2018 Honda Odyssey vs. 2018 Toyota Sienna: Which is Best?

2018 Toyota Sienna vs Honday Odyssey

Minivans might not be the coolest cars you can buy, but there’s a reason they rule the school pickup line. There’s no easier way to tote around the kids, their friends and all their stuff. Minivans also have the flexibility to quickly morph from people carriers to cargo haulers, making them an excellent choice for families.

We decided to take two of the most popular minivans, the 2018 Honda Odyssey and the 2018 Toyota Sienna, and give them a head-to-head comparison. The Odyssey is all-new for this model year, but the Sienna has plenty to offer, too. Let’s take a closer look at these two minivans and see which wins as the queen of the carpool crowd.

Pricing

The 2018 Honda Odyssey has a starting price of $29,990 for the base LX while the top Elite trim reaches $46,670. In between, four additional trim levels can meet your needs while still sticking to your budget.

The 2018 Toyota Sienna comes in with a starting price of $30,750 on the base L model and tops out at $48,615 for the Limited Premium with all-wheel drive. You can’t even get an Odyssey with all-wheel drive so once you take that out of the mix, the top Sienna trim is $45,095. The Sienna also includes more safety features standard even on the base model, giving it an edge over the Odyssey.

Toyota Sienna

Photo by Toyota

Safety

The Honda Odyssey received an overall five score of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It did equally well in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests with a Top Safety Pick+ rating. From the second-highest EX trim on up, Honda Sensing with collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning and lane departure warning is standard.

The updated 2018 Toyota Sienna hasn't been tested by the IIHS, but last year's model trailed the Odyssey's performance. In NHTSA testing, the Sienna received a four-star rating in rollover and frontal crash tests but hasn't undergone side-impact testing. Standard on every Sienna is Toyota Safety Sense P with pre-collision mitigation, pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams and dynamic radar cruise control. Crash test ratings decide this one.

Honda Odyssey

Photo by Honda

Seating

There’s room for up to eight passengers in the Odyssey with a uniquely adjustable second row. First, the middle seat slides forward so adults can easily reach back. The available Magic Slide second row has a removable middle seat and outboard seats that slide apart or toward the middle. Lastly, those seats slide forward and tilt for third-row access.

The Sienna also has room for up to eight with its own second-row tricks. The second-row middle seat is stowable in select trims, and Tip Up and Long Slide seats provide easier third-row access. Both minivans offer good flexibility, but the Odyssey wins for the sheer number of ways you can configure the second-row seats.

Honda Odyssey

Photo by Honda

Fuel Efficiency

Family life means sticking to a family budget, so a fuel-efficient vehicle is a priority. The Honda Odyssey gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined. The Toyota Sienna gets 19 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined.

The numbers drop to 18 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined in the all-wheel drive Sienna, but again, you don’t even have the option for all-wheel drive in the Odyssey so there’s no comparison. The numbers are so close on front-wheel drive versions of the two vehicles that it’s essentially a tie.

: Tie

Photo by Toyota

Cargo

The Honda Odyssey has ample cargo capacity with up to 38.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 92.3 cubic feet behind the second row and 158 cubic feet behind the first row. The Toyota Sienna has 39.1 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.1 cubic feet behind the second row and 150 cubic feet behind the first row.

Although the Sienna has more cargo room behind that third row, which is a bonus when it’s fully loaded with passengers, the Odyssey comes out on top for overall cargo capacity.

: Honda Odyssey

Photo by Honda

Infotainment

The base Honda Odyssey has a 5-inch color screen, but other trims upgrade to an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM and HD Radio. There’s also an available rear entertainment system with a 10.2-inch high-resolution touchscreen.

This year’s Sienna received an infotainment update with Toyota's new Entune 3.0, but it still doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The base system has a 6.1-inch screen with a 7-inch screen in higher trims, while the rear entertainment system adds streaming for Android devices and features a 16.4-inch screen. There are also now five USB ports throughout the cabin. The larger front screen and greater smartphone integration give the Odyssey the win.

: Honda Odyssey

Photo by Honda

Family-Friendliness

The Honda Odyssey has several unique features available that parents will love. The CabinWatch camera lets you see what’s happening in the back seat even in the dark, and CabinTalk makes sure your kids hear you by projecting your voice through the rear speakers and infotainment headphones. There’s also the HondaVAC built-in vacuum, so you can keep your car free of stray snacks.

The Sienna also makes it easier for parents to talk to their kids with Driver Easy Speak. This uses a microphone in the overhead console to broadcast the driver’s voice to rear-seat passengers. But without a vacuum or in-cabin camera, it can't match the Honda for cool family-friendly toys. 

: Honda Odyssey

Style

The Honda Odyssey is all-new for 2018, so it benefits from a nice styling update. This is still a minivan and it looks like one, but with a more streamlined design. Inside, materials are top notch from the seats to the dashboard creating a welcoming and comfortable space for the whole family.

It’s not all-new, but the Sienna received a styling update, too. This includes a lower front bumper for a wider, more aggressive look and sportier side panels on every trim. Inside, it’s comfortable and attractive, but not on par with the Odyssey. Only in higher trim levels does it match the quality and visual appeal the Honda maintains throughout its lineup.

: Honda Odyssey

Photo by Honda

Performance and Handling

The Odyssey has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque paired to a nine-speed or new 10-speed automatic in higher trims. Honda focused on creating a family-friendly cabin, and keeping things quiet was a key part of its strategy. The Odyssey has ample power for highway merging, and it rides and handles well.

Toyota upgraded the Sienna’s engine last year to a 3.5-liter V6 with 296 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This edges out the Odyssey and provides a more responsive drive. The transmission is smooth and handling is good with minimal body roll. The Sienna also offers all-wheel drive.

: Toyota Sienna

Photo by Toyota

Verdict

Both the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna are worthy minivans that make traveling with the family easy. They have ample safety features, good infotainment systems and plenty of flexibility to handle both people and cargo.

Despite the Sienna’s edge for those in winter climates thanks to its available all-wheel drive, the overall winner is the Odyssey. This thoroughly updated minivan comes out ahead of the Sienna by offering more features, better seating flexibility and consistently higher safety ratings.

Photo by Honda