. As for the rear crashes you have to remember that the reason the Sienna didn't make out is the seat setting if the seats weren't adjustable to "accomodate a taller passenger" it automatically got a failing grade. Having sold both vehicles before either way is a safe bet. Good Luck enjoy your new van.
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    05ody05ody Member Posts: 103
    Yes but, I'm sure the Odyssey's 255Hp(244) would take you up to speed a tiny bit faster then the Sienna's 230Hp(210) ;)
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    boodadboodad Member Posts: 31
    If you read the posts, you will conclude that hansienna was pulling his chain. FYI. It's all in fun!
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    rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    Ody hp vs. Sienna hp:

    If you take into account the Ody's much higher curb weight, you might find the actual power to weight ratio's between these two to be fairly close. Besides, available torque and the gear ratios is probably a better indicator of potential performance than just a blind devotion to hp numbers. Regardless, I really don't think a couple of 1/10's of a second is really all that important between minivans. And I say all this as the owner of an Ody.

    Hey, let's argue about the design of the built-in 2nd row window shades instead!!! :blush:
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    In the good community spirit of being a hansienna chain 'yank-ee' from down South, I want to point out a couple of more observations in a addition to the great info above. The Ody has a front and rear proximity warning system where the Sienna only has rear. This might come in useful if you are or are about to be rear-ended and I recommend keeping it in reverse while stopped see the wreck coming on cam on either model. Note that you can use the superior Ody HP to get out of the way jsut a scosh faster. The front system will warn you milliseconds before you clip a bumper, a useful alert that you may have just done a hit and run. That reminds me of a drink I invented called a hit and run... it's Vodka and Prune juice (bada-bing!). [Ewwww]

    The Sienna has adaptive cruise control so you can tailgate and read bumper stickers with ease or look for the nearest bathroom. I for one would have trouble trusting this autopilot.

    The Honda Navi seems better than the Toy one (pun intended).

    The concern of the day is how do both of these vehicles handle hurricane force winds? Us southerners might pay extra for a keel and weathervane, LOL.
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    I was shocked that the 2004 Sienna LE had quicker, more powerful surge of power than the 2006 Odyssey EX when I test drove each. ;)
    Was the Sienna filled with 91 octane fuel and the Odyssey filled with only 85 octane? :blush:

    The slower Odyssey was much more responsive than was my 2002 T&C LX with only 180 HP on the same route. Where the Sienna JUMPED forward when I stomped on the accelerator pedal, the T&C shifted down 2 gears and roared...with very little increase in acceleration.
    I propose the new slogan for DaimlerChrysler: "Roar - NOT Go" for their 3.3L V6 and old fashioned 4 speed automatic transmission.
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    hondakid1hondakid1 Member Posts: 7
    does anybody know when the 2006 toyota sienna's arrive at dealers. The new face lift is so much cooler... and interior get some more lux. upgrades... cant wait to test drive with my mom if i can make her trade her ody. in for the sienna. Anybody see the new Sienna... looks good ;)
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    ewtewt Member Posts: 127
    "I want to point out a couple of more observations in a addition to the great info above. The Ody has a front and rear proximity warning system where the Sienna only has rear"

    The Sienna has front and rear proximity sensors. However, I find the rear view camera to be much more useful than the sensors.
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Thanks, guess I forgot that the acitve cruise control on the Sienna also functions as a parking sensor. Point is, none of this is useful with an impending collision but it will certainly keep me from running over something left behind if I can just get used to that fisheye lens. Does the Sienna have the same rectal/portal point of view?

    In an unrelated matter... the only voice command lacking on the Ody, (it may be there, I'll check tomorrow) is, "Find nearest bathroom". Since JD Powers DEPENDS (cheap toilet humor joke) more on Toyota owners for initial feedback ratings than Honda owners, does the Sienna tromp on the gas if you say, "Find nearest bathroom NOW"?

    Nuff said
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    abinabin Member Posts: 18
    cmm,
    just ask for McDonald or other fast food stores for restroom.
    You will find problem to park your huge oddy or sienna at gas station and if you have elderly on board, you need restroom more often than gas station.
    Plus, you may have to get restroom key from cashier when you can not wait.
    So, that is a joke
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    philg87philg87 Member Posts: 74
    Every dealer should have at least one? I'm in the midwest i have seen 2 all have been awd
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    05ody05ody Member Posts: 103
    I know he was kidding I was just messing around too ;) and as for the weight, I know but I still found the Odyssey to be faster then my Aunts 04 Sienna LE. Perhaps its because she only uses regular gas instead of premium? I only use regular, but using premium would be usless in an Odyssey because you can get top performance on Regular. And the second row sunshade's are awsome, I would of never though I would ever have thoes in any of my vehicles, and didnt even know the Odyssey had it until I pulled the up the day I bought it :P
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    The Sienna surprised me since the transmission was more responsive and the Sienna felt quicker accelerating than the Odyssey.
    Apparently the performance of the two is so similar that the results will vary between which particular vehicle is tested. One Sienna will win one time, a different Odyssey the next, Sienna next, Odyssey next, and so on....
    Each was quicker than my T&C LX with 3.3L and would probably be quicker than a T&C/GC with the larger DC 3.8L.
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Geesh, can't we all agree to disagree on the rear end crash thread? Good assessment Hansienna. Fact or fiction, the Sienna feels quicker off the line probably due to the way they designed the transmission. The Sienna is 'reviier' than the Ody IMHO in that it tends to run at higher RPM's more freely utilizing it's slightly narrower powerband more readily, adding to a springing to life feeling (I can see the flames coming from both camps). Honda tuned their engine to be a little less peaky, more even toward a HP crescendo.

    Like it or not, premium fuel improves Sienna performance and is recommended, not required for this vehicle. If you want to see more of a performance difference, drive a new Nissan Altima with regular, cough. I had driven a coworkers new Altima with the 2.5 with premium in it and when she came to me asking about octane booster when she used regular I seized the opportunity to go get some (in her car of course) and it was somewhat doggish. Premium also helps the Ody a scosh, but to a lesser extent it was optimized to perform with regular. As stated before, all vehicles will make adjustments to avoid knocks and pinging. The Ody/Sienna comparison experience comes from a neighbor who has an '05 and both of us have tried at least one tank of premium, as purely an experiment.

    I encourage everyone to use the fuel that makes them feel comfy with the way either performs. Recognize that deviating from what is recommended is a compromise or wastes money if you go above. There's no sound reason to use 89 or 93 octane in an Ody, and you may consider using mid-grade in a Sienna as a compromise. If you money to burn on fuelish or foolish things, who are we to say no?
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Sienna superior performance over Odyssey was felt most in 40 to 60, and 65 to 80 MPH tests. Acceleration from dead stop was not tested.
    The Sienna transmission seemed to be more responsive and I could control the downshift to use either a one gear or 2 gear downshift by how hard I stomped on the accelerator better in the Sienna than the Odyssey. BTW, I cannot seem to be able to control the downshift in my T&C at all. :cry:
    Based on reading in these forums, the superior Sienna performance could have been due to having 91 octane in it and only 85 octane in the Odyssey...but I will never know.
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Since I saw that my favorite Toyota dealer has a very nice selection of NEW 2006 Siennas listed online in his inventory. ;)
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    rktcyntstrktcyntst Member Posts: 9
    If you take into account the Ody's much higher curb weight, you might find the actual power to weight ratio's between these two to be fairly close. Besides, available torque and the gear ratios is probably a better indicator of potential performance than just a blind devotion to hp numbers.

    Good point. If I really need to scream down the road, I'll jump on my motorcycle (a Honda BTW) that's only got ~40 hp, but I guarantee I'll blow the doors off of either one of these behemoths anywhere in the power range. :D Power/weight ratio allows you to normalize the specs and do the apples to apples comparison WRT the powerplant.

    By the way, good info in here, and if the wife wasn't pushing for AWD, then I'd probably have a tough time deciding.
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Did and made the mistake of taking a friend. He bought the Natural White 2006 Sienna LE - 7 passenger that I would have liked. :cry:
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    jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Don't :cry: hans. It will be o.k ;)

    Did the dealer say he could get you another Natural White Sienna LE?
    Just curious as to what options and price your friend got on his/her LE... and what he could have gotten for the same price for a Ody.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
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    jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Disreguard the last part of my previous post hans. I just noticed you had already posted the answer in the appropriate topic category. ;)
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
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    05ody05ody Member Posts: 103
    Haha true, and if I really needed to scream down the street, I would bust out my 98 Accord V6! (although Im positive it does not compare to your Honda bike) but sure would blow the doors off of any Odyssey or Sienna! :P
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    hondakid1hondakid1 Member Posts: 7
    the new sienna's might outsell the odyssey for 2006 because they are H.O.T.
    dont know if ody. sold more than sienna for 2005 but 06 sould be a very competitive year for the two... hang on to your seat belts!!!!... its gonna be a nice, quiet and supple ride... :shades:
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    abinabin Member Posts: 18
    Don't know who will sell better eventually since the year 2006 just kicks off.
    But, a local Honda salesperson suggested my brother-in-law purchase Toyota Siena. Weird enough...
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Best price for a 2006 Ody LX was $ 25,210 where MSRP is $25,895. Sienna LE 7 passenger with Pkg # 2 and Mats was $26,949..a $ 488 difference which made the Sienna LE a "Better Buy". ;)
    Denver Region orders LE Pkg # 2 and Carpeted Floor Mats/Door Sill Protector. Edmunds does not have the $214 carpeted floor mats listed but he paid $ 107 more than TMV for the same LE without the $214 mats.
    The dealer also has a Natural White 2006 Sienna LE - 8 passenger with exactly the same options. The 8 passenger LE 2nd row seats do not have the armrests. :cry:
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    thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    the 98 Accord V-6 would probably neck and neck with the Odyssey in acceleration. Car and Driver (or Road and Track, cant remember which) tested an Accord V-6 (2000) against a Maxima, Camry, etc... The Accord ran to 60 in 7.6 sec. (I recall another test that was 7.7) The old model (2004) Ody ran the 60 in 7.5 (car and driver, 2004 minivan comparo). I'm not knockin ya, as I drive an Accord :shades: , too, but I thought you might find those numbers interesting. Is the new Ody slower than the old?

    (Sorry for getting off topic, it wont happen again[hopefully]) :)
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    05ody05ody Member Posts: 103
    Haha I know aparentlly my Odyssey will accelerate faster then my Accord V6. But I know that there is no way my Odyssey would touch the Accord's top speed ;) . And yeah the 2005 Honda Odyssey is faster then the 04's, they are extreamlly fast for a min :D ivan!
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Gosh, all this time growing up to feel like a kid again reading about what 8 year old car can beat another or how it compares to today's minivan. It doesn't get any better than this, LOL. I remember these conversations the last time gas was scarce but with an engine discussion that started with a 3xx or 4xx. Please share your thoughts on comparisons of these two vehicles as well since many of us are here primarily to read about Sienna versus Ody, thanks!
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    The Sienna engine and transmission responded more quickly during my test drive of each. ;)
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    user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    off the line? while slowing and making a left-turn? while at highway speed? ;);)
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Sienna quicker response was while driving and accelerating somewhere in vicinity of 45 to 65 MPH and again from about 65 to 80 MPH.
    However, the Odyssey had less than 300 miles on the odometer and I probably did NOT stomp on the Odyssey accelerator as hard as I did the Sienna. A salesman was riding in the 2nd row in each vehicle while I was test driving them.
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    user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    However, the Odyssey had less than 300 miles on the odometer and I probably did NOT stomp on the Odyssey accelerator as hard as I did the Sienna.

    i don't think you need to WOT to get excellent responsiveness from the ODY. ;)
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    Don't understand WOT? :confuse:
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    user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    Wide Open Throttle.
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    Which Odyssey? There is a difference in 4th and 5th gears between the VCM and non-VCM equipped Ody's. The VCM Models (EX-L and above) run at slightly higher RPM's so the three front cylinders can keep it pushed through the air without strain when the ECO light is on. Theoretically, this should mean the VCM equipped trim level vehicles (ours is a Touring) should giddyup slightly better than others, even at WOT. Finding out means dropping a flag on some desolate highway and I for one would be too embarrassed if caught by the police racing mini-vans. I could see it now, "Your honor, I know you're not going to believe this, but I really was just doing some research for Edmunds!"
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    2006 Odyssey EX-L so it had VCM.
    I seriously doubt the Sienna had WOT when I strongly depressed the accelerator. (Stomped on it was probably an exaggeration :blush: ).
    I just liked the feel of the Sienna transmission better than that in the Ody although each was much better than the transmission in my 2002 T&C LX with 3.3L when accelerator is depressed strongly at speeds above 45 MPH.
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    mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    Boy, this forum is sure quiet. Is there no one left to duke it out over their favorite American-made Japanese minivan?
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    thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Let's get a topic going here...

    Features for the money on the base Ody/Sienna, to the top models?

    Power door operation?

    Safety features for the money?
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    hansiennahansienna Member Posts: 2,312
    It appears that Sienna owners have migrated to another Sienna oriented locale where they can discuss important things like bluetooth, Sienna quality and luxury and not be bothered by people who own another brand. Sienna owners are just not interested in other minivans. ;)
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    davantdavant Member Posts: 294
    As an '06 Honda Ody Touring owner since 13 Sep, I'm not that interested on what they had to say anyway, but I was before buying. For me, it was pretty much a one horse race but I did keep an open mind by entertaining other points of view, now just out of casual interest. I had made my choice early and will share why as perhaps it can be passed onto the next generation of Toyota marketeers (laughing at a visual of little Japanese kids T-shaped hats - sorry). That being styling (even the '06 is still boring and begs for ring in its nose), confusing packages (I would have wanted an XLE Limited w/some adds to match an Ody Touring) to get the desired config. All that put it at nearly $42K MSRP, no sign of an '06 at that time, and we just sold our old vehicle so it was time critical. Couple that with no seat memory for separate drivers. Add in the mere suggestion (not necessity) of premium fuel plus tougher availability, local dealers with noses so high no floodwaters posed a threat, plus slow to no e-mail quote responses as clinchers. Pluses were the interval keeping cruise control, sweet seats, excellent quality and... that's about it for me.

    Honda has the complete package thing wrapped up this year IMHO, I look forward to previewing the '07 Sienna.
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    boodadboodad Member Posts: 31
    TEHO I say. For me, styling is cosmetic and secondary. I just want the most comfortable people carrying vehicle that my money can buy. I was lucky to have the opportunity to choose the Sienna XLE-8 Seater (found only in the European region for military/DoD/Diplomats) because it is more of what matters to me: more comfortable, more quiet, has easy steering (don't need road-feel in a van, thank you), very good turning radius (it is awesome in these European parking garages - - turns tighter than my '97 Camry), has nice ground clearance in the front (will not scrape bottom at all), etc. I'm no sports car enthusiast, just a dad with a wife and three children. For me, the Sienna has no match. YMMV.

    Everyone has their reasons and circumstances. They're both great cars with their own personality/characteristics and we should be lucky that there is a choice between two excellent offerings - - competition is a good thing.

    BTW, I don't need to frequent this site often as I am one of the "others" that hang out more often at "the other site."
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    mcase2mcase2 Member Posts: 160
    Now ground clearance is an issue that has not got the focus I thought it would, Honda's being notoriously low. This can work for you though. I had a problem-ridden Accord that actually got drowned (water in the cab) in a super market parking during a down pour. All the surrounding cars survived unscathed. Mine was totaled thank God! Among other things it was constantly bottoming out and breaking engine mounts. How low is the Ody?
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    jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,244
    Whats this "other site" you guys keep talking about. Isn't keeping secrets against townhall policy? :sick:

    FWIW The Ody and Sienna both seemed to ride and drive pretty much the same to me... like a minivan. But, it was only about a 20 minute test drive.
    2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere, 2007 Kia Optima
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    thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The Odyssey's chassis, steering, and suspension is very similar to the Accord in its motions, being taut, giving excellent road control and adept maeuverablility when speed picks up in the curves (not sure who drives a minivan for its superior sportyness, but it IS a nice thing to be able to drive 7 passengers one day, and zip around corners the next), while maintaining a far-from-crispy ride that is smoother than the average car.

    The Sienna is tuned relative to the Camry (or Buick, for that matter), having a no-compromises soft ride, but giving up most of the "driver's car" feel of the road that the Odyssey/Accord bring to the table.

    I am not knocking the Toyota, because Lexus has been criticized as being too soft and soul-less, but the sales numbers tend to prove that Lexus has a following, and that Lexus following pays extra for what Toyota already brings to the table, smoothness and reliability being the two things that come to mind first.

    To each his or her own, here. I would rather drive an Odyssey that compares with my Accord, where my grandmother (I dont mean to say Toyota drivers are old, but the fact i'm about to make is true) would much rather have a pillowy ride than bother with great handling characteristics (for a van, anyway).

    Kudos for both companies for appealing to different consumers in a similar market :)
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    artgpoartgpo Member Posts: 483
    My wife and I drove an '05 Sienna and and '06 Odyssey over the past few days. The Sienna seemed to have a more "bouncy" ride when compared to the Honda. The Sienna seemed quieter inside but the Honda was a tad more comfortable. The third row folding seat was easier in the Honda. It seems as though the seat folding with just a tug of one strap. The Honda EX-L would cost me about $250 less than the Sienna XLE. The Honda has a sunroof and six disk CD changer. It also had the variable cylinder thing that deactivates three of the six cylinders. The Sienna offers a power lift gate and three zone automatic a/c. We are leaning heavily in favor of the Odyssey.
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