Ask the Mechanic: Whats takeh a better buy, Toyota or Honda?

The age-old question—Toyota vs Honda. First off, it’s helpful to understand the design philosophy differences between Toyota and Honda. Toyota is much more conservative- always looking to stay the same and keep things simple, while Honda is more innovative- tmatched with incredible engineering to keep things reliable, but things will fall through the cracks.

This is really three questions in one because while in our market we are generally talking about the Sienna vs Odyssey question, there is also the Accord vs Camry and Civic vs Corolla, and each of these are their own discussion. I’ll answer them one by one. Let’s start with the minivans. As far as the newer vans go, in 2021 Toyota switched to a new all hybrid drivetrain. Toyota is the leader in hybrid technology as they have been manufacturing them for about 20 years now, but it remains to be seen how it will last in the minivan form. Also, many repairs will be more costly, as a greater level of expertise is required in fixing hybrids. Overall, though it is a very welldesigned car and should be reliable, there is not a lot of data on this car as it’s too new to see how it will hold up to long term use. Also, the second row seats cannot be removed in the new generation.

The new Odysseys are essentially the same as the previous generation, using the same engine for 25 years now-and it’s one of the best there is. It is also a fairly cheap engine, as it is in many Honda and Acura models. The old model Sienna (20112020) is the Lakewood staple for a reason. It’s very reliable and simple to repair, with an engine and transmission that span many models as well, (the more are made the cheaper they are, generally). They are not entirely problem free, however. MECHANIC In the Sienna, common issues to watch for include wornout front struts, axles, and control arms, a failing water pump, leaking radiators and faulty A/C compressors. The transmission is generally reliable, but it’s important to replace the filter and fluid around 100,000 miles. Skipping this can lead to problems, as this is one of the weaker points in the Toyota drivetrain.

For the Odyssey, a major item to keep in mind is the timing belt. It needs to be replaced at 100,000 miles and usually costs around $1,000. (Toyota uses a timing chain instead, which doesn’t require maintenance.) The Odyssey’s transmission can also be a trouble spot. Some versions come with up to 10 speeds and need very specific transmission fluid to work properly. Using the wrong fluid—or skipping fluid changes— can lead to issues. Most mechanics recommend using only genuine Honda fluid and replacing it every 60,000 miles. Another common problem is leaking spool valves, which can damage the alternator. And while the sliding doors tend to break less often than the Sienna’s, the repairs are more expensive. All that being said, between the old models I would reccommend the Sienna, as the problems are generally more peripheral and easy to repair, and overall reliability is better. As for the new models, it’s really a toss-up in my opinion.

The main thing to keep in mind though, is that any car is only as reliable as the maintenance. Both vehicles can reliably take you to 200k miles when problems are spotted and resolved early.

The bottom line is that reliability is not a guarantee, we must do the appropriate hishtadlus, and of course, daven for siyata dShmaya. Looks like we’re out of space for now, so we will discuss the cars in next week’s article.