We are considering a minivan and these two appear to be very closely ranked. What are the pros and cons of either? And if one over the other what trim level?
Thanks, for the great answers. I meant Sienna not Previa in my original question. The Sienna was orginally called a Previa here in the US, so no this post has nothing to do with living in Europe.
I've owned both. I now own a Honda Pilot I will drive until the wheels fall off. I love it that much.
I think either would be fine. You need to drive both and see which one fits you better. They are both good vans. Drive both, get the best deal and go with it.
One of my daughters is on her second Toyota Sienna. She loves them. With 3 kids and their friends in tow it's been reliable and easy to maintain.
Well, unless someone on here owns both, you're not going to get anything more than each person rallying for his or her own purchase. We have an odyssey and love it - but I've never owned a sienna to compare them.
ETA: I see that you've changed your post from a "previa" to a sienna with no explanation of being in Europe or something like that for the mistake. You seem to be playing some sort of game on here - I don't like it.
IMO you can't really go wrong with either if you are wanting a mini van.
Here's one thing to consider: Honda Options aren't very flexible. It's LX, EX, EX with Leather, Or Touring. It think you can get Nav and or DVD only in either the EX with Leather or the Touring. In other words you have to by top of the line or you can't get DVD Or NAVI. Also on Honda I'm not sure which level the auto sliding doors but it is not available on the LX (bottom of the trim line). Toyota on the other hand I think is much more flexible with their options. This can be a pro or a con. To me, too many choices is a con but Honda's policy can be frustrating.
IMO - the Honda is better looking and the Sienna is smoother drive and less road noise.
You really can't go wrong with either! Test drive both from the dealerships, even if you plan on buying used off craigslist. You will get a feel for what you like. I preferred the Sienna. It just had a more open, airy feeling inside. I also liked that the extra seat for the middle row stores right in the van for when you need it. The Honda I drove did not have that option. We bought used with the XLE package. We didn't really need all the bells and whistles but we did need leather seats. My only regret is that I really miss my 4wd! We live in snow country and that comes in handy. I may consider snow tires in the future.
Toyota! They run forever!!! We have one and would not trade it for anything else. They are amazing!
which ever dealer is having a better deal for you.
I think it comes down to your ability to negotiate with the dealership.
We have a 2014 Sienna and LOVE it! We too waffled back and fourth between the Odyssey and Sienna. I liked them both so it really didn't matter to me which one we got. The bottom line was we were able to get a better deal on the Sienna so that's what we got. No regrets!
We picked the Odyssey because we liked how the brakes felt on it compared with the Sienna.
Do they make a Previa anymore? I thought Toyota's minivan was a Sienna?? Either way...I love both vehicle brands. We drive two Toyota's because of safety reasons and the dealership is 10 minutes away versus 45 like the Honda. I think trim depends on what accessories and features you want and want to pay for.
Drive them both and see which one you like better. They are both great choices. I had a friend who chose the Sienna because she couldn't get comfortable in the Odyssey.
I chose the Odyssey - when comparing the two similar models (Touring for the Odyssey and whatever Sienna's equivalent is), I didn't like the Sienna at all. It had wood trim that I found ugly and just feel as nice to me.
Test drive both and it will help you a lot. When we got our Odyssey back in 2005, the Odyssey just had a better feel to me, but I also had owned Hondas for years, so it was familiar. The other thing that swayed us to Honda was our local Toyota dealership seemed disinterested in us. We kept having salespeople brush us off to another salesperson. By the third person, we were fed up (we've since learned that dealership is really sleazy). We were ready to buy and just wanted to test drive one. It's not like we showed up looking down and out, either. The people at Honda wanted our business more and I liked the Odyssey slightly more, so that decided it for us.
I have a sienna and I LOVE it! I've had it for 6 years now (bought it new). They only problem I have had (which I heard was very common) is that I've had to get new brakes every 2 years. Other than that, it drives like a car, very smooth and easy to park, the space is great. I have 2 kids but we are able to put the 3rd row down and go on our summer vacations with plenty of room for all our stuff. I'm also a photographer and I have a ton of space for all my gear in the back.
I will be getting ready to sell in next year though because we are moving to Harpers Ferry and it's very hilly over there and the van just slides everywhere on the ice. We are looking for an all wheel drive. We are thinking of a mazda cx9 (mini SUV).
Either one is fine. I have a 2005 Odyssey Touring and love it. Next minivan I get will most likely be another Odyssey...unless I get a Sienna. See? They're both pretty equal. The Honda drives more like a sports car - you'll feel the ground more. The Toyota is a bit smoother. I like feeling the road, my neighbor (who happily drives a Sienna) prefers a smoother ride. You'll need to test drive both, run the numbers to see what the better deal is and go from there. Really, either one is fine.
I love the Honda van, but it's not good in snow...we put some really heavy duty snow tires and it's better....
Are you in the US? I don't think Previa has been sold here since the 1990's. The Toyota model that's comparable to the Odyssey in the US is the Sienna. My understanding is that the Previa is sold outside the US but if you're here and considering buying one, you may have a harder time on maintenance and repairs because it's not a common vehicle.
Regardless...the Odyssey and Sienna (or Previa depending on where you live) are both great vehicles. I'm partial to Honda because two of my first cars were Accords so I'm familiar with the controls and set up of Honda vehicles. I have a 2005 Odyssey that we bought used in 2011 and have had three years of problem-free driving. My parents have a 2013 Sienna and love it, and it's a very comfortable car for taking their grandchildren places and I've ridden in the middle and back myself and have been pleased with the comfort and room.
Trim depends on what your budget is and what you're willing to pay for. If you can afford luxuries like an entertainment system, sun roof, etc. then go for it. If it breaks you budget, then don't. I think my Odyssey is an EX, which is the mid-level package. I don't have things like a sun roof, heated seats, and a navigation system but it's still a nice vehicle.
Really, they are both such good, dependable, highly-rated vehicles that it comes down to either a random preference (being partial to either Honda or Toyota) or which one you can get a better deal on. Happy shopping!
