Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 Nissan Quest VS 2014 Honda Odyssey Near Phoenix, AZ

The Quest LE has a standard Around View ® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Odyssey only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Quest and the Odyssey have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact 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 Quest comes with free roadside assistance for 3 years 36,000 miles. Nissan 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 camshafts in the Quest’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.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Quest’s reliability will be 23% better than the Odyssey.

The Quest’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 12 more horsepower (260 vs. 248) than the Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

The Quest’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Odyssey are solid, not vented.

The Quest SL/LE’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Odyssey Touring/Touring Elite’s 60 series tires.

The Quest has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Odyssey doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Quest S/SV’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Odyssey’s (36.1 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The Quest has 5.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Odyssey (177.8 vs. 172.6).

The Quest has 2.4 inches more front headroom, 2.9 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more third row headroom, 1.2 inches more third row hip room and .3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Odyssey.

The rear step up height for the Quest is 1.3 inches lower than the Odyssey (15.7” vs. 17”).

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

The Quest LE’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Odyssey doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Quest’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Odyssey’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Quest has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Odyssey only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Quest has standard extendable sun visors. The Odyssey doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Insurance will cost less for the Quest owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Quest with a number “5” insurance rate while the Odyssey is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Quest is less expensive to operate than the Odyssey because it costs $182 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Quest than the Odyssey, including $102 less for an alternator and $85 less for a starter.