Compare the2023 Toyota SiennaVS 2023 Honda Odyssey

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Sienna are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Honda Odyssey doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The Sienna has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sienna XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Odyssey doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sienna offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Odyssey doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Sienna Platinum has a standard Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Odyssey only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Sienna’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sienna and the Odyssey have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Sienna is safer than the Honda Odyssey:

	Sienna	Odyssey
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	42	66
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	125
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	70 G’s
Hip Force	542 lbs.	709 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	41 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Sienna is safer than the Odyssey:

	Sienna	Odyssey
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	.87 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.26 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	18	142
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.81 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	625 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sienna its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Odyssey is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sienna’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Sienna’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Odyssey’s camshafts. If the Odyssey’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The battery on the Sienna is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Sienna’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Odyssey’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sienna’s reliability 13 points higher than the Odyssey.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sienna gets better mileage than the Odyssey:

			MPG
Sienna
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/36 hwy
Odyssey
	FWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Sienna’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Sienna higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda Odyssey (5). This means the Sienna produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Odyssey every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Sienna has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Sienna’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Odyssey:

	Sienna	Odyssey
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.6 inches

The Sienna’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Odyssey are solid, not vented.

The Sienna stops shorter than the Odyssey:

	Sienna	Odyssey
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Sienna XSE/FWD Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Odyssey Sport/Touring/Elite’s 55 series tires.

For better load carrying, ride, handling and brake cooling the Sienna XSE/FWD Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition has standard 20-inch wheels. The Odyssey’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sienna’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Odyssey (120.5 inches vs. 118.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sienna is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Odyssey.

For better maneuverability, the Sienna’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Odyssey’s (38.3 feet vs. 39.6 feet). The Sienna XSE/Limited/Platinum FWD’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Odyssey’s (39.2 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Passenger Space

The Sienna has 1 inch more front hip room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear hip room, 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row legroom and .4 inches more third row hip room than the Odyssey.

Towing

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Sienna uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Odyssey doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Sienna Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Sienna and the Odyssey have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sienna is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Odyssey prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Sienna’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Odyssey’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sienna’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Odyssey’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Sienna has standard extendable sun visors. The Odyssey doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the Sienna and the Odyssey offer available heated front seats. The Sienna Platinum also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Odyssey.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sienna second among minivans in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Odyssey isn’t in the top three.

The Toyota Sienna outsold the Honda Odyssey by 46% during 2022.