We tested popular minivans from Toyota and Honda to see which is better - and the winner is clear

PERFORMANCE: The 0-60 is a shocking 6.6 seconds, but to be expected from the Odyssey's tasty 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V6, one of the greatest engines available on any vehicle. If you want merging and passing power, the Odyssey delivers, as it always has.

SAFETY AND MPGS: The Odyssey has all the same safety features as the Odyssey and similar fuel economy.

As with most vehicles in this price range, a host of safety features are on deck: adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, emergency braking. You are surrounded by the air bags and the Odyssey typically receives high marks for crashworthiness, although our tester model year hadn't yet been rated by the government.

The motor will turn itself on and off to save fuel and reduce emissions, but you can disable the function. In addition to a normal drive mode, there's a "sequential" mode that engages the paddle shifters. Econ and snow modes max out fuel economy (which is 19 city/28 highway/22 combined according to the EPA) and help with traction in sloppy weather.

For the driver, the tech situation behind the wheel is much more contemporary than what you see in the Sienna

TECH: Honda doesn't have the best infotainment system in the business — GM's and Audi's are better — but in the Odyssey, you're not lacking for anything. There's an 11-speaker premium audio system. Bluetooth and USB connectivity, plenty of places to plug in (as well as 110V regular outlet), AUX ports, navigation, and a voice-command setup.

I didn't cram the Odyssey with stuff, but I used to own one of these babies, and it can swallow up just as much luggage and gear as the Sienna.

Both minivans have second and third row seats that can be configured to max out passenger space or cargo. This one really is a tie, and that's because minivan makers get this category right.

COMFORT AND VERSATILITY: The Odyssey is as comfortable as the Sienna, but its ride is notably crisper, so if a soft cruiser is your thing, then the Odyssey might be a bad choice.

The controversial "Z" zigzag line the rear has been toned down, but overall the Odyssey is much sharper than the Sienna.

DESIGN: Sleek, moderately aggressive, and with a lot of going on than the Sienna.

On to the Odyssey! This a brand-new 2018 model.

PERFORMANCE: A big selling point for the Sienna is that it's available with all-wheel-drive, unlike the entirely front-wheel-drive competition. Our tester was a front-wheel-drive version, powered by a superb 3.5-liter V6 mated to an 8-speed transmission.

SAFETY AND MPGS: The Sienna is a little behind the on this score.

Driver-assist features are more-or-less up to date, but back-up cameras and blind-spot warnings have been relegated to "expected" by most new buyers, who want adaptive cruise control and more elaborate collision avoidance tech. Personally, I thought the Sienna was actually advantaged by the lack of bells and whistles: some of the newer tech is distracting and intrusive.

Fuel economy is fair: 19 mpg city/27 highway/22 combined (AWD worsens that across the board). As a former minivan owner, I can say that you will be trading off MPGs for all that hauling power. But all minivans suffer from this. And to be honest, you really wouldn't want an underpowered Sienna with a smaller engine, lumbering up onramps and laboring to keep up with highway traffic.

The tech setup for the driver is dated. Nothing fancy.

TECH: I'm of two minds about the seven-inch infotainment touchscreen. It's not as snazzy as more updated systems and, in fact, seems to share DNA with the unit in my 2011 Toyota Prius. On the other hand, it gets the job done.

All the requisite apps and connectivity features are present (Bluetooth, USB, AUX port), and the navigation did a dandy job of getting me to my kids' camp and back. The "Driver Easy Speak" means you don't have to holler at anyone in the third row to be heard.

Cargo capacity is, well ... you be the judge.

COMFORT AND VERSATILITY: The Sienna does what minivans do and provides excellent access for passengers in all three rows. The cabin is large and comfy and served a crew of four kids just fine on a drive of over 100 miles.

It is, in the final analysis, a visually bland machine that doesn't try to hide its mission in life: to haul people and stuff.

DESIGN: No one will call the Sienna exciting. It's a somewhat shapely rectangle with sliding door, a sloping front, and four wheels at the corners.

Let's start with the Sienna and a caveat: this 2017 model is the third-generation, which has been around since 2010. It's looking aged next to the Odyssey.