We are expecting baby #3 in early 2012 and will be in the market for a mini-van before baby gets here. I have been reading tons of "expert" reviews and looking at both websites and feel completely torn between which one is better. I have not yet test driven either, but honestly don't know if that would be a decision maker for me anyway. If they are new, I expect them both to drive great. So I am wondering for moms who bought either since they were redesigned, what made you choose it over the other minivan options?
Thanks for the responses everyone. I didn't count, but it seems fairly split down the middle as to which people prefer. I guess as some mentioned, I really can't go wrong with either. It does seem like despite what I was thinking, test driving them both may tilt me more towards one or the other so I am going to plan to do that in the next few months before my belly overtakes me :).
My daughter just bought a Sienna. They have 2 children, I have driven this min-van...I drive a lexus SUV and i couldn't believe how great this car drove.
Hi.... okay I now you want to hear from moms specifically that own either one of these vans but only the 2011 model. Well.... I don't but here I am posting. I'm sorry... but I still had to chime in here and say I do own a Toyota Sienna but it's a 2004. Bought it new and 7 years later it is running well. We've had 2 recalls and both were handled w/o any problems. I've had no problems with it at all. I do make sure I get the oil changed regularly and do other maintenance on it. I did test drive 4 makes and the 2 you listed were on my top 2 list. I KNEW when I test drove them which mini van was best for me. In my opinion, the Sienna drove better. (But... my sil loved the Odyssey test drive more and she bought hers just a few months after mine.)
LOL Joy P. - I have a 2004 ODYSSEY and love it so much, even after 104,000+ miles!
We bought ours new too.
You might check the "turning circle" for both - my Odyssey's is very tight (better than some cars it seems like) and I love that.
We also have the DVD package which has been wonderful on road trips.
I really don't think you can go wrong with either van.
We bought the '11 Odyssey at the end of last year for baby #3 (born in March). It was also between the Odyssey and Sienna for us as well. On paper they're very similar and both great cars, but my husband just thinks Hondas have a better-designed and nicer interior. (We went through this in '08 when considering either a CRV or RAV-4 and went with the CRV.) Now, my BIL works for Toyota and, as immediate family, we would have been eligible for his employee discount, so maybe that says something about our preference for Hondas since we opted not to take advantage of a considerable discount twice now.
One of the key features with the '11 Odyssey redesign is that the end seats in the 2nd row can slide out an additional 1-1/2" so that the middle row can accommodate three of the widest carseats on the market. Also, if you put the infant in the middle seat, that seat pulls up about 5" so that it's easier to reach back for a paci or anything else. When our baby was born, we did have all 3 in the middle row. The problem was that we didn't have access to the 3rd row, so we weren't able to take additional passengers. It seemed ridiculous to me that I would have to tell someone I couldn't give them a ride when I have a minivan. After our oldest turned 4 and is now in a booster, we put him in the 3rd row and took out the middle seat in the 2nd row. It is more of a pain to have to climb into the car and buckle him in, but I will also sit in the third row and nurse the baby when given the choice rather than in a restaurant or other public place.
I LOVE this car and my husband does as well. Also, when he talks about what a great car it is, he doesn't even add the qualifier "...for a minivan." The minivan is my car, and we live in the city. It is a pretty nimble car for city driving. BTW, my co-worker was a lifelong Toyota driver and went with the Odyssey as well. She felt that the Sienna handled better but also felt the Honda was just a nicer car.
Got the '11 Odyssey in July and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It is super comfortable and roomy, drives like a dream, is quiet, and handles smoothly. It was clearly designed on the inside with moms in mind. We, too, were torn between the Honda and the Toyota. My husband is a safety freak and after doing exhaustive research, the Odyssey's test results are simply safer than the Toyota (although the Toyota is still definitely a very safe car). I don't think you can go wrong either way, but I'm really pleased with our decision.
Odyssey! My SIL has a new Sienna and really does not like it. She wishes she had gotten another Odyssey. We have a 2010 Odyssey...thinking about trading in for a 2011.
While someone mentioned that with Toyotas you can add on, we have always hated the fact that Toyotas make you pay for everything, whereas Hondas have nice trim levels to choose from that include a lot. I guess it just depends on what level you're interested in.
Also, any 2011 will have better pickup/handling than those that posted about their older vans. It's just the nature of the business...they're always improving them.
I am also looking at the two. I test-drove the Sienna after spending a good half hour going over the features, and I really loved the tight turns and the way it drove. Two friends have Odysseys- one has a 2011 the other has an older model- and both love them. I haven't been to the Honda dealer yet, but it would have to be fantastic to beat the way I feel about the Sienna! One thing I've been told: if you're not planning on getting the top level van but want some of those features, you need to go with the Sienna one level from the top and build onto it. With the Honda, if you want any of the top-level features, you must get the most expensive one as they don't let you "build on".
Hey! We looked at both for the very same reason and chose the Sienna. It basically came down to us having owned several Toyotas before (although I had a Honda that i LOVED in college) and the mid-point package that we got seemed better for us than the mid-point on the Honda. We were looking at the slightly upgraded version for both (we didn't get leather seats, but did get the auto doors, etc). This summer I rode with a friend in her Odyssey (also a 2011) and it's the totally upgraded version. It's great, but feels busier than the Sienna to me. When we bought our Sienna they were doing all maintenance free for 2 years, plus roadside assistance for 2 years, so that helped tilt it. I did a HUGE road trip with the kids this summer and the Sienna was great.
I don't think you can go wrong either way.
D.
We just bought a Toyota Sienna a few months ago in preparation for baby #3 (due 2 days ago). It is a great van and runs so well. Most everything I read and heard about mini vans was that the Sienna and Odyssey were both excellent. So not great help for you there but good luck in your search and with baby #3.
I don't have the new models however we own a 2007 Sienna and 2003 Odyssey. The Sienna is newer but both have the same number of miles. That being said I like the Sienna better. It just handles better. Also the pickup is better. Also when you look at the Odyssey there is a line down the side where the doors slide. The Siennas doors slide down under the back windows so there isn't a cut down the body. Those are my deciding factors.
We are in the market as well....
Our top 3 finalists are:
Odyssey
Sienna
Sedona
I am looking forward to hearing other opinions...
Our neighbor has a Sienna and loves it...
