Starting at
Starting at
22 MPG2 | Fuel Economy (Combined) | 21 MPG3 |
10-Speed Automatic | Transmission | 8-Speed Automatic |
158 | Max Cargo Space (cu.ft.) | 150 |
While the minivan market may not be what it once was, this class of vehicles still provides an incredibly comfortable and convenient way to move both passengers and cargo. And while it may not have the style of a large SUV, the minivan offers much greater efficiency and ease of access. Among the minivans currently on the market, one of the most critical comparisons is the 2020 Honda Odyssey vs 2020 Toyota Sienna. These two minivans are the best on the market, and a full comparison is the only way to know which is the best of the best.
Both of these vehicles are of high quality, roomy, and packed with modern features. However, the 2020 Honda Odyssey is noticeably superior in several key areas. Not only is it safer, but it is also roomier with more legroom for all of its passengers and a larger amount of available cargo space. Finally, the 2020 Honda Odyssey boasts some unique features such as its reconfigurable Magic Slide seats and its CabinWatch rear seat camera that makes it more convenient in daily life. However, this more in-depth comparison will lead to even more details that make the Honda a better option for minivan drivers everywhere.
When deciding on a family vehicle, one of the most important aspects to consider is safety. Today’s roads are busier than ever, and even the best of drivers can be involved in unavoidable accidents with the many distracted and reckless drivers on the street. However, when it comes to comparing the safety ratings and features of the 2020 Honda Odyssey vs 2020 Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey comes out far ahead with a much more comprehensive list of features.
In terms of active safety and driver assistance technologies, the 2020 Toyota Sienna may appear to have the advantage as the Toyota Safety Sense P system is standard on all of its trims, while the Honda Sensing Technologies are not available on the base trim of the 2020 Honda Odyssey. However, on all but the base trim, Honda includes a more comprehensive standard set of advanced safety equipment.
The standard Toyota Safety Sense P suite on the 2020 Toyota Sienna includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. Together, these systems do an excellent job of reducing driver workload and preventing common accidents caused by distracted driving (something that is unfortunately difficult to avoid in a minivan filled with children).
But the standard Honda Sensing Technologies suite on the 2020 Honda Odyssey includes all of those same features while also adding blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, which are only available on certain trims of the 2020 Toyota Sienna. These additional features are particularly valuable in larger vehicles such as minivans, where rear visibility can be limited, and make driving on multilane roads or maneuvering in parking lots much safer. Altogether, it is clear what makes the 2020 Honda Odyssey the safer vehicle between the two.
The number one attribute of a minivan is its plentiful interior space. Even some full-size SUVs will have smaller interiors than a minivan, and the sliding doors and lower floor height of a minivan mean that its greater space is also far more accessible. But when it comes to comparing the interior space and accessibility of the 2020 Honda Odyssey and the 2020 Toyota Sienna, the Honda comes out ahead.
While the difference is relatively close, and both vehicles offer plenty of room and features, the 2020 Honda Odyssey is noticeably superior in these key areas. To begin with, the 2020 Honda Odyssey provides significantly more legroom for second and third-row passengers. In fact, the third row in the 2020 Honda Odyssey has more room to stretch out than the second row in the 2020 Toyota Sienna, and the middle row enjoys more legroom than the front seats in the Toyota.
This extra space can make long trips more pleasant for even smaller passengers in the back (as well as the front seat occupants who have to take care of them) and is particularly valuable for moving adults or larger children.
But passengers are not the only thing that needs to fit into a minivan. Plenty of cargo space is also vital, both for fitting the passengers’ baggage or for transporting any larger items that your daily life might require. Here the 2020 Toyota Sienna actually has a small advantage when both rows of back seats are occupied, with 39.1 cu.ft. of cargo volume instead of the 38.6 cu.ft. found in the 2020 Honda Odyssey.
However, when the rear seats are folded down to create more space, the 2020 Honda Odyssey takes the lead with up to an incredible 158 cu.ft. of cargo volume against a maximum of 150 cu.ft. for the 2020 Toyota Sienna. And to top off its advantages in cargo and passenger space, the 2020 Honda Odyssey comes with its unique MagicSlide second-row seats. These innovative seats not only slide front to rear to adjust legroom, but they also slide side to side. This gives the 2020 Honda Odyssey an unmatched level of reconfigurability and access to its rear seats. And while both minivans are available with remote power-operated side doors and rear liftgate, the 2020 Honda Odyssey offers these invaluable features on more of its trim levels.
The features in a vehicle may lead to a final decision when it comes to shopping for a new one. These features can make or break the comfort and enjoyability of driving the minivan, so luckily, both the 2020 Honda Odyssey and the 2020 Toyota Sienna are packed with features designed to create a pleasant driving experience. However, while neither vehicle can be described as uncomfortable, the 2020 Honda Odyssey squeezes in a bit more technology to make life a little easier.
To begin with, every trim of the 2020 Honda Odyssey comes standard with power-adjustable front seats, with all but the base trim having four-way power lumbar support. In comparison, the base trim of the 2020 Toyota Sienna has a manual driver’s seat, and only the highest trims have a power passenger seat. The 2020 Honda Odyssey also offers heated and vented seats on its top trim, while this option is entirely unavailable on the 2020 Toyota Sienna.
Moving beyond seating, the 2020 Honda Odyssey comes with a convenient push-button start on all of its trims, while this is only standard on the higher trims of the 2020 Toyota Sienna. However, the base trim Toyota does have the advantage of tri-zone automatic climate control, while the base trim of the Honda only has a single zone system.
When it comes to technology and infotainment, the base trim 2020 Toyota Sienna also has the advantage of a larger and more convenient 7-inch touch screen against the 5-inch screen of the base 2020 Honda Odyssey. But in all the other trims, the 2020 Toyota Sienna keeps the same 7-inch touch screen while the 2020 Honda Odyssey gains an 8-inch high-resolution touch screen. And for drivers that use an Android phone, the 2020 Honda Odyssey is the clear choice as its infotainment software is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while that of the 2020 Toyota Sienna only works with Apple phones.
Finally, the 2020 Honda Odyssey has superior sound quality, with even the base trim coming standard with a separate subwoofer for better bass. And while the 2020 Toyota Sienna does offer an optional roof-mounted 16.4-inch screen for rear-seat entertainment where the 2020 Honda Odyssey only has a 10.2-inch display, only the Honda is available with an inside camera that allows the driver to monitor the back seat passengers through the front display easily. So outside of a few specific trims and packages, it is clear that the 2020 Honda Odyssey is the more comfortable and fun of these two minivans.