Comparo: 2011 Honda Odyssey vs. Nissan Quest vs. Toyota Sienna

Van Wars

All three Japanese minivan makers trot out their new offerings for 2011 By John LeBlanc According to the Chinese calendar, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. But with every minivan-maker having either launched all-new or thoroughly redesigned models in the past 12 months, we're already ready to dub 2011 the Year of the Minivan. This may seem like a turnaround. The recent departure of General Motors and Ford from the segment had everyone writing off minivans. Yet, in addition to Chrysler, the three major Japanese brands — Honda, Nissan and Toyota — continue on. So to find out which one is the best of this year's new crop, we gathered the latest minivans from the Japanese brands:

Third Place: 2011 Toyota Sienna

Toyota had a head start on its rivals by launching its redesigned-for-2011 Sienna in early 2010. The Sienna continues to use front-wheel-drive Toyota Camry-based mechanicals. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. Prices for a first-time 187 hp four-cylinder model start at $27,900. But the loaded, seven-passenger (room for eight is available on lesser Siennas) XLE V6 (with options to match its rivals) rings in at $48,150. This splits the difference between the top-line Odyssey Touring and the Quest LE. And if you need the added traction of all-wheel-drive, there's the fully kitted $49,100 Limited AWD V6 model. Where the Sienna leads this trio is interior room. Whether its cargo space behind the third-row thrones or when all seats are folded for trips to Ikea, the Toyota is like an empty airplane hangar. An updated interior design (similar to the Venza two-row crossover) freshens up the Sienna's large interior. Unfortunately, the Toyota's interior build quality and panel fit are considerably less impressive. The older Sienna felt more solid. The lack of refinement continues from behind the wheel. A sharp ride, plenty of road and engine noise, and a considerable number of squeaks and rattles made driving long distances in our Sienna tester a tiresome affair. Power from the Sienna's 3.5-litre V6 (266 hp and 245 lb.-ft. of torque) is competitive, as is its 11.1L/100 km city and 8.1L highway ratings. But the Toyota's extra-light steering, tall centre of gravity and extra-large dimensions can't match the Honda's almost-car-like road manners. Except for offering the most interior space, the Sienna is at or below-average in every other category. And that's the Toyota's lasting impression: minivan mediocrity.

Second Place: 2011 Nissan Quest

The new Quest's comfortable, well-made and luxurious interior is proof alone that Nissan has taken a different approach with the fourth-generation Quest minivan. Like the new Infiniti QX56 full-size SUV, instead of a unique, American-made model for North America, the Quest is a restyled version of an existing Japanese-market Nissan (the Elgrand) and is now built in its home market. The result is an upscale driving experience. The Nissan's interior combines excellent fit-and-finish with rich and varied material textures, elegant details and straightforward controls. Unlike a Sienna, there's no four-cylinder or all-wheel-drive Quest. Based on the front-wheel-drive Altima/Maxima/Murano platform, the $29,998 to $48,498 minivan uses Nissan's ubiquitous 3.5-litre V6 (260 hp/240 lb.-ft.), mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, similarly rated as the Sienna at 11.1L/100 km city, 8.1L hwy. The Quest's luxury-minivan modus operandi continues on the road. It can't match the Odyssey's athletic moves. And like other Nissan V6 vehicles, there's plenty of torque steer when you stomp on its throttle and turn sharply at the same time. With a smooth-yet-controlled ride and a quieter cabin at speed, though, the Nissan does a better impression of a luxury sedan than its rivals. But where the Nissan suffers most is relative lack of interior room. Unlike the eight-passenger Odyssey or Sienna, the Quest only offers seating for seven. Plus the 60/40 split third-row does not tumble into a deep well at the rear. As a result, the Nissan official cargo ratings fall well behind the Honda and Toyota.

First Place: 2011 Honda Odyssey

Just like the Sienna and Quest, the Odyssey is new-for-2011, replacing a model that's been on sale for five years. Already one of the better driving minivans you can buy, Honda has enhanced its Odyssey's driving characteristics and fuel economy and redesigned what was already a very accommodating and functional interior. If only marginally, the front-wheel-drive Honda's $29,900 to $46,990 price range betters the Nissan and Toyota. Like the competition, the Honda's V6 displaces 3.5-litres. It may have less horsepower (only 248), but with 250 lb.-ft., the Odyssey has the most torque. And whether you get the five-speed automatic or a new and reasonably responsive six-speed (available in pricier models), the Honda is parsimonious at fuel pumps — rated at 11.7L/100 km city/7.2L hwy. (for the five-speeder) and 10.9L/ 7.1L (for the six-speeder). The previous Odyssey gained a reputation as the “minivan for drivers.” And while the new one is no Civic Si, it's still a more engaging drive than the Sienna or Quest. The Honda's steering gives the most feedback of this trio. Its rear suspension nicely limits body roll. If not as luxurious inside as the Nissan, at least the Honda interior feels better screwed-together than the Toyota. If not as large as the voluminous Sienna, the Odyssey offers seating for eight. But the Honda's middle third row seat is uncomfortable. That said, we liked the simplicity of raising and lowering the Nissan's seats (they all fall forward, and are powered on the top line LE) with none of the fussy straps and latches you need to deal with in the Honda. The Mama Bear of minivans, the Odyssey does a lot of things right, and very few things wrong.

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