Honda Odyssey vs Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors were a boon in tight parking spaces, making it easier to load toddlers into rear-facing seats. The Odyssey's third-row seating was comfortable, providing ample space for passengers and cargo, unlike many SUVs where the third row felt cramped. Despite the minivan's utilitarian image, the Odyssey managed to incorporate a sense of style with its kinked sliding doors and dark grey 19-inch alloy wheels on the Touring trim. The interior was spacious, with a classic open-concept design and quality leather upholstery, though the centre stack's switchgear placement initially seemed haphazard.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid was an SUV that aimed to blend style with functionality, though its design was often criticized for being overly aggressive. The Highlander Hybrid's interior was characterized by large elements, such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen and oversized climate control knobs, which some found visually overwhelming. The cabin's mismatched textures and reflections from the display added to the visual clutter. Despite these design choices, the Highlander Hybrid was quiet on the road, and its ride was smooth, absorbing bumps and cracks effectively. However, the interior quality was questioned, with controls and storage areas feeling inexpensive and lacking refinement.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. While it lacked all-wheel drive and hybrid options, the Odyssey offered a Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption estimate of 10.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. During testing, it averaged 10.4 L/100 km. The Odyssey was praised for its driving dynamics, offering a responsive and enjoyable experience, though its brakes were prone to heating up on mountain grades, leading to pedal vibration.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid combined a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with two electric motor-generators, producing 243 combined horsepower. It featured standard all-wheel drive, with one motor powering the rear wheels on demand. The Highlander Hybrid's focus was on fuel economy, with a Predictive Efficient Drive system aiming to optimize efficiency. However, it returned 8.2 L/100 km on the evaluation loop, higher than the expected 6.7 L/100 km. The SUV's performance was described as lacklustre, with soft suspension and a continuously variable transmission contributing to a less engaging driving experience. The Highlander Hybrid was best suited for city and suburban driving, offering a compliant ride and quiet highway performance.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, it featured quality leather seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The Odyssey excelled in storage space, with numerous compartments and a centre console tray. Its Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for flexible configurations, enhancing passenger safety and convenience. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Odyssey provided 929 litres of cargo space behind it. Folding the third-row seat increased cargo capacity to 2,452 litres, and removing the second-row seats offered a maximum of 3,984 litres.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid accommodated seven or eight passengers, though the third-row seat was best for occasional use. It featured three-zone automatic climate control and heated front seats, with additional heating options in higher trims. The second-row captain's chairs were comfortable, and the SUV offered sunshades for rear passengers. However, accessing the third row was challenging, and the seats were less comfortable. The Highlander Hybrid provided 453 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 1,370 litres with the seats folded. The centre console's storage design was criticized for being unnecessarily complex.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Touring trim was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering satellite radio, Bluetooth, and smartphone connectivity. It included CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology for monitoring and communicating with rear passengers. The rear entertainment system featured a 10.2-inch display, though it was considered outdated. The Odyssey's infotainment system was functional but lacked modern features, and its navigation system required specific voice commands.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid introduced new technology, with upper trims featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system. The system supported over-the-air updates, dual-device Bluetooth pairing, and wireless smartphone connectivity. The Drive Connect service plan offered advanced features like natural voice recognition and cloud-based navigation. The Highlander Hybrid's technology was user-friendly, though the graphics could be improved for better visibility.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced safety features including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. It also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. However, Honda Sensing's performance was sometimes abrupt, and the blind-spot monitoring system's warning light placement was criticized.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, offering adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. It also included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims added parking sensors and a surround-view camera. The Highlander Hybrid's safety systems generally performed well, though they occasionally struggled with lane markings. It received excellent crash-test ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA.