Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

hansienna · January 2007

You need to compare comparable vehicles:

Odyssey EX-L with Sienna XLE

or

Odyssey Touring with Sienna Limited

The Odyssey EX-L is NOT comparable to the Sienna Limited. :shades: (I would prefer the Ody EX-L if it costs $6,000 less than a comparable Sienna XLE).

user777 · January 2007

when comparing the ODY EX-L and Sienna XLE, aren't you forgetting you need to add an optional package to the Sienna to get Vehicle Stability Control? What about dual power sliding doors? What about 4 wheel disc brakes? Engine Immobilizer? Wait, on the XLE, don't you have to add more for pleather, i mean Leather?

They aren't the same vehicle. :shades:

mkk62 · January 2007

the LIMITED version has all those metnioned included ...the only options are the power third row, nav etc..
i recently purchased a fully loaded sienna limited with power third row, bluetooth, nav, power liftgate,toyo guard, rear entertaninment etc...for 36K....after the 2000 rebate..not bad..you should be able to get a left over 2006..i got mine from mall of georgia ...use the internet sales people as they usually give the low ball price right off the bat as they do not have the opporutunity to haggle with the customer ......a simple call or e mail could save you a couple of grand...i live in florida and the delivery charge was 400$...still made up as no local dealer could come close to the price...here is his info

Mike Hankins
Internet Sales Director
Toyota Mall of Georgia
404.391.5140
678.482.9765 fax
hankinsm@toyotamallofga.com

dbettshemby · January 2007

I have a quote fo a new 2006 Sienna XLE AWD with the following options installed:

XLE Pkg #9 (dvd system, heated seats, 2 outlets, nav system, 4 cd disc change, sunshades, power moon roof)
Capet Mats

It is blue mirage metallic with stone leather interior, wood gain, etc.

Here's the quote:

Sales Price $32599.82
Rebate (2,000.00)
Tax (3%) 917.99
Tags 89.00
Doc Fee 399.00
---------------------
OTD (?) $32,005.81

Concerns:
TMV says invoice is 31727 dealer says invoice is 32659.03 will check out today at dealership.

Also has 942 miles on it - was driven to dealer from another state.

I think this is a good deal but I am hesitant. Based on my comparison I would be paying 715.82 over TMV which doesn't seem bad??

Dealer Sales Price TMV Price
32599.82 31884.00
-2000.00 -2000.00
20599.82 29884.00

I'm down to the wire - rebate expires today.

What do you think?
(To one particular responder - you know who you are - plese offer advice not sarcasm)

cccompson · January 2007

Published Toyota invoice numbers are ALWAYS different from (and lower than) the true figures because of TDA (an advertising fee that varies by region). Typically, this amount is in the range of $300 to $500. Here, you're talking about almost one thousand dollars so something isn't adding up.

TMV means absolutely nothing in terms of trying to evaluate this if for no other reason than it has some miles on it (enough to be considered as a demonstrator regardless of the story behind the miles).

The absolute most I would pay for this unit is invoice plus TDA less rebate less a bit more (say $500) for the mileage and no doc fee whatsoever.

Be absolutely certain that this is a new unit which will be titled off an MSO.

dbettshemby · January 2007

Talk about not adding up! When we arrived to the dealer to check the vehicle out they tried to do a switcheroo.

The model was a stripped down exl with no nav, dvd, etc. - the only optional features added was the leather.

They were rude and insisted the error was due to Toyota lising the features incorrectly on their website. The salesperson and his sales manager acted as if they were mad with us for "noticing" that the vehicle was not loaded with the options advertised on their website - they even went so far as to offer a free tank of gas for the drive over and then retracted their offer when we didn't purchase a vehicle.

I did call and make a complaint to Toyota (which of course goes nowhere - they send it straight back to the dealer).

We left of course in a very agitated state. For those who inquired this dealer was Bobby Murray Toyota of Rocky Mount NC. My opinion of this dealership is very low and I personally would steer clear. These types of sales tactics are not necessary when selling a quality product.

We ended up purchasing a 2006 Limited from in Durham NC fo 36k. It has all options (nav, dvd, bluetooth, light pkg). I didn't need all these options but I think I was tired of the "dealer shuffle" and just ready to cut a deal, get the rebate and be done with it.

I'm happy with the vehicle we ended up with however I think Toyota needs to have a little more control over their dealers b/c they will eventually tarnish the product with their questionable sales tactics and approaches.

End of saga....I hope to not need to purchase another vehicle for a very long time!

labagit · January 2007

I know that both the Sienna and Odyssey are excellent vehicles. I haven't driven them yet, and how they feel to me will of course be huge in my decision. That said, I'm curious about some of the features that aren't a huge selling point but matter in day to day use of the vehicle. Cup holders, storage (is the lazy susan really usable?), coin holders, readability of gauges, button accessibility, etc. I really hate dealing with salespeople and have taken quick peaks at the lot but not much more. I'd appreciate any feedback on some of these things and if they are user friendly. i.e. I can read the number of cupholders on the website, but are they easily reached, sized for larger water bottles, etc. I have 2 elementary aged kids, so comfort and design of 2nd seat row is very important. 3rd row is not so much since it wouldn't be used often.

The only non-fluff capability I'm wondering about is towing. I'm considering the purchase of a small tent trailer and am curious if either is better for towing. (I know that towing capacity for both is 3500lbs and I would need to purchase the towing package on the Ody).

I would be purchasing the Sienna XLE with pkg 4 or the EX-L. I appreciate any feedback.

thegraduate · January 2007

Well, I can say this about the current model Odyssey:

The driving experience is much more carlike in the Odyssey, meaning sharp handling, a firmer (than the Sienna) ride, and the vehicle handles like it is smaller than it really is. There are 15 cupholders in the Odyssey. 4 in the tray table, 1 in each door, 2 that slide out from under the climate controls on the dash, 3 in the back row, and 2 that fold out from the middle row of seats themselves.

There is one coin holder in the odyssey, two gloveboxes, and several other storage compartments. The Odyssey also has storage under the floor in the second row (that lazy susan). It is great for putting things like a first-aid kit, emergency flashlight, fix-a-flat, etc in your vehicle without cluttering it up.

In the Odyssey, there is an extra middle seat that is removable, handy for an 8th passenger. it stores under the floor (in the lazy susan, if that compartment is left empty)when not in use.

Another cool feature that few people know about is the remote-roll-down windows. By pressing the unlock button on the key-remote twice, and holding it down on the second press, the windows will roll down, venting hot air from the car on a summer day. My Accord also has this feature, and it is quite welcome since I live in a place where July averages the low 90s.

Here are the gauges in Sienna:

and in Odyssey:

I feel like the Odyssey's are easier to see because they are high contrast, with red pointers. The Sienna has shiny rings around the gauges which in sunlight would catch a glare.

mnrep2 · January 2007

The picture of the Sienna gauge cluser is from a base or CE model. The LE and above have a much nicer gauge cluster. You can view an image on this web site

That being said, you need to go drive both and then pick the one YOU like...

I chose Sienna because I wanted AWD. I don't think either van is a bad choice. I drove Mopar mini vans for the previous 15 years. The Sienna is a much nicer ride than my previous ones :shades:

user777 · January 2007

i think if you intend either vehicle to be used for towing, i believe you should consider the type of hitch you'll have and any costs of installation and wiring, vehicle clearance with the road, etc.

more importantly, i think you should make sure the transmission and power steering systems have adequate cooling.

for the ODY, go here for pricing up these items:
http://www.handaccessories.com/odyext05.html

and here with respect to the ODY and towing:
http://www.handaccessories.com/pibhitch.gif

i don't know about the Sienna and what additional if anything is recommended. ask and see what's necessary, included or would be thrown in and/or additional cost to you no matter which you get. basically, just don't forget them in the equation. it looks like the sienna has a tow prep package standard that may have adequate transmission and PS cooling.

drive both vehicles and put the kids in there if you can. ride in the back of both vehicles. take turns as a passenger and the driver.

have some fun with the experience.

thegraduate · January 2007

Sienna offers different gauge clusters? I thought those went out with optional tachometers on old economy cars!

I didn't realize that, or I would have posted both. I just got the pictures from the same site.

Here is the uplevel models' Sienna gauges. A lot better, although I still prefer red pointers against a dark background as easiest to see. Neither of the gauges are bad though.

And the Odyssey again, for quick comparison. Obviously the Sienna's were done in the dark.

cpsdarren · January 2007

I liked those Sienna guages better than the ones on my Odyssey. They were easier to read for me. The gradations are much larger on the Sienna because you only get half a tach on the Odyssey and its speedo goes to a useless 160mph.

thegraduate · January 2007

I agree, the Odyssey could stop with 120 MPH with ease. I guess I'm really used to 20 MPH increments since I have them on my old Accord, so the 10 MPH marks on the Sienna and in my ex-gf's Corolla (which also has a 110 MPH Speedo)always threw me for a loop when I glanced quickly.

The tach is no biggie, since it only comes as an automatic, and neither vehicle are inclined much toward performance.

I will always prefer red/orange needles on white lettering. I have white-on-white in both Accords I drive, and wish I had the red-on-white instead.

labagit · January 2007

I appreciate all the comments. I was able to drag my DH out to look at vans today (he's my buffer so I can look and not deal with the salesmen). We were both surprised. We both expected to like the Sienna better but ended up very impressed with the Odyssey. We were a bit swayed by a slimy Toyota dealership who claimed the 2007 XLE's weren't available until mid-Feb while they tried to unload their 2006 inventory on us. We looked at the 2006 XLE Limited and still liked the Odyssey better in comparison. We're going to give another dealership a chance to sway us, and take the opportunity to drive the 2007 with the more powerful engine. Time will tell, but it might turn out to be an easier decision than we anticipated.

user777 · January 2007

one thing i think hurts the toyota product is the dizzying number of option combos on several trim levels; worse, the fact you may not be able to get it the vehicle the way you really want to in the region of the country you live in... makes one wonder. :confuse:

w.r.t. the toyota, i'd get reasonably familiar with the various option packages and determine what's important to you on features and the value to you if you had to go with something that wasn't exactly what you had in mind originally. only then can you be prepared to know how the vehicles REALLY compare up against one another and if you are paying more or less for something which you consider "fluff".

i don't know, i think they do this purposefully to make it harder to be an informed consumer, assess value, do comparison shopping and to help support sales at the dealerships. to me though, they are just penalizing their customer base.

FWIW: it's '07 and the new models have been introduced some time ago. i would think if you were interested in an new '06, there'd be some HUGE incentives to you. did you research that?

labagit · January 2007

Yes, the packages are a bit frustrating. I know which one I want, which includes a lot of stuff I really don't care about to get what I want. I have no idea how readily available it is on its own since the dealer had no 2007's on the lot.

You misunderstood me wrt the model year. We want a 2007. The dealer lied and said he would not get any XLE's until mid-Feb and then tried to make us a deal on higher end 2006 models. I'm sure we could have negotiated a great deal for what the vans were, but they weren't what we wanted. Needless to say, we'll drive further next time to get someone honest.

My husband didn't talk prices specifically with the Honda dealer, but asked generally about what could be expected. He was told that usually a deal could be made for about $500 over invoice without too much trouble. I was surprised to have the salesman be so forthcoming about this. I'm thinking perhaps internet shopping/competition has brought it to this...?

stuman168 · January 2007

dbettshemby,
you're not comparing the similarly equip car.
you should compare limited with ody touring that's a closer comparison. even with that limited could be more expensive because they have HID, laser cruise control and power 3rd row (for folding)
you should be able to get ody close to invoice and toyota depending on the current demand they should be able to sell way less than MSRP

tanker5 · January 2007

Fluff is in the eyes of the beholder and some are more expensive than others. An impression is difficult to quantify as it entails emotion and likes or dislikes. There are few options that when combined with a certain level van that could meet all your needs. There are many fluff things that will become usable over time. Remember there are lots of options that can be added on your own at much reduced prices than the dealer offers. The navigation XM Sat. and back up camera are easy options to add. On the Sienna XLE Limited I have 3 prong receptacles for a video camera and a 115v plug for charging. When would I use it? I just discovered I can use a video Ipod and a $5 plug and plug it into the entertainment unit for endless movies or viewing of pictures on trips. A center console can be duplicated by buying from J.C. Whitney and mounted between the 2nd row seats which can be moved side to side. The blue instument panel is fabulous on the Sienna Limited and the ride is outstanding. Don't worry about the additional power?of the new 2007 Siennas. The 2006 has plenty of power and the reduced prices are worth the decision to buy now. See some of the other Sienna sites for prices in your area.

hansienna · January 2007

Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Sienna gauges look elegant but those shiny surfaces are very annoying when sunlight reflects off them. I like the Sienna graduations in the gages better than Ody without graduations. I also like having the Sienna transmission selector P-R-N-D-4-3-2-L better than the Ody P-R-N-D-2-1 although I am not fond of the Sienna gated shifter.

However, the Ody red pointers against the black background are more relaxing for the eyes.

I think the Ody speedometer with 80 MPH top center is irresponsible and encourages drivers to speed. ( Worsened by the "spirited" handling?)

The photo of the Sienna is NOT a 2006 Sienna. My 2006 Sienna has MPH in the rectangular area below the speedometer with km/h centered just above MPH while the photo shows them both off to the side.

cccompson · January 2007

I don't understand why you keep saying the dealer "lied" abut the '07 Siennas. They are just now coming to market and, in fact, the store might not be getting any XLEs until next month.

cableguy06 · January 2007

Boy...after reading a few of your last postings, it sounds like you are truly warming up to the Ody even if it has an out dated shifter

The biggest complaint I had with my Sienna Limited AWD was that darn gated shifter and I also thought it was mounted to low and it was easy to hit the shift lever. The Ody's shift lever is higher and out of the way and I like its location much better.

thegraduate · January 2007

I think the Ody speedometer with 80 MPH top center is irresponsible and encourages drivers to speed.

How many minivan buyers do you think get major tickets because of the speedometer going to 140 or 160 vs. 110? 80 MPH is 80 MPH, wherever on the speedometer it may be printed. I'm going to respectfully disagree on this one. I'm with you on the fact that 160 MPH speedos are overkill, and think 120 on the vans/SUVs and 140 on family sedans is where it should be (after all, my 4-cyl Accord has a 130MPH top-speed which I find really funny).

labagit · January 2007

Ok, in fairness, perhaps they didn't. It just seems odd to me that when I returned home and called neighboring dealers within 10-15 minutes of that dealer that they had the vans in stock. I don't know the auto business, but I can't imagine why one dealer would not get a specific car 5-6 weeks after others. I didn't like the way they spoke with us, and I can't shake the gut feeling that they were feeding us a line. If they had simply fessed up from the beginning that they had no 2007's, I might have had a different response. They didn't admit not having any until after I read all the stickers of the cars they were leading us to (after I had asked for 2007's) and asked about it.

user777 · January 2007

good for you, and no, i wasn't mislead or misunderstood, i knew you were looking for an '07...

coupedncal · January 2007

We are in the market for a minivan and down to either Sienna or Oddy. We prefer the 8 seater and hence we can only get Sienna LE or CE v/s EX or higher on Oddy. My problem is these models are not comparable since Oddy EX-L is a higher trim compared to Sienna LE (even with packages) and hence has a lot more built-in options compared to Sienna LE. I was wondering if others could share their opinion on this. How best to compare these two 8 seaters ?

learningirl · January 2007

I am in the market to purchase either the 2007 Oddy Touring or the 2007 Sienna Limited pkg #3. I haven't had a chance to drive the new Sienna but I want to test out the new engine. I do like the drive of the 2006 Limited more than the Touring probably b/c we have a Lexus now and are partial to Toyota in that regard BUT the Touring drive is not bad, just different and I'm sure I would grow to like it.
I am really leaning toward the purchasing the Touring because I like the way it looks (inside and out) but am not happy with the required PAX tires on that model and the lack of bluetooth technology. Options-wise it seems like the Limited is ahead. I don't know what to do and have been trying to make this decision over the past few months! Now the 2007 Sienna is out and I feel like I am even more confused. Any suggestions?? :confuse:

thegraduate · January 2007

If you like the ride/drive of the Toyota, then I doubt you would like the sportier driving experience of the Honda. It rides somewhat firmer, while cornering/handling much sharper than the Toyota. The Limited will likely cost you more than the Touring.

blackexv6 · January 2007

I agree with the graduate, if you drive a Lexus now you may not like the Odyssey. It definitely has a firmer ride with a lot of feedback from the road. Also, the Odyssey interior is more sporty with the silver trim vs. the faux wood in the Sienna. I have a '06 Odyssey EX-L/NAV/RES and find the road noise to be a little excessive (plus a droning defect that has been corrected on the '07 with a new transmission). My 2 cents.

hansienna · January 2007

As you wrote, the Ody EX-L is a higher trim (MORE expensive) than the Sienna LE (which compares with and is LESS expensive than the Ody EX-cloth). A better comparison is the Sienna XLE with the Ody EX-L.
If you want 8 real seats, buy the Sienna but if you want a nice, thick padded armrest that is quite comfortable as an 8th seat, buy the Odyssey. The Ody EX has more flexibility with 2nd row seating than the Sienna LE. The 8 passenger Ody EX also has armrests for the 2 bucket seats in the 2nd row IF you do not have an 8th person in the minivan while the Sienna 8 passenger does NOT have armrests at any time for the 2nd row passengers.

Notice that the 2007 Sienna 3.5L V6 has 266 HP vs the 2007 Odyssey 3.5L V6 244 HP. :shades:

thegraduate · January 2007

Does the new 3.5L in the Sienna call for premium fuel? Please say no...

labagit · January 2007

The Honda dealers said yes, but the Toyota dealers said no.

Did the '06 require premium? Again, I got the same answers from the same dealers, but I've heard the discussion so much about premium that I wonder.

labagit · January 2007

We are also in the market for a Ody or Sienna. I suppose it would matter how often you feel you would use the 8th seat. Since you said that is preferred, I'm assuming it's not needed most of the time. I completely discounted the 8th seat in the Ody when I first saw it. I laughed at its size. Then I sat in it. I was shocked how comfortable I was as an adult. Not luxurious, mind you, but comfortably do-able. I haven't ridden in it, but just knowing that I could comfortably sit there made me comfortable that an older child would be just fine. For my purposes, the 8th seat would only ever be used for carpooling or short outings, never for a long trip. You should consider just when you would use it as well.

I know that the LE doesn't come std. with power sliding doors on both sides, though I believe it is an option. That would be a consideration as well.

You said you would get after market leather. In the EXL, you would get heated seats and a moonroof. Disc brakes are standard as well. I would really go through item for item and figure out which features you would not get and if those are important features for you. In like models, I feel that the Sienna has the edge on features, but in the LE vs EXL that would not be the case.

I hope that helps. For the amount I would use the 8th seat, I wouldn't let that sway me, and I would get the EXL in a heartbeat. Since I'm comparing XLE vs EXL, I can't figure out which is best for my family. :confuse:

user777 · January 2007

i would be cautious going aftermarket leatherette if you are concerned about proper operation of side-seat air bags.

also, while some people just love leatherette, you might let the strength, fortitude and discipline of your little clan members influence your decision.

thegraduate · January 2007

I think the 2006 did, but I just dug deeply into Toyota's website, and through the Edmunds comparison feature, I learned that the 2007 does NOT require premium fuel - just regular.

The reason for different answers is probably this - vehicles that recommend premium fuel usually don't HAVE to have it, but if they run on regular, they will run at diminished performance (usually about 10 hp less). So, in one person's eyes, the van "takes premium" because that is what the book says. In another's, the van "runs on regular." See what I mean? I doubt either was trying to be dishonest... assuming that the Honda dealer was talking about the 2006. Info on the 2007s was only very recently revealed on Toyota's website.

labagit · January 2007

I certainly understand this. Despite my previous claim of dishonesty, I certainly didn't mean to imply it in this case.

labagit · January 2007

I also forgot to mention that the fact that Honda requires no major maintenance until 100k is weighing heavily on our decision. I was told by the Toyota salesperson that Toyota still recommends servicing at the standard 15k intervals. Could someone verify this? Even though our second salesman was very nice, his knowledge was lacking about some things.

thegraduate · January 2007

Well, it may have been that the dealers DID know and told you otherwise; we'll never really know I guess. Either way, the Odyssey sure went from quickest van in the field to mid-pack really quickly!

labagit · January 2007

I'd love to hear more about leather vs fabric seats. From my reading on the boards, I worry about upkeep with kids, but when I ask friends whose cars have leather seats, they tell me it's wonderful and so much easier to maintain. I also worry about the seats being too hot in summer and have been told that yes they will and no they won't. :confuse:

I park my vehicle in the driveway, not in the garage. Will the constant heat and sun make the leather crack? My current vehicle is 10 1/2 years old with fabric seats. Even with kids, they look new once they are vacuumed. I wonder if this would be the case with leather.

user777 · January 2007

well - if the manufacturer were providing HP estimates, wouldn't they have to reveal if the numbers were obtained using a particular octane of fuel?

thegraduate · January 2007

You would think - but two months ago, I would've eaten my hat if you could have shown me published numbers of EPA mileage and fuel type for the 3.5 in the Sienna somewhere. It was not really well publicized.

user777 · January 2007

:surprise: someone once asked me, what would you rather clean vomit up from, fabric or leather(ette)? :sick:

i worried most about placement of child seats in a leatherette seat and possible rub / material wear. also i worried about punctures / tears, and also seat temp.

i don't find i'm missing anything by not having faux leather. my children don't know any better.

if you are a person that can keep the interior of your vehicle spotless, i think the leatherette looks pretty sharp.

i think once you start sucking up the happy meal fries, the spilt slushies, the used paper towels, the crunched peanut butter cheese crackers, the endless star wars figures and lego pieces, markers and melted crayons, marbles, other body stuff like blood and... :surprise: well you get the picture.

the luxuries of van-life. maybe there's a new forum in that.

hopefully someone with the leather can advise you.

have fun.

thegraduate · January 2007

Actually, having had my girlfriend throw up on my scotchguarded cloth seats in my EX Accord, there really wasn't much of a problem. The stuff even sat there five minutes before I could get back to clean it up. I used towels and resolve carpet cleaner, and spent less than five minutes cleaning (I was more worried about the smell lingering, so I did it and the floormats twice). No smell, no stain/discoloration.

user777 · January 2007

she still in your life?

thegraduate · January 2007

Hehehe, um, actually, not as a gf anymore. Would you believe me if I told you were still friends?

user777 · January 2007

actually, i half expected you were gonna tell me you married her.

you know that beer slogan, "you never forget for first st. pauly girl"? not that i want to know what the meta message is there exactly...

but there's something about being puked on by someone you care for to vividly lock them into deep recesses of your brain.

thegraduate · January 2007

Haha. It's a close connection we had after that, for sure. Actually, it's kind of a funny story.

We had been to six-flags in Atlanta, and it was my first real "trip" in my new car. Less than 10k miles on it at the time. I'm pretty anal-retentive about my car anyway, but this being a new one, I was particularly so. We went to six flags as two couples, our best friends in the back seat. My buddy decided he wanted a Wendy's yogurt thing, and when trying to open the little package of granola that came with it, he launched it everywhere.

Now, I knew that stuff like that vacuums up, and I wasn't really concerned with it. My friend on the other hand (a fairly new friend, at the time) was horrified and couldn't apologize enough. He picked up as much as he could, until I convinced him it was really no big deal. Well, three hours later, my gf's IHOP was all over the front seat, dashboard, and floorboard. The salt in the wound for that trip?

We were 4 houses away from our destination when she threw-up. Now THAT'S bad luck.

On a lighter note though, that has made me a lot less anal-rententive about the car, and my buddy didn't feel NEARLY as bad for having spilled granola in the back seat!

goodegg · January 2007

The 'eighth' seat comes out real easy (and goes in real easy too) which then allows the two middle row seats to come together, allowing a nice little alley to access the third row of seats. The one time in a hundred you need the eighth you dust it off from storage and slap it in.

Let me highly endorse the Odyssey. My wife has an 05 EX, and after 30000 miles it (of course) still is as tight as a drum and great on road trips.

hansienna · January 2007

No. I have used 85 octane fuel in my Sienna except at lower altitudes where I use 87 octane.

hansienna · January 2007

The 2006 Toyota Sienna manual states NO major maintenance until 100,000 miles.

However, the Toyota dealer service departments (AND Honda dealers) suggest that more frequent maintenance is needed so they can pad their bottom line. :shades:

thegraduate · January 2007

I didn't think you had a 2007 with the 3.5L...?

The old ones WILL run on 87, but I thought reccommended 91.

Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles