Mighty minis

By Chris Erskine

March 23, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

I took to minivans the way Shoemaker took to horses. Smooth in the saddle. Born to run. Other drivers may be embarrassed by this icon of populist pilgrimage. Not me.

Would I drive one if I didn’t have four kids? Most certainly. In fact, empty-nesters represent a surprisingly large chunk of minivan buyers -- estimates range from 30% to 50%. I love the high driver’s perch, those big sliding doors, the freedom of always having enough space. So it doesn’t have any sex appeal. So what? It’s always ready for a good time.

The modern minivan was born in 1983, 15 inches shorter than the full-size vans that inspired it. The new design rescued Chrysler from the brink of extinction and parents everywhere from fierce headaches on long road trips. Like microwave popcorn, the minivan soon made a small but vital improvement to everyday suburban life.

It reached its height of popularity in the early ‘90s, then leveled off as the big SUVs stormed the market. By then, soccer moms (and dads) had grown weary of the minivan jokes. They longed for something with a little attitude, plenty of altitude and even more room.

Yet the minivan endures, better than ever. North American sales have averaged roughly 1.2 million annually over the last 10 years. They still make up about 8% of all U.S. new vehicle sales.

Why throw your paycheck at a minivan and not a more dynamic Navigator? Value, for one. The better minivans start just above $20,000 and top out in the mid-$30,000s, well below the top-end SUVs. They are also easier on the juice, with miles-per-gallon ratings in the 20s instead of the teens.

To gauge recent developments, my posse and I tested two leading choices in child-hauling devices: the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna.

Both arrived after the heyday of the minivan but boosted interest with luxury-sedan features and top-of-the-line craftsmanship. Both are built in America.

The Sienna debuted in 1998. Recast last year, it drew buyers and accolades in droves. Car & Driver named it van of the year for 2004, bouncing the Odyssey from its pedestal after several terms.

The Odyssey started life in 1995, on an Accord chassis. It was pumped up in 1999 and began a long ride atop critics’ “best” lists. For 2005, Honda introduced a new generation of the Odyssey and sales jumped.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve driven an Odyssey since 1998, the Accord-like version. We’ve had great luck with it -- hence, it’s still in the garage. But I’ve also owned Toyotas and admire both brands.

So without further ado, here’s what weeklong test rides revealed about the Odyssey and Sienna. Our proving grounds? The usual thicket of crosstown orthodontist visits, ballgames, milk runs and spill-laden car-pool catastrophes.

Seating

A minivan is a symphony in three parts: the front seat, the middle seats and the far back seats. Both minivans offer comfortable front seating, with variable seat positions, even seat warmers.

The second row is where the two minivans vary. The Sienna splits the three seats equally across the second row, with the middle seat able to fold down into a tray table. Honda gives you wider seats on the sides and a skinny middle seat that doesn’t offer much in the way of comfort, even for skinny young fannies like mine. Give me the Sienna here any day.

In the third row, Honda offers a bit more room. The 2005 model added 3 inches, and the difference is apparent. If adults or gangly teenagers will be using this back bench, give the advantage to Honda.

Winner: Odyssey, bringing up the rear.

Power

The Odyssey offers a 3.5-liter V6 that generates 255 horsepower, a 6% boost over its 2004 model. A new fuel-efficiency system, “variable cylinder management,” shuts down three of the cylinders during low engine demand. Except at the gas pump, where it’ll save you a few bucks, the system is transparent to the driver. Late for karate class? No problem reaching freeway speed. The engine switches from three cylinders to six as smoothly as your TV changes channels.

The Sienna offers a 3.3-liter V6 that generates 230 horsepower. The dash-mounted gear shift is lower and slots into gear in a quirky way. I was continually checking to see if I had engaged it correctly.

In day-to-day driving, both performed with plenty of punch. We zipped around parking garages as if tethered to a string. Both vehicles feature five-speed transmissions. Winner: Edge to Odyssey, the swift and thrifty.

Handling

The Odyssey is the more sturdy animal, more bear-like in its feel. The lighter Sienna felt quicker, a little surer on its feet, slightly faster in first gear. I preferred the Sienna for its tighter handling; my wife preferred the Odyssey, which she found more sure and steady. Both offer 37-foot turning diameters, which means they pivot like a pair of figure skaters into a Trader Joe’s parking space. Try that with your Excursion.

A friend who owns the second-generation Odyssey found this new version quicker from dead stops, with more responsive steering. “It drives much more like a Lexus than my older van,” he said.

Winner: Sienna.

Storage

In both vans, the series of springs, straps and releases used to fold up seats would be the envy of the Ringling Bros. trapeze team. Some releases are apparent, while others require quality time with some very thick owner’s manuals.

As every van owner knows, the back seat is the most critical. Honda’s rear seat is easier to stow, though it’s only a slight edge. Toyota’s middle seats spring forward more quickly to allow access to the back.

Both vehicles have containers under the seats to tuck away books and CDs. Honda adds a novel development, a Lazy Susan, which spins beneath the floor. A trap door provides access. Interesting idea, though ours seemed to jam as it ratcheted around.

The driver’s door in the Honda has deeper pockets. The Toyota’s sidewall compartment in the very back has enough space for a soccer thermos, a wise and useful feature.

Winner: Odyssey.

Cup-holders

In how many vehicles would cup-holders have their own category? All of them, actually -- a 2004 survey found 39% of drivers would consider a different car to get the “perfect” cup-holder.

On these minivans, cup-holders are everywhere.

The Odyssey has more in the second row, with a snap-open option on the side of each seat that could function as an inadvertent toddler step. My prediction: It’ll last a week before snapping off.

The Toyota features 10 cup-holders in a seven-passenger vehicle. The Honda, 15. The high-end Touring version offers 17.

Golf, anyone?

Winner: Odyssey.

Price

The Toyota Sienna comes in four flavors: the CE, the LE, the XLE and the XLE-Limited. They line up fairly well with Honda’s four choices for the Odyssey: the LX, the EX, the EX With Leather and the Touring.

Both offer such luxuries as navigation systems and leather-trimmed upholstery and backseat entertainment systems.

The Toyota starts out at $23,425 and maxes out at $37,695 with the all-wheel drive. The Honda’s base model is $25,195 and the line tops out at $34,695.

Winner: Your loan officer.

Looks

The minivan never gets the girl; it’s the big-hearted friend who never lets you down.

Still, looks count, or the market-grabbing SUVs wouldn’t be grabbing so much market.

Of the Odyssey’s leather interior, one of our kids’ friends marveled, “This is too nice to be a minivan.” Yeah, till you get your shoes all over the seats.

But the Odyssey loses big points for a shape that has all the sex appeal of a loaf of bread. Its house-of-mirror headlights give the front-end a dose of cool, but Toyota offers the same feature, while boasting a more attractive overall profile.

The Sienna’s black-on-black cockpit wins for best use of one color. In our dressed-down LE, the console and door pulls were far more stylish than what Honda offered.

Honda, meanwhile, had the cooler gauges. And the speedometer ranged to 160 mph. Hang on kids, we’re going to Paris!

Winner: Sienna, cool as a black cat.

Intangibles

Clock? What clock? Our test model Honda Odyssey EX doesn’t have one when the navigation system is closed. Take away a clock from a time- stressed mother? Big mistake. No wonder my third baseman’s always late.

Meanwhile, both vans have tachometers on the dash, I guess for those Friday nights at Irwindale.

Our better-equipped Honda seemed to reach the saturation point on bells and whistles. Every available surface had some toggle. Worse, such basics as heating and AC were not very intuitive in the Odyssey.

Not so in the Sienna, which featured more sensible dials for the heating and cooling. In one short car trip, you can master all the important switches and dials. Of course, our Odyssey was more souped up than the Sienna LE. But the difference speaks to the need for simplicity and functionality in a world soon to be overflowing with screechy cellphones and video games.

Winner: Sienna, for knowing when to quit.

Final score?

Well, this is a very close, extra-inning ballgame. Since Honda has had the most recent upgrade -- in a sense, the last ups -- it seems to have the edge. This version of the Odyssey is peppier, more comfortable and slightly ahead of the Sienna in engine performance.

So go ahead, buy the Honda, and tell your neighbor I told you to. If Honda built houses, I’d buy one. In a sense it does. For most families, the minivan is like a second home.

But don’t consider the game over just yet. Toyota shows no sign of backing down in the two companies’ constant battle of one-upmanship. What one does, the other does better the next time. And like a good ballgame, the minivan’s era ain’t over till it’s over.

Chris Erskine is the editor of Highway 1. He can be reached at chris.erskine@latimes.com.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

The two contenders

2005 Honda Odyssey EX

With Leather

Base price: $30,495

Price, as tested: $34,095

Powertrain: 3.5-liter SOHC V6, with variable cylinder management, five-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive

Horsepower: 255 at 5,750 rpm

Torque: 250 pound-feet at 4,500 rpm

Curb weight: 4,537 pounds

0-60 mph: 7.4 seconds (est.)