2012 Routan compared with 2012 Honda Odyssey

Safety
To help make backing safer, the Routan SEL’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Routan and the Odyssey have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Routan is safer than the Honda Odyssey:

	Routan	Odyssey
	Front Seat
Stars	5 Stars	5 stars
Chest Movement	.9 Inches	.9 Inches
	Rear Seat
Stars	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	140
Spine Acceleration	54 G's	54 G's
	Into Pole
Stars	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	16 inches
HIC	294	423
Spine Acceleration	47 G's	49 G's
Hip Force	788 lbs.	799 lbs

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty
The Routan comes with free roadside assistance for 3 years 36,000 miles. Volkswagen will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Honda doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the Odyssey.

The Routan’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Odyssey’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Routan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Odyssey.

Reliability
The camshafts in the Routan’s engine are driven by a hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs. The Odyssey’s camshafts are driven by a rubber belt that needs periodic replacement. If the Odyssey’s cam drive belt breaks the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

Engine
The Routan’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 35 more horsepower (283 vs. 248) and 10 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 250) than the Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

Environmental Friendliness
In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Routan higher (6 out of 10) than the Honda Odyssey (5 to 6). This means the Routan produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Odyssey every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping
The Routan’s stops shorter than the Honda Odyssey.

	Routan	Grand Caravan
70 - 0 MPH	178 feet	179 feet

Suspension and Handling
The Routan has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Routan flat and controlled during cornering. The Odyssey’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Routan offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Routan’s wheelbase is 3.1 inches longer than on the Odyssey (121.2 inches vs. 118.1 inches).

Passenger Space
The Routan has .2 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room, .3 inches more third row hip room and 1.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Odyssey.

The Routan has a standard rear tailgate seat that can be flipped rearward and used for tailgate picnics. (Do not use seat reversed while vehicle in motion.) The Odyssey doesn’t offer a rear tailgate seat.

Cargo Capacity
The Routan’s cargo area is larger than the Odyssey’s in almost every dimension:

	Routan	Odyssey
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/58.6”/98.1”	23.5”/62”/98”
Max Width	69”	49.7”
Min Width	49”	47”
Height	48.6”	55”

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Routan SEL’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Odyssey doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing
Maximum trailer towing in the Honda Odyssey is limited to 3500 pounds. The Routan offers up to a 3600 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics
The Routan SEL has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Odyssey doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Routan and the Odyssey have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Routan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Odyssey prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Routan’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Odyssey’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

Keyless Access standard on the Routan SEL allows the driver to unlock the doors, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the car in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Honda Odyssey doesn’t offer an advanced key system.

The Routan SEL’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Odyssey’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Routan SEL offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Odyssey has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Routan and the Odyssey offer available heated front seats. The Routan SEL also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Odyssey.

The Routan has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Odyssey EX/Touring.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Routan owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Routan with a number “8” insurance rate while the Odyssey is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Routan is less expensive to operate than the Odyssey because it costs $196 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Routan than the Odyssey, including $2 less for a water pump, $615 less for an alternator, $30 less for a starter, $620 less for fuel injection, $5 less for front struts, $134 less for a timing belt/chain and $33 less for a power steering pump.

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