Honda's Odyssey has been a market leader in the minivan segment for many years. It delivers strong engine power, decent fuel economy, and high levels of ride comfort and cabin quietness. It offers more features to pamper travelers and keep them connected. The overall result is a premium feel.
Inside, passengers will find the front seats large and inviting, but the bottom cushion loses firmness over long trips. By removing the second-row center seat, the comfortable outboard seats can be shifted inward, opening a wider path to access the roomy third-row seats, or positioning an infant closer to parents sitting up front.
The cabin is serene except over very coarse pavement. Honda offers an intercom system that allows the driver to speak into a microphone to rear passengers for when wind and road noise intrude.
The ride approaches luxury levels of comfort, with most pavement flaws being easily absorbed. Its handling is mundane but drivers will feel secure.
The 280-horsepower V6 engine belts out healthy performance and has more than ample reserve power for merging in traffic or climbing hills. It remains well mannered even at high revs. Fuel economy has improved, with the Odyssey now achieving 22 mpg overall. The automatic transmission is smooth and responsive.
The infotainment touch screen has colorful graphics and the ability to rearrange icons. Controls—including the colorful nine-inch infotainment touchscreen—are easy to use, thanks to plenty of physical buttons and knobs. However, the gear selector takes getting used to.
The available rear entertainment system packs several kid-friendly features. One is a cute "How much farther?" app that serves as a cartoon "flight tracker" meant to avoid a litany of "Are we there yet?" questions.
Honda Sensing is standard. This includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, lane centering assistance, and adaptive cruise control. Blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning became standard on all trims for 2023.
Among the most popular minivans on the U.S. market, the Odyssey is a compelling choice even though it doesn't deliver a knockout punch to its Chrysler and Toyota competitors.