Honda Odyssey Safer Than Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica in Crash Tests

No Competitive Minivan Earns Higher Safety Score Than Odyssey

Parents put safety high on their list of priorities when it comes time to purchase a new vehicle, so take note that there's no safer minivan on today's market than the Honda Odyssey.

This point was made clear after the latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test results were tallied up and the Honda Odyssey earned highest marks for the critical passenger-side small-overlap front test.

To be clear, the Odyssey achieved best-possible "Good" scores for all Crashworthiness categories, also including the driver-side small-overlap front test, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, plus head restraints and seats, while the ease of use of its child seat anchors (LATCH) was rated Good + thanks to extra latch locations.

Also impressive, under the Crash Avoidance and Mitigation category the Odyssey achieved a best-possible "Superior" rating for front crash prevention when outfitted with optional equipment.

Lastly, the Odyssey earned a second-best "Acceptable" score for its headlights with "only certain trims/options."

Odyssey Clearly Safer for Front Passenger Than Sienna and Pacifica

Notably the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica received the same Acceptable headlight rating, while the Kia Sedona got a Good score for headlights yet showed "not rated" for the more critically important passenger-side small-overlap front category, whereas the Pacifica only received an Acceptable grade in this test, and the Sienna scored poorly with a second-from-bottom "Marginal" rating.

To clarify what this means, the Pacifica and Sienna didn't achieve as high a rating because the structure around their front passenger compartment collapsed inward during the crash test, resulting in parts of the body structure entering the passenger area. According to the IIHS report, the structural deformation with the Pacifica didn't intrude inward enough to harm the front passenger, which allowed for its Acceptable rating, but the Sienna's body structure intruded far enough into the front passenger compartment to potentially injure legs and feet, resulting in the below standard Marginal ranking (check the video below for actual footage of the crash tests to see how each van fares).

Odyssey's Good + Score for Child Seat Anchors Bests the Competition Again

Speaking of Marginal scores, the Pacifica got the "M" word for the ease of use of its child seat anchors, whereas the Sienna improved on the Pacifica by getting an Acceptable ranking for child seat anchors yet only managed to eke out an Acceptable score for the driver-side small-overlap front test.

That equals six Good, one Good +, and one Acceptable rating for the Honda Odyssey; six Good and one Acceptable ranking for the Kia Sorento; five Good marks, two Acceptable and one Marginal for the Chrysler Pacifica; and lastly four Good scores, three Acceptable, and one Marginal for the Toyota Sienna.

The system the IIHS uses for tallying up its totals resulted in a second-best possible Top Safety Pick rating for all minivans except for the Toyota Sienna, which didn't earn any special accommodation.

Honda Odyssey Clearly Delivers the Best Possible Safety for Your Family

Thanks to IIHS crash tests, it's easy to see which minivan delivers the best possible safety for you and your family. With some minor improvements to its standard headlights, we can be certain the Honda Odyssey would easily attain revered Top Safety Pick + status, and in the process become the only minivan to do so.

To learn more about the new Honda Odyssey minivan, contact Vancouver Honda by phone at (855) 971-0607 or meet us in person at our showroom at 850 Southwest Marine Drive, Vancouver.

Additionally, make sure you watch this excellent video put out by the IIHS, showing the actual crash tests of the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica minivans. After you watch this video you'll know which van is best for protecting the safety of your family: