Driving Impressions

Odyssey drives and rides like a minivan. While the Odyssey offers class-leading horsepower, this is negated by its weight. Nevertheless, it accelerates briskly, as quick as many sport-utilities. Fuel economy is average. Honda's V6 is smooth and quiet, though it makes its presence known under full acceleration. The automatic transmission works well, though the column-mounted shifter feels a bit funky as it travels an elliptical path when manually shifting through the gears. In most situations, the Odyssey delivers a smooth, comfortable ride. On a bumpy road into Washington, D.C., however, the suspension seemed to lack sufficient damping. Potholes are felt and heard as rattles emanating from the rear of the vehicle. Odyssey is easily maneuvered in close-quarters, better than most SUVs. Braking is reasonably stable, though there's more mass here than in an Accord wagon, and Odyssey's stopping distance is about average for a minivan. Big, well-designed mirrors are easy to adjust and provide good rearward vision. The view from the inside mirror is obscured a bit by the rearmost headrests, but they are removable. Sound quality from the premium six-speaker stereo is mediocre. It has difficulty reproducing tracks with a broad range. Distortion occurs at higher volumes and the system lacks efficiency to reproduce low-volume segments well.

Final Word

The Odyssey does not really raise the bar in its class, but it does equal the efforts of DaimlerChrysler and other competing minivans. Magic third seat aside, it offers few features that are not also found among its competitors. Yet it offers a strong value and Honda's proven quality. Overall, the Honda Odyssey is a solid minivan, one that owners of other Honda products can trade into with confidence. It delivers a load of convenience and is easy to live with. The Odyssey is a great choice for a family of five or six, and a smarter choice than a sport-utility vehicle.