5th place: Ford Windstar...oops...I mean Freestar
4th place: Kia Sedona
3rd place: Nissan Quest
2nd place: Honda Odyssey
1st place: Toyota Sienna
the $27k 6 year old Honda barely got beat out by a brand new $35k Sienna (winning factor was the Sienna had a lot more features)
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...6/article.html
Honda WriteUp
2004 Minivan Comparison Test
Second Place: 2004 Honda Odyssey
By Brian Moody
Date Posted 04-27-2004
When most people hear "second place" they infer something negative, but that's not the case with the Honda Odyssey. By the narrowest of margins, the all-new-for-2004 Toyota Sienna edged out the six-year-old Odyssey. That the older Odyssey can remain stiff competition for a host of new (and often pricier) vans is a testament to how "right" the Odyssey was from the outset. The Sienna topped the Odyssey in this comparison test by a very narrow margin. Why, you ask? The reason is simple. It all comes down to features. The Sienna simply offers more thoughtful features either as options or standard equipment. Our Honda Odyssey EX was equipped with leather seats and a DVD entertainment system. It's important to mention that the Honda Odyssey cannot be ordered with both a DVD entertainment system and a navigation system.
The Odyssey and Sienna's scores were virtually identical in a few categories with the Odyssey topping the Sienna in such aspects as price and performance. When you compare similarly equipped vehicles, the Odyssey (in general) represents a better value and it's the van that most of our editors would like to park in their own garage when considering all the vans tested. However, the Sienna's side sunshades, split-folding third-row seat, available rear parking camera and the ability to get both a navigation and DVD entertainment system pushed the Toyota past the Honda when tallying the final results. We also found the Odyssey's dash area to look somewhat dated and bland. On the other hand, it's the Odyssey that offers the most comfortable seating in the first two rows.
If you value sporty handling and sedanlike driving dynamics above all else, then get the Odyssey. Where the Sienna is the Lexus of minvans, the Odyssey is the BMW of minivans. The Odyssey is actually fun to pilot down a twisty mountain road. Here's a really great quote from our editor in chief that effectively sums up how we feel about the Odyssey's driving dynamics: "Honda has done a great job of making the Odyssey drive, ride and feel like a big Accord." And that, as they say, is a good thing. The Odyssey also earns five stars in government crash tests.
Under the hood, the Honda's 3.5-liter V6 purrs away at highway speeds and remains quiet and smooth under more aggressive acceleration. We were surprised to find that the Odyssey was slightly quieter than the Sienna with regard to both wind and engine noise. The engine offers plenty of power in all driving circumstances and the transmission performs equally well never hesitating or hunting for the right gear. The Odyssey was the fastest minivan in this test, earning a 0-to-60-mph time of 8.1 seconds. Its fuel mileage estimate is 18 city/25 highway.
The Odyssey also has a useful and flexible interior. The third-row seat folds flat into the floor and with the seat up there is a spacious cargo well that can easily hold a large stroller or groceries. The third-row seat does not fold flat in a 60/40-split fashion like the Sienna, but we felt that was a minor shortcoming. The real weak point is the second-row seat's inability to fold flat. As in the Sienna, the Odyssey's second-row seats must be removed completely if you want to use the van strictly for hauling cargo. The good news is that (unlike the Sienna's) these seats are easy to remove, and are relatively light. Still, it would be nice if the Odyssey's second row of seating could fold flat like the Nissan Quest's.
Still, this is an amazingly good van that only falls short due to its lack of more modern features and contemporary design.
Second Opinions:
Editor in Chief Karl Brauer says:
The first new car I ever purchased was a 2000 Honda Odyssey. I owned it for a year and loved every minute of it (I sold it for very nearly my purchase price and used the money to buy a house). Obviously I'm biased toward the Honda, right? Right. But I went into this test consciously trying to give every van a fair shake. After driving them all back-to-back, I can say this with 100-percent confidence: the Honda handles the best, is the quietest at freeway speeds, has the most comfortable seating and has the second-best ride quality. The Sienna is its only real challenger. The Toyota has a very slight advantage in pure ride quality (very cushy), but that ride quality comes at a price in handling and steering feel (also very cushy). It has more gadgets, and some of them, like the retractable window shades, could be the basis for taking the Toyota over the Honda. For me, I'll buy snap-in window shades and enjoy the Honda's quieter cabin, superb handling, palatial seats and still-quite-comfortable ride quality — but I'll never fault anyone for taking the Sienna instead.
Road Test Editor John DiPietro says:
I've been saying this for years, but it bears repeating: Honda is a car company that does its homework and makes a great product as a result. This Odyssey is a great example. This version dates back to 1999, yet five years later, in the face of a number of all-new or redesigned competition, it still makes a very strong case for itself. All the basics are covered — a responsive and smooth powertrain, a nice balance of ride and handling and excellent build quality. Yeah, its interior doesn't have the high-end look and feel of the Sienna, but those who enjoy driving will find the Odyssey more to their liking. This is one minivan that doesn't feel like you're pushing it when you want to make tracks on a deserted, twisty road. Cornering is flat, the steering is direct and acceleration and braking are linear and sure. Until BMW makes a minivan (hey, it could happen), this is about as good as it gets for driving enthusiasts who are facing a minivan purchase.