In 2013, we looked at the Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Volkswagon (rebadged Chrysler) and wound up with the Honda. At that time, we weren't at all impressed with the Sienna, but I couldn't say why now.

If it's time for a new vehicle, great. If you're buying a new $30-40k vehicle just because the $300 battleship double stroller doesn't fit, there are wiser ways to utilitize those funds. First, the double stroller sounds great in theory, but it's big, heavy, and a pain to load/unload and set up. Eventually, it will wind up in the garage before it's final voyage to Goodwill. Second, kids are tough on vehicles, young ones especially. Those crayons from the restaurant will get put in the cup holders and forgotten until you clean out the vehicle and find they've melted into the bottom of the cup holders. Sunscreen gets on everything as does pen and pencil.

^ True, but guess we've been lucky that our 5 & 2 yr olds haven't destroyed our Flex.

My wife would rather walk than drive a minivan or station wagon. Funny that she ended up in a hybrid of the 2.

I fought the minivan transition for years until having #3 forced our hand. Wish we had done it sooner. We ended up with a 2012 Honda Odyssey, and it's great. I heard there will lots of tech upgrades in the 2018.

I believe both are fine minivans. That being said I have a 2015 Sienna XLE AWD that I have put almost 70K miles on (it's my company car). I have had zero mechanical issues so far. I'll be ordering a new vehicle in the fall and hope and pray the Sienna is still on the vehicle list for my company.

I find it to be very comfortable. It handles well and the only downside would be the MPG due to it being AWD. If it was my money being spent, I would not get an AWD version. They get worse mileage, use up tires quicker and if you cut down a tire that can't be repaired (like a sidewall) you have to replace all 4 tires due to the AWD system. I just got back from a Pittsburgh trip (Pens Stanley Cup Parade!) and it averaged 19.8 mpg doing 75mph across the turnpike).

My family and my friends that have ridden in it give it high praise.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigarms229,

I have a 2015 Sienna S/E. With the S/E you get a different grill, leather interior and bigger tires. I like it and will probably buy another in a couple of years. Mileage is good, 25+ on the highway depending on speed and weather conditions.

We went with the Sienna I snagged a couple year old CPO for a great deal. Wish Inwould have gotten the JBL upgrade though.
Honda is good too. All about preference I think the Toyota uses a little better materials for the interior and prefer it. While neither is very attractive I much prefer the look of the Toyota. Both are also top notch in safety. I have witnessed both in very serious collisions and everyone was fine.

If styling does not matter get the one that costs the least with what you are looking for.

Get the Honda if you like a sportier connection with the road.

Get the Sienna if you are looking for an AWD option.

Both have strong powertrains, refined rides and an outstanding reliability track record.

I can speak from experience here, but am not sure it will help. I have owned both--first an Odyssey, now a Sienna. Both were, and are, uber-reliable compared to most other entries in the market. Both are roomy, had leather, offered all the seating you could want, excellent entertainment options, etc.

I went with an AWD Sienna Limited over the Honda this last time and love it. It was more costly, and yes, the AWD makes gas mileage worse, but here was my thought:

If my wife and two small children ever got stuck in the snow coming home from school or somewhere else, and it was because I wanted to save on gas mileage or cost, I would never forgive myself. That was my analysis; yours may differ. (I'm in SW Ohio--not as much as snow as Pennsylvania I presume, but it can get bad).

Neither one gave, or has given, me any problems in 200,000+ plus miles on them (combined).

Re the tires on Sienna AWD. Yes, very expensive run-flats (no spare), but I replaced them with standard tires and a can of Fix-A-Flat in the center console when the time came for new tires. Problem solved.

If I were forced to buy a minivan (I would rather take an ice pick in the eye) I would go for the Honda. However, these are probably the best minivans available today so neither would be a bad decision.

Odd Man out here. We bought a Chrysler Pacifica.
We looked at the Sienna and Odyssey. The Sienna is due for a remodel in 2018. The ones we drove were pretty much the same as our 2002 Sienna.

We need the van to carry a booth to shows. Then there are trips to festivals. The killer we had were the second and third row seats. The Toyota seats come out but weigh a ton. The Odyssey seats don't come out for the second row. Tilt some but that's it. The Pacific has stow-n-go seats that fold flat into the floor. It's also newly updated with lots of bells and whistles

Since buying it the end of December, we put 11,000 miles on it. Seattle to Arizona, then Seattle to Chicago to Arkansas and back. Gas mileage was better then I expected. My biggest problem is that with the smooth ride and such I catch myself speeding, a lot. The ride is very smooth.

Lots of information on siennachat and odyforums... the odyssey 2018 a complete redesign so deals on 2017 might be possible. Sienna is coming up for redesign and if you need awd that's the van.

Forgot to add which ever you choose, welcome to the collective!!

https://www.vankulture.com

I've had many many Hondas, and a few used Toyotas. I'm certain that I end up buying new ondas because it is simpler (no weird and variable option packs and dealer installed options, just simple and clear trim levels).

So that said, I'm kind of done with Honda. We had an 03 Oddy that was right on the hairy edge of the known weak-transmission issues of the very early ones. We always worried about that, and sold it in 2011 to get a new one. The 2011 has had a noisy strut issues that they could never correct. It has extremely soft steering and so you get no feedback and really have to control it with your corrections at highway speeds even when driving straight.

Overall the Oddy is good, but I'd look HARD at other options if I were buying today and I would intentionally try to not buy a Honda. Just remembered I didn't mention the warping rotors. But then, I've never had a honda that didn't do that. The rotors are just too damn light on these heavy vans. And it's noisy and rattly. Other than that, it's ok. My wife likes it. She's pretty forgiving though. She's still married to me.

I think Honda makes a better drivetrain. Toyota dealers are more apt to cut a deal though. I personally like what I've seen with the Chrysler Pacifica. Especially how easy the rear seats disappear.

quote:

The Odyssey seats don't come out for the second row. Tilt some but that's it.

You've mentioned this before, so I did a little google research and I can't find any Odyssey built in the last 15 years that doesn't have removable second row seats. If switching configurations is something you will do often, the Chrysler has the advavtage. The seats are thinner and we found them less comfortable than the Odyssey seats. We've taken the second row out twice in the last four years to carry bulky items, but we also have a truck. Once when my wife cleaned out the garage and took stuff to Goodwill. Bye, bye double stroller. I take them out twice a year the thoroughly clean the interior.

The seats also slide sideways giving you more room to install three cars seats in the second row and the middle one slides forward 8 inches or so making it easier for someone in the front to tend to an infant strapped in a rear facing car seat.

We have had a 2000 Chrysler minivan, a 2006 Toyota Sienna and now a 2013 Toyota Sienna. All have been top of the line with AWD and all were reliable. The Sienna's are extremely comfortable and roomy... highly recommended.

We also bought a Chrysler Pacifica minivan a few months ago.

As grandparents we bought it mainly for it's fold flat seats, and use it as a cargo van/pickup. It is very convenient to fold the seats back up for hauling passengers.

We have both an Odyssey and a Sienna. I drive the Odyssey and my wife drives the Sienna.

We both prefer the Odyssey.

It drives tighter, handles more easily, and responds more quickly. The Sienna feels slushy or mushy. It't has a "gooey" response to things that makes it feel like everything is in slow motion compared to the Honda. That being said, the Sienna is newer and has more seating options, so my wife drives it.

YMMV.


EDIT - My Odyssey is a 2003 and the middle seats do indeed come out. Quite easily. The rear bench folds completely flat. The Sienna has totally fold flat rear bench, and removable middle seats; however, there are three seats across the middle and they all fold forward as well, to expose cup-holders and snack cubbies, etc.

I realize this is off point, but years ago we were looking for a mini van and our neighbor suggested a Chevy Suburban. We got the van but eventually replaced it with a Suburban.

While it may seem like overkill, there is a huge difference in the storage available with a Suburban. They ride great and drive well. (My teenagers drove it with no problem and it was my wife's primary vehicle for year.)

That said, my in-laws Honda Odyssey is also a great ride on the highway and drives well. I have never driven or ridden in Sienna.

But consider a Suburban. There is generally a huge discount on late model versions and we have the 2 wheel drive model which gets better gas mileage.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

The Odyssey seats don't come out for the second row. Tilt some but that's it.

You've mentioned this before, so I did a little google research and I can't find any Odyssey built in the last 15 years that doesn't have removable second row seats. If switching configurations is something you will do often, the Chrysler has the advavtage. The seats are thinner and we found them less comfortable than the Odyssey seats. We've taken the second row out twice in the last four years to carry bulky items, but we also have a truck. Once when my wife cleaned out the garage and took stuff to Goodwill. Bye, bye double stroller. I take them out twice a year the thoroughly clean the interior.

The seats also slide sideways giving you more room to install three cars seats in the second row and the middle one slides forward 8 inches or so making it easier for someone in the front to tend to an infant strapped in a rear facing car seat.

The middle row seats are most definitely removable from our '07 Odyssey. Not quite as convenient as the Stow-n-Go in a Chrysler, but, as you mentioned, the seats are more comfortable in the Honda.