Odyssey or Sienna

[Citrine]

I know I cant go wrong with either choice but I need help. We are looking at 2009s models with Nav and Dvd system in there. Both dealers sell the vans at the same price. We have a 06 Pilot for trade in. We have not told the dealer how much we owe on the pilot. But they will give us what we owe plus more to help "seal the deal". we have not had the pilot appraised at toyota yet. We have 2 kids, 5yr old FF in GN, and 2.5yr old RF wizard. I do car pool anther child who is 5 and rides in GN. When my 5yr old out grows the GN I am planning on moving her back to the Regent. We are also trying to conceive child number 3. we have drove both vans and like them both. We have seen the honda gets 420 high way miles on a tank of a gas while toyota gets 356 high way miles on a tank of gas. We do 3 trips a year from SC to RI and like the gas to go as far as it can. We have tried the other vans that are out there and do not care for them like we do these 2. Can someone tip the scales for us and say to go with this one..... thanks for any help and any input that you give.

 

[Melanie]

Would you ever want to have all three kids in the second row? If so, the 8 pass Sienna works much better than the Odyssey.

That's something I wish I could do with my current van. We have three kids and it's nice to be able to separate them sometimes. But it would also be nice to be able to have them all in the same row sometimes. My oldest goes in the third row and she's too far away to have a real conversation with. It would also be nice to have all three in one row so the third row could be folded for cargo on trips.

 

[Citrine]

If we get the 8pass. Seinna then we do not get the DVD player. Which for us is a make or break deal for us. We only use the DVD on the trips. Also when we do make the trip, the non driver sits in the back with the kids to give them stuff and help keep the kids happy. I do see your point though. I also know the little seat in the 2ed row of the honda is really for kids not for adults. We could sit there for short rides if our kids wanted us back there with them, but not for the road trip. Unless we can get dvd and nav system installed in the 8 pass. then that is a possibility. We do have a portable dvd system and portable nav system, but it would be nice to have it installed in the car.

 

[SafeDad]

For the cost of most factory DVD players, you can buy each kid their own portable a few times over. Eliminates any fighting over what to watch, and no worries about spending hundreds or thousands to repair a broken factory DVD after the warranty expires;-) Plus, you can bring the portables into the hotel on roadtrips also!

Similarly, the only reason I'd want a factory NAV system is for the rear view camera integration, though the voice commands are nice, too. Just personal preference, of course.

I'd like to trade in my Odyssey for something more fuel efficient like a Mazda5 or a Highlander Hybrid, but I need to get my wife into a safer car, first!

 

[SafeandSecureBaby]

We own a Sienna although we looked long and hard at the Honda. The Sienna has been the best car we have ever owned. Nav and DVD were a must. The back up camera is awesome as is the sonar. Long trips with Laser guided cruise control is also great. I'm biased, but I'd go with the Sienna again.

The Honda was noisier than the Sienna, especially with the air on high. It was like a wind tunnel. Not so with the Sienna. Good luck and happy driving.

 

[WhatAboutPuppy]

The Honda was noisier than the Sienna, especially with the air on high. It was like a wind tunnel. Not so with the Sienna.

This would be a HUGE deal for me. If I'm driving a minivan with kids in the 3rd row I want to hear them!! I want to be able to talk with the children or adults anywhere in the car. Why would I pay that much for so many features and have a noisy fan that needed to be upgraded...

 

[MomE]

I tend to check crash ratings at both IIHS and safercar.gov.

I won't get an Odyssey because of this side impact result for rear passengers(from IIHS): "Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be possible in a crash of this severity. The risk of significant injuries to other body regions is low."

That's just not something that sits well with me (and I can't see how a top safety pic can have those results). But everyone has to decide if they can live with that.


To be fair, IIHS says the dummy's head hit the B pillar with low acceleration in frontal crash tests in the Sienna.


So I've been looking at minivans, and what's acceptable to me (who already has brain damage from a head hit in an accident) is the Sienna. Though in all likelihood I won't end up getting a minivan....

 

[jujumum]

I would choose a Sienna over an Odyssey - the Odyssey's have been known for transmission issues. My friend's late model need a new transmission and its paint started peeling off after only 2 years, too. Luckily it was still under warranty.

I also wouldn't pay the extra $800 or whatever it is for an installed DVD player when portables work fine. But, I'm cheap.

 

[sirrahn]

For the cost of most factory DVD players, you can buy each kid their own portable a few times over. Eliminates any fighting over what to watch, and no worries about spending hundreds or thousands to repair a broken factory DVD after the warranty expires;-) Plus, you can bring the portables into the hotel on roadtrips also!

Similarly, the only reason I'd want a factory NAV system is for the rear view camera integration, though the voice commands are nice, too. Just personal preference, of course.

:yeahthat: I've never been able to figure out why it makes any sense to buy those things with a vehicle when it's so much cheaper and gives you so much more flexibility to get them separately....especially if you're really only going to use the DVD for trips.

As for the 2 vans I love my 8 passenger Sienna!

 

[Guest]

8 seater, then Sienna hands down

7 seater, then I think I prefer the Odyssey (little things add up to a much more enjoyable minivan experience with the Ody).

We've recently decided to go with the 8 seater Sienna, even tho you can't get the nicer options on it (altho we're waiting for the new model so maybe that will change). I looked into it briefly. There are nice aftermarket nav systems that cost the same as the factory one (current factory one kinda sucks IMO; least compared to the one in my Lexus and compared to what Honda gives you). Aftermarket navis can have integrated backup cameras as well. You can get rear DVD on teh 8 seater Sienna I believe, but aftermarket has TONS of great options too. My BIL has a fully loaded Limited Sienna and I'm not overly impressed with the rear dvd entertainment system either so aftermarket is fine with me.

 

[NannyMom]

the 8 passenger Sienna has 5 sets of LATCH. The Odyssey only has 3 (at least the 2006 does, not sure if that changed). Not that I use all my latch sets, but I like having them. The 3 2nd row seats all have LATCH. I love my Sienna

 

[mommy-medic]

Sienna!

The Toyota Sienna is the reason Lexus doesn't make a minivan

 

[bubbaray]

I would choose a Sienna over an Odyssey - the Odyssey's have been known for transmission issues.

The Ody tranny's were changed for 2005 and onward. The tranny problems are with the older Ody's.

 

[bubbaray]

Not sure if this applies to the '09s, but the Siennas got poor rear crash test ratings, whereas the Odys didn't.

I love my '05 Ody. Wouldn't change a thing. I love the windtunnel effect -- how the heck else do you drown out the screaming little people?

Seriously, though, the two vehicles are great, they are just quite different. The handling is different. The finishing is different. Some of the options are different. Just pick the one you like best and drive off happy.

ETA: ITA with Darren re the factory vs aftermarket DVD and Nav. I don't have either and I don't miss them. We do long road trips often. And, I've been in the +8 seat of the Ody on many many MANY long road trips. I'm 5'9" and fit with no problems. I'm fairy slim, though. I think its a tighter squeeze for sMIL. LOL. Shucks, guess we can't take her on a long road trip....

 

[Citrine]

We like to have the DVD installed because its once less thing to go flying in an accident, and one less thing to worry about bringing along. I do see all of your points though. It is rather silly to spend 1k on a dvd system when you can buy a portable for $250. Proble cheaper, I have not priced them out. Crash test's do mean alot to me. Its our lives we are talking about. I was unawear of the side impact result on the honda. Yet I believe its rated 4 stars for side impact. I do know the Sienna did get poor rear crash test ratings. I look at it as rear crashed do not happen at high rates of speed, but they do happen. As far as LATCH goes, I am fine with installing with seatbelts. As long as I have my Tethers I am okay.

 

[bubbaray]

I've never heard that about the Ody for side impact.

Here is the IIHS info: http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=80

There was a horrible accident here about 6m ago, a lady stopped her Sienna in the HOV lane in foggy conditions. The 2 boys in the 3rd row were killed. It was horrible, that van looked more like a Yaris than a Sienna after the accident. There was absolutely nothing left of the 3rd row.

ETA: We tried a portable DVD and d/n really like it. Plus, DD#2 still rides RFg, so a factory DVD woudln't work for us anyway.

 

[NannyMom]

We like to have the DVD installed because its once less thing to go flying in an accident, and one less thing to worry about bringing along. I do see all of your points though. It is rather silly to spend 1k on a dvd system when you can buy a portable for $250. Proble cheaper, I have not priced them out. Crash test's do mean alot to me. Its our lives we are talking about. I was unawear of the side impact result on the honda. Yet I believe its rated 4 stars for side impact. I do know the Sienna did get poor rear crash test ratings. I look at it as rear crashed do not happen at high rates of speed, but they do happen. As far as LATCH goes, I am fine with installing with seatbelts. As long as I have my Tethers I am okay.

Not sure about the 2009, but in recent years, the 3rd row outboard TAs are not on the back of the seat. The tethers must stretch across the cargo area if you need to use them. THe center is on the seatback though. No TA for the center seat (2nd row).

In the Sienna, there are TAs for every seat except 3rd row driver's side.

 

[celtic1885]

Not sure about the 2009, but in recent years, the 3rd row outboard TAs are not on the back of the seat. The tethers must stretch across the cargo area if you need to use them. THe center is on the seatback though. No TA for the center seat (2nd row).

In the Sienna, there are TAs for every seat except 3rd row driver's side.

did you mean on the Oddy? I shopped/test drove an '06 today and it had 2 TA on the back of the third row seats.

 

[bubbaray]

The '06 and newer Ody's have 2 TTs on the back of the outboard 3rd row seats and another TT for the center 3rd row across the cargo area.

 

[bobandjess99]

I've

ETA: We tried a portable DVD and d/n really like it. Plus, DD#2 still rides RFg, so a factory DVD woudln't work for us anyway.

Yes this...ds will RF for another 3 years or so, so nothing factory installed would work for him anyway....