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Vans & Minivans Toyota Sienna Honda Odyssey vs. Toyota Sienna
5228 messages, Last post on Dec 05, 2009 at 9:15 PM
You are in the Toyota Sienna Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: islandvan (Oct 04, 2009 4:11 pm) I'm an aftermarket fan myself. 12" DVD player, Garmin GPS, and I'm still thinking about a tow hitch (in 07 Siennas came standard with the tow prep package). Good luck. |
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We now have 2 large dogs (thanks to our kids moving into apts.), and it's not easy transporting them in my Mazda 3. I am thinking of getting a minivan, but I'm not sure how I feel about driving such a large vehicle. I would like to know which minivans have the best visibility, especially for changing lanes and merging, which ones have the best and brightest headlights (I'm not getting any younger!), which ones are most reliable, and if all minivans now have skid plates on the bottom of the vehicle to prevent fires if some debris were to be caught on the bottom of the vehicle. Also, if anyone else transports large dogs, what vehicle would you recommend? Thanks!
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Replying to: doggrandma (Oct 13, 2009 9:01 am)  Where do we start? Minivans in general have excellent visibility. They are upright, so most of the glass is vertical and tall, narrow pillars help even more. No styled D-pillars here, just nice big boxy windows all around. Coming out of a Mazda3 they will feel big, relatively speaking, of course. Smaller than a Mazda CX9, though, and with fewer blind spots. The side mirrors are also enormous, at least on my Sienna. That helps. They're tall, though, so visibility straight behind can be tough. I bought a fish-eye lens, or you could get proximity sensors that beep, or even better a backup cam which comes with Navi on both the Sienna and Odyssey. Lane changes and merging are a snap, no issues at all. Keep in mind these are shorter than a Taurus, for example. Backing up is your biggest concern, because the rear windows are high up. I find the standard headlights are fine on my Sienna, but you can get HIDs on both of these vans, if you get them loaded up. Skid plates - no. But then again, most crossovers wouldn't have those, either. You'd pretty much have to step up to a truck-based SUV to get that sort of thing. The Sienna has an inch or so more clearance, which may help. The AWD Sienna has even more. You may want to consider a compromise solution, like a tall wagon (Mazda5, Kia Rondo), or maybe a compact crossover with good visibility (Subaru Forester). Remove all the seats, though, and the power sliding doors would give low step-in access to half a dozen great danes in any minivan. Tie their harnesses to any of the seat anchors to keep them safe. Woof! 
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Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 13, 2009 9:23 am) As the brilliant economist Thomas Sowell says, "There are no solutions; only trade-offs" In my research I have found that the Sienna has more "oomph" and better braking and headlights. However, the Odyssey gets somewhat better marks in safety tests. Oddly enough, neither of them do all that well in the complicated rear end collision tests that some group has devised. It's all based on the configuration of the head rests, etc., and not on any real-world test or outcomes, so I don't know how much stock to put in those ratings. I have test driven both vehicles now, and so far, I like how the Sienna handles better than I do the Odyssey. Funny, since many reviewers say the Odyssey is better on that score. Oh well, we all like different things. Skid plates (sometimes called underbody protection) are available on some vehicles, but not on these minivans. Perhaps it is not considered to be that important. Woof, to you, too.
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Replying to: doggrandma (Oct 27, 2009 10:23 am) You are correct, in fact the vehicle is not crashed - they basically use a sled to test the seats. And note that the Sienna has not actually been tested yet. The score is preliminary and based solely upon static measurements - the distance of the headrest to the dummy's head. It could do well or score poorly if they eventually do actually test it, who knows? like how the Sienna handles better than I do the Odyssey Take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning. Just kidding.  You're definitely in the minority, but I will say I think the Sienna has a better ride and is generally more isolated from the road, which passengers may prefer if they want a quiet, soothing ride. The Ody provides more feedback - tire noise, road noise, most importantly - steering feel, which many drivers use as inputs to adjust their driving. The Sienna's steering has less feedback than my kids Nintendo Wii Wheel. Like lots of things - a trade off. |
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Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 27, 2009 10:55 am) I'm looking at the Ody, the Sienna, and perhaps the new Subaru Outback. I like driving the Mazda5, but it's a bit too small and very underpowered.
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Replying to: doggrandma (Oct 27, 2009 6:24 pm) Honda will soon add a competitor to that segment - the Accord CrossTour. |
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| OK I test drove a 2010 Sienna and a 2010 Odyessey today and I am torn between the two! I like the looks, interior, and features of the Odyssey better, but I thought the Toyota drove better (less wind noise and bumps felt)had more pep to the engine too! I am interested to hear other opinions to see if my findings are true or perhaps the type of road I was driving on skewed my test drive. | |
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Replying to: tylerwku (Nov 04, 2009 6:01 pm) The Odyssey drives like a scaled-up Accord; tight, accurate steering, slightly lower seating position, and less isolation from the road and noise. A good option if you really "like" to drive, but need a van. The Sienna is more Lexus-like; quieter, more softly sprung, but isn't nearly as carlike. The Odyssey drives like its smaller than it is. The Odyssey is your choice if you drive it every day (unless you crave power, which the Sienna offers more of without an economy penalty); the Sienna is likely to be the choice of your passengers, as its quieter and softer. Hope my opinion helps you a little!! Happy shopping!
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