Buying Guide Index

Cars.comparison: Back-to-School Minivans

By Mike Hanley, Kelsey Mays and Joe Wiesenfelder

It's hard to think of a more appropriate back-to-school vehicle than a minivan. With the new school year around the corner, now's the time to compare three popular models — the Chrysler Town & Country, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna — to see which is the top of the class.

 = Category winner
The Contenders
2009 Chrysler Town & Country Limited2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L2009 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD
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Base MSRP
$36,780$33,155$37,865
Price as tested
$44,480$37,665$40,549
Acceleration
The Town & Country Limited's 4.0-liter V-6 offers abundant low-speed power and teams with a smooth-shifting, responsive six-speed automatic. The Odyssey's 3.5-liter V-6 has the lowest horsepower rating, and that's how it feels. It offers adequate but not exceptional power, and its five-speed automatic is slow to kick down to a lower gear for passing. The extra weight of the Sienna's all-wheel-drive system doesn't hold back the Sienna's 3.5-liter V-6, which delivers strong acceleration. The engine is also paired with a responsive five-speed automatic.
Gas mileage (city/highway/combined, mpg)
17/25
The 4.0-liter V-6 is the strongest engine in the Town & Country lineup, yet it's also the most fuel-efficient. 		17/25
EX-L and Touring versions of the Odyssey feature Honda's cylinder-deactivation technology that improves gas mileage slightly; less expensive trims get 16/23 mpg. 		16/21
The Sienna is the only minivan in this test that offers all-wheel drive, and there's a fuel-economy penalty associated with it; front-wheel-drive models achieve a respectable 17/23 mpg.
Ride comfort
The Town & Country's cushy suspension isolates your clan from rough spots in the road, but it also wallows quite a bit when you hit a big dip. The van's structure shudders on broken pavement, which is disconcerting. Like most Honda models, the Odyssey offers a firm ride that lets you feel pavement faults the Town & Country masks. The kids probably won't think twice about it. Adults? That's a different story. Notably better than the Odyssey, the Sienna's suspension tuning strikes a nice balance between the boat-like Town & Country and the Honda.
Sliding-door friendliness
The power sliders are quick to reverse course if something gets in the way. If you grab a handle while the door's moving, the motor lets go and the door operates as easily as an old-school manual slider. A bonus: You can remote-lock the doors while they're shutting; the others make you wait till they're closed.The power sliders reverse course at the slightest obstruction. They fight back and get confused if someone grabs the handle and tries pulling manually, but the driver can turn them into simple manual doors by flipping a switch.Our test van's power doors were erratic in their response to obstructions. However, even the firmest pressure they exerted before reversing seemed only enough to scare, not harm, a child. An uninitiated passenger who yanks on the door will be met with a tug-o-war.
Carpool comfort
For comfort, taller passengers will prefer the optional swiveling second-row captain's chairs to the Stow 'n Go seats that fold into the floor. Chrysler's third-row bench is the least comfortable due to limited legroom and its odd seat-cushion angle — you sit tilted backward. The second row's two bucket seats can be shoved together to make a small bench. Alternatively, a small seat can be installed between them in EX and higher trim levels, increasing capacity to eight. The Odyssey's third row is the most comfortable, with good thigh support and foot space. The Sienna's second-row captain's chairs can also be slid together to make a small bench, but the third row isn't quite as comfy as the Odyssey's because taller passengers have to sit with their knees elevated higher.
Interior quality
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The Town & Country's materials are only so-so, despite the fact that it's been redesigned more recently than the competing models. The gear selector feels and sounds like it could come off in your hand, and the van creaks on uneven pavement.
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The Odyssey's interior is marred by some larger panel gaps and roughly finished trim pieces, but its overall quality surpasses that of the other two vans. The backlit, legible gauges are among its nicer elements.
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Last redesigned in 2004, the Sienna's cabin shows its relative age. The dash has upscale, soft-touch surfaces, but the center control panel looks outdated and the optional simulated wood trim isn't convincing.
Electronic baby sitters
Our Limited model had a two-screen entertainment system with integrated satellite TV, giving rear passengers the ability to watch two programs at once. An optional dealer-installed router brings subscription-based internet connectivity to the van, making Facebook and Twitter readily accessible. You'll be the cool parents — but it'll cost you; these two features add around $2,500 to the price of a Town & Country. The Odyssey is a bit more traditional: There's an optional DVD player with one 9-inch flip-down screen. If the kids who got voted down on which movie to watch don't have iPods, expect an international incident.As in the Odyssey, a DVD unit with one 9-inch flip-down screen is an option. If you have more than one kid, other options include reading material and a game of Slug Bug. (Good luck with that.)
Storage cubbies and cargo
The Town & Country offers cavernous under floor storage bins and a large, sliding center console. Fold or remove the seats, and its maximum cargo volume is 140.1 cubic feet; it's a little less than the others, but useful storage places more than make up for that. The Odyssey has a flip-down storage tray between the front seats — good for creating a quick pass-through, but worthless for organizing or enclosing items. The under floor storage bin is tiny compared with Chrysler's, but the van's maximum cargo volume is 147.4 cubic feet.The Sienna has a closed storage console between the front seats, but there are no under floor storage areas in the second row. Maximum cargo volume, however, is a sizable 148.9 cubic feet.
IIHS crash-test scores
All three vans received Good overall ratings for frontal-offset and side-impact crashes, and they all have standard stability systems. The Town & Country's front seats only received a Marginal rating for rear-impact whiplash protection. An IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2009, the Odyssey earned a Good rating for the rear test in addition to the front and side ones. Good overall ratings for front and side crashes are welcome, but the Poor rating for rear-impact neck protection is not. It's the lowest score IIHS issues.
Overall value
The Town & Country offers a versatile cabin and a pile of family-friendly options, but its price tag runs high when you add them. Worse yet, reliability for the current generation has been poor. The Odyssey has a high starting price but comes reasonably well-equipped, particularly in its midgrade EX and EX-L trims. Reliability is good. With good reliability and the group's lowest starting price for a base trim level, the Sienna offers the best value for budget-conscious minivan buyers.
 
Editors' choice
Despite the Town & Country's unique seating and entertainment options, its poor structural rigidity and reliability are significant strikes against it, pulling down a model that otherwise might have taken this comparison.Still a solid choice, the Odyssey rewards drivers with carlike handling, but its firm suspension might turn off some shoppers. Overall practicality is good, but not class-leading. Even though the Sienna is showing its age — especially inside — it still functions and drives well and is currently the only minivan that offers all-wheel drive. Though it won the fewest individual categories it was very competitive in many of them. On the whole, the Sienna is still the most well-rounded choice — a practical van for practical buyers.
© Cars.com 9/1/09
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