Entries tagged with “Toyota” from Car & Caboodle

So you've already decided you want a minivan? You may have narrowed it down to these two popular models. What's the difference? Leave it to a mom who has tested both the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey, to tell you the stuff that really matters.

Performance:

Torque Schmorque. The Toyota Sienna feels slightly lighter and more sporty on level turns. But it's slow to accelerate on hills. The Honda Odyssey rode steady and never lost power on us.

Score: Honda Odyssey

Car Seat Placement:

Honda's Odyssey gives you three places to latch a kid's carseat, two in the second row and one in the center of the third. Toyota's Sienna supports your brood by giving you four placements - two in the second and two in the third. This may all be moot, however, if your carseat is the style that uses the latch plus the lap belt, and the placement of the latch makes buckling the belt (or the adjacent passenger's belt) impossible. You really do need to get yourself, your kids and all their assorted carseats to a dealer, and strap everyone in.  But hey, it's fun to watch the salesmen's faces when you drag four crumb strewn carseats out of your car and introduce them into the floor model!

In a nifty addition the Toyota Sienna offers a front and center seat option that allows you to pull the second row center seat, closer to the front row, which can be reassuring for parents with small kids. 

Score: Honda Odyssey

Comfort and Convenience:

We found the seats in the Toyota Sienna a little stiff and unyielding. Fine for short trips but not very comfy for long rides. The Honda Odyssey seating, on the other hand, was as cush and supportive as it gets. Even after a long day of driving, there was no telltale bum ache. 

Both cars were similarly equipped with automatic sliding doors and remote rear liftgate. The control buttons for the Honda Odyssey were located to the left of the steering wheel on the dash, which takes some getting used to. The Toyota Sienna places the door and lift controls on the ceiling above the center console. The price for this is moving the sunglasses storage to the left side of the ceiling, just inside the driver's door. Either way, lefties will rejoice, righties will complain.

Both vehicles offer enough cupholders for everyone to drink two fisted. I lost count after a dozen. It's more cupholders than anyone really needs. I'm telling you people, when you have more cupholders, you have more forgotten, leaky, sticky, smelly drinks growing weird cultures in your vehicle.

Finally the rear liftgate closes on it's own at the push of a button when you are done unloading the Honda Odyssey. In the Toyota Sienna you will need to pull on a strap to get the liftgate to close. Pull hard, it's not for the faint of heart. At that point, you may as well close it yourself!

Score: Toyota Sienna

Electronics and Entertainment:

Both models were similarly equipped with DVD, Navigation, Rear View cameras, Auxilliary inputs and CD and Satellite radio. The problem was getting to it all in the Honda Odyssey. The auxilliary input , DVD player and car charger location were placed on the center console below the pull out cupholders. Technically you did not need to use these cupholders, but if you do, you'll need to get someone to ride shotgun to plug in your cell. And their cell had better be fully juiced. There's only one jack up front.

The Toyota Sienna is also challenged. The DVD needs to be loaded into the console in the ceiling, closer to the second row than the first. It would be a challenge, even at a stoplight, to get a video loaded for your wee offspring. You'll need someone with DVD loading experience, to sit in the second row to handle this. Fortunately most four yr olds have that skill. Unfortunately they don't have the height to accomplish this without unbuckling! The good news, Mom and Dad can both charge their cells at the same time.

Score: Honda Odyssey

Appearance:

My test model Toyota Sienna was a dukey tan. Which has got to be my least favorite minivan color. Sure it's practical and does not show dirt. But I'm not one to be thrilled about "not showing" how dirty I am.  I tried not to let it color my opinion of the vehicle.  The Honda Odyssey, on the other hand, was a sleek black. Sleek like Shamu, anyway. I think any way you slice it, a minivan looks like a minivan. It's not cute, sporty or sexy. It is what it is. Neither of the two tested vehicles made me look like I'd lost ten lbs and both probably aged me at least five years. Something I was willing to accept in return for a key fob that flung all the doors open from across the street.

Score: Neither!

Cargo Space

We did not notice a difference in how many kids, grocery bags or strollers fit into either of the models tested. Both were formidable in their ability to haul our large family and mountains of stuff. Technically, according to the specs however, the Toyota holds more.

Score: Toyota Sienna

Final Analysis:

There was no clear winner in this article. Ultimately it's up to you to choose - but knowing the "little things" like where the sunglasses cases are located - can sometimes be just the thing to swing your vote.

The Car:  2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

First Impressions: With the popularity of Toyota's Prius Hybrid, we were excited to try out the family-friendlier hybrid from Toyota, the Highlander. The hybrid engine is a real attractive option for families these days, with gas prices going up over $4 a gallon. While some claim the savings at the pump and increased fuel economy are a mere "feel good" factor, we've found that spending $80 on a tank of gas does not make us feel good. In fact it makes us feel bad, so bring on the SUV that makes us feel good!

Price Point: $34 - $40,000

Mileage:  28/25 - The hybrid model of the Highlander boasts the best mileage of any CUV currently on the market

Best for Families:  With three kids or less. Although there is ample access to the third row seating, there is very little storage when the third row seating is in use, making this a better full time vehicle for families who will only want to use the third row as an option for carpooling and occasional trips, not fulltime.

Droolicious: 7 Days Of Car Seats
http://babble.com/CS/blogs/droolicious/archive/tags/7+days+of+car+seats/default.aspx

Droolicious tests 7 different car seats, including one I've had my eye on for a while: the clek olli booster which is the first booster seat to use LATCH. 7 different seats are reviewed by 7 different writers and they run the gamut from infant carriers to backless boosters.

AutoWeek: Chevy Traverse and Ford Flex face off this year
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/FREE/101730784/

AutoWeek compares the features, styling and specs of the two forthcoming mid-size crossovers from the bowtie and blue oval. Both vehicles look to be of interest to families of more than four, with seating for 6-8 and plenty of cargo room. the Flex even has an optional refrigerator! No more stopping for apple juice boxes.

Consumer Reports tests 6 new Hatchbacks
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/past-road-test/hatchbacks/overview/hatchbacks-ov.htm

The folks over at Consumer Reports have put together a comparison of 6 hatchbacks for the June 2008 print edition. Included are the 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman and all-new Saturn Astra, Subaru Impreza, Scion xD and Toyota Matrix. And the winner is... a Rabbit?

Car and Driver: Fuel-Sipping Three-Row SUVs
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/latest_news_reviews/2009_saturn_outlook_gmc_acadia_buick_enclave_to_get_direct_injection_v6_car_news

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid wins high marks in this test of 8 crossovers that have seating for seven or more. I think it's hard to compare a $55,000 Mercedes GL-Class to a RAV4 -- but it is nice to see a comparison of 3-rowers with Fuel Economy being the primary factor.