2010 Car Comparison: Dodge Grand Caravan v Honda Odyssey v Toyota Sienna

The 2010 Honda Odyssey, 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2010 Toyota Sienna rank 1-2-3 in minivan sales. Odyssey and Sienna are lame ducks for model-year 2010; all-new redesigned versions are slated to hit dealer showrooms for model-year 2011. Oddly enough, it’s the Dodge Grand Caravan that carried the most generous factory incentives as 2010 dawned, with big cash rebates or financing as low as zero percent. Nonetheless, expect increasingly better deals on the outgoing 2010 Odyssey and 2010 Sienna as dealers clear inventories to make way for the redesigned replacements.

Minivans in the late 1980s and early 1990s were the undisputed darlings of the diaper and daycare set. But sales fell flat as families turned to sport-utility vehicles in the mid 1990s and now to car-based crossovers; both are perceived as more rugged or sportier than a minivan. Ironically, when someone with kids or a carpool describes the vehicle that best meets their needs they’ve painted a verbal picture of a minivan. In the same breath, though, they declare they “wouldn’t be caught dead” driving one.

Too bad. Nothing beats a minivan for getting as seven people from the Point A to Point B in comfort – while keeping them entertained in the process. Minivans are great weekend cargo haulers, too, with slide-open rear doors, fold-flat and/or removable seats, and enough room to carry four-by-eight-foot sheets of building materials.

The 2010 Honda Odyssey, 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan, and 2010 Toyota Sienna all have fine performance for their purposes. And while each has its own brand advantages and styling points, what we’ll explore in this comparison test is the innovative features each offers -- from power-operated liftgates to multi-screen video systems to multi-configurable seating.

The 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan forms the basis for both the Chrysler Town & Country and Volkswagen Routan minivans. The Grand Caravan was last refreshed for model-year 2008.

The 2010 Honda Odyssey traces its design to model-year 2005. The Odyssey is mechanically related to the Honda Pilot crossover SUV.

The 2010 Toyota Sienna dates to a model-year 2004 redesign and shares components with various Toyotas, including the Highlander crossover SUV.