Hi Everyone,This is my first post here.Why is a Ford f150 so much better than my Honda Odyssey for towing a trailer. Both vehicles have about the same width, the GVWR is about the same for both. The Ford is about 4” longer ( that will help some). The Fords 3.5 (non ecoboost) has only about 15% more horsepower and 13ft lbs more torque. The Odyssey has 4 wheel disc brakes that are 12.3” (front) only slightly smaller than the ford. I know the ford will have stiffer suspension and that will help with stability and load capacity. The Odyssey has a 5 speed trans and the Ford has a 6 speed ( that will help some). Is there really that much of a difference between the vehicles. My trailer has a GVWR of 3700lbs. I don't really want to debate the suitability of the Odyssey because I have it set-up for towing and we tow our trailer almost dry to keep everything under capacity and most importantly, I am replacing it with a proper TV. Thanks in advance.

One is a truck...other a car...both "can" tow that trailer...one will do it better and last longer doing thatOne can MANHANDLE the situation better than the other when Mr Murphy crosses your pathI own an Odyssey and several trucks, knew the difference long ago before buying the van...this is like trying to explain sex to a virgin...but you already answered your own question...rpodcamper wrote:Hi Everyone,This is my first post here.Why is a Ford f150 so much better than my Honda Odyssey for towing a trailer. Both vehicles have about the same width, the GVWR is about the same for both. The Ford is about 4” longer ( that will help some). The Fords 3.5 (non ecoboost) has only about 15% more horsepower and 13ft lbs more torque. The Odyssey has 4 wheel disc brakes that are 12.3” (front) only slightly smaller than the ford. I know the ford will have stiffer suspension and that will help with stability and load capacity. The Odyssey has a 5 speed trans and the Ford has a 6 speed ( that will help some). Is there really that much of a difference between the vehicles. My trailer has a GVWR of 3700lbs. I don't really want to debate the suitability of the Odyssey because I have it set-up for towing and we tow our trailer almost dry to keep everything under capacity and most importantly, I am replacing it with a proper TV. Thanks in advance.

The F150 is so much better but I don't want to debate the Odyssey because it is set up for towing. Honda doesn't want to debate it either....tow limit 3,500 pounds. Couldn't find pay load limit. You and I are Southern Californians and the great drought is apparently over for now but I've rolled into campgrounds that had water two hours earlier. That would wreck a night's camping if you had dry or nearly dry tanks. The difference? From Frank's song..."Night and day..."

One huge difference is that the Honda doesn't have any kind of transmission cooler. My son bought a used Odyssey and had to replace the transmission after about 6 months. It had towed a tent trailer in it's previous life. He had the transmission shop put in a cooler after it was replaced.

"but you already answered your own question..." I probably should of asked is a base F150 a big enough improvement over the Odyssey or should I be looking at a more powerful model. "Couldn't find pay load limit." The Odyssey weighs 4400 lbs and has a GVWR of 6018 according to the door sticker. "Honda doesn't have any kind of transmission cooler" I have a large B&M trans cooler and a PS cooler and a WDH.

Short answer, yes it will do better with a trailer over all. It's a pickup truck, designed for towing and hauling, not carrying groceries and soccer balls. Even if you get the stripped down little NA 6 banger, it shares a lot of components with trucks rated to haul or tow twice as much or more as it's rated for. Your Odyssy is still rated for.....not towing much.

Ford F150 VS Honda Odyssey | Good Sam Community

42 Replies

Lwiddis
Explorer II
May 16, 2017
The F150 is so much better but I don't want to debate the Odyssey because it is set up for towing. Honda doesn't want to debate it either....tow limit 3,500 pounds. Couldn't find pay load limit. You and I are Southern Californians and the great drought is apparently over for now but I've rolled into campgrounds that had water two hours earlier. That would wreck a night's camping if you had dry or nearly dry tanks. The difference? From Frank's song..."Night and day..."
BenK
Explorer
May 16, 2017
One is a truck...other a car...both "can" tow that trailer...one will do it better and last longer doing that

One can MANHANDLE the situation better than the other when Mr Murphy crosses your path

I own an Odyssey and several trucks, knew the difference long ago before buying the van...this is like trying to explain sex to a virgin...but you already answered your own question...

rpodcamper wrote:
Hi Everyone,

This is my first post here.

Why is a Ford f150 so much better than my Honda Odyssey for towing a trailer. Both vehicles have about the same width, the GVWR is about the same for both. The Ford is about 4” longer ( that will help some). The Fords 3.5 (non ecoboost) has only about 15% more horsepower and 13ft lbs more torque. The Odyssey has 4 wheel disc brakes that are 12.3” (front) only slightly smaller than the ford. I know the ford will have stiffer suspension and that will help with stability and load capacity. The Odyssey has a 5 speed trans and the Ford has a 6 speed ( that will help some). Is there really that much of a difference between the vehicles.

My trailer has a GVWR of 3700lbs. I don't really want to debate the suitability of the Odyssey because I have it set-up for towing and we tow our trailer almost dry to keep everything under capacity and most importantly, I am replacing it with a proper TV.

Thanks in advance.

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Ford F150 VS Honda Odyssey

42 Replies

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