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A prospective customer has many available options when purchasing a vehicle, and it's likely that Honda and Toyota will be on their short list. Both of these Japanese auto manufacturers are known worldwide for producing a wide variety of popular and reliable vehicles. Choosing between the two is often difficult, as Honda and Toyota stack up against each other quite well. Knowing a few key differences may assist in this decision.

A good method of rating Hondas against Toyotas is to compare their most popular models, namely the Accord and the Camry sedans, respectively. Because both of their mini-van models are high on customer's preferences, the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna are presented here as well. All information was gleaned from the 2008 U.S. models, and for ease of comparison all prices are given in U.S. dollars.

Look and Feel

Consumers have individual varied tastes and preferences in cars, and appearance is usually a key factor in the final decision. Both the Toyota Camry and Sienna have undergone substantial changes in the last 10 years to attract a more style-conscious customer. In general, Toyotas used to be less sporty than their Honda counterparts, and Toyota has worked hard to alter that image. Hondas are typically more stylish, and both the Accord and Odyssey possess crisper lines, appearing more sleek and sporty.

Test drive both an Accord and a Camry, and you'll notice that the Accord has a firmer, more sporty feel while the Camry has an overall softer ride. The same holds true with their mini-vans, in that the Odyssey rides more firmly, and the Sienna is more of a cushioned ride.

Crash Test Ratings

In this important category, both Hondas and Toyotas fare quite well in U.S. government crash safety tests. The Camry received 5 stars in all categories except for the rollover test, in which it received 4 stars. The Accord also scored 5 out of 5 stars in all categories, while pulling in a 3 star rating for rear seat collisions.

The Toyota Sienna failed to receive 5 stars in two categories - the driver frontal collision and rollover tests, scoring 4 stars in those categories. The Honda Odyssey, on the other hand, received 5 stars across the board except for the rollover test, in which it scored 4 stars.

Bear in mind these tests attempt to simulate specific collisions which most frequently occur; however, the innate random nature of accidents is likely to cause variation in damage and injuries. Nonetheless, both Honda and Toyota continue to be near the top

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