Alex, Thanks to you and Team A on A for all the hard work in compiling this comprehensive video series. I guess from now on we can call you the Ken Burns of TH-cam Car Videos®. In terms of minivans, I will avoid gas stations, repair shops and excessive mountain driving and choose the Sienna LE AWD. BTW CR reports there is an open/unresolved recall on Pacifica Hybrids from an earlier model year.
We just bought a Honda Odyssey Elite and we are loving it. The only thing I wish it had was 360 cameras and maybe a rear view mirror that turned into a screen like the sienna. Everything else has been great.
Problem with Hondas is they're almost never discounted. So you pay full MSRP plus dealer installed accessories. Honda sales managers are very rude when you ask for a discount. That's why I would much rather buy a Toyota, Chevy, or Ford.
@@braetonwilson4296 they almost never are discounted because Honda sells the car not the discount (selling the discount is a knows sales tactic). That said, we where able to negotiate our Odyssey down a couple $ks back in March (2022 Touring) and no one was rude during the process. Mind you I live in Canada, may be different in the US, don't know...
I watched all 5 episodes, and enjoyed them all. My only complaint is in this episode where the driving comparisons are featured. It would have been extremely helpful to have had 5 people (or the max the fewest van could accommodate). Use these same 5 people in each of the vans to compare acceleration, handling, braking and all the things that we buy a minivan for! I will never buy a 4-cylinder minivan based on what I want a minivan for!
Excellent video; Alex. Apparently I am the first one to comment. Your insights on the small details is superb. You are an example for people like me, keep up the good work.
I'm happy to fill up a few more times per year to get a V6 that doesn't give my wife anxiety when pulling into traffic. The Carnival has been great for us! (Terrible name though)
People who claim an 8.6 acceleration to 60 gives them anxiety probably is a bit of a drama queen. People literally drive millions of compact crossovers with that exact same acceleration and live to tell about it
@@slscamg i’m not sure what has an 8.6 second 0 to 60 all of the vans are pretty quick except the Toyota and it’s a four-cylinder, I’ve had one of those Pacifica hybrids for about a year now
@@slscamg I agree that 0-60 numbers don't mean much, but I don't want to put the pedal to the floor to get the performance I'm looking for. The Carnival provides it and the Sienna doesn't.
Can't help but feel the Sienna could benefit from at least a bigger battery and possibly more powerful engine/motor (but of course it would make it even heavier)... I hope a Sienna Prime is coming! edit: I just watched the bit on the Pacifica and Alex echoed my sentiment... so just watch his video!
One thing I haven’t heard specifically regarding these hybrid minivans is how the warmup process goes in cold climates. You mentioned the Pacifica running the engine to assist with heating the cabin but dies the Sienna do this too? Getting the cabin and engine warmed up is important where we live in northern Michigan, not just for passenger comfort but for defrosting the windows. We are considering the Sienna but couldn’t find mention in any reviews of something that is a pretty basic need in cold climates like ours.
Lack of numbers comparing regular Pacifica / Voyager is a pity. How many of the 94K Pacificas sold in 2020 are the plugin hybrids? 10%? More? Do we have the numbers?
You would think but the difference in how confident you feel driving a country road in a car like a Mazda CX-9 versus a Honda Pilot makes a difference. The pilot felt all over the road where the Mazda was ok to drive for what it was.
I like the carnival best, but I'd get the odyssey if I was in the market for a minivan. Just because everything honda makes (not just cars, everything) is great.
Love the Sienna but 0-60 8.4 seconds with only driver won't suffice when family/gear inside and you're merging onto a freeway 😬 Also insufficient power to safely tow a tent trailer (especially in hills/mountains). I'd gladly sacrifice 3-4 mpg to add an extra 30ish hp.
Total bs. In reality no one even accelerates that fast, traffic moves much slower. Poeple like you just have an irrational fear of pressing the gas pedal fully...
@@alwaysiyi272 Electric assist definitely helps in city (I drive a 2019 RAV4 hybrid with same drive train, 0-60 7.3 seconds) but on highway loaded up/towing the Sienna will be slow and working very hard. When I tow 1000lb camper with my RAV4 hybrid just enough power on the highway she's working hard and revs quite a bit. Toyota hybrids great are awesome in town, not so much for towing or heavy loads.
@@Mgoblagulkablong You either haven’t been driving long enough, Or been in many different situations out on the highway driving through different states to assume having more power on tap in a vehicle is somehow a bad thing to get you out of a tough situation. Or merge safely on to the highway with a short runway and a packed house with group of 18 wheelers coming up fast. Hitting the brakes is not an option. Unless your intent is to cause a pile up.
@@rustyt115 totally agree with you. I use my minivan for family road trips usually w 6 ppl and loaded w luggage and bikes. The weak 4 cyl hybrid power train is not going to cut it w the sienna. Especially in the NYC area where a lot of the hwy are old with minimal to no on ramp to merge. I wish they kept the v6 hybrid powertrain instead. The 4 cyl is so unrefined and loud.
I can't believe that the the main automakers still haven't found a way to fold the middle seats into the floor. It's an extremely convenient feature. It's why I bought a Chrysler Town & Country, but it's an unreliable brand that keeps needing repairs all the time. If only the more reliable automakers would have that feature, I would be all over them.
Cool feature, but not worth the crap quality. I have a 2017 Pacifica Limited with 33K miles and it is a complete piece of junk vehicle. Endless problems.
The reasons most manufacturers don't do it because of size it might be convenient but not practical.. My brother has Caravan, my sister had the 2001 Caravan, my friend has the Pacifica and the seats a small and thin terrible for long hauls except the the 2001.. the Sedona 2nd row seat are bigger than the Pacifica's 1rst row.. size is the main thing why other don't adapt..
@@mattspeer01 Yes my T&C has random problems all over the place. One day my sliding door could not close all the way, I had 2 different dealers look at it, and none of them could figure out why, so instead of spending thousands for them to dismantle the door, I just tried to tough out driving with lots of wind noise. Also had many oil and fluid leaks, TIPM module failing, car not heating up, etc, the list goes on and on. Already spent almost $6K in repairs.
Most people will need the 8ft room only a couple times a year and taking out the seats at that time isn't a big deal. Much rather suffer taking out the seats a couple times than suffer the whole ownership with stiff uncomfortable seats just because they hide into the floor a couple times a year for a home depot trip.
Yes it does. During level 2 charging for example, the fan will run to keep it cool during the summer. (It gets hot in my garage and I can hear the fan ramping up to keep the battery cool when charging)
Yes, when I first heard it...I thought the engine started on its own in my garage and freaked out.... but it was just to keep the battery cool... whew!
Why can’t Honda make quiet vehicles? We had a 2014 odyssey and it was so loud inside that on long road trips I end up w a headache. I either can’t hear passengers in the 3rd row or had to pump up the volume. It was just not a pleasant drive. I had hoped the current gen odyssey would be much quieter. It’s disappointing to hear it’s still the loudest considering Honda has been touting all the insulation they’ve added to the car.
Sound insulation adds weight. Weight is the enemy of fuel economy. Take enough weight out and you might get one more mile per gallon combined and then you can advertise being 1 mile per gallon more fuel efficient.
@@Wasabi9111 2db difference is comparable and you won't hear the difference (yep, I know it's a log scale). We own a 2022 Touring and it is pretty quiet on normal city and highway use. Plus, why not have that sweet Vtech sound being able to enter the cabin when you throw it is "S" and play with the paddle shifters?
I would stick with Toyota. None will outlast it. Chrysler is almost guaranteed to be a S Show by 100k. Mini Vans are just TOO Large, Now. We need a new version of the Mazda 6. Not concerned about 0-60.
Best is Odyssey because it's full package and benchmark others used to improve... Honda is a true engineering company and Mr Honda values and philosophy remains, they set trends, not follow which is total opposite to Hyundai /KIA, and none gimmick design like Toyota and KIA, and better quality than rest of the field... Especially resale values is important not just awesome for a few months.
@@Red-xz1gk what rocks are you living under? Do your research before making statements like you have facts....dual screen in luxury brands... Blind spot camera, hybrid performance sport car for under $300,000. 00US new, fastest front wheel drive that can do corners faster than some rear wheel drive, innovative truck tailgate, first 4wd and now AWD with SH-AWD, more compact engine(PU) in 2021 championship leading Red Bull Racing Honda in Formula 1, and many more that others improve and act like they invented.
@@TheKingkingg haha dual screen in lux models. Hate to break it to you but the worst part of the Honda /acura models was the dual screen entertainment systems. Don't take my word for it, go look at the reviews. Absolutely panned for them. Blind spot camera? You mean the cancerous tumor hanging off the right hand mirror that showed in the center display? Sure I'll give you that but Kia and hyundai took it to a new level with their integration.
@@th003gh8 you obviously don't know what you are talking about, the luxury brands just improve on it, just like Honda driving aid technologies.... You should really do some homework
There should've been a longer segment on Carnival. Just didn't have the depth of analysis provided for the other 3 vans. Was really looking forward to this episode. Disappointed, but otherwise it was good for ppl interested in those 3 vans.
Brilliant.. well done sir, an given the cost of these darn things , more of this style is really needed.
Alex, Thanks to you and Team A on A for all the hard work in compiling this comprehensive video series. I guess from now on we can call you the Ken Burns of TH-cam Car Videos®. In terms of minivans, I will avoid gas stations, repair shops and excessive mountain driving and choose the Sienna LE AWD. BTW CR reports there is an open/unresolved recall on Pacifica Hybrids from an earlier model year.
We just bought a Honda Odyssey Elite and we are loving it. The only thing I wish it had was 360 cameras and maybe a rear view mirror that turned into a screen like the sienna. Everything else has been great.
Problem with Hondas is they're almost never discounted. So you pay full MSRP plus dealer installed accessories. Honda sales managers are very rude when you ask for a discount. That's why I would much rather buy a Toyota, Chevy, or Ford.
@@braetonwilson4296 I doubt Toyota would give you discount either.
@@blackwhirlwind1245 New Toyota vehicles usually have manufacturer rebates and yes, dealer discounts back when there were plenty of chips.
@@braetonwilson4296 they almost never are discounted because Honda sells the car not the discount (selling the discount is a knows sales tactic).
That said, we where able to negotiate our Odyssey down a couple $ks back in March (2022 Touring) and no one was rude during the process. Mind you I live in Canada, may be different in the US, don't know...
I watched all 5 episodes, and enjoyed them all. My only complaint is in this episode where the driving comparisons are featured. It would have been extremely helpful to have had 5 people (or the max the fewest van could accommodate). Use these same 5 people in each of the vans to compare acceleration, handling, braking and all the things that we buy a minivan for! I will never buy a 4-cylinder minivan based on what I want a minivan for!
Excellent video; Alex. Apparently I am the first one to comment.
Your insights on the small details is superb. You are an example for people like me, keep up the good work.
Hi Alex, Could you compare the highway driving assist system? Ex, How well they follow the vehicles in slow traffic etc.
Great videos! For those of us with sizeable families can are still a nice gem to drive. Better than any SUV in my opinion!
I'm not sure if anyone said it but the intro is extremely nice especially in regards to the two harmony notes at the very end.
Great work AoA. Looks like the Pacifica is the winner. You get more out both worlds.
I'm happy to fill up a few more times per year to get a V6 that doesn't give my wife anxiety when pulling into traffic. The Carnival has been great for us! (Terrible name though)
Which v6 gives your wife anxiety?
People who claim an 8.6 acceleration to 60 gives them anxiety probably is a bit of a drama queen. People literally drive millions of compact crossovers with that exact same acceleration and live to tell about it
@@slscamg i’m not sure what has an 8.6 second 0 to 60 all of the vans are pretty quick except the Toyota and it’s a four-cylinder, I’ve had one of those Pacifica hybrids for about a year now
@@slscamg I agree that 0-60 numbers don't mean much, but I don't want to put the pedal to the floor to get the performance I'm looking for. The Carnival provides it and the Sienna doesn't.
@@John-209 no, I'm saying the V6 doesn't give her anxiety. The 4 cylinder does.
I love the 97X AERO plate!
Can't help but feel the Sienna could benefit from at least a bigger battery and possibly more powerful engine/motor (but of course it would make it even heavier)... I hope a Sienna Prime is coming!
edit: I just watched the bit on the Pacifica and Alex echoed my sentiment... so just watch his video!
One thing I haven’t heard specifically regarding these hybrid minivans is how the warmup process goes in cold climates. You mentioned the Pacifica running the engine to assist with heating the cabin but dies the Sienna do this too? Getting the cabin and engine warmed up is important where we live in northern Michigan, not just for passenger comfort but for defrosting the windows. We are considering the Sienna but couldn’t find mention in any reviews of something that is a pretty basic need in cold climates like ours.
Wow, better power, smoother, better gas mileage PLUS full EV driving. The Pacifica seems really good.
Lack of numbers comparing regular Pacifica / Voyager is a pity. How many of the 94K Pacificas sold in 2020 are the plugin hybrids? 10%? More? Do we have the numbers?
Great review! Thank you!
Nothing matters less than how they drive
You would think but the difference in how confident you feel driving a country road in a car like a Mazda CX-9 versus a Honda Pilot makes a difference. The pilot felt all over the road where the Mazda was ok to drive for what it was.
I always enjoy your work. Another great job!
Love this series!
I like the carnival best, but I'd get the odyssey if I was in the market for a minivan. Just because everything honda makes (not just cars, everything) is great.
Alex, will you test their auto driving features like smart cruise control and auto lane keep assistant?
Well done!
Love the Sienna but 0-60 8.4 seconds with only driver won't suffice when family/gear inside and you're merging onto a freeway 😬 Also insufficient power to safely tow a tent trailer (especially in hills/mountains). I'd gladly sacrifice 3-4 mpg to add an extra 30ish hp.
Total bs. In reality no one even accelerates that fast, traffic moves much slower. Poeple like you just have an irrational fear of pressing the gas pedal fully...
I bet it feels more peppy during most driving which is city driving because it would be in electric power most of the time
@@alwaysiyi272 Electric assist definitely helps in city (I drive a 2019 RAV4 hybrid with same drive train, 0-60 7.3 seconds) but on highway loaded up/towing the Sienna will be slow and working very hard. When I tow 1000lb camper with my RAV4 hybrid just enough power on the highway she's working hard and revs quite a bit. Toyota hybrids great are awesome in town, not so much for towing or heavy loads.
@@Mgoblagulkablong You either haven’t been driving long enough, Or been in many different situations out on the highway driving through different states to assume having more power on tap in a vehicle is somehow a bad thing to get you out of a tough situation. Or merge safely on to the highway with a short runway and a packed house with group of 18 wheelers coming up fast. Hitting the brakes is not an option. Unless your intent is to cause a pile up.
@@rustyt115 totally agree with you. I use my minivan for family road trips usually w 6 ppl and loaded w luggage and bikes. The weak 4 cyl hybrid power train is not going to cut it w the sienna. Especially in the NYC area where a lot of the hwy are old with minimal to no on ramp to merge. I wish they kept the v6 hybrid powertrain instead. The 4 cyl is so unrefined and loud.
I can't believe that the the main automakers still haven't found a way to fold the middle seats into the floor. It's an extremely convenient feature. It's why I bought a Chrysler Town & Country, but it's an unreliable brand that keeps needing repairs all the time. If only the more reliable automakers would have that feature, I would be all over them.
Cool feature, but not worth the crap quality. I have a 2017 Pacifica Limited with 33K miles and it is a complete piece of junk vehicle. Endless problems.
The reasons most manufacturers don't do it because of size it might be convenient but not practical.. My brother has Caravan, my sister had the 2001 Caravan, my friend has the Pacifica and the seats a small and thin terrible for long hauls except the the 2001.. the Sedona 2nd row seat are bigger than the Pacifica's 1rst row.. size is the main thing why other don't adapt..
@@joebrown9621 Thanks for your input!
@@mattspeer01 Yes my T&C has random problems all over the place. One day my sliding door could not close all the way, I had 2 different dealers look at it, and none of them could figure out why, so instead of spending thousands for them to dismantle the door, I just tried to tough out driving with lots of wind noise. Also had many oil and fluid leaks, TIPM module failing, car not heating up, etc, the list goes on and on. Already spent almost $6K in repairs.
Most people will need the 8ft room only a couple times a year and taking out the seats at that time isn't a big deal. Much rather suffer taking out the seats a couple times than suffer the whole ownership with stiff uncomfortable seats just because they hide into the floor a couple times a year for a home depot trip.
which is the quietest minivan?
Does the Pacifica Hybrid have active battery cooling management?
Yes it does. During level 2 charging for example, the fan will run to keep it cool during the summer. (It gets hot in my garage and I can hear the fan ramping up to keep the battery cool when charging)
Yes, when I first heard it...I thought the engine started on its own in my garage and freaked out.... but it was just to keep the battery cool... whew!
Why can’t Honda make quiet vehicles? We had a 2014 odyssey and it was so loud inside that on long road trips I end up w a headache. I either can’t hear passengers in the 3rd row or had to pump up the volume. It was just not a pleasant drive.
I had hoped the current gen odyssey would be much quieter. It’s disappointing to hear it’s still the loudest considering Honda has been touting all the insulation they’ve added to the car.
Sound insulation adds weight. Weight is the enemy of fuel economy. Take enough weight out and you might get one more mile per gallon combined and then you can advertise being 1 mile per gallon more fuel efficient.
@@slscamg Hondas have always been outliers w/ loud interiors. If others could make quiet interiors, Honda should at least be comparable.
@@Wasabi9111 2db difference is comparable and you won't hear the difference (yep, I know it's a log scale).
We own a 2022 Touring and it is pretty quiet on normal city and highway use. Plus, why not have that sweet Vtech sound being able to enter the cabin when you throw it is "S" and play with the paddle shifters?
I would stick with Toyota. None will outlast it. Chrysler is almost guaranteed to be a S Show by 100k. Mini Vans are just TOO Large, Now. We need a new version of the Mazda 6. Not concerned about 0-60.
Everyone gushing about the Pacifica but their parts are lower quality
On
So...Pacifica vrs another 3 MV ? Hum...
Best is Odyssey because it's full package and benchmark others used to improve... Honda is a true engineering company and Mr Honda values and philosophy remains, they set trends, not follow which is total opposite to Hyundai /KIA, and none gimmick design like Toyota and KIA, and better quality than rest of the field... Especially resale values is important not just awesome for a few months.
Honda has set no trends since the GFC. A company that has really lost its edge.
Honda set no benchmark not trend for long long time... sorry to tell you the truth.
@@Red-xz1gk what rocks are you living under? Do your research before making statements like you have facts....dual screen in luxury brands... Blind spot camera, hybrid performance sport car for under $300,000. 00US new, fastest front wheel drive that can do corners faster than some rear wheel drive, innovative truck tailgate, first 4wd and now AWD with SH-AWD, more compact engine(PU) in 2021 championship leading Red Bull Racing Honda in Formula 1, and many more that others improve and act like they invented.
@@TheKingkingg haha dual screen in lux models. Hate to break it to you but the worst part of the Honda /acura models was the dual screen entertainment systems. Don't take my word for it, go look at the reviews. Absolutely panned for them.
Blind spot camera? You mean the cancerous tumor hanging off the right hand mirror that showed in the center display? Sure I'll give you that but Kia and hyundai took it to a new level with their integration.
@@th003gh8 you obviously don't know what you are talking about, the luxury brands just improve on it, just like Honda driving aid technologies.... You should really do some homework
There should've been a longer segment on Carnival. Just didn't have the depth of analysis provided for the other 3 vans. Was really looking forward to this episode. Disappointed, but otherwise it was good for ppl interested in those 3 vans.
So ...how do they drive? Too many facts and no info on “ how they drive”