2024 Honda Passport vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Toyota Sienna, available in Canada in LE, XLE, XSE, and Limited trims, presented a distinctive appearance. Competing with the Kia Carnival for style points, the Sienna featured sleek front and rear fascias and offered colours like deep blue, red, and bronze. Standard LED lighting was a highlight, with upper trims boasting Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, noted for its sporty flair, included a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. Inside, the Sienna provided cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and seating for eight, with the XSE trim offering leatherette-trimmed sport seats and a heated, leather-trimmed power steering wheel. The interior design, with horizontal lines and satin accents, added a sense of spaciousness, though it was more practical than luxurious.

The 2024 Honda Passport maintained a familiar design, despite Honda's recent updates to other models. With three trims in Canada—Sport, TrailSport, and Black Edition—the Passport offered a consistent look across the lineup. The TrailSport trim, tested for its rugged appeal, included all-terrain tires and standard roof rails and LED fog lights in Canada. While the Passport appeared rugged, it lacked true off-road enhancements like metal skid plates or recovery points. Inside, the Passport featured physical controls and an 8-inch touchscreen, with the TrailSport trim offering black leather upholstery with orange stitching. The interior was simple yet functional, with a mix of durable plastics and softer materials, emphasizing utility over luxury.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was powered by a hybrid system combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. While the Sienna offered a sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode, its performance was not particularly thrilling, feeling sluggish off the line. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) contributed to a smooth but slow acceleration, especially noticeable during highway merging. Around town, the Sienna provided a pleasant driving experience, with modes like Normal, Eco, and EV for different conditions. However, the brakes were somewhat grabby, and the steering was light and accurate, with excellent visibility.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport featured a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport offered smooth acceleration, though peak torque required higher RPMs. Fuel economy was rated at 12.5 L/100 km in the city and 9.8 on the highway. The TrailSport trim included mechanical changes for off-road capability, such as wider tracks and tuned suspension. The Passport's steering was well-balanced, and it offered a towing capacity of 2,268 kg, surpassing some competitors but falling short of others like the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space, with a lower storage pass-through and multiple cupholders. The second-row captain’s chairs offered significant legroom, though their slide function was complex, and they couldn't be removed, limiting cargo space. The third row was accessible and provided ample legroom when the second row was adjusted. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone in the XSE trim. The rear liftgate revealed 949 litres of cargo space, expanding to 2,860 litres with the third row stowed.

The 2024 Honda Passport, a two-row midsize crossover, led its segment in cargo capacity with 1,430 litres behind the rear seats and 2,854 litres with seats folded. The rear seats folded flush with the trunk floor, facilitating easy loading. The Passport comfortably seated five adults, with ample cupholders and a redesigned centre console for increased storage. The front-seat environment was slightly less airy due to the new console design, but overall storage was enhanced.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured an older infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen, wired Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. While the system included physical buttons for common functions, the backup camera's grainy view was a drawback. The Sienna offered a 12-speaker JBL stereo system and an available rear-camera mirror. USB ports were plentiful, and a 1500-watt inverter provided additional power outlets.

The 2024 Honda Passport came with an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The screen's resolution and response were commendable, but its size felt inadequate for the spacious cabin. Navigation directions dominated the driver’s display, which could be annoying. The TrailSport trim's seven-speaker audio system was underwhelming compared to competitors' offerings.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna included the Toyota Safety Sense suite, featuring lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. While most systems performed well, lane-keeping assist showed some side-to-side movement. The Sienna received high safety ratings, with four stars from NHTSA for frontal crash and five stars for side crash protection. IIHS rated it "Good" in most categories but "Average" in front crash prevention.

The 2024 Honda Passport offered comprehensive safety features, including forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Despite these features, the Passport received mixed safety ratings, with IIHS rating it "Acceptable" in some crash tests and NHTSA awarding it five stars overall but four stars in frontal and rollover tests.